We just received this missive from Terrie Johnston. And we’re mighty happy that she and the other two SPD Community Crime Prevention Coordinators will be continuing on!
Dear Block Captains/Contacts: I am forwarding you an email from the City’s Emergency Management office as it has disaster preparedness information and dates on upcoming classes. The recent snow, ice and winds remind us that we are often at the mercy of mother nature, but with some simple planning we can “weather the storm” more comfortably.
Other news:Â Mayor McGinn and the Seattle City Council decided last November to maintain the 3 remaining Crime Prevention Coordinators for another year.
This means I will continue serving the North Precinct’s neighborhoods with establishing and maintenance of Block Watches; conducting free security surveys for both commercial spaces and residents. I am available for personal safety trainings; workplace violence prevention, etc. I am happy to be a part of the Community Police Team, and look forward to continuing this meaningful work. Our Block Watch Captains are unsung heroes. We rely on your eyes and ears, and appreciate your sharing these e-lerts I send out with others.
Property Crime: In much of the North precinct, the burglary rates have decreased or stabilized. There are still increased numbers of residential burglaries in some northeast neighborhoods. They are primarily occurring during the hours of 6 a.m. to about 6 p.m. Knocking on doors to see if anyone is at home is still a common method used by thieves. In some cases, there is a female driver who serves as chauffeur and lookout, for her male accomplices.  The lookout has been seen texting the thieves about watchful neighbors, etc. Kicking in doors, or door jambs is prevalent. We recommend all exterior doors be solid core doors, (or metal) and are a minimum of 1 ¾” thick. For maximum security, all exterior doors should be equipped with a deadbolt lock and reinforced strike plates, using 3″ screws which will go into the framework. Locks within 40 inches of glass are vulnerable.
Watchful neighbors remain your best alarm. 9 times out of 10, our burglars are arrested due to 9-1-1 calls from neighbors who heard or saw something suspicious and made that call.
I’ve received e-mails lately about door-to-door solicitors who may or may not have been legitimate. So I am attaching again, information on residential home sales. (I’ve sent this out before, so consider this a rerun).
9-1-1: I think I speak for the entire Community Police Team when I tell you that every day in our e-mail inbox, or on our telephone’s voicemail inbox, we find messages from the community that say something like this, “I wanted to let you know that I just saw something suspicious…but I didn’t think this merited a 9-1-1 call.” Almost always the information is detailed, with good descriptions and refers to something that may or may not have been criminal, but certainly seemed odd. And almost always it is too late for SPD to do anything with that information.  I am now hoping to encourage you to trust that gut feeling of yours.  If you get the sense that something weird is happening, even if it isn’t an emergency, please call 9-1-1 and simply state what you are reporting. The call taker will decide whether your call should be transferred off the primary line onto a secondary line.  You don’t know what you prevent by getting a patrol cruiser coming into your neighborhood.
Happy New Year! Thanks for supporting Crime Prevention. Contact me at 684-7711 for any questions or follow up services. tj
From: EOCSNAP [mailto:EOCSNAP@TALK2.SEATTLE.GOV] On Behalf Of SNAP
Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2012 9:25 AM
To: EOCSNAP@TALK2.SEATTLE.GOV
Subject: [EOCSNAP] Seattle Emergency Management: February Monthly Connection
The Monthly Connection
February 2012
Disaster ready…prepared people,
resilient community
THANK YOU!
The Seattle Office of Emergency Management would like to thank all of the neighborhoods that did their part during the snow and ice storm that hit Seattle January 17th. From shoveling sidewalks to clearing storm drains, Seattleites showed that they come together to support each other in times like this. This is also a great time to ask yourself . . . Was I as prepared as I thought I was?
Some questions you might want to ask: Did I have sufficient supplies? Were there people in the neighborhood that needed some additional help? Did I have sufficient supplies for a power outage? Did my crank radio work? Could I find my flashlights? Did I have back up batteries and other essential items?
If you would like to share a story about how your preparedness efforts helped you during the storm, or how you wish you had done something to different prepare yourself we would love to hear from you. Stories have a powerful effect on people and Seattle OEM is embarking on a project to collect stories to share with others to highlight the importance of preparedness. Please send stories to: snap@seattle.gov.
The winter storm was not as bad as it could have been and certainly wasn’t even close to what we will experience in a major disaster. If you found that your level of preparedness was not as good as you had hoped it would be seize the moment and make some improvements. As always, the staff at Seattle Office of Emergency Management is here to help if you have questions or concerns.
Skills Training Classes for January — June 2012
The Seattle Office of Emergency Management is offering a series of skills-based classes again this year. These classes are intended to enhance your ability to personally respond during disasters. Provide training for organized community groups, neighbors, friends and co-workers and teach you life-saving skills that can be used both in a disaster and in your everyday life. (Flyer attached.)
Fire Extinguisher Use & Utility Control
Saturday, March 3, 2012
9:00 — 11:00 AM or 12:00 — 2:00 PM
Light Search and Rescue
March 17, 2012
8:30 AM — 3:00 PM
Disaster First Aid
March 31, 2012
8:30 AM — 5:00 PM
Light Search and Rescue
May, 12, 2012
8:30 AM — 3:00 PM
Disaster First Aid
June 30, 2012
8:30 AM — 5:00 PM
All classes are held on Saturdays at Warren G. Magnuson Park, 7400 Sand Point Way NE, Building 406 (the Brig). Classes are free, but space is limited.
To register, email: snap@seattle.gov. Please include your name, email address, phone, the courses you are interested in and dates you are interested in attending.
SNAP Classes — February
Queen Anne Branch Library
400 W. Garfield St., 98119
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
6:30 — 7:45 PM
Ballard Branch Library — New Brown Bag Mid-week Class! Bring your lunch and enjoy.
5814 22nd Ave NW, 98107
Friday, February 10, 2012
Noon — 1:30 PM
New Holly Branch Library — New Location for 2012!
7058 32nd Ave S, 98118
Saturday, February 25, 2012
11:30 AM — 1:00 PM
Home Retrofit Class — February
If your home was built before 1980, this class is for you! “Do-it-yourself” focus teaches you the process, plans and tools required to seismically secure your home to its foundation, and/or become a knowledgeable consumer when hiring someone. Pre-register by email at: snap@seattle.gov, or call 206-233-5076. Class is free.
Greenwood Branch Library
8016 Greenwood Ave. N., 98103
Sunday, February 26, 2012
2:00 — 4:00 PM
For a complete listing of 2012 SNAP and Home Retrofit Classes, check out our Training & Events Page.
Tip of the Month
Keep important phone numbers, family photos and other vital instructions all in one place. Print out our NEWLY UPDATED Disaster Resource Book, cut the pages to size and place in a 4 x 6 photo album of your choosing. Tuck into your backpack, home or car kit for emergency info at your fingertips! Other languages coming soon.
If you have a tip or item to share, please send it our way and you may see it in an upcoming issue: e-mail: snap@seattle.gov.
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Seattle Office of Emergency Management | 105 5th Avenue South, Suite 300 | Seattle | WA | 98104