Board of Commissioners adopt emergency declaration for Hood River County

The meeting was arranged specifically because of the ice storm slated for the afternoon of Jan. 16, said County Administrator Allison Williams, who added the declaration was needed “to carry out the business of the county in responding to the emergency.”

County Emergency Manager Charles Young said the National Weather Service had issued warnings for freezing rain, snow and cold temperatures in the Columbia Gorge and Hood River County, with the storm expected to arrive around 3 p.m. this afternoon, Jan. 16.

“The expectation is that the precipitation will start as snow, then change to freezing rain and sleet later on in the afternoon,” he said. “The freezing rain and sleet will continue into early Wednesday [Jan. 17].”

Because it is expected that both Interstate 84 in Oregon and State Route 14 in Washington will close preemptively due to ice accumulation, emergency supplies are being “pre-positioned” in Cascade Locks. He added that “significant” power outages in the upper Hood River Valley are likely due to snow and ice, as are road closures.

“We expect travel is going to be difficult and dangerous over the next 24 hours,” Young said.

Hood River County Sheriff Matt English updated commissioners on several events that had taken place over the weekend: An issue with a backup generator at the 911 call center — the starter went out — and the need to source another; problems with a warming shelter in Cascade Locks due to a power outage that lasted 17 hours; and pipes bursting in the courthouse boiler room.

“Some of the expenditures that are happening warrant this emergency declaration so we can continue our emergency operations as necessary and to be in compliance with purchasing,” English said. “And then, with the impending storm coming this afternoon, we have some significant concerns about the impacts on the community, so this declaration will help us both locally, and then if we need to reach out for additional resources or get reimbursements from the state or federally.”

Oregon Department of Transportation closed I-84 from Troutdale to Hood River at 2:30 p.m. Jan. 16; there are no plans for it to reopen as of press time.