This week and weekend, Seattle is once again facing extreme heat and smoke throughout the region. We also continue to face the threat of COVID-19 and the dangerous Delta variant. With wildfires raging across California, Oregon, Washington, and Canada, both smoke and heat are dangerous new normals for our Seattle summers.
The National Weather Service has issued an Excessive Heat Warning for Seattle due to forecasted high temperatures above 90 degrees until 7 pm on Saturday.
In addition to this heat, the National Weather Service has also issued an Air Quality Alert. Air Quality is expected to worsen today and reach levels Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. Smoke is expected to continue or worsen throughout the day on Friday.
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On hot days, it is important to stay hydrated and to keep children safe. Never leave infants or children in vehicles unattended – even with the windows rolled down. Also, protect pets who are especially vulnerable in high heat by following the Seattle Animal Shelter guidance. Cooling centers will be available across the city, and outreach teams are on the ground working with our most vulnerable residents to prevent heat illness in these extreme conditions. You can find a map of locations here.
For smoke, the City’s air conditioned libraries serving as cooling centers are also equipped with MERV-13 air filtration, providing cleaner air spaces in addition to cooling spaces. People in Seattle looking for cleaner air are encouraged to visit any of the libraries open as cooling centers. You can find an updated list of air conditioned libraries here. To stay safe on smoky days it is important to:
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Limit Outdoor Activity: Avoid outdoor activity when air quality is poor, especially strenuous activities. If you need to spend time outdoors, wear an N95 or KN95 mask if possible.
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Care for Sensitive Groups: Infants, children, and people 65 and older, or those who are pregnant, have heart or lung diseases, respiratory infections, diabetes, or are stroke survivors should take precautions against smoke.
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Keep Indoor Air Clean: Keep doors windows closed to keep smoke out. Use fans and air conditioners to keep indoor spaces cool, and set air to recirculate if possible. Use air filtration devices like HEPA filters or DIY clean air fans. Avoid using candles and vacuum cleaners which can add pollution to indoor spaces.
The City of Seattle Office of Emergency Management continues to monitor weather forecasts and coordinates any City-wide preparation needed to manage the consequences from excessive heat and poor air quality. You can visit seattle.gov for more information.
Mayor Durkan with Edgar Martinez
This week, Mayor Durkan joined the Mariners to celebrate the unveiling of the Edgar Martinez statue! Edgar is truly one of the all-time greats both in the batter’s box and in his support for local health and education charities.
This week, the Senate passed President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal to advance the Build Back Better Agenda. Supporting people through well funded, public programs is the next step to investing in our future. Hope is on the horizon, as Seattle and the county, being to Build Back Better. I joined Mayors from across the country to support this plan.
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration (FTA) today announced a construction grant award of $59.9 million to the City of Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) for the Madison Street Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project in Seattle, Washington. The 2.3-mile BRT line will provide fast, frequent, reliable, and safe public transportation along Madison Street, improving connections between key destinations in downtown Seattle and densely populated neighborhoods in the surrounding area.
This week, Seattle Colleges announced the launch of a new Fire Science Associate of Applied Science degree program for fall quarter. This will be the only program of its kind in King County, targeting future and current firefighters - the program is meant to prepare students for a fire service career, or prepare existing firefighters to qualify for career advancement opportunities and further baccalaureate education.
Click the photo to watch Mayor Durkan sign the ECI Task Force recommendations into law
Task Force led the city’s largest self-determined, community-led effort to fund strategies to improve outcomes for BIPOC community
Following Seattle City Council’s unanimous vote to lift their proviso, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan signed into law the recommendations of the Equitable Communities Initiative Task Force (ECITF), providing $30 million in investments to the address long-standing inequities and disparities impacting communities of color. The ECITF directed the City’s largest-ever, self-determined effort to fund strategies that will help improve outcomes for the Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities.
Mayor Jenny A. Durkan issued the following statement regarding legislation that allows more flexibility in permitted uses for empty downtown storefronts moving out of the Seattle City Council’s Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee.
“The downtown core is Seattle’s economic engine and heartbeat, and it’s up to us to help it come back better than ever for all those who live, work, or visit. This newly passed legislation is what we need as we build back better, and work to revitalize our city.
The City of Seattle is safely reopening in-person public services at City Service Counters and programming at recreation facilities across the City. With 83% of Seattle residents over 12 years of age with at least one dose, and residents starting to return to their workplaces in downtown and neighborhoods throughout Seattle, the City will begin providing an option for residents to safely access in-person services at several City of Seattle facilities.
In July, the Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) awarded $1 million to 17 local organizations to support summer learning programs. Mostly concentrated in the South End, these funds will support programs that help students prepare for school in the fall.
Chris Alejano, the interim K–12 division director for DEEL, explained that the department had an idea of what type of organizations they wanted to partner with. They specifically looked for programs that support getting students ready for school while also prioritizing mental and physical wellness and addressing educational gaps.
“We’re looking for organizations that have a history of serving those students that are furthest away from educational justice,” Alejano said. “[Also organizations] that had some sort of experience achieving outcomes related to academic support, college and career readiness, [and] health and wellness — or at least a plan that showed that they had a strategy behind how they were going to address those topics.”
One of the organizations that received a grant, South End Stories, focuses heavily on providing students with the space to express themselves through art.
“We’re an arts-education organization with a large focus on anti-racism and activism and culturally responsive pedagogy,” said Francesca Betancourt, the media and communications manager at South End Stories. “Our official mission is to ignite joy and justice in classrooms and communities using arts-based learning, anti-racist education, and social activism.”
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