Office Of The Mayor Of Seattle: City Of Seattle Update On Winter Weather Response

Seattle WA

30 December, 2021

12:36 AM

Description

Press release from Office of the Mayor of Seattle: Anthony Derrick December 29, 2021 Seattle (December 29, 2021) – With snowfall accumulation between 3" and 6" earlier this week and freezing temperatures for the past few day, some city services have been impacted. The National Weather Service expects an additional 1" to 3"of snow accumulation beginning late tonight, and continuing into Thursday morning's commute. The City of Seattle will face extremely cold temperatures and risk of icy conditions into the new year. "With both the rise of cases and hazardous road conditions, if you don't need to travel, don't travel. If you don't need to gather, don't gather. We'll make it through the latest challenge of 2021 together," said Mayor Durkan. "Over the past four years, City workers have responded to over 20 extreme weather events. They have worked tirelessly to ensure that our streets are cleared, our power is on, and our unsheltered population have safe and warm places to stay during some of the coldest and snowiest days our City has ever seen. This year is no different – our City workers, essential workers, and service providers have been on the job over the past several days, working through scheduled vacations, holiday days, and a rise in Omicron cases. I can't thank our City of Seattle workers enough for their dedication and their commitment to ensuring that all Seattle residents stay safe in this extreme weather." With significant snow fall accumulation, the City is urging residents and businesses: Avoid and postpone road travel whenever possible. Salt and shovel sidewalks adjacent to their property to ensure they remain safe and accessible. Not only is it the law; it is the right thing to do. On Friday, December 24, Mayor Durkan signed an emergency order to help increase the number of frontline workers during the surge of Omicron. Under this winter weather emergency, Mayor Durkan's emergency order provides incentives of at least $150 for frontline workers and human service providers who will be working in person and staffing emergency shelters and warming centers during the holidays and surge of Omicron. The City of Seattle expects to keep open the six overnight shelters into January 2022 and continue to open as many warming centers and city facilities as staffing allows with providers and employees. The following are updates from City departments and partners: *UPDATED * Seattle Department of Transportation: SDOT crews have been continuing to work day and night to respond to the snow storm. With most of the city's most critical routes for transit and emergency services cleared earlier this week, today's focus has been on clearing safety hazards on other important streets, clearing sidewalks in busy neighborhoods, and continuing to treat major streets to prevent ice from forming.  The online Storm Response Map shares real-time information on which roads have been recently plowed. Today's weather conditions allowed SDOT to begin clearing streets on hills that are too steep to safely plow in the midst of a snow storm. This included reopening streets on some of Seattle's steepest hills in Queen Anne, Beacon Hill, Central District, Rainier Valley, and West Seattle. A full list of reopened streets is listed on this SDOT blog post. Crews are continuing to work to clear other closed roads. Clearing ice and snow from these steep hills is challenging work which takes time to accomplish safely. Please continue to obey all remaining "road closed" signs, which are there for everyone's safety.  SDOT also sent crews to address specific hazards on other roads, especially when there was an opportunity to improve access to important public health sites like hospitals, warming shelters, vaccine clinics, dialysis centers, or specific requests from Seattle Police or Fire Department. It is everyone's legal responsibility to clear the sidewalks around their homes and businesses. Yesterday, SDOT street use inspectors visited about 2,500 blocks of sidewalks to talk to businesses and residents near un-shoveled sidewalks to inform them of their legal responsibility and encourage compliance with the law. SDOT also has a dedicated team working to shovel sidewalks that aren't near privately owned buildings including 30 outdoor stairways, dozens of pedestrian overpasses, and approximately 1,200 curb ramps. Crews are continuing to treat major streets to prevent ice from forming, but ice is still a hazard on many roads. Do not to drive if they don't have to. If you must drive, please be careful, take it slow, and watch out for other people walking, biking, and driving. Visit the SDOT Winter Weather webpage or read this blog post for more ideas. Visit MetroWinter.com for King County Metro transit updates.     *UPDATED* Testing and Vaccinations:  With the rise of Omicron, the City of Seattle is working to keep as many testing and vaccination efforts open. SDOT is plowing these routes and FAS is available to provide fuel for generators. As of Wednesday, December 29, UW-Medicine was available to open UW-Montlake, SODO, and West Seattle. Due to weather conditions, the Rainier Beach vaccination clinic will be closed Thursday, December 30, 2021 and scheduled appointments will be cancelled. Seattle City Hall, Bertha Knight Landes (Operated by Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle): 600 4th Ave., Seattle, WA 98104. Opened Sunday, December 26 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. as needed through January 2, 2022. 5th Avenue Entry and meals provided by Operation Sack Lunch. Seattle Center Armory, 305 Harrison St., Seattle, WA 98109, Campus Map (seattlecenter.com), Opens daily at 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., 206-684-7200 Compass Housing Alliance Day Center (adjacent to night shelter, open as staffing capacity allows), 77 S. Washington St., Seattle, WA 98104, Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., 206-474-1000 International District/Chinatown Community Center: 719 8th Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104. Hours vary daily. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.;Tuesday and Thursday: 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. (5 p.m. is normal closing) Magnuson Park Building #406: 7400 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115. Printable Park Map. Monday and Tuesday: noon – 8 p.m.; Wednesday, Thursday: 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. (normally closed). Northgate Community Center: 10510 5th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125. Open Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. (normally closed) 206-386-4823. Rainier Beach Community Center: 8825 Rainier Ave S., Seattle, WA 98118. Hours vary daily Monday-Thursday 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (normally 6:30 p.m.), Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., 206-386-1925 *NEW Lake City Community Center: 12531 28th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125. Hours are Wednesday-Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Winter 2021 severe weather night shelters and day warming locations list Visit the City's shelter and warming centers map West Seattle (Operated by American Legion Post 160 and faith-based network volunteers): 16 beds, adults 18+, now open 24/7, 3618 Southwest Alaska St., Seattle, WA 98126, 206-932-9696 Seattle City Hall (Operated by Urban League): 600 4th Ave., Seattle, WA 98104. Open Monday, December 27 at 7 p.m. as 24/7 shelter, meals provided by OSL.  God's Lil Acre (Operated by Lake City Partners): 12517 33rd Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125. Opened today as a day center at 9 a.m. and as an overnight shelter from 9 p.m. – 7 a.m.  Seattle Mennonite Church (Operated by Lake City Partners). 3120 NE 125th St, Seattle, WA 98125, 206-361-4630. Open tonight December 29, 9:00 pm – 7:00 am.   Seattle Center Exhibition Hall (Operated by Salvation Army): 301 Mercer Street, Seattle, WA 98109. Enter though main entrance off Mercer Street and go down the stairs. Serves 150 people, all genders, 18+ years, non-aggressive leashed dogs and cats under owner control allowed. The Armory opens daily at 10 a.m. for day warming. Served directly by Metro Bus routes 3, 4, 5, 8, 16, 28, RapidRide E Line, and nearby routes include: 1, 13, and RapidRide D Line. Compass Housing Alliance Shelter in Pioneer Square: 210 Alaskan Way South, Seattle, WA 98104. Enter at the corner of South Washington and Alaskan Way. Serves 80+ people, all genders, 18+ years, service animals only at this location. Day Center also available at this location. Served by nearby public transit services (1-3 blocks away): Seattle Streetcar, Link Light Rail, routes 21, 29, 55, 56, 57, 101, 102, 111, 113, 114, 120, 121, 115, 150, 162, 177, 190, 212, 214, 216, 217, 218, 550, 554, RapidRide C, ST 590, ST 592, ST 594, ST 595, ST 577, ST 578, PT 410, PT, 415, PT 417, PT 422, PT 424, and Washington State Ferries. People, including youth, in need of shelter should call 2-1-1 or 1-877-211-9274  Parents or guardians caring for one or more child 18 years or younger can get emergency shelter help by calling the King County Coordinated Family Intake Line at 206-245-1026, 8 a.m. – 11:30 p.m., 365-days a year.   The YWCA's women and family shelter intake line can be reached at 206-461-4882.  Be prepared for potential power outages with blankets, flashlights and batteries. And don't forget to charge your devices so you can call if you need assistance. You can also keep an eye on the status of outages via City Light's online outage map (www.seattle.gov/city-light/outages) and on Twitter or Facebook.  If you see a downed power line, stay at least 30 feet away and call 9-1-1.  Avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning by never bringing generators, camp stoves or barbeques indoors. Protect indoor sink pipes that are against exterior walls by opening under-sink cabinet doors to allow indoor heat to circulate.  Allow one indoor faucet to slowly drip cold water. Select the faucet that is the farthest from your front door.   Protect water pipes from freezing in exposed or unheated areas (attics, basements and garages) by wrapping them with tape and insulating materials. Drain and remove all outdoor hoses and cover faucets for hose bibs.  Know where your shutoffs are located. If an emergency occurs, you'll need to know how to shut off electricity, gas and water at main switches and valves. Apply heat to the section of pipe using towels soaked in hot water wrapped around the pipe, an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, or an electric hair dryer. Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove or other open flame device. Do not use electrical devices if there is standing water.  If a water pipe breaks, immediately close the main shut-off valve to stop flooding. The shut-off valve can be indoors or outdoors, usually in a basement, crawlspace or garage.  If you cannot turn off the main shut-off valve, SPU customers can call (206) 386-1800 and a crew will turn off the water at the meter for a service charge.   Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave., Seattle: Noon to 6 p.m. Ballard Branch, 5614 22nd Ave. N.W., Seattle: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Beacon Hill Branch, 2821 Beacon Ave. S., Seattle: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Broadview Branch, 12755 Greenwood Ave. N., Seattle: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Capitol Hill Branch, 425 Harvard Ave. E., Seattle: Noon to 6 p.m. Columbia Branch, 4721 Rainier Ave. S., Seattle: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Douglass-Truth Branch, 2300 E. Yesler Way, Seattle: Noon to 6 p.m. Greenwood Branch, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N., Seattle: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. High Point Branch, 3411 S.W. Raymond St., Seattle: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Lake City Branch, 12501 28th Ave. N.E., Seattle: Noon to 6 p.m. NewHolly Branch, 7058 32nd Ave. S., Seattle: Noon to 6 p.m. Rainier Beach Branch, 9125 Rainier Ave. S., Seattle: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Southwest Branch, 9010 35th Ave. S.W., Seattle: Noon to 6 p.m. Remember to heat your home safely by keeping flammable items at least one foot from baseboard heaters, and three feet from portable heaters and fireplaces. Generators should never be used indoors. More tips on Fireline.  Sidewalks may look clear but could be icy when the cold weather hits. Make sure to wear shoes with good tread, reflective gear at night, and keep hands free from pockets in case you need to break a fall.  SFD Health One crews are available to help transport individuals experiencing homelessness to warming centers and overnight shelters. SFD's Mobile Integrated Health Program Manager is working closely with other entities in the City for other transport options for individuals experiencing homelessness.   This press release was produced by Office of the Mayor of Seattle. The views expressed here are the author's own.