Be prepared for windy weather

Posted on November 19, 2024 by Lilia Cabello Drain

Strong wind gusts are forecasted in our region this afternoon through Wednesday morning, so please be prepared for potential outages. Here are helpful emergency preparedness resources:

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Power outages: If you are teleworking and experience a power outage that affects your ability to effectively work remotely, please contact your supervisor to discuss other options for completing work tasks. These may include taking leave or working from your regular King County worksite.

If you work on site, please be prepared for inclement weather. Have a plan for your commute, dress warmly, and let safety be your guide when making commute decisions. If you drive, have an emergency kit in your vehicle, including extra clothing, food, water, and a flashlight.

HR Policies: When an agency remains open, but conditions prevent you from reporting to work or from reporting on time, notify your supervisor as soon as possible. You may request leave, subject to approval by your supervisor. If you have no leave accrued, your supervisor may approve leave without pay to cover absences. Sick leave may not be used. Additionally, during inclement weather, department management may determine that a function or service can be fulfilled by an employee while telecommuting. Refer to HR Policy 2011-0009 County Operations During Emergency Situations and Inclement Weather (Sheriff’s Office employees refer to KCSO Inclement Weather Policy; Superior Court and District Court employees please see court policies).

Stay informed: Make sure you’re getting the latest King County information at work and at home in the event of inclement weather.

Sign up for KCInform, King County’s employee alert and warning system. KCInform is used to reach County employees during an emergency with timely information about infrastructure disruptions, facility impacts, changes in your department’s business operations, and other critical impacts. Your King County desk phone and @kingcounty.gov email are already in the system. It is important to register your County-issued cell phone (if applicable), personal cell phone, and personal email address to ensure you receive time-sensitive messages. This service is free, and your personal contact information is secure and protected. To sign up, please contact [email protected] anytime or 206-296-3830 between 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday to request your unique registration link. Visit the KCInform website to learn more or watch our short video. Call the Employee Hotline—206-205-8600 (save it to your phone now). Check your King County email for information on business operations, delays, and closures. Some agencies may send additional instructions directly to their staff. Contact your supervisor for specific instructions. Visit the Emergency News page at KCEmergency.com for regional impacts. Familiarize yourself with the safety programs listed here.

Resources for travelers

Metro, Water Taxi, Streetcar: Sign up to receive transit alerts (via text and email) for routes you use regularly so we can notify you in the event of travel disruptions during inclement weather. Please review bus route changes before traveling on Metro’s service advisories web page. Recent transit alerts can be viewed in Metro’s RSS feed via desktop or mobile RSS reader. Sound Transit: If you travel on Link light rail, Sounder or ST Express buses, Sound Transit keeps riders informed of disruptions at their Service Alerts web page, where you also can sign up to receive alerts via text and email. Roads: Visit Roads’ Snow and Ice resources and sign up for King County Road Alerts (text, email, tweets via @kcroads)

To report a non-emergency incident, use our online form, call 206-296-5000, or email [email protected]. In case of emergency, call 911. See additional resources and programs for personal safety at work.