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Winter storm safety tips

Amy Duncan — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:28:40 +0000

There are power outage across the state, but the lights are still on in Green Lake. Photo credit: John Colburn

The following message comes via Public Health – Seattle & King County:

Winter weather is causing power outages across Washington State. Here’s some important information to help you, your family, friends, and neighbors stay safe, should the power go out in Green Lake.

Carbon monoxide warnings

Carbon monoxide poisoning can kill you. Carbon monoxide gas comes from burning fuels such as gasoline, propane, oil, kerosene, natural gas, coal or wood. You can’t see or smell it.

Prevent poisoning from carbon monoxide:

Only use a generator outdoors and far from open windows and vents
Never use a generator or portable propane heater indoors, in garages or carports
Never cook or heat inside on a charcoal or gas grill.

Carbon monoxide poisoning can happen suddenly and without warning. Physical symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning may include splitting headache, nausea and vomiting, and lethargy and fatigue.

If you believe you could be experiencing carbon monoxide poisoning, get fresh air immediately. Call for medical help from a neighbor’s home. The Fire Department will tell you when it is safe to reenter the home.

For a full list of carbon monoxide prevention tips and other safety and disaster information in English and other languages, visit www.kingcounty.gov/health/disaster.

Staying warm indoors safely

If you have a power outage, use safe ways to stay warm:

Find places where you can go to get warm, such as the home of friends and family whose homes have power. Many cities have opened centers where people can go during the day to stay warm. Center locations can be found at www.kingcounty.gov/safety/prepare
Wear several layers of light weight, warm clothing rather than one layer of heavy clothing. Wear hats, mittens, and blankets indoors.
Close curtains and cover windows and doors with blankets. Everyone should try to stay together in one room, with the door closed, to keep in body heat.

Help others

Warn others about carbon monoxide poisoning. Share the information with neighbors, friends, family and community groups.

Check on family, friends, and neighbors, especially if they are elderly or if you think their power might be out.

If you know someone who has lost electricity, invite them to your home to stay warm.

Food Safety

If power goes out where you live, keep food safe by keeping the doors closed on your refrigerators and freezers as much as possible. A full freezer can stay at freezing temperatures about two days; a half-full freezer about 1 day. Potentially hazardous foods, like meat and fish, should be discarded if thawed and warmer than 41 degrees F.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2012.

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Snow in Green Lake: Thursday edition

Amy Duncan — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:11:50 +0000

Snow is sticking around in Seattle.

Here’s a round-up of Green Lake news and photos. We’ll be adding to this storify throughout the day:

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2012.

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Snow in Green Lake

Amy Duncan — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:02:03 +0000

Happy snow day! We’ll be updating this storify all day with photos, information about closures, and other snow-related news:

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2012.

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Real-time weather-related information

Amy Duncan — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 03:05:50 +0000

Due to poor weather conditions, some King County agencies are reporting delayed operations.

Here is a real-time list of King County weather-related closures:

King County weather-related closures

And, here are some resources from the City of Seattle:

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2012.

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Get ready for more snow

Amy Duncan — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:13:00 +0000

Photo credit: Scott Meis Photography

More snow and cold temperatures are on the way.

Take Winter By Storm, a multi-media, public awareness and safety engagement program, has some tips for preparing for severe winter weather:

· If an inlet or street drain appears to be blocked by snow or debris, try to safely clear a channel to provide a path for the runoff. If the drain cannot be cleared, or if the cause of the blockage or flooding is uncertain, call Seattle Public Utilities at (206) 386-1800.

· Protect your water pipes from freezing. Shut off outside faucets, drain the water and protect them by insulating them with foam covers.

· If you’re going to be away, or if you have renters or own a vacant property, ask a friend or neighbor to check your house daily to make sure it’s warm enough to prevent freezing — or shut off and drain the water system. Be aware that if you have a fire protection sprinkler system in your house, it will be deactivated when you shut off the water.

· Drain and remove all outdoor hoses, and shut off and drain in-ground sprinkler systems.

· Pipes in exposed or unheated areas (attics, basements and garages) should be wrapped with tape and insulating materials, available at local hardware stores.

· Property owners should check for any exposed pipes in unheated areas. That includes basements, garages, attics and crawl spaces.

· Once it drops below freezing, protect indoor sink pipes that are against exterior walls by opening under-sink cabinet doors, allowing heat to circulate. During severe cold, allow the faucet farthest from your front door to slowly drip cold water. Set your thermostat no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit, day or night (even if you are away).

· Do not leave water running in unoccupied buildings. If the drain should plug, it could cause a flood.

· Please don’t use hair dryers to thaw frozen pipes — you face the risk of electrocution!

· If a water pipe breaks, immediately close the main shut-off valve to stop flooding. If you cannot turn off the main shut-off valve, Seattle residents can call 206-386-1800 and a crew will turn off the water at the meter for a standard service charge.

A great list of resources to stay posted on the this week’s weather is available on GeekWire, via Mónica Guzmán.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2012.

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Pups in the snow at Green Lake Park

Amy Duncan — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:13:50 +0000

Many thanks to Julie Schick for sharing the following photos with us, which she took this morning (Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012) at Green Lake Park:

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2012.

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Snow in Green Lake

Amy Duncan — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 19:37:52 +0000

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2012.

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Rainbow ends at Green Lake Pitch & Putt

Amy Duncan — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 03:05:09 +0000

Did you catch today’s rainbow over Green Lake?

Penny Kriese snapped this photo of the rainbow, which ended at the Green Lake Pitch & Putt (5701 East Green Lake Way N):

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Gray skies over Green Lake

Amy Duncan — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 23:46:08 +0000

Many thanks to Jennifer Towner for sharing this photo, which she took yesterday (Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011) while walking around Green Lake:

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Seattle Public Utilities asks residents to clear drains in anticipation of tonight’s heavy rains

Amy Duncan — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 23:54:37 +0000

A significant winter storm is headed toward Seattle and heavy rainfall is expected to begin after midnight.

Seattle Public Utilities is urging residents to adopt their local drains and make sure they are free of leaves and debris:

When bad weather hits this time of year, storm drains can easily become overwhelmed with leaves and the summer’s accumulated street debris, resulting in backed up gutters and drains, and localized flooding. In Seattle, there are about 80,000 storm drains — far more than city crews can clear quickly.

Safely adopting a local storm drain or drainage ditch—that means staying out of the road when raking—by keeping it clear of leaves, snow and other debris is the single most important thing that residents, businesses can do to protect their property.

In addition to adopting a neighborhood storm drain, residents and businesses can take two other important steps to get ready for the storm season:

Maintain gutters, downspouts, rain barrels, private culverts by keeping them clean, flowing and directed away from properties and hillsides.

Know the emergency hotline number for your local drainage utility, to report sewer backups, major flooding and landslide issues. The Take Winter By Storm website, www.takewinterbystorm.org, provides a one-stop emergency preparedness center that includes safety tips and regional resources for information about the weather, power outages, flooding, shelters and assistance agencies. In Seattle, that number for reporting flooding issues is 386-1800.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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