It’s Not Over – Wind Advisory in Effect Overnight

Power was mostly back on and the lines at the various gas stations downtown had diminished to a manageable volume Friday afternoon, but it’s not the end of falling tree branches and power outages as according to the National Weather Service, there will be a wind advisory for the area beginning midnight tonight into 10 a.m. Saturday.

Southerly winds between 20 mph and 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph are expected.

City administrator Mike Thomas said Friday afternoon that there were just a few southern sections of Enumclaw that were still without power though reports of repeat outages were coming in as branches thawed and more debris fell into power lines.

According to Puget Sound Energy, there were still more than 4,500 customers in Enumclaw without power at 6 p.m. Friday.

The Mutual of Enumclaw has set up a warming shelter in its lunch room for those without power and heat tonight. There are some snacks, coffee and tea available, and cots can be brought in. According to Sharon Podolak, services support supervisor for the company, those in need can come to the building and sign in at the lobby desk. A staff member will man the desk tonight to tend to those who may stop by.

Officials will reassess Saturday morning, depending on the volume of people who come by, whether the shelter needs to be extended through the weekend, she said. In the past, the volume of people has been relatively low – around six to eight people, she said.

As of 4 p.m. Friday, the shelter was still empty.

There are also other King County warming shelters: www.kingcounty.gov/prepare.

Safety Reminders from Mayor Liz Reynolds

In a message to the public, reminded residents to use extreme caution outside, even in front yards, in light of the new wind advisory.

Both the city Golf Course and Foothills Trail were closed Friday due to extreme safety concerns.

If you see a barricade on your street for fallen power lines, don’t cross over or go under them. They are in place for safety.

Take the time to check on a neighbor – particularly seniors who may need some extra help.

And as snow melt begins, please clear your nearby storm drains to reduce potential urban flooding. According to a King County update Friday, workers are continuing to work on county roads that have sustained storm damage. To see the status of these roads, visit www.kingcounty.gov/mycommute.

Proper Use of 911

King County reminds residents to keep 911 clear for true emergencies. Those who need to contact police about other issues such as to report power outages or road conditions can call 360-825-3505. According to Andie Rymill of Enumclaw police, callers who use both numbers get the same attention.

According to King County, citizens who need emergency assistance and cannot get through to 911 on their home phone should use their cell phone to call 911. If cell phone service is not available in your area, try your call from another area, go to the nearest fire station, or use a phone in a public place. The 911 centers cannot receive text messages.

Carbon Monoxide Danger

Shelly Pricco, patient care services director at St. Elizabeth Hospital said that a family of three were seen in the emergency room this week for carbon monoxide poisoning before being transported to Virginia Mason in Seattle for rehabilitation.

According to King County, they were the first reported case of carbon monoxide poisoning in this series of storms and outages. Carbon monoxide gas comes from burning fuels such as gasoline, propane, oil, kerosene, natural gas, coal or wood.

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 re-enter 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.

King County Metro Aims for Normal Routes

Snow routing was still in effect Friday evening but Metro advises riders to check with Metro for updated information online or through Transit Alerts for the weekend.

People can also call the Customer Information Office at (206) 553-3000 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Due to the volume of calls, there may be longer-than-normal waits on the phone.

King County giving free snow and ice storm damage inspections in unincorporated areas

Residents in unincorporated King County whose homes were damaged during this week’s snow and ice storms are offered free building inspections from King County’s Department of Development and Environmental Services (DDES). DDES has waived the associated fee to help residents speed up repair to their property. Also, priority service will be given for damaged structures requiring permits for repair work.

Inspectors will evaluate the integrity of structures, assess if a structure is safe to occupy and whether a permit is required for repair work. Inspection staff may also advise customers of the need to pursue a more detailed inspection from a licensed structural engineer to determine the full extent of the damage. While storm damage inspections are free, standard permit fees still apply. 

The King County Department of Development and Environmental Services also reminds the public that permits may be required before performing certain non-building related repairs, such as hazard tree removal if trees are in environmentally critical areas.  Permits can be issued retroactively if a tree poses imminent danger to persons or property.

To request a damage assessment inspection during business hours, please call 206-296-6630. DDES operates Monday - Friday, 7 a.m. until 4 p.m.

For minor repairs, permits can be issued over the counter at the Department of Development and Environmental Services offices in Renton (900 Oakesdale Avenue S.W., driving directions online at www.kingcounty.gov/property/permits/about/ddesmap.aspx). In the event of major damage, the permit review will be expedited.

Please note: The Department of Development and Environmental Services has jurisdiction only in King County's unincorporated area. For damage within a city limit, contact that city for assistance.

For additional information, please contact Bernard Moore, DDES Building Inspection supervisor, at 206-296-6762, or bernard.moore@kingcounty.gov; or Chris Ricketts, DDES Building Services, Building Official, at 206-296-6750, or chris.ricketts@kingcounty.gov.

Disposing of storm debris

Due to the winter storm, residents may need to remove fallen trees and branches, as well as debris from damaged buildings. Residents and businesses are encouraged to recycle construction, demolition and land clearing debris. To see a complete list of recycling options and links to resources, visit http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/wdidw/material.asp.

Small amounts of construction, demolition and land clearing debris are accepted at King County solid waste transfer stations. Customers using dump trucks, flat beds that dump, or roll-off boxes may not dispose of construction, demolition and land clearing debris at King County transfer stations unless it is less than 10 percent of the total volume of the load. (Note: Dump trucks, flat beds and roll-offs with construction, demolition and land clearing debris are accepted at the Vashon transfer station.)

The following restrictions also apply:
- No items greater than eight feet long.
- No hazardous or dangerous waste.
- Dense items that are bigger than 2 feet x 2 feet x 2 feet and weigh more than 200 pounds are not accepted. Examples include big pieces of concrete, large stumps, wood stoves and cast iron bathtubs.
- The maximum combined vehicle and trailer length limits are: 30 feet at Algona, Cedar Falls, Factoria, Houghton, Renton and Vashon and 40 feet at Bow Lake, Enumclaw and Shoreline.

View King County's complete waste acceptance rule

Water Advisory for Pierce County

The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department warned residents Friday that power outages may cause health hazards associated with drinking water, septic system malfunctions and food safety.

Water: If your water supply is from a small water system and your power to the well system is out, your well or water system can become contaminated. Because of pressure loss in the system, contaminants can enter the drinking water supply. Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department recommends that when the power is restored, you run your water and check to see if the water has any discoloration, smell or cloudiness. If you observe any of these changes this could indicate a potential problem. Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department recommends that you test your water for the presence of bacteria and use a certified laboratory to determine if the water is safe for consumption

Septic Systems: If the septic system serving your house uses electricity to power a pump, and the power is out, use of the septic system should be curtailed. Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department recommends that you reduce your water usage to a minimum until the power is restored. Your pump tank should have an emergency reserve capacity of about 300 gallons before it fills up. This capacity will not be enough for dishwashing, laundry, or many showers. If the power is out for more than a day, you may want to operate the pump using the manual on/off switch when the power is restored. Turn the pump on for about 3 minutes every 3 hours until the water level in the pump tank returns to normal. This will prevent the pump from discharging the entire reserve amount of effluent into the drainfield at one time.

Food Safety after Power Outages: Refrigerated foods will be safe as long as power is not out for longer than four hours.  Keep the refrigerator door shut to prevent warming up the stored food.  Discard all potentially hazardous foods, such as meat, poultry, seafood, soft cheeses, milk, and cream that warms above 41 degrees Fahrenheit for more than two hours.  This includes cooked foods as well as raw.  If in doubt, throw it out!  Discard food into your garbage can.  Frozen foods that have partially or completely thawed can be re-frozen if they contain ice crystals or are below 41 degrees Fahrenheit. 

For additional information please go to the Health Department’s web site at www.tpchd.org.  Community members may also call (253) 798-6470 for questions about drinking water and septic systems or, (253) 798-6460 for questions about food safety from Monday to Friday, 8am to 4:30pm.  

You may also find more helpful information about food safety during a power outage at www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/food/poweroutage.html.