CALL IF YOU CAN – TEXT IF YOU CAN’T

TEXT TO 9-1-1 is not a replacement to a voice call to 9-1-1 in an emergency situation, but rather is an enhancement to reach 9-1-1 services in specific situations such as:

• The caller is hearing/voice impaired
• A medical emergency that renders the person incapable of speech
• When speaking out loud would put the caller in danger, such as a home invasion, domestic violence situation or an active shooter scenario
• Any other emergency that makes it impossible to speak out loud

For more information about this service, click here.

Plan now. In an emergency situation, your family may not be together. Make a plan to ensure everyone remains safe and knows how to find each other after an emergency/natural disaster.

Read here about preparing an emergency kit.

State Parks has announced two free days in April, 2018. 

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission invites the public to celebrate Spring and Earth Day with two free days at state parks in April. On free days, visitors don’t need a Discover Pass for day-use visits by vehicle.

The first free day is Saturday, April 14—a springtime free day. The next free day is Sunday, April 22, in honor of Earth Day.

The free days are in keeping with legislation that created the Discover Pass. The pass costs $30 for an annual pass or $10 for a one-day permit and is required for vehicle access to state recreation lands managed by Washington State Parks, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The Discover Pass legislation provided that State Parks could designate up to 12 “free days” when the pass would not be required to visit state parks. The free days apply only at state parks; the Discover Pass is still required on WDFW and DNR lands.

The remaining 2018 State Parks free days are as follows:

• Saturday, June 2 — National Trails Day
• Saturday, June 9 — National Get Outdoors Day
• Sunday, June 10 — Free Fishing Day
• Saturday, Aug. 25 — National Park Service Birthday
• Saturday, Sept. 22 — National Public Lands Day
• Sunday, Nov. 11 — Veterans Day

For more information, visit www.DiscoverPass.wa.gov or parks.state.wa.us

A lockdown at Yelm High School Wednesday has ended. The lockdown was instituted after administrators received a report that a student was planning on bringing a weapon to school.

The school said a few students reported that a student made social media reports about a weapon.

School officials and police met with the student.

The school said there was a thorough search and that no gun was found.

The school and police determined the lockdown could be lifted at 10:20 a.m.

— Credit: KOMO News

OLYMPIA – The Thurston County Board of Commissioners adopted Fire and Emergency Services Growth Management Impact Fees for certain types of new construction permits within S.E. Thurston Fire Authority’s jurisdiction on January 23, 2018. The fees are scheduled to go into effect on March 1, 2018.

The S.E. Thurston Fire Authority’s Board of Fire Commissioners requested the county collect the fees on their behalf. After conducting public meetings to hear from citizens about this request and assessing the impacts, the County adopted amendments to the impact fee code in September 2016, April 2017 and January 2018. The authority to collect impact fees for fire districts and authorities was added with these amendments, and the County will collect the fees on their behalf.

You can view more detailed information about the proposal on the Thurston County Community Development Long Range Planning website.

What are Fire and Emergency Services Impact Fees?

Fire and emergency services impact fees are used to fund new developments’ share of facility and major equipment needs. Impact Fees are not charged for internal remodeling work on existing structures and other selected types of construction, such as:

• Ag-exempt structures up to 775 square feet
• Structures not requiring permits
• Bulkheads
• Retaining Walls
• Stair Towers
• Ground based solar panels
• Structures which are not frequently used such as: docks, walking surfaces such as porches and decks
• Any addition to current structures which is less than 500 square feet

Impact fees are based on the square footage of the proposed building. The fee rate is $0.36 per square foot.  The fee is based on S.E. Thurston Fire Authority’s Impact Fee Rate Study and on their Capital Facilities Plan. 

Impact fees will be assessed at the time a completed building application is submitted to the Thurston County Permit Assistance Center.  Impact Fees will be collected at time of Building Permit issuance. 

The S.E. Thurston Fire Authority will benefit from the Capital Budget. The State Capital Budget is separate from the operating budget. The Capital Budget is used for funding construction. Lawrence Lake Fire Station #22, serving the Vail Road area has been awarded $252,000.

S.E. Thurston Fire Chief Mark King said, “The funding will go toward site land preparation including, permits, Pocket Gopher study, Site Preparation, new septic tank, drill well, and structural design. We know that the money awarded will not cover the whole cost to build the new fire station, but it will be a good start”.

The rebuilding and reopening of the Lawrence Lake Fire Station, which also serves the Vail Road area will create housing for firefighters allowing SETFA to staff this station 24/7. A fire station located in the Southern area of the fire district would provide faster emergency medical service and fire protection.

Presently, the City of Yelm or Rainier is left without emergency medical services and fire protection when personnel and equipment are dispatched to other areas, for example, Lawrence Lake and Vail Road areas. Travel time (round trip) can take up to 40 minutes, plus time on scene. With traffic congestion on Hwy 507 and 510, add more time for response. Anytime I-5 backs up between Tacoma and Lacey, driving through Yelm is a natural alternate route that chokes traffic to a dead stop.

Yelm is one of the faster growing cities in Washington. The population based on the 2010 census was 6,484. In the year 2017, the census estimate is 8,665. This growth makes the need for 24/7 emergency medical services and fire protection. Rebuilding and opening the Lawrence Lake Fire Station will benefit the entire area, Citizens of Yelm, Rainier, Lawrence Lake and the Vail Road areas.

The Lawrence Lake Fire Station, serving the Vail Road area was made possible through the hard work of your legislators from District 2, Senator Randi Becker, Representative J.T. Wilcox and Representative Andrew Barkis and District 20 Senator John Braun, Representative Richard DeBolt and Representative Ed Orcutt.

Looking for a good, educational set of videos for your children/students? Fireman Sam is an excellent resource to provide them with safety tips. Check out the YouTube channel here!

When your kids become teenagers, they are starting to enter into more responsibilities. They should also be aware of all fire hazards and safety plans. 

Check out this resource for ideas on how to prepare your teen for all this information: Teaching Teens Fire Safety

Due to a rise in active shooter incidents and the escalating impact of hostile events, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has started to process a new standard for professionals and community members to use when dealing with an active shooter or hostile event. 

To read more about NFPA 3000, Standard for Preparedness and Response to Active Shooter and/or Hostile Events, click here.

Educating your children (or students, if you’re a teacher) about fire safety is extremely important. The difficult part is finding a reliable resource with activities for them to keep them busy and learning. 

Here is one such resource for you!: Teacher Vision