Dear employee,

Wildfire smoke in our region will continue today, and will slowly begin to dissipate as we move into midweek. Wildfire smoke can cause a range of health problems, including chest pain, coughing, fast heartbeat, headaches, and asthma attacks. Some people need to be outdoors for their work or other responsibilities. With our current unhealthy air conditions, it’s recommended that you limit your time outdoors. If you are concerned about doing field work in these conditions, please consider these tips and guidance:

• Talk to your supervisor about possible options to reduce the amount of time you spend outdoors by performing desk work or alternate work assignments on smoky days.
• Departments should evaluate planned field work to determine whether some work should be postponed, where possible, to later in the week when conditions are expected to improve.
• The air quality level can change quickly, so check air quality conditions regularly and if possible, adjust your schedule to avoid travel and working outdoors during periods when air quality is the most impacted by smoke conditions (keep in mind air quality is typically the worst in the middle of the day during wildfire smoke).
• If you must work outdoors, limit time outdoors to a minimum and find a safe location to breathe filtered air while maintaining social distancing during breaks from outdoor work. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it will be more difficult to find public spaces to take clean/cool air breaks this year.
• Drink plenty of water.
• If you have medical conditions that could be worsened by wildfire smoke, consult with your medical provider and speak with your supervisor to work out the best options for your work schedule on smoke days.
• You may be able to use accrued vacation or comp time when there is wildfire smoke instead of reporting to your designated work location. You may request leave, subject to approval by your supervisor. If you have no leave accrued, your supervisor may approve leave without pay to cover absences. Please refer to HR Bulletin 2011-0009 County Operations During Emergency Situations and Inclement Weather to learn more.

It is not known how much protection cloth face coverings or surgical masks provide from wildfire smoke. N95/N100 masks can provide protection to some people when worn properly but can also worsen conditions for people with existing respiratory conditions. Due to COVID-19, N95/N100 masks may not be available and those available are in need by medical professionals. KN95 masks are available through your agency’s Safety Officer where needed. Safety Officers may contact Fleet Stores for masks at fleetstores@kingcounty.gov.

If you are working indoors, Public Health has provided some guidance on How to Keep Indoor Air Clean on Smoky Days.

More information from Public Health – Seattle & King County about wildfire smoke and your health can be found here. Additional information from WA Department of Health and EPA on indoor air filtration during wildfire smoke can be found here and here. We will provide additional updates as conditions warrant.

National Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month takes place Sept. 15-Oct. 15. In celebration of a diverse Latinx history, vibrant culture and innumerable achievements, the King County Latinx Affinity Group (KCLx) invites employees to join this virtual kick-off event. 

Come together with the King County familia and learn about the goals of KCLx and our work to advance equity and social justice in the community, enjoy a meet–and–greet with the KCLx Leadership Team, and preview an exciting lineup of upcoming Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month events. 

This event will be on Wednesday, Sept. 16 from noon to 1 p.m. via Zoom, and is open to all King County employees. Click here to register.   

The event will be facilitated by Melissa Arias, and includes as panelists the KCLx Leadership Team: Cristina Gonzalez, Lluvia Ellison-Morales, Chris Franco, Shannon Perez-Darby, Margarita Aguado, Rocio Martinez Lopez, and Antonio Herrera Garza. For more information, contact KCLx Membership Chair, Melissa Arias at MArias@kingcounty.gov. 

Crossposted from Election Connection 

As the countdown clocks continue to tick down the days between now and Nov. 3, we’re getting lots of questions about what to expect when and how to make sure you hit all the important deadlines to make sure your vote counts. Here are some key dates to put in your calendar to make sure that you’re ready to vote. 

Sept. 18 – King County mails out ballots to our service and overseas voters on this day, beating that 45-day requirement set out in federal law. Sending ballots early to those overseas helps to ensure that they receive their ballot with ample time to vote and get it back to us. If you’re not a service or overseas voter, hold tight. Your ballot is coming in October. 

Read more. 

Crossposted from Metro Matters 

Six Puget Sound area transit agencies have joined agencies across the nation to commit to industry best practices for safe transportation during the COVID-19 crisis. 

Community Transit, Everett Transit, King County Metro, Kitsap Transit, Pierce Transit and Sound Transit have all committed to a health and safety program developed by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) in response to public concerns about riding transit during the pandemic. 

Read more.