Each year, firefighters test all fire hydrants in Seattle to make sure that they are working properly and will provide sufficient water if ever needed for a fire. Working in collaboration with Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) who maintain and repair the fire hydrants, the Seattle Fire Department sets a schedule to test the hydrants during the warmer months.

Fire hydrant testing is happening now and should continue until the end of May. Hydrant testing is typically done in the morning hours between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m.

If you live near a fire hydrant that has been recently tested, your home water source may appear discolored for up to a few hours. This is normal and temporary, and the water is still safe.

If you experience discolored water, Seattle Public Utilities recommends running the cold water for a few minutes to see if it is clearing or still discolored. If the water does not clear, let the water sit for 1 to 2 hours. Then run cold water for a few minutes in your bathtub or shower. Do not run the hot water to try to clear the water. If the water remains discolored, please contact SPU’s Operations Response Center at (206) 386-1800.

Recent fires in West Seattle and Wallingford at home construction sites provide reminders about the importance of making sure fire hazards are removed before going away for any period of time. In both cases, the cause of the fire was undetermined. While those recent fires were at construction sites, the same guidelines apply to occupied homes.

Before you leave – tips for inside the home:

1. Always turn off portable heaters and unplug them from the electrical outlet.
2. Unplug all appliance that have a heating device such as toasters, rice cookers and space heaters.
3. Make sure the stove, oven and clothes dryer are off.
4. Make sure candles, incense, wood burning stove and fireplace are out.

Before you leave- tips for outside the home:

1. Clear gutters of dry leaves and remove branches that are touching the home.
2. Keep piles of combustibles such as wood chips or wood materials at least 10 feet away from the home.
3. Consider putting fencing around construction projects that are long term in nature.
4. Consider installing motion senor lights outside the home.
5. Let neighbors know that your home will be vacant and to report concerns.

Home fire safety tips

Construction site fire safety tips

A recent home fire without a working smoke alarm offers a good reminder about the importance of making sure all smoke alarms are working properly. As people are spending more time at home these days and using their stoves, heaters and fireplaces more, there is a potential for an increase in home fires.

Did you know?

• Three out of five home fire deaths result from fires in properties without working smoke alarms
• More than one-third (38 percent) of home fire deaths result from fires in which no smoke alarms are present.
• The risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms. (National Fire Protection Association)

Smoke alarms should be installed in every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement.

Make sure your smoke alarms are working by testing them monthly. Replace batteries yearly and replace smoke alarms every 10 years or sooner if needed.

Every day, the Seattle Fire Department responds to emergencies where the patient is transported to a local hospital with injuries requiring blood. Unfortunately, while the need for blood remains high, local blood donation centers are seeing a drop off in blood donations due to the coronavirus outbreak and calls to stay home.

Donating blood is not a restricted activity at this time because of its critical importance. While most blood drives have been canceled by local blood centers, people can still donate by making an appointment.

Join the Seattle Fire Department and donate blood if you can. Donating blood is safe and is considered an essential service due to the importance of blood and plasma for our area hospitals.

Where to donate:

Bloodworks Northwest

American Red Cross

The Seattle Fire Department has received multiple 9-1-1 calls this year from concerned residents because of chirping carbon monoxide (CO) alarms. While it’s important to call 9-1-1 if your CO alarm is sounding continuously without stopping, a CO alarm that chirps every 30 seconds is not an emergency. It probably means your CO alarm has reached its end of life and should be replaced.

CO alarm life span

CO alarms have a life expectancy of around seven years. All CO alarms produced after August 1, 2009, have an end-of-life warning notification that alerts the resident that the alarm should be replaced. The CO alarm will beep every 30 seconds or display ERR or END.

If a CO alarm is at its end-of-life, replacing the battery will not stop the beep. Some CO alarms have a feature that will silence the signal for 30 days, but this will not solve the issue as the CO alarm will continue to beep after the 30 day period ends.

What people should know

In January of 2013, Washington State law (RCW 19.27.530) required CO alarms to be installed in new residences and in existing rental properties. Owner-occupied single-family residences, legally occupied before July 26, 2009, are not required to have CO alarms until they are sold or when a building permit application for interior remodeling is submitted.

Homeowners should consider replacing all CO alarms that were installed in or before 2013. A CO alarm that signals that it’s at the end of its life should be replaced as well.

Renters should notify property managers or landlords immediately if their CO alarm is beeping every 30 seconds indicating its end-of-life. They should also know that intermittent beeping CO alarm is not reason to call 9-1-1.

A CO alarm that beeps continuously without stopping could indicate that carbon monoxide is present. If you your CO alarm is sounding continuously and you have signs of CO poisoning such as dizziness, headache, vomiting or flu like symptoms, find fresh air and call 9-1-1 immediately.

More information on carbon monoxide alarm requirements

State Building Code Council’s Carbon Monoxide Alarm page.

Seattle Fire Department’s CAM 5121 Carbon Monoxide Alarm Requirements in Residential Occupancies

With greater numbers of people not eating out and cooking meals at home, it’s a good time to review and practice cooking safety. Unattended cooking is the main cause of home fires.

Please consider taking these precautions before and after using the stove and oven.

• Never leave the kitchen when frying, broiling or grilling food. If you have to leave the kitchen, turn off the stove or set a timer to remind you to check on the food.
• Keep all things that can catch fire away from the stovetop – oven mitts, towels, papers, food packaging, cooking utensils and groceries.
• Never use the stovetop as a counter or the oven to store items including pots and pans.
• Keep a lid or cookie sheet nearby when cooking with oil or grease in case a small fire starts.

If there is a fire:

• If a fire occurs in a pan on the stove, slide the lid over the pan to smother the fire. Turn off the stove and leave the pan covered until it completely cools.
• If the fire is large or has spread to other items, get out quickly. If possible, close the door behind you as you leave to keep fire from spreading to other rooms.
• Call 9-1-1 after you’ve left the house or building.

Learn more cooking fire safety.

A working smoke alarm is known to reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by 50%. For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, audible smoke alarms do not provide sufficient notification to alert a person to a fire. Fortunately, there are smoke alarms made for people who are deaf such as a smoke alarm with a flashing strobe light.

Seattle residents who are deaf may qualify for a strobe smoke alarm that plugs into an outlet. To qualify, a person must be deaf or hard of hearing and live in Seattle. Renters need permission from landlords before we can install them. There is no cost for the smoke alarm or installation.

Any Seattle resident who might be interested in a free strobe smoke alarm, should contact the Seattle Fire Department via email or by calling 206-386-1337.

Learn more about the Seattle Fire Department smoke/CO alarm program.

With the start of daylight saving time this weekend (2 a.m. Sunday, March 8), make sure you replace smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarm batteries and test the alarms. The Seattle Fire Department recommends replacing batteries yearly or as needed.

Changing smoke and CO alarm batteries at least once a year is an effective way to reduce home fire deaths and CO poisoning. Working smoke alarms can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by nearly one-half  by providing an early warning and critical extra seconds to escape. Consider installing a long-life battery powered smoke/CO alarm to avoid yearly battery replacements.

Every home in Seattle should have the protection of smoke/CO alarms. The Seattle Fire Department can install 10 year long-life combination smoke/CO alarms free of charge in homes where the homeowner is either an older adult, living on a low income, or has a disability. If you live outside the city of Seattle, please contact your local Fire Department to request assistance.

To request a free smoke/CO alarm from the Seattle Fire Department fill out an online form or call (206) 386-1337 or email fireinfo@seattle.gov.

Learn more about smoke/CO alarms.