Now that the National Weather Service Excessive Heat Warning has been extended through Saturday, the heat safety tips are even more important. The following tips have been compiled from multiple sources by the Vashon Emergency Operations Center and VashonBePrepared, in collaboration with Vashon Island Fire & Rescue.Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water before you feel thirsty.Ideally, stay indoors and out of the heat of the day, generally from midday to early evening.If your job requires you to work outside, do what you can to work in the shade and be especially mindful of getting plenty of water, taking breaks in the shade or in a cool space, and avoiding sunburn. Try to perform critical outdoor tasks in the morning only.You can keep your home cooler by shutting blinds, drawing curtains, and keeping windows closed while outdoor temperatures are higher than indoor temperatures. Of course, use fans or air-conditioners, if you have them. Once outdoor temperatures drop below indoor temperatures, open your windows...

The Excessive Heat Warning issued by the National Weather Service has been extended one more day through Saturday evening. High temperatures over the next several days are forecast in the range of 90 to 94 degrees. There will be relief overnight as temperatures fall into the low sixties.The National Weather Service classifies this as a level three heat risk event out of a possible four levels in the National Weather Service classification system. Level three means the heat is a high risk for much of the population, especially those who are heat-sensitive and those without effective cooling or adequate hydration.VashonBePrepared and the Vashon Emergency Operations Center, in collaboration with Vashon Island Fire & Rescue, have worked with community partners to open two cooling centers on Vashon and they will continue in operation with some changes in opening hours.Vashon Public Library will be open today from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. The library is at Ober Park, 17210 Vashon Highway SW.Vashon Center for the Arts will...

September 17-18 at Yakima Valley Community College

Save the date!

Any questions can be sent to Celso Rangel – State Citizen Corps and CERT Program Coordinator: Celso.Rangel@ofm.wa.gov

BOTHELL, Wash.  -  FEMA Region 10 welcomed its new Regional Administrator, Willie G. Nunn, following his appointment by President Joe Biden. Mr. Nunn was sworn in by FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell at the regional office this morning.  As the Regional Administrator, Mr. Nunn will lead and coordinate all activities in support of FEMA’s mission with the states of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, as well as the 271 federally recognized tribes within the region. Mr. Nunn joined FEMA in June 2007 and has effectively managed disasters in all four states in Region 10 plus nine states across...

Hina Kilioni and I just had a great chat on a whole range of topics, but most significantly on his desire to facilitate communications among regional disaster organizations.

As I mentioned to him there are a ton of examples and models for how we each are organized. It wasn’t until I started compiling a list that I discovered I only knew about a third of them!

West Seattle Be PreparedVashonBePreparedBainbridgePrepares.orgSeattle HubsCarnation-Duvall Citizen CorpsIssaquah Citizen CorpsRedmond Citizen CorpsDouglas CountyClark Citizen Corps CouncilWashington Voluntary Organizations Active in DisasterServe Washington,...

We are writing to invite you to share your input and expertise in a virtual forum hosted by the Cascadia Coastlines and People Research Coordination Network (Cascadia CoPe RCN) on “Research and Information Needs to Improve Healthcare Access in Disasters.” This event is part of a broader effort to advance research on coastal hazards and resilience that will be useful to coastal communities in the Pacific Northwest, coordinated by the Cascadia Coastlines and Peoples Hub (Cascadia CoPes Hub)....

MyBuildingPermit and Simpson Strong-tie have partnered to provide a series of free home retrofit classes for homeowners and contractors.  The virtual class highlights WABO’s newly revised seismic retrofit standard plans. ...

COVID-19 Update from Vashon Emergency Operations Center & VashonBePrepared

In the past week, Vashon Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) recorded 60 new COVID-19 cases (out of 258 tests performed). Five additional positives came from testing Vashon High School (VHS) boys' varsity basketball team members. Those results put the count at over 65 cases for this week by the MRC (not including any tests received by Vashon residents at other testing facilities).

In a single week:

Vashon logged over 20% of all its cases recorded since the start of the pandemic, 94 weeks ago. Spiked to a case rate six times the CDC threshold for "high transmission." Reached a positive test rate twice that of Vashon's previous high rate in November 2020. Lost its status as the safest community in Puget Sound, from a spike equal to the case rate on the mainland. Testing at Vashon High School Vashon Island School District (VISD) has announced a 2.5 hour late start on Monday, January 3, to allow...

FEMA released the 10th annual 2021 National Preparedness Report (NPR).

This year's report presents preparedness data through the lens of risks and capabilities and underscores the challenges that emergency managers face in addressing a continuously...

SEATTLE — Together, FEMA and Bonneville Seattle have completed an important modernization at the emergency radio broadcast facility at Bonneville International’s KIRO-AM 710 in Seattle. This modernization project improves emergency alert systems that provide critical alerts and warnings to the public.The KIRO-AM facility serves as a Primary Entry Point (PEP) station for FEMA’s National Public Warning System (NPWS), maintained under FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), and provides critical information to the public before, during and after incidents and disasters.Under the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization Act enacted in 2015, Congress required FEMA to upgrade PEP stations across the country to ensure continuity of terrestrial broadcast services under all hazards. PEP stations are specially designated NPWS broadcast stations that serve as the primary intake source of initial broadcasts for a national alert. FEMA equips these stations, which are operated by local station...

National Preparedness Month is an observance each September to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time.

This week’s theme for National Preparedness is Engage Your Community on Preparedness.

Preparedness is for everyone. There are many ways to engage your family, friends, neighbors, community, and volunteer groups on preparedness.

Go to https://vashonbeprepared.org/Help-Out/Volunteer to get involved!

Youth are leaders in preparedness. Over the past year, the FEMA Region 10 Youth Preparedness Council...

from: https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/king-county-sheriffs-office-launches-new-phone-appKING COUNTY, Wash. — Community members in King County will now be able to submit tips, access inmate information, research sex offenders in their area and more with just a click away on their smartphones.On Thursday, King County Sheriff Mitzi G. Johanknecht announced a new smartphone app for the King County Sheriff’s Office.The app will help connect the community with the sheriff’s office and send out information to anyone with a smartphone.“Open and accurate communication are the fundamentals of transparency, which in turn builds trust with the communities we serve,” said Johanknecht. “Our new mobile app gives us a better way to alert, inform and prepare the public. We even have weather alerts.”The app provides access to information of public interest:Submit a tip Meet the Sheriff Access COVID-19 resources Receive push notifications...

This week focuses on making an emergency plan. You are encouraged to do the following this week:

Talk with loved ones about the types of disasters that can impact you. This can be a conversation around the dinner table or a zoom call.Plan how to contact one another and have an out-of-area contact. Remember texts are more likely to go through over calls. Know how you and your loved ones will reconnect if separated. Consider the specific needs in your household when making your plan, including disabilities or accesses and functional needs, medical equipment, medications, etc. Practice your plan with everyone involved including your pets! Find additional activities on Ready.gov. Virtual Sessions In partnership with the state emergency management...

Each September, FEMA’s Ready Campaign uses this time to encourage people to take steps to prepare for disasters and emergencies that could happen anywhere and at any time. This year’s theme is “Prepare to Protect.”Preparing for disasters is protecting everyone you love. Act now to prepare yourself and your family before disaster strikes.Throughout the month, weekly themes will be used to highlight basic preparedness activities that everyone can do, including:· Week 1, Sept. 1-4: Make A Plan· Week 2, Sept. 5-11: Build A Kit· Week 3, Sept. 12-18: Low-Cost, No-Cost Preparedness· Week 4, Sept. 19-25: Teach Children...

King County Fire Marshal Chris Ricketts has issued a Stage 2 burn ban for unincorporated King County, which prohibits all outdoor recreational fires. Outdoor cooking and heating appliances are restricted to approved manufactured gas and charcoal units only.The Stage 2 burn ban goes into effect immediately for King County, which was already in a Stage 1 burn ban. King County’s ban is in coordination with the King County Fire Chiefs Association and Fire Marshals, which extends the ban into cities.During a Stage 2 burn ban, any outdoor fire such as a backyard fire pit or campfire using chopped firewood or charcoal is prohibited. Under the ban, any person with a recreational fire who fails to take immediate action to extinguish or discontinue when ordered or notified to do so can be charged with, up to and including, a misdemeanor.Manufactured portable outdoor devices are allowed, including barbeques...

According to Cliff Mass, we’ve smoke in our future, at least thru Saturday.

https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2021/08/a-smoke-storm-is-about-to-hit.html

Vashon COVID Update:

Delta Wave of COVID Has Taken Hold on Vashon --

Vaccination Has Been Working

This is a COVID Update from Vashon Medical Reserve Corps and VashonBePrepared.Vashon COVID cases have jumped significantly over the last six weeks. After staying flat at 121 cases through June, Vashon's total pandemic case count has jumped to 138. Cases on Vashon have been increasing at the rate of about one per day. Roughly one-fifth of the cases are in kids, 11 years and younger, who are not yet eligible for vaccination. With the Delta variant being dominant, in this wave, kids are much more likely to display symptoms than before. Fortunately, vaccination has been working and we have not had a massive spike on Vashon like the one experienced in November and December before vaccination was available. Vashon has not had a new hospitalization since January. Vaccinated individuals who become ill generally have mild symptoms as predicted by the vaccine clinical trials and they continue to be protected...

Even in temperate western Washington it can take only a few sunny days for forests to dry out enough to catch fire. And, in windy conditions wildfires can get out of control quickly. Wildfires burn every year in east King County. Before wildfire strikes, homeowners can help protect lives and property by creating a fire-adapted space around structures.Top 8 tips for maintaining a wildfire safety zone in the 30 feet around your homeRemove all dead plant material from around your home. Rake up dry leaves (under decks and porches too!) and move firewood away from the house. Keep your roof and gutters clear of flammable debris.Place a 3 to 5-foot swath of gravel or stones around the foundation of your home instead of flammable mulch.Prune branches that overhang or touch the house. Take out "ladder fuels," vegetation between grass and treetops that can carry fire between foliage and structures.  Keep blowing embers out of your house. Cover exterior vents with fine (1/8-inch) mesh. Store flammable materials, including...

The Vashon Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), Emergency Operations Center (EOC), and VashonBePrepared are working closely with an island business to contain a potentially significant COVID exposure event.

An employee at Fair Isle Animal Clinic tested positive for COVID yesterday, Sunday, July 25th.  As a safety measure, Fair Isle has now taken a number of steps to make sure everyone stays safe. For example, Fair Isle had reopened its doors a few weeks ago but today reverted to curbside service as a way to prevent spread of COVID.

"There's nothing more important than keeping our patients, clients and staff safe. We are here for the health of Vashon and its animals," said Dr. Dana Ness, the owner of Fair Isle Animal Clinic. "We are following all guidelines and are very grateful to MRC, the EOC and VashonBePrepared for their technical assistance in this effort and their many months of experience with the pandemic. We are especially grateful for the way the people of Vashon are pulling together to support everyone...

In response to the impacts of COVID-19, Drive-In Wi-Fi Hotspots provide free temporary, emergency internet access for Washingtonians who do not have broadband service to their homes.Washington Wi-Fi Finder:https://www.commerce.wa.gov/building-infrastructure/washington-state-drive-in-wifi-hotspots-location-finder/

Seattle residents can also find additional indoor locations at: http://www.seattle.gov/tech/services/internet-access/free-public-wi-fi

In...

A new web application from ESRI provides a nice visual overlay to the latest ocean flooding scenarios – including Seattle and by inference, Vashon too.

https://apl.esri.com/jg/hightideflooding/ is the web site which states:

High tide flooding today mostly affects low-lying and exposed assets or infrastructure, such as roads, harbors, beaches, public storm-, waste- and fresh-water systems and private and commercial properties.  Due to rising relative sea level (RSL), more and more cities are becoming increasingly exposed and evermore vulnerable to high tide flooding, which is rapidly increasing in frequency, depth...

July 14: COVID-19 is on the rise in King County and Vashon's case count has jumped by four cases in the last several days to a total of 125 since the pandemic began last year. That remains a good record compared to the other King County communities, an infection rate about one-third of the county as a whole. However, the trends are cause for concern and one of the new Vashon cases gives us an important reality check, a breakthrough infection of a vaccinated patient."We may feel we are done with COVID, but COVID isn't done with us. We still have COVID on Vashon," explained Dr. Zach Miller, an infectious disease expert and leader of the...

The fourth of July is this Sunday and proper use and management of fireworks is important.Here are a few things to remember on the 4th:

Please use only legal fireworks.If it goes up in the air or explodes, it's illegal. No bottle rockets or firecrackers.Consumer fireworks permitted in King County Only on July 4th 9:00 AM ‘til midnight.Have responsible adults light fireworksand keep kids at a safe distance.Move away quickly after lighting and wear eye protection.Have a water hose ready to squirt, plus a bucket of water to soak used fireworks.Use fireworks...

Weather forecasters predict today will be hotter than yesterday and likely to set new records for high temperatures, the highest ever experienced in the Puget Sound area, including Vashon. Vashon will hit a high of well over 100 degrees with the National Weather Service suggesting the possibility of a high temperature on Vashon of 112 degrees.Three air conditioned cooling center locations are available today on Vashon, open from 10:00am to 6:00pm. Masks and social distancing are required. Here are the three locations... - Vashon Library, in town at 17210 Vashon Highway, at Ober Park.In addition, VashonBePrepared has arranged for two more cooling centers where...

An extended heat wave is affecting Vashon and the rest of the Puget Sound this weekend with  high temperatures that could exceed 110 degrees by Monday.Three air conditioned cooling center locations are available on Vashon, open from 10:00am to 6:00pm each day. Masks and social distancing are required.The lobby of Vashon Center for the Arts, south of town at 19600 Vashon Highway at the intersection with Cemetery Road. Open all three days, through Monday.Subway restaurant, in town at 17408 Vashon Highway one block north of the intersection with Bank Road. Open all three days, through Monday.Vashon Library, in town at 17210 Vashon Highway, at Ober Park. Open Saturday and Monday, closed...

· VashonBePrepared's Emergency Operations Center was activated 67 weeks ago (471 days) to respond to what became a global pandemic.· Our emergency response team with the help of many Island and County partners achieved remarkable results to help communicate, support, and assist Vashonites.· Based on Public Health –Seattle & King County’s dashboard, Vashon had 121 residents test positive for the COVID-19 virus. That is 11.2 cases per 1,000 residents, compared to...

 ... and all year long!

Water only when the yard or garden needs water, focusing on the root zone. More plants die from over-watering than from under-watering.Water slowly and thoroughly in the early morning hours when temperatures and wind speed are the lowest. Use a kitchen or portable timer when using the hose as a reminder to turn it off or purchase an inexpensive hose timer.Let grass grow taller in hot weather to preserve moisture.Use mulch in the garden and around shrubs to save moisture.Plant native plants and shrubs that don't need a lot of water.Consider alternatives to big, thirsty lawns.Water trees slowly, deeply, and infrequently to encourage...

There are two air conditioned cooling center locations on Vashon Island, open from 10:00am to 6:00pm, Saturday through Monday. Masks and social distancing are required at both of these locations.

The lobby of Vashon Center for the Arts, south of town at 19600 Vashon Highway at the intersection with Cemetery Road.Subway restaurant, in town at 17408 Vashon Highway one block north of the intersection with Bank Road.Both locations are offering free water or soft drinks to cooling center drop ins. Folks in need of transportation to reach the cooling centers can arrange a trip by contacting Vashon Community Van at 206-263-5901 or email communityvan@kingcounty.gov, or go online to:

https://kingcounty.gov/depts/local-services/programs/vashon-community-van.aspxAlthough...

This morning’s briefings included these slides that may be of interest…

An extended heat wave will affect Vashon and the rest of the Puget Sound this weekend with  high temperatures above 105 degrees predicted Sunday and Monday.Heat waves can be dangerous for elders, infants, people on medications, and people with health conditions that increase heat sensitivity, so it's important to take sensible precautions to avoid heat-related illness. Here are some tips to beat the heat from Public Health -- Seattle & King County and VashonBePrepared.... Minimize physical...