[This is a living document and will be updated as new information comes in]

On December 8th, 2015 it rained again. And again. Over the past 2 days the town of Vernonia has seen 6″ of rainfall onto an already waterlogged town. This is certainly bad news, but the experience gained during previous floods means this is no tragedy.

All one has to do is look on the various community bulletin boards on Facebook to see what type of person lives in Vernonia. Compassionate, giving, caring. People helping people.

The Red Cross is setting up an evacuation center at the Vernonia High School and the Food Bank has relocated their essential services to that site as well. Homeowners in outlying areas are clearing culverts and posting when streams are over-topping roads. Hundreds of people in town are offering help, shelter, rides, storage, whatever is needed to calm the nerves of people already stressed by the weather and now frightened by the dark.

Offers of help are already pouring in from people living outside the area. They know why Vernonia is a great place to live, and that their assistance is well placed. If you want to help, please contact the Vernonia Rural Fire Protection Department at 503-429-8252, they would welcome the assistance.