2010 News

Warming Shelters open in King County; stay warm (Updated Feb. 3, 2011)
With colder weather on the way and temperatures expected to drop on wednesday night, King County and the cities of Seattle and Bellevue have opened severe weather shelters for homeless populations to take refuge. 

Warming Shelters open in King County; stay warm
With the first winter storm of the season under way and temperatures expected to drop even lower through Tuesday, King County and the cities of Seattle and Bellevue have opened severe weather shelters for homeless populations to take refuge. 

September is National Preparedness Month
National preparedness month is held each September to encourage Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and communities. 

King County names experienced local emergency manager to lead County’s Office of Emergency Management
King County today named Hillman Mitchell as Director of its Office of Emergency Management. In this role, Mitchell will supervise 18 employees at the Emergency Communications and Coordination Center in Renton, 11 employees at the Emergency 9-1-1 office in South Seattle, and oversee a budget of $23 million. 

King County cooling centers
 

Prepare for hot weather
A heat wave has been predicted for the next three days, and Regional Animal Services, the Office of Emergency Management, and Public Health - Seattle & King County are reminding residents that by taking simple precautions, they can keep family and pets cool and safe.  

County awarded “best” for technology
King County’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) has received the Emergency Management Digital Distinction Award for Best Collaboration and Information Sharing for its SharePoint web application; one of several recognitions honoring outstanding digital applications that enable first responders to deliver emergency services more effectively.  

South King County test of emergency notification system a success
Emergency managers from King County and the cities of Auburn, Kent, Renton and Tukwila report a relatively smooth test of the CodeRED and MyStateUSA emergency notification systems on Tuesday. The test generated over 207,300 calls within a 4½ hour period with few technical glitches.  

King County, Green River Valley cities to test emergency notification system
Starting at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 20, emergency managers from King County and the cities of Auburn, Kent, Renton, and Tukwila will conduct a test of the CodeRED and MyStateUSA emergency notification systems. These systems give officials the ability to deliver urgent pre-recorded telephone, cell phone, email or text messages to targeted areas, at a rate of up to 60,000 contacts per hour. 

King County recognizes April as National 9-1-1 Education Month
King County is kicking off a month-long campaign to help residents recognize the importance of 9-1-1 and the role each caller plays in ensuring effective and efficient communication during emergencies. The United States Congress and the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) have also acknowledged April as National 9-1-1 Education Month and are encouraging 9-1-1 awareness and education activities throughout the campaign.