Emergency Management goes to the U.S. Olympic Team Trials
Crossposted from the DES Express Last month, two staff members from King County Emergency Management had the unique opportunity to join the University of Oregon incident management team which was supporting the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for track and field. Nathan Emory and Edan Edmonson, both Emergency Management Program Coordinators, spent three days observing and lending a hand to the emergency management team. The experience gave KCOEM staff the opportunity to see how the University of Oregon’s emergency management team connected with local first responders, facilitating a coordinated and effective response to… Read More
FMD Security Officer Brian Pollack saves man from overdose
Crossposted from the DES Express Security Officer Brian Pollack from the Facilities Management Division (FMD) saved a life last month outside the Robert Clewis Center (RCC), a low-cost medical clinic in downtown Seattle. An RCC customer was overdosing outside the center, which was closed at the time. The man’s friends had tried to administer Narcan but weren’t successful. Pollack acted quickly due to training he recently received. “I am grateful for the Opioid Reversal Training I received from Public Health, which proved invaluable during a critical incident,” said Pollack. “I’m thankful I… Read More
July is Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Mental Health Month
July is Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Mental Health Month, a time to highlight the unique strengths and challenges faced by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in relation to mental health. Named in honor of Bebe Moore Campbell, a journalist, teacher, author, and mental health advocate, this month is dedicated to continuing her legacy by focusing on the mental health needs and experiences of BIPOC communities. Fear of judgment, cultural beliefs, generational differences, and lack of access to resources often prevent people of color from addressing mental health… Read More
In their own words: Meet the dynamic AANHP Leadership Council
Since its inception, the American Asian, Native Hawaiian, Pasifika (AANHP) Affinity Group has flourished under exceptional leadership: Sung Cho and Stephanie Santos (2019 – 2020), Renee Hosogi and Phoebe Naguit (2020 – 2022), and Helen Potter and Guru Dorje (2023 – 2024). As we transition into a new phase, a collective decision has been made to establish a joint leadership structure known as the AANHP Leadership Council (ALC). This council aims to honor the collective identity of the AANHP community through collaborative leadership. The ALC comprises the following members: Allen Ikua Gomes,… Read More
Remembering DNRP’s Steve Bleifuhs
The Seattle Times recently published a tribute for Steve Bleifuhs, a longtime member of the Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) Water and Land Resources Division leadership team who died July 7 in a small plane crash in Eatonville. The article shares: Steve Bleifuhs worked as a bicycle mechanic while studying economics at the University of Wisconsin, and later in Seattle’s University District, where he moved to in 1994. He then started a nearly 30-year career working at the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, where he eventually managed… Read More
“The Southard:” Homeownership that is inclusive and sustainable
Patti Southard, a nationally-acclaimed pioneer in her field, as a Green Building Program Manager for King County Solid Waste Division in the Department of Natural Resources and Parks for 14 years, until she passed away in 2019. Homestead Community Land Trust held a ribbon-cutting event on Friday, June 28, 2024 to celebrate the completion of the Southard, named after Patti. Located in the Cascade View neighborhood of Tukwila, the Southard is Homestead’s latest net-zero energy, Salmon Safe, affordable homeownership development. June 28, also Patti’s birthday, was commemorated as Patti Southard Day by… Read More
Get to Know: King County’s Behavioral Health Outreach Teams
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections At King County’s Behavioral Health and Recovery Division, we’re working toward a future where everyone is able to access mental health and substance use care when, where and how they need it. We are also actively bringing care and support to people in the community experiencing behavioral health crises. Our growing cadre of behavioral health outreach teams go anywhere and everywhere in the County to meet people where they are, offering compassion, support, connections to resources and treatment, medications for opioid use disorder, and more in a culturally… Read More
Loop Truck Shop in North Bend earns LEED Platinum certification
Crossposted from Clean Water Stories You wouldn’t guess that a semi-truck maintenance facility would be all that tranquil, but on a recent morning in North Bend, the bay doors were open, and the sunshine was pouring in. Between the occasional rumble of a truck firing up, you could hear a woodpecker working on breakfast. Tucked into a thicket of trees just off I-90 sits one of King County’s Wastewater Treatment Division’s newest buildings. Completed in late 2022 and operational since January 2023, the Loop Vehicle Maintenance Facility (AKA the Loop Truck Shop)… Read More
Learn about Designated Crisis Responders in King County
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections When a person is in a mental health or substance use crisis, law enforcement or emergency medical services are often the first to arrive. In some instances, Designated Crisis Responders (DCRs) also come to provide an essential service. DCRs investigate, evaluate, and ultimately decide whether to detain an individual under State statute for involuntary psychiatric or substance abuse care. People can experience a wide range of behavioral health needs, and with that comes a range of services to respond to these needs. DCRs are a critical part of… Read More
FBOD makes headlines
Crossposted from the DES Express Congratulations to Ken Guy, Director of the Finance and Business Operations Division (FBOD), and his staff for contributing to a published article by the Government Finance Officers Association. “Rethinking Financial Reporting” takes a hard look at traditional financial reports and their value. “Ken has been a leader nationwide and actively engaged with regulators at all levels encouraging a break from the traditional mindset that more financial disclosure is always better,” said Eben Sutton, Chief Accountant in FBOD. “Ken has been advancing the notion that preparing financial statement… Read More
Employee News 