What's the Situation?@(h2Size)>
Winter storms bring snow, ice, and cold temperatures. This makes traveling difficult for buses, emergency vehicles, and you. Winter weather also puts people at risk who are experiencing health problems and homelessness. Plus, cold temperatures can cause pipes to freeze and burst.
How to Stay Safe@(h2Size)>
- Prevent flooding by using a shovel to safely clear snow and ice from your neighborhood storm drains.
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Avoid overexertion when shoveling snow. Push the snow instead of lifting it when possible.
- Clear snow and ice from sidewalks, walkways, and driveways with a shovel or de-icer.
- Never use charcoal grills or portable gas camp stoves indoors. The fumes are deadly.
- If you must drive, make sure your car is ready. Carry chains or other traction devices and be prepared to put them on. Make sure windows are clear and the snow is removed from the entire car.
- Stock up on groceries and supplies – it may take time for stores to re-stock.
- Dress in layers to stay warm and keep clothing dry. Wear a hat to prevent loss of body heat.
- Never touch, approach or come into contact with anything touching a downed power line. Stay at least 35 feet (11 meters) away from the lines and anything surrounding them. Consider all wires energized and dangerous. Even de-engergized lines may become energized at any time. Always assume the wire is live, even if severed.
What We Do During a Storm@(h2Size)>
- Road crews salt and plow roads and work with other departments to clear sidewalks near schools.
- City Light crews fix and restore power outages and respond to downed wires.
- Public Utilities clears storm drains, repairs broken pipes and water mains, and assesses snow and ice on the roads, notifying customers as soon as possible of any garbage, recycling, or food/yard waste collection delays due to unsafe conditions.
- When high winds are forecast, crews are ready to remove fallen trees from the road and power lines, and to repair traffic signs and signals.
- The Fire department works on injury prevention with safety messaging and by responding to fires, water main breaks, and making equipment ready to respond to emergencies during winter conditions.
- The Parks department opens golf courses and athletic fields to sledding and play if there is enough snow.
Closures and Updates
Resources
Updated Dec. 22, 2020
City resources are for everyone, no matter what your immigration status is.
Driving and Commuting@(h2Size)>
We have a plan for making it easier to travel during a winter storm.
Home and Pet Safety@(h2Size)>
Outages and Utilities@(h2Size)>
Shelter and Food@(h2Size)>
Call 2-1-1 in King County to learn about shelter and food resources. Or, call Washington State's 24-hour crisis line: 866-427-4747.
Winter Storm Tweets
Top accounts to follow during a winter storm include: @OfficeofMayor, @seattleDOT, @SeattleFire, @wsdot, @kcmetrobus.
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