Is your office prepared for emergencies?
Crossposted from the DES Express Did you know that the Department of Executive Services’ (DES) own Fleet Services Parts and Materials (formerly “Stores”) offers individual employee “GO Kits” for emergencies? The red backpacks contain three separate kits for survival, personal hygiene and first aid. The disaster backpacks contain enough supplies to last three days in case of an emergency, such as water and snacks. The DES Director’s Office recently ordered kits for each employee in the office. “I was providing emergency preparedness training to the Director’s Office and our staff expressed an interest in… Read More
After the storm – resources and services available, and survey to report damages
Crossposted from KC Emergency News Food replacement (for DSHS Basic Food program recipients) The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has granted a waiver extending the 10-day reporting period for food loss due to the November 19 bomb cyclone. Residents in the following counties have until Dec. 19, 2024, to report food loss: King, Snohomish, Whatcom, Skagit, Kitsap, Island, Clallam, Pierce, Thurston, Lewis, Kittitas, Yakima, Douglas, Okanogan, Chelan, and Ferry. Call 877-501-2233, visit a Community Services Office, fill out the Basic Food Affidavit Replacement for Household Disaster form, or provide a written attestation. Find… Read More
Be prepared for windy weather
Strong wind gusts are forecasted in our region this afternoon through Wednesday morning, so please be prepared for potential outages. Here are helpful emergency preparedness resources: How to prepare for a power outage Carbon Monoxide Prevention Emergency Preparedness Make It Through Take Winter By Storm Winter Safety Power outages: If you are teleworking and experience a power outage that affects your ability to effectively work remotely, please contact your supervisor to discuss other options for completing work tasks. These may include taking leave or working from your regular King County worksite. If you… Read More
Employee safety reminders as the fall season begins
Fall officially arrived on Sunday, Sept. 22 so it’s time to get ready for changes in the weather and less daylight. Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, Nov. 3 at 2 a.m. which means turning your clocks back one hour on Saturday, Nov. 2 before you go to bed. It is important to prepare for these seasonal changes. If you drive, you should have an emergency kit in your vehicle, including extra clothing, food, water, and a flashlight. If you work on site, have a plan for your commute, dress warmly, and… Read More
With COVID-19 on the rise, remember to stay home if sick
King County is currently experiencing an uptick in COVID-19 infections. Please remember to stay home when you’re sick with COVID-19 or any common respiratory illness, including influenza (flu) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). We value your work here, but it won’t help anyone if you spread your illness to your co-workers. If you are sick, please follow your agency’s sick leave request and approval protocols and stay home. When you are sick, stay home and away from other people (including minimizing close contact with those in your home who are not sick)… Read More
New Public Records Act exemption available to protect employee safety
King County employees can now apply for an exemption from disclosures under the Public Records Act if they or their dependents are survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual abuse, stalking, or harassment. Public employees can seek an exemption from having certain records such as their birthdate, job title, workplace address, work email address, work phone number, and bargaining unit disclosed under the Public Records Act if they or their dependents are survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual abuse, stalking, or harassment. The exemption from public disclosure does not apply to… Read More
Helping King County’s older adults prepare for emergencies
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections Every September organizations and local governments across the country observe National Preparedness Month to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time. This year, the nationwide theme “Take Control in 1, 2, 3” focuses on preparing older adults for disasters, specifically older adults from communities that are disproportionally impacted by hazardous events. To learn more about the Department of Community and Human Services‘ (DCHS) work to prepare older adults for emergencies in King County, Taylor Gaston, the Veterans, Seniors and Human… Read More
What is KCInform?
It is critical that King County can reach employees during an emergency with timely information about infrastructure disruptions, facility closures, changes in business operations, and other critical impacts. That’s why King County launched KCInform, an alert and notification system for communicating with employees in emergencies. Watch this video find out more about KCInform and learn more in this article. King County will conduct a test of KCInform, on Thursday, Oct. 19 between 9 and 10 a.m.
Test of KCInform employee alert and warning system on Oct. 19
King County will conduct a test of KCInform, King County’s employee alert and warning system, on Thursday, Oct. 19 between 9 and 10 a.m. as part of the annual Great Washington ShakeOut drill to test earthquake preparedness. KCInform is used to notify County employees of emergency situations, infrastructure disruptions, facility closures, changes in department business operations, and other critical impacts. Your King County desk phone and @kingcounty.gov email address are already in the KCInform system. However, please register your County provided cell phone (if applicable) and personal cell phone and email address to ensure you don’t miss important, time-sensitive messages. The service… Read More
Stay informed about county emergencies
King County offers an alert and warning system called KCInform that notifies King County staff about county emergencies. You can add your personal email, home phone number, and work email and phone number to stay informed. Providing your personal contact information is voluntary, but will help King County reach you at home, work, or on the go in an emergency. KCInform will only contact you during an emergency or to test the system. To register, update, or verify your current information, email kcinform@kingcounty.gov. Click here for more information. King County will conduct a test of KCInform… Read More
Employee News 