Skip to main content
King County Logo
Apr
19

Emergency information

  1. Home
  2. Information for...
  3. Employees
  4. Emergency information

Emergency information

For King County employees

We are here to help employees prepare for an emergency situation. Read through the information below to learn more about specific types of emergencies and how to be prepared:

Staying informed and reviewing the policies

In a significant event, we will use all available communication channels to reach you with important information for keeping you, your families, and your customers safe and informed. To ensure you don't miss critical, time-sensitive messages, we are asking all employees to verify and/or enter their contact information in PeopleSoft. To do this, log in to PeopleSoft and go to: 

  • My Personal Information > Phone Numbers (to verify or update work, home, and/or cell phone numbers)
  • My Personal Information > Email Addresses (to verify or update work or personal email addresses)

Additionally, employees can stay informed by:

District Court:  Call the employee Information emergency telephone line at 206-296-6820 for recorded information, or check the District Court website for updates on operational status.

Superior Court: Information will be provided on the Superior Court website , or by calling the following hotlines for recorded updates on the status of work locations.

  • Seattle courthouse/NJB employees: 206-205-6767
  • MRJC courthouse employees: 206-205-6746
  • Youth Services Center employees: 206-205-6747

King County Sheriff's Office: All operations that are staffed on a 24-hour basis, or staffed by commissioned detectives or deputies, are considered essential, and employees scheduled to report to work in these operations are required to report to work despite emergency conditions or closure of other county operations. Refer to the King County Sheriff’s Office Inclement Weather Policy .

Each department has an HR Service Delivery Manager who will help you find this type of information.

The HR Bulletin is available online, and the following is an overview:

  • Administrative offices and King County operations will remain open during emergency situations and inclement weather that do not pose an immediate life, health, or safety risk to its occupants unless directed otherwise by the King County Executive or the respective department director.
  • Because of potential staffing shortages, employees may be deployed to provide support for varied county operations in alternative worksites and should expect to come to work. 
  • Departments should make every reasonable effort to allow employees who have reported to work to check on the status of their families, providing that doing so does not compromise emergency response functions.
  • In the case of closure of specific offices, employees will be sent home as a last resort because it is preferred that the employees be deployed to other agencies which remain open.  Should employees be sent home, payment of wages to employees will be made in accordance with the established emergency processes as detailed in the HR Bulletin.
Please talk to your supervisor to ensure you understand your role during an emergency.

Commuting and telecommuting

Use these resources for commute information”

Additionally, King County Metro provides a great planning sheet on their website to make a commute plan and get signed up for alerts from the County’s various transportation services.
Discuss telecommuting with your supervisor if this is an option for your job, and submit a Telecommuting Agreement if appropriate.

Preparing at home and with my family

Have a plan, a list of emergency contacts, copies of important documents and records, a kit of food and supplies, necessary medications, and a kit for pets and vehicles.

A few great places to begin are the Make it Through site, this federal site , and the Red Cross site . For example, Make it Through provides guidance on the following:

  • Emergency Preparedness Checklists
  • Earthquake Preparedness 
  • Emergency Contact Cards
  • Office and Personal Kit Supplies
  • Basic Kit Supplies
  • Car Kit Supplies
  • Pet Kit Supplies
  • Important Documents and Records

There are a number of online sites that provide good advice for kit contents. For example, Make it Through provides the following recommendations for a basic kit:

  • water for 7-10 days (1 gallon per person per day for drinking and sanitation)
  • food for 7-10 days (non-perishable food per person)
  • cash (ATMs won’t work without electricity)
  • battery-powered radio and extra batteries
  • flashlight with extra batteries
  • first aid kit
  • whistle (to signal for help)
  • filter masks or cotton t-shirts to help filter air
  • moist towelettes for sanitation
  • a wrench or pliers to turn utilities off if necessary
  • a manual can opener
  • shelter items like tents, tarps and rope
  • unique family needs

You may also need specialty items. For example, if you have medical equipment or a sump pump that requires electricity, you will need a generator and fuel.

According to Make it Through, preparing for three days will help you make it through many of the disasters you’ll face in the Puget Sound region – including major storms and even small earthquakes. However, to make it through a major catastrophe, you’ll need to be prepared at least seven to ten days.
Each district in the County provides particular information for their district. As an example, the Seattle Public School district site has detailed information and provides a list of cooperative radio stations and television channels. When schools are closed and King County operations remain open, employees are expected to report to work as usual, or follow applicable personnel policies.
For this and other employee information, visit www.kcemployees.com.
expand_less