U.S. Congress designated Oct. 28, as National First Responders Day to honor the firefighters, paramedics, police officers, EMTs and all those who are first on the scene in emergency situations. We thank all of our firefighters and paramedics along with the partnering agencies we work with to help people in emergencies. #NationalFirstRespondersDay #HereToServe
This week for Fire Prevention Month we are highlighting the fire risks related to heating which is the second main cause of home fires in the U.S.
Consider taking these precautions to prevent heating-related fires in your home.
Learn more:
This information was shared from the City of Seattle.
City Will Provide Free Tent and Heating Permits to Help Businesses Maintain Outdoor Operations During COVID-19 Pandemic
SEATTLE (October 21, 2020) – Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced today that the Seattle Department of Transportation’s (SDOT) temporary street use permits are extended through October 31, 2021. These free permits allow small businesses to expand their operations outside to help ease the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic while remaining in compliance with local and statewide public health guidance and requirements. This extension impacts free sidewalk café and curb space permits as well as free street closure permits. In addition, the Seattle Fire Department (SFD) will immediately begin issuing free tent permits and heating permits to help businesses maintain operations during the colder, rainier months ahead.
“The COVID-19 crisis and resulting economic devastation has caused so many of our small businesses to face the potential of closing their doors forever,” said Mayor Durkan. “For many of our small businesses, the ability to operate outside – even at a limited capacity – provides a much-needed lifeline during these challenging times. At the City, we’re committed to helping our small businesses safely and feasibly reopen and sustain operations even as it gets rainy and cold. That’s why we’re extending our free street use permits for over a year, and reducing barriers to access so small businesses can stay open outside in a way that’s safe and comfortable for their customers.”
“This is an important step – we need to continue using our rights-of-way to promote and sustain economic activity amidst this pandemic. Businesses need predictability to weather the winter using Street Cafés, and these permits provide that ability. I thank the Mayor’s team for creating these new guidelines quickly. Café Streets should be a permanent feature in Seattle. Today’s extension is another step in that direction – to test what works and what doesn’t work for businesses, neighborhoods, and people over the next year,” said Councilmember Dan Strauss (District 6, Northwest Seattle). “Even before COVID-19 I wanted to see places like Ballard Avenue and streets throughout Seattle pedestrianized so that we can utilize and enjoy the public space we already have in our neighborhoods. Café Streets and Street Cafés have important economic value in our neighborhoods and city. We will get through this pandemic together and Café Streets are one way we thrive during this time.”
To date, SDOT has issued 151 free street use permits, including 11 blocks that have been opened for small businesses in neighborhoods across Seattle.
The free sidewalk café and curb space permits allow restaurants, retail stores, vending trucks and carts to operate in the sidewalk or curb space while the free street closure permits allow businesses to operate in one or more blocks in front of their business. As part of the permitting process for a street closure, applicants need to notify and demonstrate support from neighboring businesses and residents of proposed open streets for businesses. While typical permit costs are waived, applicants are responsible for any expenses related to the street closure proposal – such as barricades, temporary no parking signs, and tables and chairs. Applicants will be required to adhere to all relevant state and local public health guidance. For more information, including how to schedule an applicant coaching session, please visit SDOT’s website or e-mail publicspace@seattle.gov.
“Extending street permits for dining until next fall will help us by accommodating more diners through the winter months and into next spring and summer. The Mayor has continued to listen to small business owners and implement much needed changes to help Seattle restaurants keep employees and customers safe, and financially survive the pandemic,” said Linda Morton, President, Seattle Restaurant Alliance.
“The street eatery permits have been a huge help in staying afloat for us and fellow restauranteurs,” said Charlie Anthe & Rumi Ohnui, owners of Moshi Moshi in Ballard. “Even with colder weather arriving, knowing that these permits will be available to us without interruption relieves a lot of anxiety about planning, and gives us the ability to adapt to customer seating preferences through the next year.”
“This is great news, now we can really put our energy and resources into making our outside dining space a true extension of our interior dining room. I am so excited to be able to treat our guests to the safety and peace of mind that comes with dining in the open air while enjoying the classic mamnoon experience,” said Jen Kligerman, General Manager, mamnoon on Capitol Hill.
“Being able to dine at an outdoor café or browse merchandise displays on the sidewalk is great for residents and businesses alike“ said Marci Carpenter of the National Federation of the Blind of Washington. “These programs can only be successful, however, if businesses provide a safe, straightforward pathway for all pedestrians to continue to access sidewalks.“
In addition, the Seattle Fire Department will immediately begin issuing free, 90-day tent permits to help small businesses continue their operations outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic. All free tent permits must align with SFD regulations, including complying with the fire code. Refunds will be provided for tent permits issued since July 1, 2020, when the purpose was to move a business or service outside given public health restrictions on indoor use.
SFD will also issue free heating permits to businesses operating outdoors due to COVID-19, effective immediately and continuing through October 31, 2021. Permittees who already paid for a heating permit since July 1, 2020 will be refunded. Outdoor dining equipment can now remain outside 24/7, however the City recommends that a business owner bring their equipment inside during a severe weather event (propane must remain outside).
Refunds may take up to six-eight weeks to be issued by the City. Interested applicants can review this flyer and contact permits@seattle.gov for more information or questions about a refund.
SDOT has also created winter weather guidelines for all equipment a small business owner may need to operate outside during the coming months. Business owners can review this flyer with more information.
“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, we’ve reimagined how to use the public right-of-way to create opportunities and tools to support our City’s small businesses,” said Seattle Department of Transportation Director Sam Zimbabwe. “We got an overwhelmingly positive response from both residents and businesses for our temporary street café and retail permit options. By extending the duration of the permits and publishing winter weather guidance for permit holders, we’re providing certainty for our small businesses so they can rely on these tools year round.”
The City continues to develop creative new policies to help small business owners operate outside in a way that’s comfortable, safe, and healthy for their customers. The City will have more information on new initiatives in the coming weeks.
###
October is Fire Prevention Month in Seattle and this week the Seattle Fire Department is highlighting calling 9-1-1 for emergencies. 9-1-1 is a critical part of our emergency response system.
When someone calls 9-1-1 for a medical or fire emergency in Seattle, the call is dispatched to the Fire Alarm Center where firefighters are ready to get some critical information from the caller so that they can send help right away.
Below is some basic information on calling 9-1-1 in several languages.
English
CALL 9-1-1 or send someone else to call 9-1-1 for fire, medical or police emergencies.
Spanish
LLAME AL 9-1-1 o pídale a alguien que llame al 9-1-1 en caso de incendio, emergencias médicas o policiales.
Chinese
如遇火災、醫療或治安緊急事件，請致電 9-1-1 或派其他人致電 9-1-1。
Vietnamese
GỌI 9-1-1 hoặc nhờ ai đó gọi 9-1-1 trong trường hợp hỏa hoạn, cấp cứu y tế hoặc trường hợp khẩn cấp cần cảnh sát.
Korean
화재, 의료진 또는 경찰의 도움이 필요한 비상사태의 경우에는 9-1-1로 직접 신고하거나 주변 사람에게 9-1-1로 신고해 달라고 부탁하세요.
Cambodian/Khmer
ទូរសព្ទទៅលេខ 9-1-1 ឬឱ្យនរណាម្នាក់ទូរសព្ទទៅលេខ 9-1-1 សម្រាប់គ្រាមានអាសន្នពាក់ព័ន្ធអគ្គិភ័យ វេជ្ជសាស្ត្រ ឬត្រូវការប៉ូលីស។
Amharic
ለእሳት፣ ለህክምና፣ ወይም ለፖሊስ ድንገተኛ ጥሪዎች ወደ 9-1-1 ይደውሉ ወይም ሌላ ሰው ወደ 9-1-1 እንዲደውል ይላኩ።
Tigrinya
ባርዕ፣ ናይ ጥዕና ወይ ናይ ፖሊስ ሃንደበታዊ ሓደጋታት እንተበጺሖም ናብ 9-1-1 ደውሉ ወይ ካልእ ሰብ ናብ 9-1-1 ክድውል ስደዱ።
Oromo
9-1-1 tti BILBILAA yookin balaa abiddaaf, waldhaansa yaaalaf yookin poolisa hatattamaaf 9-1-1 tti akka bilbilaniif nama ergaa.
Somali
WAC 9-1-1 ama qof udir inuu waco 9-1-1 marka uu dab kaco, ay jiraan xaalado degdeg ah oo dhanka caafimaadka ama booliiska.
Arabic
اتصل بالرقم 1-1-9 أو أرسل شخصًا آخر للاتصال بالرقم 1-1-9 في حالات الحرائق، أو الطوارئ الطبية أو طوارئ الشرطة.
Russian
ПОЗВОНИТЕ сами или отправьте кого-нибудь позвонить 9-1-1 в случае пожара, угрожающих жизни ситуаций со здоровьем или при необходимости вмешательства полиции.
Ukrainian
ЗАТЕЛЕФОНУЙТЕ самі або попросіть кого-небудь зателефонувати 9-1-1 у разі пожежі, загрози здоров’ю або у випадку необхідності втручання поліції.
As with so many things this year, celebrating a holiday like Halloween during a global pandemic can still be done. It just takes on a different look and feel to keep everyone safe.
In addition to our Fire Safety tips above, consider these 2020 tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics to keep your ghouls, goblins, sports stars and superheroes from getting unnecessarily exposed to COVID-19, which would be the scariest fright of all.
Virtual Costume Parties & Parades
Host a video chat for an online party where friends and family can show off their costumes and play games.
Spooky Movie Night
Celebrate with a movie night and dress as your favorite characters. Do this as a family at home or watch with friends while video chatting, with everyone starting the movie at the same time.
Pumpkins
Have your child draw a face on a pumpkin with markers, then have an adult do the cutting. Take care to take small strokes and direct the blade away from yourself and others. Consider using a pumpkin saw and avoid large blades that can become lodged in the pumpkin. Place a battery-operated candle or glow stick inside.
Check out Sparky’s Halloween pumpkin template to learn other carving tips.
Halloween-themed Treats
If You Do Go Trick-or-Treating …
At Home
Have a Safe and Happy Howl-a-Ween Everyone!
October 16 is World Restart a Heart Day. A day to build awareness about the importance of learning cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Even though the Seattle Fire Department is not offering in-person CPR classes during this stage of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is important to review the simple and effective steps to perform hands-only CPR. Most out of hospital cardiac arrests happen at home. Bystander CPR can make a big difference.
If you see someone collapse, follow these steps:
Hands-only CPR Resources:
Hands-only CPR handout in 15 languages
Hands-only CPR video from the American Heart Association in English (in Spanish)
For a fun CPR video/dance party check out this video
Need a song that is between 100-120 beats per minute? Check out this playlist.
Pop quiz: You’re home sleeping in bed at night. Suddenly, the smoke alarm sounds, abruptly waking you from a sound sleep. What do you do?
a. Put the pillow over your head to drown out the noise.
b. Roll over and go back to sleep.
c. Curse and mutter about yet another disrupted night’s sleep
d. Get up, check your home or apartment for fire, alert others of the problem, and get everyone out quickly if you discover fire.
The answer is obvious, no?
Early warning of impending danger makes all the difference in saving the lives of your family should fire erupt in the middle of the night. With fire known to spread and double in size in just minutes, time is of the essence. A smoke alarm, better yet, a hardwired, integrated system of combo smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms throughout your home or apartment, is something you can’t afford to be without.
During these pandemic days, with many of us spending more time at home, maintaining a working smoke alarm has never been more important. Even the most vigilant among us cannot stay awake 24 hours a day. We need something we can depend on.
Check your home for the following:
• We have smoke or smoke/CO alarms installed on every level of the house.
• Our smoke alarms are hardwired and inter-connected; if one goes off, they all do.
• Our smoke alarms are placed at or near ceiling-level, in hallways, bedrooms and other main living areas.
• We test our alarms regularly and change the batteries at least annually.
• We keep our alarms clear of dust, spider webs and insects by vacuuming them.
• Everyone in our household recognizes the sound of the alarms and knows how to escape quickly in the event of fire.
Think of a smoke alarm as your “nose at night,” staying on guard while you sleep. That should bring peace of mind and help ensure a restful night, knowing your home is protected.
October is Fire Prevention Month and the Seattle Fire Department is publishing weekly tips on their Fireline Blog and social media to inform and promote fire safety. Fall signals the beginning of cold, rainy weather and shorter days which prompts Seattle residents to close their windows, wear warmer clothes and dust off their portable heaters. As a result, Seattle Fire wants to ensure everyone’s safety — starting in the kitchen.
Most home fires start in the kitchen when a person starts cooking and forgets about the food on the stove. It is easy to get distracted by a person, a phone call or an electronic device. A fire can start in seconds.
How to be safe:
To say 2020 has been a year like no other is an understatement. The pandemic still persists, local businesses are struggling, and so much of our lives remain disrupted.
With the onset of a new school year and most families still largely at home, parents have more to juggle than ever. With so many distractions at hand, don’t let basic safety take a back seat, especially when it comes to matches and lighters in your home.
Supervision, good role modeling, and proper match and lighter storage are some of the best things a parent can do to prevent a child-set fire. Treating matches and lighters with the same respect you give other dangerous tools around the house – knives, hammers, sharp appliances – also goes a long way.
Take a moment to consider the following.
Myth or Reality?
Maybe not surprisingly, these are all myths. Let’s counter each one:
If you experience a child-set fire, the Seattle Fire Department can help. Trained interventionists can meet with you and your child to talk about any incidents and provide educational resources to help prevent firesetting from continuing.
For more information, please call 206-386-1338, email firestoppers@seattle.gov or go to Fire Stoppers on the Seattle Fire website.
Keeping your family safe and well through these uncertain times is critical – please let us know if we can help.
Health One, High Utilizer Program, Vulnerable Adult Program round out successful models of Seattle Fire and Human Services partnership
On September 22, Aging and Disability Services, a division of the Seattle Human Services Department (HSD), received a 2020 n4a Aging Innovation Award from the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) for their involvement in the City of Seattle’s Mobile Integrated Health partnership. The award was presented on the second day of the n4a’s four-day virtual national 2020 conference.
Aging and Disability Services (ADS) is the Area Agency on Aging for Seattle and King County—one of 600+ “AAAs” in the country authorized by the federal Older Americans Act and recognized by the federal Administration on Community Living and state DSHS Aging and Long-Term Support Administration.
For four years, HSD has partnered with the Seattle Fire Department through programs focused on high utilizers and vulnerable adults. In 2019, Health One—a dedicated, dispatched response model that links individuals with appropriate healthcare, behavioral health, and social service providers—was born, rounding out the city’s Mobile Integrated Health partnership.
“As one of the fastest growing cities in the nation, our ability to respond to non-emergency 911 calls has been tested,” said Mayor Jenny A. Durkan. “Our Mobile Integrated Health partnership, including Health One and the High Utilizer and Vulnerable Adult programs, has resulted in significant reductions in 911 calls as well as unnecessary trips to emergency rooms. With these resources our community can receive the care and service they need while ensuring our first responders are available for true emergencies.”
In 2019, about 44 percent of nearly 73,000 medical calls received by Seattle’s 911 dispatch center were non-life-threatening, including behavioral health and addiction issues and calls from people with chronic conditions. Less than eight percent of those calls required paramedic transport. To address non-emergency requests, the City pioneered Health One, a program that includes a dedicated vehicle staffed with two firefighters (who are also emergency medical technicians) and an HSD social worker with experience serving people with diverse needs, including chronic conditions experienced by older people and individuals with disabilities.
“HSD social workers follow up with 911 callers whose complaints do not present immediate danger, and they help identify adults at risk for abuse and self-neglect,” said ADS division director Cathy Knight. “Our staff has provided training and resources for high-utilizing locations like shelters and assisted living facilities. Through Health One, our social workers are involved in triage, assessment, referrals, transport, and warm handoffs to other providers. They provide on-scene resources that address the root causes of distress.”
The MIH also collaborates with law enforcement, Adult Protective Services, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Public Health—Seattle & King County, and area hospitals to improve identification of at-risk adults, connect them with resources needed for stability, increase care coordination, provide feedback to reporting agencies, and improve health outcomes.
In March 2020, the Mobile Integrated Healthcare partnership adapted protocols to respond to the COVID pandemic. Initially, firefighters continued to go out on the Health One rig and ADS case managers helped remotely, either at SFD headquarters or from telecommuting sites. Once adequate safety protocols were established, ADS case managers returned to riding the rig with the firefighters.
Initially, Health One focused on serving people in the downtown core, Pioneer Square, Belltown, and Capitol Hill. As part of COVID response, service was expanded to SODO, Mount Baker, Rainier Valley, the University District, Ballard, and West Seattle. Citywide, any Seattle Fire unit can refer a client experiencing secondary impacts of the virus or quarantine.
“Seattle’s Mobile Integrated Health partnership has been an innovative and critical lifeline for those in need, with the demands of quarantine, isolation, and social distancing further impacting already vulnerable people,” said Seattle Human Services Director Jason Johnson. “Disconnection from healthcare, social services, and behavioral networks have increasingly taken a toll on our community. Our social workers are highly skilled in connecting vulnerable individuals with services and supports they need for stability. Kudos to HSD and Seattle Fire staff for their incredible work.”
“Our Mobile Integrated Health partnership had already increased efficiency and effectiveness of our emergency response system when COVID hit,” said Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins, who helps lead the City’s COVID response efforts. “Meeting the medical and social needs of low acuity and socially vulnerable patients—housed or not, in shelters, apartments, supported housing, camps and RVs—means that more people are able to complete the recommended period of quarantine or isolation, and will be better served in the future.”
For more information about Seattle’s Mobile Integrated Health program, visit www.seattle.gov/mobileintegratedhealth; about Aging and Disability Services, visit www.agingkingcounty.org; and about n4a’s 2020 Innovation and Achievement Awards, visit www.n4a.org/Files/2020%20AIA%20FINAL.pdf.
