Metro leader recognized for excellence with national ‘TDM Champion Award’
Crossposted from Metro Matters
At Metro, we aim for excellence, and we’re thrilled when the larger world recognizes this too. Carol Cooper, a Metro Managing Director for Market Innovation, was recently nationally recognized by the Association for Commuter Transportation for the excellence of her work in transportation demand management (TDM).
The TDM Champion Award recognizes a member who has made significant contributions to the industry and profession and has demonstrated commitment and dedication through leadership on the local and/or national level. The TDM Champion Award is selected by the ACT National Board President and approved by the ACT Executive Committee. Read more.
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It’s time for the Annual Giving Drive
The Employee Giving Program (EGP) is celebrating its 35th Anniversary and we are excited to have you join us in the fun! The Employee Giving Program’s Annual Giving Drive runs from Oct. 2 through Nov. 17, 2023. Throughout the drive, we will share stories about a variety of EGP participating nonprofit organizations and the various ways to give.
We invite you to join the three-and-a-half decades of action in supporting a cause you care about through the program, here in King County and beyond. Councilmember Sarah Perry and Megan Clarke, King County Chief Information Officer, officially kicked off the Annual Giving Drive this week.
Please visit kingcounty.gov/giving to learn more and how to participate. Stay tuned for more highlights through November 17.
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Celebrating employees who provide customer service
National Customer Service Week is Oct. 2-6 and an opportunity to recognize the hundreds of employees at King County who serve and support customers on a daily basis. “We focus on the customer” is one of the County’s core values. To standardize the customer service approach at King County, a new Customer Service Playbook offers guidance and tips for employees who support customers, both internal and external. Employees who want to further develop their customer service skills are encouraged to take the Customer Service Fundamentals training in NEOGOV.
Providing exemplary customer service is what we aspire to at King County. It’s what we must do to make King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. Thanks to our customer-facing employees who are helping create a customer-centric culture at King County.
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Reminder: All employees must complete annual Cybersecurity Training
Did you know the number of cyberattacks against governments grew by 95% last year? Annual security training is an important activity that safeguards King County systems, and the number of employees who complete training each year impacts our insurance rates.
That’s why all employees and vendors with access to King County systems must complete Cybersecurity Training by Dec. 31, 2023. Log in here to complete your assigned training with our education partner, KnowBe4. Training takes about 90 minutes. Thank you for doing your part to protect King County.
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Administrative Professionals Program quarterly recognitions
Do you know administrative professional you’d like to recognize for the outstanding work they do? The Administrative Professionals Program holds quarterly recognitions for the County’s administrative employees who contribute to the success of every department every day.
The upcoming recognitions will cover July through September 2023, and will be posted on the Administrative Professionals Program website in October.
To recognize an administrative professional, please fill out the Recognition form here by Sept. 30, 2023.
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Accessing naloxone (NARCAN®) nasal spray in King County
With dramatically increasing overdoses in our community, knowing how to access and administer naloxone—a lifesaving medication that can reverse an opioid overdose—is critical. King County employees are permitted to carry and administer naloxone, while on the job, if they so choose. Here’s your guide to finding naloxone in King County and Washington, and how to access overdose prevention training.
For those who can, King County encourages accessing naloxone over the counter or through pharmacies with medical insurance, rather than using free sources. This helps ensure adequate availability for our community members who are less resourced.
- Pharmacies: Naloxone can be purchased over the counter or through medical insurance at most pharmacies.
- Naloxone has recently been made available over the counter, and major pharmacies like Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, and Rite Aid sell a 2-dose box for around $45.
- Most pharmacies also offer naloxone at the pharmacy counter without a prescription using Washington’s naloxone standing order. Employees can use their medical benefits to cover the cost, but may have a copay. Employees should ask for the generic prescription for a lower co-pay.
- People enrolled in Apple Health can get the kit for free, without a copay.
- Naloxone vending machines: Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC) manages naloxone vending machines at Peer Seattle and Peer Kent. They reliably have injectable (intramuscular) naloxone, and nasal variants are often available.
- Naloxone by mail: This option is ideal for those who may find in-person access challenging. Deliveries might take up to three weeks based on supply availability.
- Within King County, use the Kelley-Ross Pharmacy Group.
- For regions outside King County, visit the Washington Department of Health
To find naloxone nearest you, search the Washington State Naloxone Finder. Be sure to contact the chosen location to confirm availability.
Being equipped with naloxone and understanding its administration play a pivotal role in building a resilient community and mitigating the overdose crisis. Stay informed, access more resources, and sign up for training at PHSKC’s Overdose Prevention and Response site (click on “Prevention and Response Training”).
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A passion for making great food
It’s 5:30 a.m. and the kitchen staff at the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention’s (DAJD) Juvenile Division are hard at work preparing breakfast for the youth in detention. It will be a continental breakfast, with scrambled eggs, pastries, yogurt, and an assortment of other healthy food, served at 7:45 a.m. The cooks and bakers then start making lunch, which will be ready to go by 11:30 a.m. and may include burgers or variety of hot burritos and sandwiches. A dinner with a protein choice and vegetables comes at 5 p.m. with snacks offered at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. It’s a full day in the kitchen making sure all the youths in DAJD’s care have enough nutritious food to eat throughout the day.
“All the cooks and bakers take pride in what they make for the kids,” said Daniel Wohlfarth, one of the Juvenile Division’s kitchen team members. “It’s great working here. Each of the cooks and bakers get to provide input into what we make for the kids. We can each add a personal touch, create a new idea to try, or use a familiar recipe. As a cook, it’s wonderful that we can utilize our creativity to make nutritional meals for the kids.”
All the food prepared for the juveniles must meet the child nutritional food guidelines associated with the school lunch program. The Juvenile Division is fortunate to have a group of knowledgeable and talented cooks and bakers – between them all, there is well over 100 years of kitchen experience, which comes from around the world.
The team of cooks/bakers in the Juvenile Division includes:
- Daniel Wohlfarth, who is from the Seattle area.
- Diosdado Dato, who is from the Philippines.
- Luc Ta, who is from Vietnam.
- Joe Gorham, who is from The Bronx.
- Guru Sigdel, who is from Nepal.
- Diana Mullin, another local who recently joined from KCCF.
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Wounded motorcyclist aided by TFD painter
Early last month, Salvador (“Sal”) Garcia, was returning to South Facilities after finishing up his day painting comfort stations. On his way back, Sal came across a troubling scene—a man was lying on the ground next to three idling motorcycles. Sal knew something was amiss. He could see another man at the end of the block, also harmed, and clutching his shoulder.
Sal was worried, so he courageously got out of the van to investigate the situation further. When Sal approached the man, he could tell he was in distress. Sal then called 911 and while he was on the phone, he noticed the man was holding a gun.
“I grew up in a rough neighborhood, so it wasn’t my first time seeing a gun,” Sal said. The man was clutching the gun over his chest. To better assess the man’s injuries, Sal asked the man if he could take off the biker vest he was wearing. The man replied he could, and then a police officer arrived.
The officer yelled to put down the gun. The man on the ground didn’t respond. Sal was kneeling behind him with his hands raised. He told the man to put the gun down. The man let the gun fall from his hand and Sal spun the gun into the street, so the officer was able to secure it. The ambulance arrived and took the wounded men to the hospital. Sal said his wife and brother were surprised and a little shaken by his story, but he felt fine after the ordeal. “It was just a reaction; I saw someone on the ground, and I wanted to help,” said Sal.
On Sept. 13, Metro Deputy General Manager Ernest Kandilige, Transit Facilities Division (TFD) Director Adé Franklin, and TFD Section Manager Curt Dickie, recognized Sal for his commendable act and commitment to the TFD values of leading with love and acting with courage.
Thank you, Sal, for demonstrating King County’s True North and Values!
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Celebrating National Senior Center Month
Every September the National Council on Aging celebrates National Senior Center Month by shining a light on senior centers and showing the nation how vital they are to the health and well-being of a community.
In King County, senior centers support a growing population of older adults by providing essential services such as food and nutrition, cultural and social activities, information and assistance, education opportunities, celebratory events, health and wellness programs, and connection for isolated seniors. The Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy (VSHSL) funds senior centers to serve as recognized resource centers on aging services and to provide support, outreach, connection, and opportunities for social engagement. The renewed VSHSL will reinforce senior services that made a difference during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as support with technology to connect virtually, and meal delivery, and will strengthen and sustain senior center programming to provide social connection.
Please join the Department of Community and Human Services and King County Executive Dow Constantine in celebrating National Senior Center Month by visiting the senior center in your community. View the official proclamation here.
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