Power on for thousands; thousands more still waiting- King County

Dec. 17, 2006; 7 p.m.

Power on for thousands; thousands more still waiting

Help available for medically vulnerable residents

By the end of the night, an estimated 500,000 Puget Sound Energy customers who lost service as a result of last week’s windstorm will have power restored. 350 crews are working to restore service to about 200,000 other customers still without power. The majority of those, 185,000, are in North and South King County.

Forecasters are calling for temperatures drop to the low 30s overnight, raising concerns for residents and medically fragile individuals in homes still without power and heat. King County has responded by providing emergency shelters for those without electricity

Public Health officials also raised concerns about carbon monoxide poisoning from indoor use of grills and heaters, which continues to send people to local hospitals.

“We can’t stress it enough,” said King County Executive Ron Sims. “Do not use grills and heaters inside or even in carports and other enclosed areas. We have warm community shelters open that can provide a safe place to stay overnight. Or ask to stay with family or friends. Do not risk your life. Carbon monoxide poisoning can injure or kill.”

Roads

As of 3 p.m. Sunday, King County Road Services reports more than 44 road closures. One of the largest is the closure of Woodinville-Duvall Road NE between Avondale Road NE and West Snoqualmie Valley Road NE due to continuing dangerous conditions. The road will be closed through the Monday morning commute. This will cause significant traffic disruptions for Duvall commuters and others living in Northeast King County.

The King County Road Services Division is closing the road so Puget Sound Energy crews can get in late tonight and work through Monday to repair significant damage. Not only are trees and power lines down over the roadway, but there are also snapped power poles and other equipment blocking travel. The situation is dangerous, and motorists should not drive around the road-closure signs. Motorists can detour via West Snoqualmie Valley Road NE and Novelty Hill Road.

For a complete list of closures, visit www.metrokc.gov/kcdot/roads/roadalert.

Special needs shelter

A Special Needs Shelter remains open for medically fragile residents who are still without power in their homes, especially those who are dependent on oxygen machines and other electricity-powered devices for health support.

The Special Needs Shelter is in the cafeteria of the Bellevue Community College Main Campus at 3000 Landerholm Circle SE in Bellevue. It offers a warm place to stay, food, and medical support for adults receiving medical care for chronic conditions, as well as patients of nursing homes that are experiencing power outages.

People may be referred to the Special Needs Shelter by 9-1-1, hospital emergency rooms, emergency medical services, or the Red Cross. Even without a referral, homebound medically fragile residents and their caregivers are also encouraged to use the services of the Special Needs Shelter as needed.

Public Health officials also encourage residents to look out for elderly and at-risk neighbors, family, and friends who may need help getting emergency services, including shelter. Metro Access (206-205-5000) is available to transport medically fragile residents and their caregivers to the Special Needs Shelter.

Public Health – Seattle & King County requests that anyone needing the services of the Special Needs Shelter bring to the shelter:

a three-day supply of clothing and medicine
a caregiver, if possible (caregivers and family of the person needing care may also stay at the shelter)

People with new life threatening health issues should go to the emergency room, not the Special Needs Shelter. Children with health care needs should go to the hospital as the Special Needs Shelter will not be able to serve them. Otherwise healthy people who are in need of shelter should go to one of the several community or Red Cross shelters available.

Other helters

King County , various cities, and the Red Cross have shelters open for citizens who have been affected by the storm. Shelters are currently open at:

Mercer Island Community Center , Open 8 AM to 6 PM No meals or night shelter.
Mercer Island Elementary, 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Call 206-236-5300
Renton Highlands Community Center , 800 NE Edmonds Street
West Mercer Elementary School Shelter, 4141 81rst Ave SE, Mercer Island EOC is coordinating agency
Bellevue Community College (Special Needs Shelter), 3000 Landerholm Circle SE
Bellevue High, 10416 SE Wolverine Way
Vashon, 10011 SW Bank Street
Delridge Community Center , 4501 Delridge Way SW
Masonic Retirement Center of Washington/ Landmark On The Sound, 23660 Marine View Drive S., Des Moines, 206-323-2345
Rainier Community Center , 4600 38th Ave So,
North Bellevue Community Center , 4063 148th Ave
Bitter Lake Community Center , 13035 Linden Ave N, Seattle
Southwest Community Center, 2801 SW Thistle, Seattle
Carol Edwards Center , 17401 133rd Ave. NE , Woodinville

Closed:

Meadowbrook Community Center , 10517 35th Ave NE
White Center Community Center
King County Aquatic Center , Federal Way

Only officially recognized working or guide animals (seeing eye dogs) are allowed in shelters. Residents seeking up-to-date information on shelters should contact:

King County : 206-205-3764

Red Cross: 206-236-4747 or visit www.seattleredcross.org/help online

North Bend : 425-888-0486 ext. 16

Power

With 200,000 Puget Sound Energy customers still in the dark, 50 more crews will be arriving to help get systems back on line over the next two days from locations such as Southern California and Kansas.

Many of the crews are working within North and South King County, which continues to have the greatest amount of damage to the system with over 185,000 customers without service. So far, 47 of the 85 transmission lines taken down by the storm have been repaired, and 129 of the 159 substations that lost power have been restored.

Crews are working around the clock but PSE estimates it will take several more days to get trees cleared from lines and all service restored.

Customers who have power back can help those who are still out by conserving electricity. Please use only the lights you need and minimize appliance use. This will prevent additional outages due to circuit overloads as work continues to rebuild the electrical system. Resident are also warned to stay away from downed, electrified power lines – and don’t ever assume that a downed line is NOT energized.

Safety

Public Health – Seattle & King County urges residents keep heaters or grills that give off carbon monoxide or other toxic fumes outdoors and to keep them out of enclosed areas - even carports. These include barbecues, propane lamps and stoves, gas generators, and other combustion-based systems. Use flashlights rather than candles, and never leaving a candle unattended.

Also, consumers should be wary of food that may spoil in refrigerators and freezers without electricity. For more information on safety tips, visit the Public Health – Seattle & King County Web site.

Phone Service

Telephone service is quickly being restored to many areas, but phones lines are still down for as many as 5,000 residents throughout King County who are customers of Qwest, Verizon, and CenturyTel.

Citizens who need emergency assistance and cannot get through to 9-1-1 should use cell phones to call 9-1-1 if possible. If cell phone service is not available, people should try driving a mile or two to see if coverage improves, or find a pay phone or land line in a public place.

Finding information and reporting problems:

For damage to or tree removal from King County roads, call the King County Roads Hotline, at 206-296-8100. For Seattle roads, contact the Seattle Department of Transportation at 206-684-7623. For other city roads, residents should contact their jurisdiction’s road-maintenance staff.
For Seattle drainage, hydrant, or sewer problems, Seattle residents should call Seattle Public Utilities at 206-386-1800.
For King County power-line issues, call Puget Sound Energy, at 888-225-5773. For Seattle power-line issues, call Seattle City Light, 206-684-3000.
To recycle debris such as stumps, tree limbs and brush, visit the Solid Waste Division Web site, www.metrokc.gov/dnrp/swd, and select the "What Do I Do With...?" option. Select either "Business" or "Resident," or "All landscaping/landclearing" and click the "Search" button to generate a list of recycling processors. In many cases these recycling options are significantly less expensive than disposal.
King County residents can call 800-523-5044 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, until further notice, to report damage sustained during this most recent storm. Residents are urged to document damage with photographs, as reported information will be used to assist Washington State in requesting federal disaster assistance.

King County Executive, Ron Sims County news Executive initiatives Excellence in Government Executive offices Biography Contact information King County Executive Office Ron Sims, King County Executive 701 Fifth Ave. Suite 3210 Seattle, WA 98104 Phone: 206-296-4040 Fax: 206-296-0194 TTY Relay: 711	KING COUNTY HOME \| NEWS \| SERVICES \| DIRECTORY \| CONTACT King County Executive, Ron Sims King County Executive You're in: King County Executive, Ron Sims print Dec. 17, 2006; 7 p.m. Power on for thousands; thousands more still waiting Help available for medically vulnerable residents By the end of the night, an estimated 500,000 Puget Sound Energy customers who lost service as a result of last week’s windstorm will have power restored. 350 crews are working to restore service to about 200,000 other customers still without power. The majority of those, 185,000, are in North and South King County. Forecasters are calling for temperatures drop to the low 30s overnight, raising concerns for residents and medically fragile individuals in homes still without power and heat. King County has responded by providing emergency shelters for those without electricity Public Health officials also raised concerns about carbon monoxide poisoning from indoor use of grills and heaters, which continues to send people to local hospitals. “We can’t stress it enough,” said King County Executive Ron Sims. “Do not use grills and heaters inside or even in carports and other enclosed areas. We have warm community shelters open that can provide a safe place to stay overnight. Or ask to stay with family or friends. Do not risk your life. Carbon monoxide poisoning can injure or kill.” Roads As of 3 p.m. Sunday, King County Road Services reports more than 44 road closures. One of the largest is the closure of Woodinville-Duvall Road NE between Avondale Road NE and West Snoqualmie Valley Road NE due to continuing dangerous conditions. The road will be closed through the Monday morning commute. This will cause significant traffic disruptions for Duvall commuters and others living in Northeast King County. The King County Road Services Division is closing the road so Puget Sound Energy crews can get in late tonight and work through Monday to repair significant damage. Not only are trees and power lines down over the roadway, but there are also snapped power poles and other equipment blocking travel. The situation is dangerous, and motorists should not drive around the road-closure signs. Motorists can detour via West Snoqualmie Valley Road NE and Novelty Hill Road. For a complete list of closures, visit www.metrokc.gov/kcdot/roads/roadalert. Special needs shelter A Special Needs Shelter remains open for medically fragile residents who are still without power in their homes, especially those who are dependent on oxygen machines and other electricity-powered devices for health support. The Special Needs Shelter is in the cafeteria of the Bellevue Community College Main Campus at 3000 Landerholm Circle SE in Bellevue. It offers a warm place to stay, food, and medical support for adults receiving medical care for chronic conditions, as well as patients of nursing homes that are experiencing power outages. People may be referred to the Special Needs Shelter by 9-1-1, hospital emergency rooms, emergency medical services, or the Red Cross. Even without a referral, homebound medically fragile residents and their caregivers are also encouraged to use the services of the Special Needs Shelter as needed. Public Health officials also encourage residents to look out for elderly and at-risk neighbors, family, and friends who may need help getting emergency services, including shelter. Metro Access (206-205-5000) is available to transport medically fragile residents and their caregivers to the Special Needs Shelter. Public Health – Seattle & King County requests that anyone needing the services of the Special Needs Shelter bring to the shelter: a three-day supply of clothing and medicine a caregiver, if possible (caregivers and family of the person needing care may also stay at the shelter) People with new life threatening health issues should go to the emergency room, not the Special Needs Shelter. Children with health care needs should go to the hospital as the Special Needs Shelter will not be able to serve them. Otherwise healthy people who are in need of shelter should go to one of the several community or Red Cross shelters available. Other helters King County , various cities, and the Red Cross have shelters open for citizens who have been affected by the storm. Shelters are currently open at: Mercer Island Community Center , Open 8 AM to 6 PM No meals or night shelter. Mercer Island Elementary, 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Call 206-236-5300 Renton Highlands Community Center , 800 NE Edmonds Street West Mercer Elementary School Shelter, 4141 81rst Ave SE, Mercer Island EOC is coordinating agency Bellevue Community College (Special Needs Shelter), 3000 Landerholm Circle SE Bellevue High, 10416 SE Wolverine Way Vashon, 10011 SW Bank Street Delridge Community Center , 4501 Delridge Way SW Masonic Retirement Center of Washington/ Landmark On The Sound, 23660 Marine View Drive S., Des Moines, 206-323-2345 Rainier Community Center , 4600 38th Ave So, North Bellevue Community Center , 4063 148th Ave Bitter Lake Community Center , 13035 Linden Ave N, Seattle Southwest Community Center, 2801 SW Thistle, Seattle Carol Edwards Center , 17401 133rd Ave. NE , Woodinville Closed: Meadowbrook Community Center , 10517 35th Ave NE White Center Community Center King County Aquatic Center , Federal Way Only officially recognized working or guide animals (seeing eye dogs) are allowed in shelters. Residents seeking up-to-date information on shelters should contact: King County : 206-205-3764 Red Cross: 206-236-4747 or visit www.seattleredcross.org/help online North Bend : 425-888-0486 ext. 16 Power With 200,000 Puget Sound Energy customers still in the dark, 50 more crews will be arriving to help get systems back on line over the next two days from locations such as Southern California and Kansas. Many of the crews are working within North and South King County, which continues to have the greatest amount of damage to the system with over 185,000 customers without service. So far, 47 of the 85 transmission lines taken down by the storm have been repaired, and 129 of the 159 substations that lost power have been restored. Crews are working around the clock but PSE estimates it will take several more days to get trees cleared from lines and all service restored. Customers who have power back can help those who are still out by conserving electricity. Please use only the lights you need and minimize appliance use. This will prevent additional outages due to circuit overloads as work continues to rebuild the electrical system. Resident are also warned to stay away from downed, electrified power lines – and don’t ever assume that a downed line is NOT energized. Safety Public Health – Seattle & King County urges residents keep heaters or grills that give off carbon monoxide or other toxic fumes outdoors and to keep them out of enclosed areas - even carports. These include barbecues, propane lamps and stoves, gas generators, and other combustion-based systems. Use flashlights rather than candles, and never leaving a candle unattended. Also, consumers should be wary of food that may spoil in refrigerators and freezers without electricity. For more information on safety tips, visit the Public Health – Seattle & King County Web site. Phone Service Telephone service is quickly being restored to many areas, but phones lines are still down for as many as 5,000 residents throughout King County who are customers of Qwest, Verizon, and CenturyTel. Citizens who need emergency assistance and cannot get through to 9-1-1 should use cell phones to call 9-1-1 if possible. If cell phone service is not available, people should try driving a mile or two to see if coverage improves, or find a pay phone or land line in a public place. Finding information and reporting problems: For damage to or tree removal from King County roads, call the King County Roads Hotline, at 206-296-8100. For Seattle roads, contact the Seattle Department of Transportation at 206-684-7623. For other city roads, residents should contact their jurisdiction’s road-maintenance staff. For Seattle drainage, hydrant, or sewer problems, Seattle residents should call Seattle Public Utilities at 206-386-1800. For King County power-line issues, call Puget Sound Energy, at 888-225-5773. For Seattle power-line issues, call Seattle City Light, 206-684-3000. To recycle debris such as stumps, tree limbs and brush, visit the Solid Waste Division Web site, www.metrokc.gov/dnrp/swd, and select the "What Do I Do With...?" option. Select either "Business" or "Resident," or "All landscaping/landclearing" and click the "Search" button to generate a list of recycling processors. In many cases these recycling options are significantly less expensive than disposal. King County residents can call 800-523-5044 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, until further notice, to report damage sustained during this most recent storm. Residents are urged to document damage with photographs, as reported information will be used to assist Washington State in requesting federal disaster assistance.
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	Updated: Dec. 20, 2006