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Holiday travel? Metro will help you get there
Emergency exercise tests communications ahead of World Cup
King County Wins 2025 Geospatial Professional Network Award for Innovative AI-GIS System
Recognizing the service of Metro veterans
News
Staff commended for their life-saving work
Operations would like to recognize the professionalism of all involved in last weekend’s incident where a woman fell in between the cars of the train at Pioneer Square station and became pinned against the platform. Charles Dedrick was on North Control handling this incident simultaneously while managing the Mariner’s post-game trains. Abdi Ibrahim was the first field responder who kept the Link Control Center (LCC) informed on the first responders’ arrival and assisted with passenger transfers during the single track. And most importantly, the quick reactions of the operator, Naweedullah Payam, who… Read More
Greg Wilson receives award from Washington Alliance for Better Schools
Greg Wilson, a Program Manager within Public Health’s Environmental Health Services Division, won the inaugural Outstanding Leadership Award from the Washington Alliance for Better Schools (WABS). WABS is a collaborative of school districts and industry leaders working to support students. They give this award in recognition of a person or team who has demonstrated outstanding engagement with WABS over time. Greg was selected due to his collaboration with WABS for over a decade, providing instructor support and coordinating teacher externships, and for his consistent advocacy for partnerships between WABS and Public Health…. Read More
Public Health program transforms into collaborative troupe, empowering employees and engaging the community
The Employee Engagement Strategy (EES) Program at Public Health – Seattle and King County has recently undergone a remarkable transformation, evolving into a dynamic collective known as the EES Troupe. The Troupe brings together participants from various divisions and departments throughout King County, with the aim of fostering effective employee engagement and strengthening collaborative strategies. The EES Troupe has been working diligently to create a robust working environment that promotes teamwork, innovation, and productivity among colleagues internally. By encouraging employees to work together and leverage their diverse expertise, the Troupe aims to… Read More
Metro’s newest Bus Operator of the Year: Lisa Nault
Dear colleagues, On Thursday afternoon, I joined several King County employees and leaders at East Base to celebrate Lisa Nault—Metro’s 2022 Bus Operator of the Year. Metro awards Bus Operator of the Year annually to individuals who personify excellence, safety, and customer service. I have been fortunate to be part of these celebrations for many years and am honored to be able to recognize Lisa with this award for the first time as Metro’s General Manager. Our operators are the finest in the nation and no one embodies this more than Lisa…. Read More
Building community and wellness at Metro
King County Metro’s Wellness Team recently hosted the 2023 Metro Wellness Fair to provide in-person support and resources on wellness, safety, and workplace benefits to Metro employees. The Wellness Fair (formerly known as the Health & Safety Fair) took place at the Atlantic/Central Base over the course of three days and offered a fun and engaging experience that focused on the health and wellbeing of Metro employees. By hosting the Wellness Fair, Metro’s Wellness Team aims to bring awareness to the amazing health and wellness benefits that are available to employees and… Read More
Integrating health care systems to support and care for people with substance use disorders
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections Substance use disorders (SUDs) are complex conditions that continue to impact people from all walks of life. Like many communities across the nation, King County residents are seeing a rise in substance use disorders and overdoses, particularly with the tragic impacts of the fentanyl epidemic being felt across our communities. This summer, the Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) published a blog series focused on what residents should know about King County’s SUD response. You can read more here: SUD Treatment Prevention and intervention The latest blog… Read More
Youth learn and develop community leadership skills through Metro Transit Equity Internship Program
Crossposted from Metro Matters This July, King County Metro hosted its second annual Youth Transit Equity Internship. The program provides a unique group learning and skill-building opportunity for young people interested in public transit and community leadership. Throughout the program, the Transit Equity Interns become peer ambassadors of transportation resources, explore career pathways within Metro, and build skills and knowledge of transit, urban planning, climate justice, and local government! Read more.
Metro wants to hear from people with disabilities about their mobility needs
Crossposted from Metro Matters Mobility for people with disabilities has always been a vital part of Metro’s mission and we work hard to remove barriers. Metro is currently developing a plan to further improve accessibility within our programs, services and activities. Our goal is to make it possible for everyone in King County to ride with us and get to the places they need to go. We invite you to complete our community survey by Oct. 15. Scroll down to learn more about Metro’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan. Your input about your experiences riding… Read More
Lorre Wijelath named Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
KCIT is pleased to announce that Lorre Wijelath has been selected for the permanent leadership role of Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). Lorre has served as the interim CISO for the past 11 months and was selected for the permanent position after a competitive recruitment process. Lorre joined King County in 2020 as a member of KCIT’s Security and Privacy team. Since then, Lorre developed King County’s first data privacy program, responded to critical security incidents, and led significant enterprise initiatives to improve cybersecurity. Previously, Lorre worked with the federal government to… Read More
Executive Constantine proclaims 2023 Falls Prevention Awareness Week
Sept. 18 is the start of Falls Prevention Awareness Week, which Executive Dow Constantine has declared for King County. Falls are the leading cause of injuries for people 65 and older in King County, but they are largely preventable. This week, join county programs and community partners in raising awareness on how to reduce fall risks for our friends, family and ourselves. Learn more here. Read the full proclamation here.
King County Security Tips – Unexpected emails
When you receive an email from an online service or business partner that you are not expecting, proceed with caution. For example, if you receive an email from eBay stating that you have just won an online auction, there are a couple of questions you should ask yourself. Are you a member of eBay? (This goes for online banking as well. If you receive an email from a bank you do not have an account with, do not click any links) Did you bid on any auctions recently? (If you did not… Read More
King County employees receive discounted tickets to UW Husky “Superhero Day” Sept. 23
The University of Washington (UW) Husky football team invites all King County employees to attend the first conference game of the season against the California Golden Bears on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m. Employees can purchase discounted tickets here. This game is themed “Superhero Day” and will pay tribute to the true superheroes of Seattle – first responders, teachers, healthcare workers, city and county workers, and others. See all available discounts on the Employee Discount webpage.
Plan your next adventure with Backyard FunFinder
Did you know that King County has 200+ parks and trails in our Parks system? It’s easier than ever to plan your next adventure with our new Backyard FunFinder interactive map. This new tool centralizes all King County park, trail, and natural area information in one place and replaces our former Park Finder and Trail Finder tools. You can search by geographic area, amenities, and recreational opportunities. In addition, you can look up which public transit options are available and if there are any construction projects or other impacts happening in the area. Go… Read More
Recognizing Metro’s Operators of the Month, July-August 2023
Crossposted from Metro Matters They style hair, fix vacuums, garden, run gift shops and study geopolitical history. What they have in common is they enjoy being behind the wheel, serving the public and getting people where they need to go. They are our “rolling ambassadors,” the kind, courteous and helpful smile that greets you every day when you ride with us. They represent over two centuries of driving experience. The operators who drive your bus are as unique as you, and all of them love driving and giving back to their community. Meet your… Read More
We are racially just: Our King County values at work
A message from King County’s Learning & Development team To reach our True North – a welcoming community where every person can thrive – we must achieve racial justice. “We Are Racially Just” is a core value of King County. Through personal testimonies from King County employees, the We Are Racially Just: Our King County Values at Work eLearning course explores what it means to be racially just and helps to familiarize employees with King County’s Pro-Equity and Anti-Racist actions and identify behaviors that can support these actions at work. This training… Read More
Back to school mental health
It is that time of year when teachers are busily getting their classrooms ready for the drove of students to enter, parents and caregivers are gathering school supplies, and students are picking out their first day outfits. It is an exciting time, but it can also be a time of mixed emotions for many youth that are struggling with feelings of anxiety and depression. This is a critical time for students and their mental health. The back-to-school transition is challenging enough on its own—navigating academics, social dynamics, and personal growth are very… Read More
Step into Fall with healthier habits
Learn more about tracking and WW tools to help you on your journey of success. Join WW by Oct. 31 and get a free Smart Scale that syncs right to the WW app, making your activities easier – and tracking is one of the keys to building healthier new habits. Available for all new sign ups Sept. 1 through Oct. 31. It’s easy to get started, available to all employees and benefits-covered spouses and state-registered domestic partners, and King County pays for half of your membership dues. (Please note: The dollar value of the employer paid… Read More
What we know about the new COVID-19 vaccine: Q&A with Dr. Eric Chow
Crossposted from Public Health Insider This week, the CDC recommended that everyone six months and older get an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against the newer variants and potentially serious COVID-19 complications now ahead of possible increases in infection this fall and winter. We talked to Dr. Eric Chow, our Chief of Communicable Disease Epidemiology and Immunization, to get the latest about the updated COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Chow, why is there yet another COVID-19 vaccine? COVID-19 viruses change, and that makes it harder for our bodies to fight off new versions, or… Read More
Emergency Management does the Puyallup
Crossposted from the DES Express Emergency Management staff, along with the King County E911 Program Office and the Washington State Patrol, attended the Washington State Fair for an evening earlier this month. The Washington State 911 office hosted a booth for the duration of the fair and encouraged government agency partners to join in. Emergency Management staff shared community preparedness information with event goers and promoted Alert King County, a regional public information and notification service. While pulling the evening duty, Susanna Trimarco tried some state fair classics, including a Krusty Pup (similar… Read More
Balanced You and Benefits resources for King County employees
King County offers multiple programs and resources to support the health and well-being of employees. Whether it’s tools to help your physical, mental, emotional, or financial health, there’s a program or benefit that’s right for you. Watch this video to learn more and visit the Balanced You blog and website and the Benefits, Payroll and Retirement Operations (BPROS) website for more informational.
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