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| Municipal Emergency Response Command and Control Room |
Whenever possible, Redmond Neighborhood Blog (RNB) cooperates with local jurisdictions and neighborhoods to assist in emergency response and disaster preparedness during severe events. Prolonged power blackouts, explosions, severe weather conditions, widespread flooding, severe traffic congestion and re-routing are the more likely emergencies in Greater Redmond. Earthquakes, pandemics, terrorist alerts, volcanic eruptions an other disasters are unlikely though the City and citizens must be prepared.
During the Rose Hill PSE explosive fire, RNB posted updates to educate and calm the community on this sudden, smokey, grid-locked event. Some commuters and pedestrians clicked on their Internet devices - found RNB and were advised by RNB to tune into Redmond Community Radio AM 1650 for traffic advisories and event news. It runs 24/7.
During the event I called Mayor Marchione requesting AM 1650 "community news" be replaced with real time "emergency response news". Since then the mayor personally assured me staff improved the availability, emergency content and response time for AM 1650 announcements. We are fortunate to have a well "tuned-in" and responsive mayor. Traditional and online news media attracted to disaster events with helicopters and other means can give heightened awareness of AM 1650 and can broadcast it's availability. Media advertising can be filtered out and their widespread coverage can be reliably relayed by Redmond's "Command and Control Center" to citizens in their cars! Here's an rare video showing Redmond's Emergency Coordination Center (ECC) and "EARS." For additional details Read RNB's 2008 advisory post, "What's the Best Kept Secret in Redmond?."
AM 1650 reception is best in vehicles and is especially valuable during power black-outs and when battery-powered radios are unavailable. Citizens are invited to send photos, emails, social media news, and general observations that I may post for readers, with the disclaimer particular news may not have as yet been verified. RNB will route your news and photos to Redmond's ECC for their review and response. NOAA, Evergreen Hospital Emergency Response, King County Public Health, State Department of Ecology, Kirkland and other jurisdictions may exchange news, information and response with Redmond's ECC and Redmond Neighborhood Blog. Read More >>
Several Redmond volunteers operate ham radios to assist the community with communication during emergencies. Whenever possible, I'm making my site available to residents in much the same way. I'm in touch with Charles Gorman and Jim Bove, Police Community Facilitators and Ms. Smoke, City Public records about how to avail my site with the community, media and local jurisdictions by email and other means. Of course, Police and Fire are the city's primary responders. Safety volunteers from Block Watch, Explorers and CERT provide additional response and support. RNB is a volunteer, non-commercial public service missioned to supplement city safety alerts and emergency response whenever possible. See "About Us" for entire mission statement.
ATTENTION: For those on City Safety Alert email lists please don't hesitate to contact Cathy Smoke, Redmond Police Support services, if you have any questions. She's available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 pm. at policerecordrequests@redmond.gov or 425-556-2608. Community Facilitators Jim Bove or Lt. Charles Gorman can answer email questions but not records requests.
Call 911 and visit the City website first during emergencies: http://www.redmond.gov/
TWITTER @Redmond_Weather -- For severe weather events and hourly condition reports
TWITTER @RedmondTraffic -- for real time traffic alerts
TWITTER @RedmondConstruction -- for construction project impacts to traffic
If the city can't answer your questions about the safety and processing of city email records or public record requests, please contact Tim Ford, Washington State Public Records Ombudsman.
Tim Ford, Open Government Ombudsman
Assistant Attorney General for Government Accountability
1125 Washington St, SE
Olympia, WA 98504
(360) 586-4802
Tim Ford's EMAIL: timf@atg.wa.gov
http://www.atg.wa.gov/OpenGovernment/Ombudsman.aspx
Report & Opinion by Bob Yoder
Redmond, WA. 98052
http://redmondblog.org/ (RNB)
www.facebook.com/redmondblogger (RNB Facebook)
redmondneighbor (Twitter)
Internet photo: Generic, Emergency Response Command and Control Room
This post was last updated 12/30/11. Send your 'Letters to the Editor' at redmondblog@gmail.com
I don't understand why anyone has a problem with your request. They may get another 0.04 percent of unwanted emails. So what?
ReplyDeleteThe following disclaimer was omitted on the Redmond Safety Alert sign-in and registration forms:
ReplyDelete"This e-mail and any response to it constitute a public record and may be subject to public disclosure."
This ommission affected the public's "right to know" when signing up. Had some citizens knowns their emails could be used they wouldn't have included their emails. This caused some of the problems. Others were upset but didn't write in.
A friend and I have collaborated with the city to fix this...and our Police are seriously working on it.
I hope that helps. It took a while to understand the problem. King County councilmember communications helped.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!