More than 18 million commercial and recreational boats are owned by U.S. citizens, and that means a lot of rope is necessary for docking, anchoring, towing, rigging, sail control, and fishing. In celebration of National Fishing and Boating Week, which runs from June 7-15, we’re shining a light on one of our valued supporters — Samson Rope.
At their manufacturing facility in Ferndale, Samson Rope produces a wide range of ropes for various industries. They know that no single rope can fill all commercial fishing needs. That’s why they manufacture specialized options like crab rope, longline, and purse seine line just to name a few.
As a company, they go beyond material production and offer training and certifications designed to share expertise and increase safety. They even provide a free rope user’s manual on their website to assist in rope selection, usage, handling, and retirement.
Samson Rope is also deeply committed to giving back to the communities they serve. They’ve forged strong partnerships, and contribute to several local Whatcom County non-profits. Their community giving focuses on key areas where they can make the most meaningful impact:
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty
Environmental Stewardship
Enriching Children’s Lives
Safe and Healthy Lifestyles
Celebrating Diversity
Unity Care NW is proud to have Samson Rope as one of our Health Care Champion Sponsors. Their generous support helps make it possible for us to provide critical health care for individuals and families who would not otherwise be able to afford it. Learn more about our Health Care Champion Sponsorship program and the partners who help make our mission possible.
Thank you, Samson Rope, for the many ways you uplift our community and happy National Fishing and Boating Week!
Every day, we see how access to care changes lives — and that access often starts with Medicaid. Two out of three people are close to someone whose life is better because of it.
Medicaid doesn’t just support patients — it strengthens clinics, keeps local health care providers working, and brings vital dollars into our communities.
Want to help? Share this information and spread the word! Use these directions and script to call your Senators and Representative at 1-877-224-2015 to tell them Medicaid is a lifeline — for health, for jobs, and for stability. Let’s keep it strong.
Tell Us How Medicaid Made a Difference in Your Life
Your voice can make a difference! By sharing your experience, you help us advocate for continued support of Medicaid (Apple Health) and other essential health care services in our community.
Please fill out the form below. Your story may be used in our communications with lawmakers, on social media, and in advocacy campaigns. You can remain anonymous if you prefer.
Thank you for helping us celebrate our Providers!
In celebration of Doctor’s Day on March 30, our patients shared messages of appreciation for our team. Scroll to see some of the notes that patients shared. Our amazing team of medical providers, mental health clinicians, dentists, and pharmacists deliver affordable care to those who might otherwise go without. We thank them for their hard work and thank our patients for entrusting UCNW for their care.
Electricity seems ever-present, and you are most likely using it right now to read this article. But, in order for that to be the case, a lineman had to spend time connecting, inspecting, and possibly repairing electrical lines to bring energy to your location. April 18 is National Lineman Appreciation Day and to celebrate we are shining a light on our Health Care Champion Sponsors, Puget Sound Energy (PSE), by sharing some interesting facts about this profession.
Miles and Miles
The US has approximately 450,000 miles of overhead power lines supported by over 180 million utility poles. In Washington state PSE operates approximately:
2,600 miles of transmission lines
10,000 miles of overhead distribution circuits
340,000 utility poles
440 electrical substations
5,000-6,000 miles of underground power lines.
Safety First, Second, Third…
Electrical contact is life-altering, and linemen must take extensive precautions to mitigate risks. With so many lines to tend to, PSE line workers always put safety front and center. Line work is in the top ten most dangerous trades in the US for many reasons: electrical dangers, falls, weather hazards, confined spaces, heavy equipment, dangerous terrain, long hours, and high tension involved in pulling and rigging ropes, wires, and lines.
Communication and training are essential for line worker safety. Before any work is done, they hold job briefings to discuss hazards, electrical isolation and protection, emergency plans, and many other topics. Line workers must also undergo rigorous annual training on specialized rescue techniques in the event of an accident.
High In the Air
Line workers often go to extreme heights. Your neighborhood power poles typically stand around 40 feet high, while taller transmission lines measure around 70 feet. Some wooden poles exceed 100 feet in height.
Line workers use large bucket trucks that can reach up to 100 feet, but for even taller steel towers that support power lines across the mountains and long distances, lineman must rely on large cranes, climb from the ground up, or even be dropped from a helicopter.
Health – An Important Factor
Unity Care NW knows that health can impact every aspect of life, and for line workers, staying healthy and in shape is an essential. Their job demands heavy equipment, handling bulky tools, working in strenuous positions, and climbing poles and towers. Line workers must often walk long distances packing heavy tools and equipment from their utility trucks to their worksite. For underground power lines, they must lift heavy lids and pull wires.
Six Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Line Work:
Line work started in the 1840s with the telegraph service.
Every year when hurricanes and other devastating storms hit, about 60,000 line workers hit the road, leaving behind their families to help restore power to the areas hit by these storms.
Sometimes line workers are required to perform a very dangerous and specialized task called “live line work,” where high-voltage power lines remain energized during repair. To do this safely, they wear a special metal suit and attach themselves to the wire — either out of a special bucket or off the side of a helicopter. The suit allows electricity to flow around them as they work on live lines carrying many hundreds of thousands of volts.
Every year, line workers from across the country compete in lineman rodeos, showcasing their skills. The grand finale is usually held in Oklahoma every October.
For some remote power line locations, line workers will be transported by helicopter — dangling from a line hundreds of feet in the air. This technique, called “long lining,” is just another Monday for some linemen.
Don’t forget about the underground power lines! Many large cities have no visible power lines. Instead, miles of underground tunnels and rooms house all the power lines beneath busy streets.
Along with enjoying lights and modern conveniences, many of our patients depend on electricity for crucial medical equipment such as ventilators, oxygen concentrators, insulin pumps, dialysis machines, and various monitoring and diagnostic equipment.
From all of us at Unity Care NW, we extend our gratitude to line workers, who keep the lights on and the electricity flowing. And thank you, Puget Sound Energy, for the many ways you give back to our communities in addition to being one of our top Health Care Champion Sponsors.
Unity Care NW has Switched to a New Patient Portal as of February 11th
We’re excited to announce that Unity Care NW has transitioned to MyChart—a new and improved system to keep your health information secure and accessible 24/7.
What Is MyChart?
MyChart is an easy-to-use tool that keeps all of a patient’s health information in one place. It’s much better than our previous system and will help us work together with our patients manage their care care. MyChart will make managing our patients’ health simpler and more convenient. With MyChart, patients can:
See their medications, test results, and upcoming appointments.
View medical bills.
Request appointments.
Complete pre-visit tasks from the comfort of home — and more.
A Note About This Change
Our staff is also learning to use this new system, so there may be some delays while we get used to it. Thank you for your patience as we work to provide you the best possible care.
A vibrant arts community can help increase health and wellness for all. Studies show that living in arts-rich communities and engaging with creativity can promote overall wellbeing. In fact, there is evidence that the arts may support healthy child development, help reduce the overall impact of trauma, and improve both mental and physical health. The Whatcom Community Foundation (WCF) uses this concept to guide their efforts as they work to achieve their vision that “Everyone here thrives”. Being one of our Unity Care NW Health Care Champions is just one of the many ways they are a supporting a stronger and healthier community. Check out their full Blog post on the importance of arts and culture and how their organization is contributing.
Here are a few examples of how the Whatcom Community Foundation is investing in arts and culture in our neighborhoods:
Making grants – most recently, Health and Wellness Grants went to nine arts and culture-related organizations, while 12 Whatcom arts and culture projects received Project Neighborly grants this year.
Representing our arts community – after the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation reached out to help inform WCF’s arts funding, twenty-seven Whatcom County organizations received funds!
Building the Whatcom Arts and Culture Fund. The Whatcom Arts & Culture Fund is a dedicated philanthropic initiative created to support and elevate the vibrant artistic and cultural landscape of Whatcom County. This fund aims to nurture creativity, foster community engagement and preserve the rich heritage of local arts through grants.
The Community Foundation holds endowed funds for the Mount Baker Theatre, Bellingham Symphony Orchestra, Bellingham Festival of Music, The Whatcom Museum and Bellingham Chamber Chorale. These permanent funds generate precious unrestricted support every year.
Working with donors to establish funds focused on the arts, including an inspiring idea for public works of art.
Thank you, Whatcom Community Foundation — for the many ways you support Unity Care NW and our community.
In our journey towards better health and well-being, managing chronic pain can often be a significant challenge. Whether it’s stemming from a medical condition, injury, or other factors, chronic pain can greatly impact our daily lives. At Unity Care NW, we understand the complexities of chronic pain management and the risks associated with opioid therapy. That’s why we’re committed to providing you with comprehensive support and information to empower you in your health journey.
Whatcom County Overdose facts
The opioid crisis has deeply impacted communities in Northwest Washington and across the United States. In 2022, Washington state experienced a significant increase in drug overdose deaths, with overdose deaths in Whatcom County surpassing the statewide average. The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the crisis by increasing factors like anxiety and social isolation, leading to more drug use and exacerbating the epidemic. Whatcom County Emergency Medical Services receives an average of 3 to 4 overdose calls per day.[1] It is crucial that the public be aware of what opioids are and how to prevent addiction and overdose in themselves and in their loved ones.
What is an Opioid? Natural, synthetic, or semi-synthetic chemicals that interact with opioid receptors on nerve cells in the body and brain, and reduce the intensity of pain signals and feelings of pain. This class of drugs includes the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain medications available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, and many others. Prescription opioids are generally safe when taken for a short time and as directed by a doctor, but because they produce euphoria in addition to pain relief, they can be misused and can lead to addiction.
Pain Management
Physical pain is a complex sensation that serves as a signal from the body to the brain, indicating injury or potential harm. It can manifest as aches, throbbing, sharp sensations, or discomfort in various parts of the body. While pain is a natural and often necessary response to protect ourselves from further injury, managing physical pain is an important part of promoting overall well-being and maintaining functional abilities. [3]
Pain management can be done in many ways that do not include opioids. Examples include:
Physical therapy
Exercise
Nonopioid medications, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen
Certain antidepressant and antiseizure medications
Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is pain lasting three months or more. It can be caused by a disease or condition, injury, medical treatment, inflammation, or even an unknown reason. There are many possible options to treat your chronic pain. You and your doctor should work together to establish treatment goals for pain and function in your daily life. Nonopioids treatments are recommended for first line treatment of most origins of chronic pain. Opioids should be used only when other options fail or conflict with other medical conditions or treatments.
If You Are Prescribed Opioids for Chronic Pain Management
Follow up with your doctor within the first few days of starting your prescription to ensure opioids are helping. You should also discuss:
What kind of pain relief and improvement you can expect overall. Opioids can reduce pain in the short-term but will not likely relieve all your pain.
Any side-effects you are experiencing.
Develop your personal pain management plan with your doctor which may include:
Your personal treatment goals, which describe what you may achieve as you make progress.
Information about treatment options.
Referral to specialists as needed.
Side Effects of Opioid Therapy
Prescription opioids carry serious risks of addiction and overdose. Opioids can slow a person’s breathing, often a sign associated with someone experiencing an opioid overdose that can cause death. The use of prescription opioids can have several side effects as well, even when taken as directed, including:
Tolerance — you might need to take more of a medication for the same pain relief
Physical dependence — you have symptoms of withdrawal when a medication is stopped, or you take less
Increased sensitivity to pain
Nausea and vomiting
Constipation
Confusion
Depression
Sleepiness and dizziness
How to Spot an Opioid Overdose
Recognizing an opioid overdose can be difficult. If you aren’t sure, it is best to treat the situation like an overdose—you could save a life.
Signs of an overdose may include:
Small, constricted “pinpoint pupils”
Falling asleep or loss of consciousness
Slow, shallow breathing
Choking or gurgling sounds
Limp body
Pale, blue, or cold skin
Narcan/Naloxone
Carrying and knowing how to use Narcan (also known as Naloxone) can help you save someone from an opioid overdose. Narcan saves lives because it can quickly restore normal breathing to a person whose breathing has slowed or stopped as a result of overdosing on prescription opioid medications, heroin, or drugs that are adulterated and contaminated with an opioid like fentanyl (e.g., cocaine, methamphetamine).
To assist a person with an expected opioid overdose:
Call 911.
Give Narcan if possible.
Try to keep the person awake and breathing.
Lay the person on their side to prevent choking.
Do not leave the person alone while waiting for help to arrive.
Naloxone is a temporary treatment. More than one dose might be needed under some circumstances, especially if an overdose event involves illicitly manufactured fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances.[4]
Where to Get Narcan
A prescription is not needed to obtain Narcan. Narcan is covered by many insurances and is available at pharmacies, including Unity Care NW’s in-house pharmacies in Bellingham and Ferndale. Speak to your pharmacist to see if your insurance covers Narcan.
Whatcom County provides Narcan to At-Risk individuals or family members, or involved bystanders of opioid related overdose through the Narcan Leave Behind Program. Contact Steven Cohen, EMS Training Specialist, at 360-820-6157 or scohen@co.whatcom.wa.us for information on Narcan Kits and training.
You can also request free Narcan to be delivered to your home online through the Washington State Naloxone Mail Order program.
Safe Medication Return at UCNW
If you have unused or expired medications, including opioids, we offer a safe medication return program to ensure they are disposed of properly. Bring any medications you have to drop boxes at our pharmacies in either Bellingham or Ferndale to safely dispose of them. By participating in this program, you’re not only protecting your loved ones from potential harm but also contributing to environmentally responsible practices.
County organizations received funds!
