Resource Fair at Riverside Elementary Gym

We went to the Resource Fair at Riverside Elementary Gym from 5:30-7:30 on Tuesday Night. There were tables setup with people handing out supplies and signing you up for programs to assist with recovery from this disaster.
The Samaritans Purse representatives, talked with us about what they do. If you sign upwith them, they will call and schedule a team of volunteers that come in and help go through all the rubble. They only will come out while the owners are present. They wear neon orange shirts carrying ID badges with their names and pictures. Goal is to assist us in getting closure by looking for specific heirloom possessions as they help begin cleaning it up. They will ask you to try and show them where any specific possession may have been located when the structure collapsed. Pete and I signed up to have them come help us as we start cleaning up. It has a surprisingly calming effect to know that someone will be there to help with going through all the debris. We are not alone. Please consider making a call and getting some help too.

The resources were a wider range of assistance. Right as you walked in the door there were boxes of food stacked from Second Harvest, the next table had School backpacks and student supplies with a spin-the-dial for the kids.

CHAS Clinics had a table there with neon green water bottles, and informaion about what medical services they can provide. Very helpful.

The New Hope Resource Center and North County Food Bank had a representative with information about what they provide to serve the community.

SNAP had a table there with phamplets and a knowledgeable guy who was really easy to talk to. If all we were doing was repair, or weatherization we would have been willing to sign up for their programs.

The Church of Latter Day Saints had school supplies for the kids, manned by two very nice girls from here in Riverside.

It is a true blessing to be able to realize how many in our community shine the light of kindness into every day of their lives. The world is better because they are alive.

RHS Meeting Notes 08.29.2023

Outside the RHS meeting at Riverside High School

RHS Meeting

(Riverside) Tues 08/29/23-6pm

According to Spokane County and the Federal Government…

We were there to learn what hoops we need to jump through before we can start to clean up?

Multiple chiefs stood up announcing the procedures required before we could start cleaning up and start over with the goal of making a warm and secure place to stay this winter.

Red Cross, FEMA an State assessment teams will be in our area. Information was presented about another newly setup non-profit “federal committee”, who needs to get a count of how many are affected and how badly affected they are. This data is needed so they can assemble the information and write a complicated report to submit to President BYEden so he can consider allowing FEMA support for our disaster. Sounds like lots of red-tape, data collection with very little noticeable results for the average member of our community. They will have all of that info at hand to try and distribute any donations they find with the focus on the making sure the benefits are distributed evenly. They will be the distributors, with not much for the working middle class of the Elk community, if any

The Sheriff would like to ask that we do not confront or threaten these strangers, some will be escourted by a uniformed officer. Let them collect their disaster data on our properties. If you witness a crime call Crimecheck: at 509..456.2233

Fire Marshall, Jared Harms reported the evacuations are lifted by Monday everywhere an the team will be moving on to othere locations leaving the local teams here to finish mopping up..

Josh Kerns County Commissioner -District 3

https://spokanecounty.org/2551/District-3—Josh-Kenns

Mon-Fri 8:30-5, Phone: 509.477.2265

Spokane County, 1116 W Broadway Ave, Spokane WA 99260 Kerns annonced that any building plans not submitted and approved before October 29, 2023 will fall victim to more stringent bulding codes that go into effect on that date. We are running out of time to be able to rebuld without having more difficuclt codes to adhere to during reconstruction.

The Spokane County Waste Management Team laid down the law for debris removal for people using County landfills. It was strongly stressed that an asbestos test is foremost in their presentation, repeatedly. They admitted that there was already a waiting line for purchasing any asbestos test kits and that the same kind of line exists for people waiting to receive results The same situation was relayed about procuring any services of an asbestos abatement contractor, should you discover asbestos is present. No prices of these requirements were made available at the meeting.

Sunshine Disposal & Recycling

https://sunshinedisposal.com, PO Box 13369, Spokane Valley WA

Phone: 509.934.5678 answers with “the mailbox is full, cannot accept messages at this time”.

This firm is in charge of the transportation portion of the Spokane County Waste Disposal System Plan. Contact them first for instructions on what you have to do to utilize the Spokane County “waste disposal system”.

Be sure to take your wallet with you because nothing that they were describing as “required”, is free.

Download Flyer

Common Sense Debris Cleanup

Common Sense Debris Cleanup Includes Recycling

American Recycling Corp – Spokane

iScrap App, https://iscdrapapp.com which shows current prices being paid for recycled products

American Recycling Corp. Scrap Prices – Spokane
6203 E Mission Ave, Spokane Valley WA 99212 Phone: 509.535.42710

This firm is accepting scrap metal, steel, and aluminum and copper. However there are restrictions on recycling both burnt copper and automobiles. Only one load of copper will be allowed per household, and most of us will be saving this copper in a special pile on the side, to take in last. Why, only one load? Because, there have been too many thieves making a living off of melting stolen copper wiring. You will need to get a letter certifying that you are a bonafied resident of the disaster area who has lost your home or outbuildings. In other words, you are not a crook.

The person who can supply this is, Fire Marshall, Jared Harms, Spokane County Fire District #4, Deputy Chief / Fire Marshal – CFEI, (509)220-7446. Harms replied to our request with this:

Thank you for reaching out. We can certainly get those letters out to citizens that have been impacted within the fire zone. We just need the names of the residents, their address, and preferred email to send the letter to. You can share my email with citizens needing this letter and I will get it to them.

American Recycling will take cars for scrap, if, you have the paperwork showing ownership. If you do not have “ownership paperwork” they will not accept the car.

There is an alternative way to provide the necessary paperwork, and it is called a “HULK” slip, which is available at the S.C.O.P.E. Deer Park Office 316 E Crawford St, Deer Park WA 99006
509 .276.7848 Hours:? left msg.

Sorting the metals as you cleanup is really smart, take a look at the different amounts paid for the different types of metal per pound and you will see for yourself

or the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office 1100 W Mallon Ave, Spokane Ave Spokane WA 99260, 509.477-2240.

FYI—To find out more about wildfire disaster assistance, text RECOVERY to 99411

Pacific Steel & Recycling

2901 E Trent Ave, Spokane WA 99202 Phone: 509.55.1673, or 800.243.2618
Hours: Mon-Fri 8-4, Sat 8-12, Closed Sept 4, 2023

Pull & Save Auto Parts
We want your vehicles, dead or alive!

Spokane Valley Location 509.921.8000, and in Mead 509.928.4000

DISCLAIMER: Spokane County Waste Disposal advises that that the victims of the wildfire begin cleanup by getting ahold of their Waste System “transportation conractor” (contact information below); This is information noted from attending the Meeting at Riverside High School on Tues 08/29/23-6pm.

Sunshine Disposal & Recycling

509.934.5678, mailbox is full, cannot accept messages at this time.
PO Box 13369, Spokane Valley WA

This firm is in charge of the transportating portion of Spokane County Waste Disposal System. Contact them first for instructions on what you have to do to utilize their waste disposal system and make sure you take your wallet with you.

Costs and availability of the County requirements are unknown. Asbestos Test Kit and their Results wait times are also unknown at this time.

flyer for cleanup