With dry conditions and hot temperatures expected to continue into next week (and throughout the summer), emergency management personnel and Public Health officials have issued the following safety directives for King County residents:
How to stay safe in hot weather
• Check on at-risk friends, family, and neighbors twice a day (the very young and elderly are especially vulnerable to heat).
• Stay cool. Spend time in air-conditioned buildings and avoid direct contact with the sun. Many cities in King County will offer cooling centers for those who need them. Other places to stay cool include malls, movie theaters, restaurants, and libraries. Washington Information Network 2-1-1 is maintaining a list of cooling centers throughout King County (searchable by ZIP code),
• Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water and don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink more.
• Never leave infants, children, or pets in a parked car, even if the windows are cracked open. The temperature in a vehicle is much higher than outside and it only takes a few minutes for severe medical problems and even death to occur.
• Watch for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Seek medical care immediately if you know someone who experiences symptoms.
Local fire chiefs’ recommendation: Leave fireworks displays to licensed professionals
A stray firework can quickly threaten your property. Therefore, use of fireworks to celebrate Independence Day is banned in many cities and strongly discouraged in areas of unincorporated King County. Attend a licensed professional, local firework display instead.
If you disregard this advice and light your own fireworks on July 4, please follow these safety measures:
• Only use legal fireworks – illegal fireworks include firecrackers, missiles, and bottle rockets.
• Light fireworks on flat, hard level surfaces, and wear eye protection.
• Only adults should light fireworks – keep kids and others at a safe distance (at least 20 feet).
• Keep your pets indoors and be sure their ID tag is up-to-date in the event they panic, run away, and become lost.
• Have a bucket of water or a hose nearby to put out any fires or “dud” fireworks.
• Soak unused fireworks in water before disposing of them.
• Clean up fireworks debris. Do not place warm, used fireworks in a plastic bag, as this can cause a fire. Dispose of used fireworks in a metal trash can.
To learn more about fireworks ordinances, bans, and other important information, visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/property/FireMarshal/fireworks.aspx and www.wsp.wa.gov/fire/fireworks.htm.
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