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Department of Ecology News Release - September 2, 2008
08-238
OLYMPIA – With about 30 days left in their 2007-08 service year, Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) members from the state Department of Ecology (Ecology) have been instrumental in helping flood-ravaged communities here at home and as far away as the Midwest.
This service year may best be summed up as the year of the floods. From the Chehalis River basin in Lewis, Thurston and Pacific counties to Oakville, Iowa, WCC crew members have been knee deep in mud and debris from flood waters for most of the year.
This week, more than 50 WCC crew members were sent for 30 days to Shreveport, La., to help communities clean up in the wake of Hurricane Gustav. Crews are likely to be deployed to other areas hit by the storm as more damage assessments are tallied.
“What these young women and men have accomplished for the people and environment in Washington is immeasurable,” said Gov. Chris Gregoire. “Their selflessness, extraordinarily hard work and commitment are absolutely inspiring. They are to be commended for their fine public service.”
After the Dec. 3, 2007, record-setting deluge caused extensive flooding, killing six and stranding more than 75 people, WCC crews were immediately deployed throughout southwest Washington. Crews alternated shifts and many worked through the night.
The storm was still raging Dec. 4, 2007, when WCC crews showed up at the Qwest Central Office facility in Rochester with a dump truck full of sandbags.
Crew members dove in to keep rising waters from inundating the site, saving a critical telecommunications hub. Had the office flooded, Qwest officials said there would have been no telecommunications in that flood stricken area – at a time where communications was critical.
About 100 WCC crew members were deployed from Doty to Ocean Shores and up into Kitsap County. Crew members:
Since December 2007, crew members have helped Ecology spill responders locate, retrieve and transport more than 2,800 containers deposited by floodwaters in Lewis County. WCC member also helped:
Their work on the cleanup and recovery effort in Lewis County will end in September.
When record-setting rains broke through a levee on the Iowa River about 2,000 miles to the east, two WCC crews left for Oakville, Iowa, with less than 24 hours notice. Flood waters had transformed an area miles wide into a river of devastation.
Ecology participates in mutual-aid efforts with other states’ AmeriCorps programs. When WCC crews work out of state, the Federal Emergency Management Agency picks up the tab.
In less than a month in Iowa, they cleaned out 25 homes that had been submerged in up to 15 feet of water. As one corps member put it, “We cleaned out, mucked out, and completely gutted the houses.” WCC members also coordinated local volunteers and even stayed behind for an extra couple of weeks to continue seamless volunteer coordination.
Besides flood relief, WCC crews helped restore more than 36 miles of critical salmon habitat and planted 275,000 trees and other native plants in various parts of Washington. Crews also recruited 4,000 volunteers to assist in enhancing their communities and educated 6,500 Washington students about the importance of protecting the environment.
Ecology’s WCC program is made up of 135 women and men between the ages of 18 and 25. There are WCC crews in more than 20 locations across the state. They receive the state minimum wage and a $4,725 scholarship from the national AmeriCorps program after completing their service.
The WCC service year starts at the beginning of October and concludes at the end of September the following year.
Ecology is currently hiring WCC crew members for the 2008-09 service year, which starts Oct. 6, 2008. There are 135 positions available statewide. Typical work includes building trails, planting trees and other natural vegetation and biological monitoring.
In addition WCC members attend a series of paid trainings throughout the year such as advance wilderness first aid, wild land firefighting, hazardous material response, and ethno botany.
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Media contacts:
Curt Hart, media relations, 360-407-6990; cell, 360-480-7908 (char461@ecy.wa.gov)
Rob Spath, Washington Conservation Corps manager, 360-407-6936 (rspa461@ecy.wa.gov)
For more information about the WCC: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/wcc
To apply for a WCC position online: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/wcc/wcc_jobapp.htm.
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
