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r a g u o C n Va TEAM August 2018
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bailley Simms
MANAGING EDITOR Nicholas Freese LAYOUT EDITOR Marco Morales ADVERTISING MANAGER Kassidy Young WEB & SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER July Canilao PHOTOGRAPHER Adeena Rose Wade ADVISER Raul Moreno
COPY EDITOR Nikki Johnson
k up Linwith us
COPY EDITOR Randal Houle
/TheVanCougar
REPORTER Alex Duffield
@thevancougar
REPORTER Cameron Kast REPORTER Katherine O’Boyle REPORTER Sofia Grande REPORTER Anna Nelson REPORTER Henry Holloway
s terthe Letto editor The VanCougar welcomes letters and commentary from members of the WSU Vancouver community on current issues. Letters must include the author’s full name, contact information and WSU affiliation: year and major for students, department for faculty and staff, degree and year graduated for alumni. The VanCougar does not publish anonymous letters. Send letters and commentary to van.vancouged@ wsu.edu. Once received, letters become property of The VanCougar and are subject to editing for length, clarity and style.
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August 2018
Contents
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Campus Climate Survey reveals student housing insecurities Artwork on the walls, on the rocks and in the cases of the WSU Vancouver library For the Aerospace Club, the sky is the limit Coaching in the classroom: Dale Fortin receives Students’ Award for Teaching Excellence ‘Battle Ground’ for higher pay: local teachers on strike Ridgefield teachers demand higher pay A nutty opinion article Recently appointed ASWSUV senator earns herself a seat at the table Clark County fire chief gives safety advice for wildfire season
on the
Cover
Action shot of students at the Back to School barbeque on Aug. 22. Students used props and the WSU Vancouver background provided by the Student Activities Board to pose for photos taken with a polaroid camera. Once photos developed, students could use materials at the SAB booth to decorate a frame to keep their polaroid picture in. (Adeena Rose Wade/The VanCougar)
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August 2018
Campus Climate Survey reveals student housing insecurities For the first time, WSU Vancouver researches student housing and food security Cameron Kast
Reporter
Today, the thought of living with roommates comes almost naturally, with the idea of not splitting rent with someone else seeming foreign to most of today’s generation. Back in the day, living with roommates was a niche that only a few people experienced. Today, that is not the case. According to a 2018 survey from the Pew Research Center, almost one-in-three U.S. adults has an adult roommate who is not their romantic partner or a college student aged 18 to 24. With WSU Vancouver being a commuter campus and not yet offering dorms, students rely on off-campus housing for a living situation and apartment rates in the area are not cheap. Zillow.com stated the average price for a two bedroom apartment in the Salmon Creek area is about $1,200. Due to the rise in rent, students are commonly living together or, in extreme situations, homeless. Elias Cohen, an institutional research specialist for campus effectiveness at WSU Vancouver, said that in terms of student homelessness and demographics, WSU Vancouver is close to the national average. “We all think of 18-yearold undergrads going to Ivy League institutions when we think of college,” Cohen said. “When in reality, when we look at the vast number of students who
are getting degrees, an institution like ours is much more typical.” According to a 2018 survey conducted by the Wisconsin HOPE lab, the national average of students who are housing insecure is 36 percent and 9 percent of these students claimed to be homeless. “Our numbers are alarming. But, when you look at the national statistics, they’re similarly alarming,” said Cohen. Cohen also acknowledged how this is the first year WSU Vancouver included questions regarding food and housing insecurity in the Campus Climate Survey. According to the 2018 Campus Climate Survey results, 6.6 percent of WSU Vancouver students did not know where they were going to sleep at night and 4.9 percent said they stayed in an abandoned building or automobile at any given time during the academic year. As for facilities available on campus, the Cougar Food Pantry is a service where students can confidentially request food for themselves and their families. The WSU Vancouver website has a Campus Bulletin Board for Housing where students and community members post shared living space and roommate opportunities. Housing listings in the area also appear on bulletin boards around campus and in the Oregonian and Columbian.
6.6 percent of WSU Vancouver students did not know where they were going to sleep at night
Artwork on the walls, on the rocks and in the cases of the WSU Vancouver library Katie O’Boyle
Reporter
The WSU Vancouver library houses various pieces of art, yet not many students know the stories behind the works. “It represents the world around us and the ways of knowledge that ties in interestingly to research,” said WSU Vancouver reference librarian, Sam Lohmann. Lohmann said, “Our library director, Karen Diller, does a lot of research on library spaces and how it might be beneficial to people in the library and so it [the library] is shaped around that.” According to Lohmann, the art on the walls are permanent. However, the artwork in the display boxes located near the library entrance rotate every two to three months and are designed by the librarians. Harrison Higgs, a WSU Vancouver fine arts professor, designs the 10 display cases scattered throughout the library, with case contents changing throughout the year. Higgs, when explaining the display collaboration at the front of the library, said he found eye-catching books and wanted them on display. Higgs wanted to make sure students would notice. “The library is a much different space than any gallery, you know. It’s the place where I’d have all nighters but end up not studying for the final and just perusing the library shelves and discovering subjects I didn’t know existed,” Higgs said. “That sense of curiosity has stuck with me, so I want the library to have that same kind of feeling.” According to Higgs, students can expect a new collection in October and will remain on display until winter break. The spring library display will showcase items from students and the kids in the Child Development Program. “The artwork on the walls are more or less permanent and all have some relation to the campus. They don’t really belong to a collection, just different things on different walls,” Lohmann said. In the back of the library, next to the windows, two plaques on the wall explain the art outside. The basalt rocks located behind the library, titled Opening The Secret, tell a story in Braille. The plaques on the library wall that explain the story inscribed on the rocks are written in Braille as well, meaning only those who can read Braille can understand the story. The library also features artwork by students and artwork created by kids in the Child Development Program on campus. Also toward the back of the library, near the study rooms, four floral art pieces decorate the white wall. The art, donated by the WSU class of 1977, is in memory of WSU alumnus John Nelson. Lohmann noted how the WSU Vancouver library remains open on weekends and evenings. He added, “I would love them [students] to know that we’re available, we’re friendly and we love to answer questions.”
Open The Secret August 2018rocks 5 outside of the WSU VanCouver library tell a story in Braille. (Adeena Rose Wade/ TheVanCougar)
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August 2018
For the Aerospace club, the sky is the limit Students build a rocket and compete in Spaceport America Cup Sofia Grande
Reporter
WSU Vancouver Aerospace Club built a high-powered rocket that flew over 14,000 feet during the Spaceport America Cup last June. The Spaceport America Cup was created by the Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC),
WSU Vancouver Aerospace Club holds their man-made rocket in the desert of New Mexico at the 2018 Spaceport America Cup in June. (Aerospace Club)
taking place in southern New Mexico. The event hosts a variety of teams from universities across the nation as well as 11 countries. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a highpowered rocket weighs over 1,500 grams and has a motor weight of more than 125 grams. However, the high-powered rocket used in these competitions vary. “When people say ‘high-powered rockets’ they usually don’t think as large a scale as we are building. Our rocket for this year was 10 feet and 3 inches long,” said Monique Embury, former president of the WSU Vancouver Aerospace Club. Embury said WSU Vancouver students formed the club because of their interest in aerospace engineering. Since the start of the club two years ago, members were determined to build a high-powered rocket and compete at a national level. Some of the club’s
August 2018 founding members had transferred from universities that already had Aerospace Club’s and brought their interests to the WSU Vancouver campus. The team wanted to show they could build and compete alongside teams from larger campuses. The club built a 10-foot rocket capable of ranking in Spaceport America Cup 2018, which was the team’s first ever competition. The rocket had many custom/hand-built parts students contributed as part of their senior projects. The club used their knowledge in various fields to build the rocket and make it stable. Seven students from the club took the 36-hour drive to launch their rocket in the hot New Mexico desert. Per competition guidelines, the rocket must be disassembled and then built on the launch pad on the day of the competition. The WSU Vancouver
Aerospace Club rocket had a motor capable of going over 10,000 feet high. “Building the rocket was a challenge itself…but we flew it. The target was 10,000 feet, it actually flew to 14,000 feet,” said Embury. This was no small feat for the team of seven, as they competed alongside larger teams with big sponsors. According to Embury some of the competing teams had over 50 members. Meanwhile, the WSU Vancouver Aerospace Club hosted fundraising events in order to raise money for materials to build the rocket. Additionally, the club requested funds from the Associated Students of Washington State University Senate. The ASWSUV Senate funding paid for the admission to the competition, according to Embury. “Without everybody’s generous help, from the school or local companies, we would not be able [to build the rocket]. It
was a wonderful learning experience,” Embury said. The club is now advised by Embury as she studies for her masters of science in mechanical engineering at WSU Vancouver. The current Aerospace Club president, Brian Huntley, also has plans to take the club to new heights. Huntley said the club is expecting to take part in the Spaceport America Cup 2019 and hopes to fly their rocket to an altitude of 30,000 feet. The club hopes their achievements at the Spaceport America Cup can help them grow in size this year, both in members and funding.
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August 2018
Coaching in the classroom
Dale Fortin recieves Students’ Award for Teaching Excellence
WSU Vancouver neuroscience professor, Dale Fortin. (Adeena Rose Wade/TheVanCougar)
Cameron Kast
Reporter
Each year WSU Vancouver students recognize and vote on a faculty member whose love for teaching and students shows no bounds. This award, the Students’ Award for Teaching Excellence, is presented on stage at the spring commencement ceremony. Dale Fortin, a neuroscience research assistant professor took home the 2018 award last spring. “It is one thing to be awarded by your peers, it’s another thing to be awarded by students,” Fortin said. “As an educator there is no greater reward than one coming from your students. A very humbling and tremendous experience.” WSU Vancouver alumna Angela Gonzalez said on behalf of her former professor, Fortin, that not only was he flexible, but his main objective was for students to retain core class concepts. “It was rare for me to not understand a topic Dr. Fortin discussed in class because he made difficult concepts more engaging and encouraged his students to
work together in discussions,” said Gonzalez. Fortin said that when teaching his neuroanatomy and neurophysiology courses, his passion for teaching is just as important as questions and discussions. He also said he focuses on teaching students how to really learn the material and to be confident in their answers. Jereme Wingert, a WSU Vancouver neuroscience student, had high praises for Fortin’s abilities as an instructor. “Perhaps of all the professors I have had, the one thing that has stood out to me about Dale is his very earnest and sincere enthusiasm about what he is teaching,” Wingert said. “It was infectious and as a student it made learning very exciting and interesting.” Fortin’s personal teaching philosophy includes not punishing students that struggle to learn the material but instead teaching them how to learn the material and not only what it contains. Fortin said he uses mistakes and errors from his own experiences when teaching because he believes
these errors can lead to learning opportunities. He also uses teaching techniques he learned from his time as a youth sports coach. He said his goal is to teach students a skill without them knowing. To do this, Fortin implements different games and teaching styles into his lectures. An example he provided of these games is a neuro-protein based version of a fantasy football draft. When studying for his masters degree in exercise physiology Fortin said his mentor, Sam Headly, was his biggest teaching inspiration. “He [Headly] was all about instilling confidence in his students.” Outside of teaching at WSU Vancouver, Fortin is a research associate at Oregon Health and Science University Vollum Institute. With his first-hand experience in the field, Fortin’s students had the opportunity to tour the labs and learn more about the career of a researcher. “I am a big proponent of engaging students in the learning process and having them take ownership in the work they do,” Fortin said. “And providing these opportunities is one way I can demonstrate it.”
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It’s one thing to be awarded by your peers; it’s another to be awarded by students.
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August 2018
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August 2018
Battle Ground school district teachers wear “red for ed� while preparing to strike for higher pay. (Adeena Rose Wade/The VanCougar)
August 2018
‘Battle Ground’ for higher pay Thousands of teachers across the region on strike Anna Nelson
Reporter
As parents and students prepare to head back to school, teachers carry signs after summer-long negotiations within respective districts fall short of an agreement. In 2012, according to the Washington Education Association (WEA), the Washington Supreme Court ruled in favor of the McCleary decision. This case argued that Washington state public schools were not in compliance with Article IX in the Washington Constitution. Article IX states, “It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders, without distinction or preference on account of race, color, caste, or sex.” In 2014 the Washington State Supreme Court found the state Legislature in contempt of court for not planning to properly fund schools; according to the WEA, this cost the Legislature a fine of $100,000 per day. On June 7, 2018 as students were released for summer break, the court lifted sanctions, satisfied with the budget approved by the Legislature. The long-awaited funding sent teacher unions sate wide to the bargaining table to ask the districts for the money designated for their salaries. Now, in response to the McCleary decision, teachers are on strike due to the perceived failure of a concrete budget. According to a 2018 Legislative Report by The Washington Association of School Administrators, the McCleary decision alloted 7.3 billion dollars for increasing teacher salaries. However, local district offices are offering public school staff low percentage raises and using the allocated money elsewhere. According to Battle Ground Education Association President Linda Peterson, the Battle Ground District Office offered staff a 6.5 percent raise, despite the district being offered a 23.1 percent budget increase for salary allocation.
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August 2018
Battle Ground school district teachers picket on the sidewalks in front of Battle Ground High School on the first day of school. (Adeena Rose Wade/The VanCougar)
Peterson has worked in the district for 15 years and has been the president for four years. When asked why the district’s increase for salary allocation only resulted in a 6.5 percent raise to staff Peterson said, “We know what their understanding or their fear is. We don’t agree with it.” Dawn Pack, a guidance counselor at Battle Ground High School said “My entire career people have been advocating for teacher salary increase: going to Olympia, writing legislators and participating in lobbying and negotiations and all that stuff.” Some have considered the idea of the district offering a pay raise by taking away staff’s TRIpay (Time, Responsibility and Incentive pay) and including it in staff salary. TRIpay is additional pay based on staff positions that is not part of official salary. In the Battle Ground school district, debates have revolved around the use of TRIpay and whether or not it should be included in regular salary. This means, hypothetically, if the district offered the union a 4 percent pay increase but also factored in TRIpay, the district could claim that the offer to the union was a 14 percent increase, when it would really only include a 4 percent increase.
“It’s really not a raise at all, it’s just calling what you’re getting a different name,” Pack said. Since an agreement was not reached before the start of school on Aug. 29, teachers have refused to return to their classrooms and have began striking. By contract, teachers work 180 days. Any school days missed from the strike will be added on to the end of the school year, along with any snow days. Pack stated, “Ultimately [students] are being punished for the district not offering a competitive salary to their employees.” “I think Battle Ground School district struggles with transparency in their communication,” she said. “I remain hopeful that our district can come to an agreement with our union.” As it stands, if salaries are increased, the district is concerned that the budget will not be large enough to cover those staff members who are “unfunded” or not covered by the state salaries, according to Peterson. However, Peterson said, “The difference is that there has been a lot of additional dollars sent to the district by the state. There is money to pay for those salaries.” “I think it’s very important to note that the educators in our district just want to be with the kids in their classroom,” Peterson said, “but they also recognize that this is a once in
a lifetime opportunity to see their salaries increased and it took at least 11 years of advocating in Olympia to force the legislator to actually fund education.” When asked for an interview or comment on the recent events, Battle Ground District Office said that they could not offer any statement other than the one publicly released: “The BGPS [Battle Ground Public Schools] Board of Directors and leadership team are committed to providing fair local market wages, benefits and working conditions, but the district must do so in a fiscally responsible and sustainable manner.” Battle Ground school district staff will not return to work until an agreement is met.
Teachers march with homemade signs. (Adeena Rose Wade/TheVanCougar)
August 2018
Ridgefield teachers demand Higher Pay Katie O’Boyle
Reporter
Southwest Washington teacher unions spent the first day of school in protest for better pay. According to Tom Opstad, an associate professor in the WSU Vancouver Education Department, “Emotion is a strong motivator and I think there may be some damaged feelings that have already developed in various districts that will need to be mended.” Ridgefield Education Association (REA) President Alan Adams explained, “The McCleary Act is a Supreme Court decision that’s been going on for about 12 years and just recently passed a budget that sends significant new funds from the state to the districts. A big chunk of the money is meant to improve teacher salaries because recruiting and retaining quality teachers is one of the biggest challenges districts face right now.” Since June, districts across Washington bargained for solutions that the McCleary Act promised to cover. Opstad said, “Increase from McCleary is a good thing because it increases the starting wage for a beginner teacher.” Opstad, once a superintendent of the Aberdeen school district, understands the district office’s point of view. “With this whole process there has to be a way to find a balance. Teachers do deserve a pay increase, but they need to work together,” he said. Opstad stressed the importance of working together throughout this process. He said, “Everything is based on student enrollment; all levy rates
Ridgefield teachers spend their first day of school holding homemade and pre-made signs. (Katie O’Boyle/TheVanCougar)
will drop and in theory the McCleary act will take over, but the district office are taking a risk on their own salaries and risking some programs too when negotiating salaries for the teachers.” When REA President Adams asked the teachers of Ridgefield to vote to go on strike, 80 percent of teachers showed up and of those in attendance, 98 percent voted yes to strike. According to Adams, the union only needed a 60 percent yes vote for a strike. While teachers are out on the picket line, the district office and the negotiating team continue to bargain for a deal. Adams thought going into this bargaining session that it would be a collaborative process and he said that is not what is happening. When Opstad was asked about professional relationships being strained during the negotiating process he said, “Both sides
understand that each party has responsibilities to their constituents and work to achieve the best possible outcome. They are often aligned but at times there will be differences that lead and can lead to conflict.” He encourage that once the strike is over, both sides put the past behind them and move forward for the benefit of the district and the students. “We are doing our best to make sure we don’t make our issues about particular people in our administration, but rather about policy choices. While it is easy to see this negotiation as opposing sides, it’s important to remember that teachers and administrators are part of the same organization that work together toward a common goal. It is my hope that we can move forward together once our differences are resolved,” Adams said. Ridgefield teachers began striking Aug. 29 and plan to continue until negotiations are settled.
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opinion article
August 2018
A thousand squirrels can’t be wrong Why nuts are the best snack
Cameron Kast
Reporter
Everybody (especially college students) has a favorite snack. In a world full of snacking opportunity, it can be hard to decide what to eat while trying to balance factors such as health, variety and tastiness. These three things make up overall snackability (a made up word for this debate). Snackabily is important in day to day life and nuts, of all kinds, hit every point required to be the most snackable. Below is a list of nuts and those that are the best for snacking.
1. The Pistachio
A quick Google search taught me that pistachios are tree nuts that originated in Central Asia and the Middle East. As a member of the cashew family, pistachios are wonderfully delicious. With 159 calories in a one ounce serving, pistachios have quite a high calorie intake. However, these nuts are full of healthy unsaturated fats, potassium, dietary fiber and protein. Pistachios also boast a high snackabilty rating. With various flavors to choose from, ranging from salt and pepper to spicy wasabi, they never get boring. Pistachios can pack a flavorful punch while being healthy and tasty. Anytime is a good time to enjoy a nice handful of pistachios.
2. The Cashew
A close second to the pistachio but not quite as snackable. Another Google search concluded that the cashew nut comes from a tropical evergreen tree that also produces apples. As a member of the Mixed Nuts family (nuts that appear in Stock image. any orientation/package of mixed nuts), cashews are readily available and inexpensive. With 157 calories in a one ounce serving, cashews can be hard to budget on a diet. On the flip side, these nuts also have a high amount of healthy unsaturated fats, protein and magnesium. In the context of mixed nuts, a cashew is always welcome. It’s salty, delicious and unique. The flavor doesn’t get old. Cashews have a high snackability rating followed by a high rating in tastiness and health, though the lack of variety is disappointing.
and pistachios. However, they contain more fiber and magnesium than either of those high snackability nuts. While almonds have a decently high snackability rating, these nuts rank third because their flavor gets old faster than that of the pistachio or the cashew. Similar to the pistachio, almonds can be purchased in a variety of flavors, such as smokehouse and wasabi.
4. The Macadamia Nut
A tree nut originating in Australia, the macadamia nut ranks fourth on the snackability hierarchy due to its natural unhealthiness in comparison to other nuts. With 204 calories in a one ounce serving, macadamia nuts pack a punch to the gut. With this high calorie count, you’re getting mostly unsaturated fat and not much else. However, macadamia nuts out rank almost every other nut on the flavor and variety scale. Macadamia nuts can be salted, spiced and even covered in chocolate. Definitely a nut to enjoy on occasion, but don’t eat too many.
5. The Peanut
The peanut is not actually a nut, but a legume, which is in the same family as a bean. Peanuts contain 161 calories in a one ounce serving with most of these calories stemming from unsaturated fat. Peanuts are lower in protein, magnesium and potassium in comparison to the tree nuts mentioned in this rating. Peanuts have a relatively high variety score on the snackability scale and can be purchased in flavors like honey roasted and the godsend known as peanut butter. However, their flavor gets old pretty quickly and your mouth gets dry. Peanuts are not the best in the context of mixed nuts either. Companies are starting to put less peanuts in their variety packs and for a good reason; they’re pretty average. Are you as nuts about nuts as I am? Let’s hear your opinion. Send a letter to van.vancouged@wsu.edu. Letter to the editor requirements are on page two.
3. The Almond
The almond is a tree nut, originating from the Mediterranean region of Europe. Commonly known as a nutritious snack, a one ounce serving of almonds contains nearly 163 calories, which is higher than that of both cashews
A bowl of mixed nuts. (Cameron Kast/The VanCougar)
August 2018
Recently appointed ASWSUV senator earns herself a seat at the table Brandy Farrow wins the vote of current senators Alex Duffield
Reporter
Not a single seat remained vacant during the Associated Students of Washington State University Vancouver Aug. 24 Senate meeting. Senatorial candidates Brandy Farrow, Gabriel Reed and Lucas Gubala sat among the student and faculty attendees. Senators asked the candidates interview questions that touched on policy-making experience, campus culture and tentative senatorial agenda. Gabriel Reed, a sophomore computer science major, described his experience grant writing for Engineers Without Borders during his time at Carroll College in Helena, Montana. He laid out his concept of campus culture, saying that he envisioned a campus “open to everyone’s ideas.” Reed’s qualifications and vision earned him a mention by Senator Elder during the deliberation. “I also really liked [Reed].” Elder said. “He advocated for a lot of similar stuff, as far as creating a positive, inclusive, warm community.” However, Elder expressed concern over a lack of policy experience compared to other candidates.
The scope of discussion narrowed as senators announced their first choices. Gubala, a junior computer science major, co-founded the Clark College Melee Club, an entertainment club focused on gaming. He described this experience as relevant to policy forming and central to his tentative agenda. “I know what it takes to run a club,” Gubala said. “I know that chain of command and how there can sometimes be a disconnect.” Gubala, who is also a jazz musician, said music exemplifies an element of culture worth pursuing on campus. Gubala’s personal touch and composure interested senators Matthew Frohlich and Greg Olson. “He seemed the most professional, to me, and like he had the most experience,” Frohlich said. “I think he’d have a very unique perspective to bring to the group.” “I’m with [Frohlich,] actually,” Olson said. “He’s formed and is maintaining a non-profit called ‘Keep Kids Cozy.’ The guy has a lot of upside.” Other senators seemed less moved by the mentioned qualifications, however. Talk of policy creation and experience dominated more of the conversation than did consideration of any one candidate. The two items finally converged as Farrow’s qualifications were mentioned. Farrow, a senior social sciences major, highlighted her experience
at the University of WisconsinSuperior. While attending, Farrow said she obtained a Paralegal Certificate and presented at an American Multicultural Student Leadership Conference. “I created an event; it was a privilege walk,” Farrow said. “This was huge, because [University of Wisconsin-Superior] was, I think, 95 percent white. Two hundred to 250 people attended.” Senator Elder applauded this achievement by later adding, “[Privilege] is a very politically divisive word. She was able to get a ton of people to come.” “We amended our school’s constitution to allow me to move from liaison to senator,” Farrow said. “It was very much advocating for myself. I got to write the bill and have it edited by my peers.” Conversation of policy amending preceded and followed the Senate’s 7 to 2 vote appointing Farrow as the newest member of the ASWSUV Senate. Now addressing a larger senate, Senator Matthew Leeper announced that senators would soon make amendment recommendations for assigned sections of the ASWSUV constitutional bylaws. Bylaw interpretation difficulties were central in complaints within the 2018 ASWSUV election invalidated last April. With the special election campaigning beginning Sept. 6, senators have some work ahead of them if bylaw amendments are expected to be approved in time.
Brandy Farrow (far right) stands at head of the ASWSUV Senate table during her interview on Aug. 24. (July Canilao/The VanCougar)
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Advice from Chief Nohr:
August 2018
Clark County fire chief gives safety advice for wildfire season
Firefighters busy with summer flames
Anna Nelson
Reporter
Recent wildfires have raged across the west coast burning wildlife, destroying property and polluting the air with smoke. According to a tweet from the Northwest Coordination Center on Aug. 23, “22 active large wildfires have affected more than 459,000 acres of forest, brush and grassland in OR and WA. Over 8,900 firefighters and support personnel are assigned.” Clark County Fire Chief John Nohr said, “I think we’d have to take a look at long-term historical data, but I will say that this year is shaping up to be busier than last year and last year was much busier than 2016.” Although not necessarily a recent phenomenon, Nohr stated, “The acreage burned has really increased but then some of the fires are showing to be pretty intense.” Nohr wanted to remind the public to be prepared. “Know that a wildfire can occur right here in a suburban setting,” he said. Nohr also highlighted the importance of having fire-safe practices, especially during fire season. A few examples he used included safely putting out all cigarettes and discarding them in a fireproof container. If grilling with charcoal Nohr said to stay on concrete or sand and when using a recreational fire pit avoid having it on a wooden deck. According to the Fire Chief, various people ranging from college students, people seeking summer employment and those simply
inspired to do a public service participate either as volunteer or paid firefighters. For those considering volunteering as a firefighter, Nohr encourages good physical conditioning. He said to prepare for 14-day deployments, anticipate working night shifts and expect a lot of hard work. It is no surprise that wildfires have a massive impact on the environment. Elaborating on this Nohr said, “[Wildfires] strip the land of the vegetation whose roots hold the ground in place.” He added that since Washington is a rainy area, when the rain comes back the vegetation does not absorb it and that can eventually result in erosion or landslides. According to Nohr, a wildfire that travels into neighborhoods evaporates structural materials such as tar, plastics and chemicals into the air. Smoke from wildfires causes poor air quality conditions that are hard on the lungs, especially for those with preexisting lung conditions. “Take it easy for a couple of days. Don’t exercise outdoors,” Nohr said, in reference to the poor air quality conditions from the neighboring wildfires. Ultimately, Fire Chief Nohr emphasized that wildfires can impact anyone, even in the suburbs. “Be prepared,” he said.
• Have a defensible space: 30 feet around your house free from trees, bushes, even grass if you can. • Consider fire-resistive construction (house materials not made of wood or plastic). • Invest in non-cedar shake roofs. • Clean your gutters! Even if you have a fire-safe roof, embers can be transferred by wind into the debris in your gutters and result in a burning house. • Have an escape route planned. • Communicate said escape route with your family members. • Have a go-kit bag packed with clothing, toiletries, medications and any priceless items you don’t want to live without.
“Know that a wildfire can occur right here in a suburban setting.” -Chief Nohr
August 2018
September
m a r k yo u r c a l e n da r . . . wed.
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Student Life Open House 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. VFSC 101/103/105
Fri. Night Market Vancouver 5 – 9 p.m. 808 Main St. & 9th St.
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Thur.
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Mon.
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Tues. Bloodworks Northwest Blood Drive 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Campus Bus Loop
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Wed.
Fri. ASWSUV President and Vice President candidate debates 12 – 1:30 p.m. VFSC
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Mon. ASWSUV President and Vice President polling stations open 9 a.m.
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First day of ASWSUV President and Vice President campaigning 6:30 p.m.
Bloodworks Northwest Blood Drive 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Campus Bus Loop KOUG Radio DJ orientation 10 – 11 a.m. 6 – 7 p.m. VLIB 202 Global Learning Fair 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Campus Quad
Wed. Meet the Firms: Accounting Career Fair 6 – 8 p.m. VFSC 101/103/105
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Issue #3 of The VanCougar on stands September 18
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August 2018
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