January 12, 1978 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
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January 12, 1978 |
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"Is anybody out
the desperate man over the
On his way home late at
in a thick fog, he has
across a semi hanging
railway off the road. Its
is shattered and inside
cab sits the unconscious
his face covered with
le? Can't find way back home? They'll REACT
there?" there," explains Betty. "Actually Ron Ellison, Ron Ellison Jr., signals.
: Ray Ellison, all of Mission Creek; At first, Betty says, some of
Bob Keel ! e r, Be lea i r; Willis the local authorities "weren't
Nolan, Tahuya; Betty and Paul exactly appreciative" of the
i Swanson, Tahuya; and Robert REACT group.
i!i: Thompson Twanoh Falls. "But now they trust us and
'7t's only face cuts," he tells
but fears it might be
worse.
Alone in the dark, he looks
frantically for a nearby
iouse so he can call for an
But there's no place
miles; still the injured driver
help, and he needs it right
In desperation he reaches for
mike of the CB radio in his
He remembers channel nine
reserved for emergencies, so he
the knob and broadcasts his
for assistance.
"This is North Mason
monitor 1250. What is
nature of your emergency?
is your location?" The
voice breaks out across
road's lonely silence and lets
e man know he's made a
we act the way they used to say
little children should we don't
speak unless we're spoken to."
But REACT is not just a
group of big kids having fun.
Officially, the purpose of
each REACT group is "to better
service the community by aiding
in the rapid communication of
emergency messages to local
authorities."
In practice this means
spending long hours beside a CB
radio waiting for the occasional,
but often urgent, request for
emergency assistance.
When a call comes over the
channel, the monitor questions
the caller, takes down the
pertinent information and then
contacts the appropriate
emergency services on the land
line (telephone).
"What we really are is just
another link in the community's
communication network," says
Betty.
Quite often the REACT
monitor is the first link. Most of
their calls come from people in
remote areas.
"Typically, the call will be
from some motorist either lost
or stranded in the back woods,
or else from some person drifting
"in a disabled boat on the canal
or sound."
Most of the monitor's work
is waiting. The person on duty
may go for hours, sometimes
even days before his help is
requested.
"But when somebody is lost,
stranded or injured, and you're
right there to help, you quickly
forget all the waiting."
Betty estimates that the local
REACT group averages between
30 and 40 calls each month.
For each call the monitor
i notes the date, time, location,
situation and emergency service
contacted. Each week these calls
are: entered in the monitor's log
boqk. Then copies of these
reports are forwarded monthly
to the Rainier REACT
headquarters in Auburn.
North Mason REACT is one
of the five local chapters from
surrounding counties that
comprise Rainier REACT.
Organization for the REACT
groups continues through the
state, regional and, finally,
national levels.
In the course of their work
the North Mason monitors often
mutually assist monitors in
surrounding groups, including
Mason County Radio Watch and
Kitsap Radio Watch, which are
both independent organizations
performing the same duties as a
REACT group.
Wide distribution of REACT
groups is necessary because each
chapter can only cover an area
of approximately 35 square
miles.
Betty also points out that
having a large number of smaller
groups is advantageous because
much of a monitor's work calls
for knowledge of the local
geography.
"You can't lead a lost person
back home or pinpoint the
location of an accident if you've
no idea from where the person is
calling you.
"For example, when one of
our monitors calls the state
patrol for assistance, the call
doesn't go into Bremerton, but
is sent directly to the patrol's
communication center in Auburn
and the officers are dispatched
from there.
"Now a dispatcher clear
across the sound has no idea
what's where in Mason County,
so we have to be particularly
specific about how to find the
emergency's location. Often
we're requested to stand by and
give the responding officer
assistance in locating the site."
Although the 39 other
channels allotted CB radios are
quickly becoming overcrowded,
Betty says there's little trouble
on channel nine.
"It's rare when anybody gets
"Oh sweet lady, I'm so glad
ou're h'stening." He quickly
his first two answers and
fires off more specific
to her barrage of
that follows.
"Everything's going to be all
now," she tells him. "'Help
on the way. Will you please
by until it arrives?"
After 20 long minutes the
patrol arrives; shortly an
follows. Fortunately
e driver is not seriously
"Just knocked
us with facial
:erations, " according to the
The man grabs his mike
for one last transmission.
"'Oh sweet lady, they're here,
I'm so glad you were here."
Although it may have seemed
a miracle to the ddsperate
it's no great wonder that
tty Edwards was tuned to
tannel nine and heard his
request.
In fact, it's her job. Not one
she does for pay, but as one.
the 15 local volunteers
the North Mason
of Rainier REACT.
REACT members have taken
on themselves the task of
:ally monitoring what the
deral Communications
(FCC) has set aside
the nation's emergency
"You can't hear us and you
l't see us, either, but we're
ock proposal brings confusion
At their first meeting of the Codling contends he wants property might revert to the commissioners' request for the
the dock constructed as an
"emergency facility" for use in
case of mishaps on the canal.
For the next 18 months the
commissioners heard no more of
the proposal while both they and
the county planning office
assumed the proposal had been
withdrawn.
Then last November Jim
Connolly, director of the county
planning office, received a letter
from Codling explaining that he
had put off further action of the
PrOposal because of a
"technicality" raised by the
Department of Natural
Resources.
Codling indicated in the
letter that he now wanted to
continue with the proposal's
application since, according to
Codling, his neighbors no longer
opposed the dock, while the
DNR had withdrawn its
objection and the Army Corps of
Engineers had granted its
approval.
In checking with the Army
Corps of Engineers, Connolly
was informed that the office had
indeed given its approval, but
only for the distribution of the
proposal's plans and drawings to
the media and appropriate
regulatory agencies.
Connolly's check with the
DNR confirmed that the
department had withdrawn theii
objection, but the office sent
him a copy of a letter mailed to
Codling last August.
In the letter the DNR
informed Codling that it would
no longer formally oppose
construction of the dock, but
warned him that the proposed
dock would cross tidelands set
aside under "shellfish use deeds"
with the state and that this
state if used for any purpose
other than the propagation of
oysters.
Although the DNR indicated
that it would not consider taking
any action concerning the
deeded lands at the time, it
further warned Codling that if he
constructed the dock and a local
resident filed a complaint with
the department then it would
have to conduct an investigation
into use of the "reversionary,,
lands. In such a case, Codling
might lose possession of the
lands.
"Actually they just kind of
threw the whole thing back in
his lap," says Connolly. "I guess
they're telling him to take his
chances."
At the commissioners,
meeting Connolly told the board
that he was uncertain whether
the application should still be
considered valid or whether the
whole process for securing a
county-approved shoreline permit
should be started over because
"so much time" had elapsed
since the public hearings.
Connolly said his personal
opinion was that the process
should be started again, "just to
straighten the whole mess out."
Commissioner Tom Taylor,
whose district includes the SOuth
Shore area, said he agreed that
the process should probably be
started anew, but was not SUre
that it was legally possible.
Taylor also raised another
point to further add to the
confusion. According to the
drawings on file with the Corps
of Engineers the revised plans
call for construction of a pier
totaling 84 feet.
Taylor pointed out ,that the
new plans fail to reflect, the
welcome our help."
As coordinator and trainer Membership in the group is
r for the local REACT group, not thrown open to just anyone.
Betty is always interested in Members must be 18 years or
attracting new members, older. New monitors must first
"Our goal, just like any other pass a month-long probationary
REACT chapter across the period, during which time their
nation, is to have someone identifying number is preceded
i: monitoring the channel on by the letter "L" so other
i !!( a 24-hour basis. Right now we're REACT members can evaluate
" : :' still alongway from that day, the new monitor's progress.
!: but our group is still relatively Betty says that becoming a
: .... ........... new." monitor is "a good way for
..... : .......... According to Betty the local people to serve their community
group would need at least 20 when they might feel they're
members before it could attempt unable to serve it y other way.
i round-the-clock coverage of the "One of our newer members
.... ' channel, is confined to a wheelchair as
"Ideally, each member the result of an auto accident.
.... should have to work only a He says he really enjoys helping
two-hour shift every couple of other people out with their
days. As it is now, our coverage problems, especially because he
is spotty, but we still manage to used to think he was of no use
cover all the daylight hours over to anybody."
weekends. On weekdays we have Senior adults, housewives,
someone monitoring during the and anybody who spends a large
early morning and from 3 p.m. part of their time at home, Betty
until midnight." says, are the type of people the
Betty Edwards, coordinator for the North Mason REACT, takes a call at Potential members are REACT group is seeking.
her base station, required to have three basic "Some people might hesitate
pieces of equipment: a licensed to become a monitor because of
on the channel when they have teams had no trouble contacting the organization's 17.month base station (either 23 or 40 the lingo used by CB'ers, but
no reason. And if they do, we headquarters." existence the number of channel), telephone and an monitors don't really use any of
tell them to clear off and they Betty says she first became monitors has climbed to 15. omni-directional antenna (for that talk, because most of the
always do, right away. I guess interested in REACT a year ago Scattered throughout the wide-area coverage), time they're working with
they don't expect anyone to be when she was out on North Bay local area, the monitors and the Although these three items someone who's not that familiar
listening." and heard one of the North location of their base stations are are the only ones required, most with CB radio."
Channel nine may be Masonmonitors get help for a as follows: of the members have additional The same goes for people in
relatively clean, but when it man stranded out in his Elaine Anderson, Allyn; Pat equipment including scanners for trouble. If you're near a CB
comes to using other channels motorboat. Blundell, Key Center; Floyd monitoring police, fire, radio don't be afraid to use it.
for emergencies, Betty says they At the time the fledgling Bulette, Belfair; Bill Burrows, ambulance and other emergency Chances are, someone will be
often have trouble, especially North Mason REACT group Allyn; Ivan Davies, Tiger Lake; channels, and a directional listening.
from long-range bombardment, boasted three monitors. But over Betty Edwards, Victor; Joan and antenna for homing in on weak
"During the search for David
Goodrich, search headquarters
set aside channel five for
communicating with the search
teams out in the woods over
their walkie-talkies.
"As the night went on they
kept getting drowned out by the
carrier signal from some woman
but they couldn't reach her to
tell her to get off the channel.
"Well, I kept hearing the
trouble, so I called headquarters Thursday, January 12, 1978 Section of the Shelton-Mason County Journal
and gave them the number of
the FCC office in Seattle. When
the tfahs/hission h'finued they ........ 7 "'''',' ..................... .....
finally called the FCC in to do
something.
"The FCC got on it right LOW enforcement: per? one
away and by using triangulation
they tracked the transmissions
down to a skip from a woman Shop owner relates robbery woes
clear over in Montana. She was
using an illegal i,000-watt
transmitter and they nailed her, The following article is the Bell's store, which mainly sells so I scribbled down the guy's ease.
but good. 'first of a three-part series on law kits for making recreation license plate number as he took "At least now I know they're
"From then on ,the. search enforcement in North Mason. clothing, has been robbed three off and ran it over to the local working on the ease, though
One of Belfair's newest times, sheriff's office. They'd take care they still haven't come up with
businesses may soon leave town Last November 14 and 15 of it, I was assured; so I went anything.
because its owner says his store Bell's small shop was hit two home, waited for the sheriff's "As for the break-ins
is plagued by both repeated nights inarow, office to contact me and themselves, McNair sent up one
robberies and the lack of law "Each time they were quite contemplated the return of my of his sergeants to advise me on
enforcement in North Mason. methodical," quips Bell. "The jacket, how to make my shop harder to
Nicholas Bell, owner of first time they took four items, ""Nothing happened. I didn't enter. That I do appreciate.
Sports Kits, which opened last and the next night they took hear anything, but I figured they "McNair also explained what
fall, says he is "seriously four again. For awhile l thought were working on getting the he called the department's
considering" moving his shop to file break-ins were just going to jacket back. Then, late in the economic difficulties in keeping
pier to be limited to 50 feet.
Following further discussion,
the commissioners voted to refer
the question of the proposal's
validity to the county
prosecutor's office and await its
Opinion before further
consideration of the project's
shoreline permit.
w year, the county
hers considered the
nfused status of
If-old request by a
Shore resident to build an
pier with attached float
"reversionary shellfish use
lands in front of his
rfront property.
the spring of 1976 John
began the process of
approval for eonstrtction
a 141-foot pier with float he
to build across the
fronting his home.
Following two public
Lrings on the proposed pier,
ring which both Codling's
mediate neighbors spoke
the length of the "project,
! county commissioners passed
mOtion by former
Bill Hunter that
proposal be resubmitted with
elevated pier section ret;luced
feet.
IUCATION
C)N TO MEET
North Mason's Community
Association (CEA)
meet Thursday, January 19,
p.m., in the multipurpose
m of the Belfair Elementary
Harvey Kaul, director of the
sap Peninsula Vocational
Center, will present a slide
w and answer questions
the vocational center.
Mason is one of at
tst six school districts
ticipating in the skills center
which will be available
local high school students
lUalify.
meetings are open to
general public.
Nicholas Bell, owner of Belfair's Sport Kits shop, says he
may have to leave town.
Bremerton, "not because I really continue like that until I was day, what do I see but the same patrols in the North Mason alea
want to, but because the losses cleaned out." guy still proudly wearing my during the night. I can
from break-ins may just force me Fortunately for Bell the jacket, understand his troubles but that
to find a more secure area." robbers didn't return again until "Immediately I ran inside my doesn't help the situation."
Over the past two months December 17. "That was for shop and called the sheriff's Throughout the past few
their pre-Christmas shopping office, but it was past five and years the Belfair-North Mason
spree." the deputy assigned the case was Chamber of Commerce has
Grand total for the robberies now off duty, so I was tel d to repeatedly sent letters to both
- $510.90, according to Bell's call back tomorrow, the sheriff's office and the
figures. "The next day, Saturday, I county commissioners, asking for
"That may not seem like tried to get ahold of him again, an increase of patrols assigned to
much, but for my small business but this time he was out on a North Mason, especially at night.
it's several months' profits." call, so I was asked to stay home In response to these requests
Bell says he has considered and he would call back. Nothing. the sheriff has contended that
taking out insurance against theft "That night they robbed my stepping up law enforcement in
but he finds the costs too high. shop again, the northern part of the county
"When people hear that some "On Monday it was the same would call for additional funds
store has been robbed, they say, story. I wait, no phone call. By from a limited budget.
'Oh well, his insurance will cover Tuesday I was really getting McNair's budget is
the loss,' But that's not always' mad, so they told me to stay by established annually by the
true. It's not true for me. I'm my phone at 7 p.m. sharp, and board of county commissioners
covered for vandalism. If they the deputy would call then. and he says that they would
had slashed everything apart, Zilch. have to vote in the necessary
then my insurance would pay; Incidentally, I was walking increase for the extra protection.
but when they steal, I lose." by the local barber shop that For their part, the
Bell says he has checked into day when Ray, the barber, called commissioners have chosen not
insurance against theft and that me aside and told me that he'd to enlarge the budget for the
the premiums would run more heard that they'd traced the sheriff's department, because
than an estimated $500 per year. license number I reported and, they say they are striving to
"Add to that another $100 sure enough, the guy had the keep the cost of county
for an alarm system and you jacket l'd described. But the guy government at a "reasonable
have a price pretty steep for a claimed he found the jacket in level" for the county taxpayers.
small store like mine." the parking lot of the Belfair "Actually, I don't really
One of the items taken PUD Building, so they're still place all the blame on the
during the first two break-ins investigating, county sheriff's department. He's
was a custom-nuide down jacket. "Come Wednesday, I was trying to do a bigj0b on limited
And that's where the "really really disgusted. It's pretty bad means.
frustrating part comes in," says when the only word you've "But I tell you this,
Bell. heard is from your barber. So I something has got to be done or
"There's not another jacket persisted until I got through to else a lot of potential businesses
in the world like it. 1 know; I Sheriff Dan McNair himself, will never move into the North
made it. So, on December 15, "I explained all that had Mason area, and some shops may
two 'days before the next happened to McNair. He said he even move out.
break-in, 1 came out of the post had no idea that the break-ins "Several more robberies at
office only to see that jacket had even been reported and that my store and I'll consider it a
walk right past me. he would find out why the first-class shove to move
" 'My big break,' I thought, deputy had done nothing on the elsewhere."