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Hello everyone.

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My name is Curry Mayer.

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I'm the director of the office
of emergency management

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for the city of Seattle.

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This is a great day and I
am super excited to share

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this great day with you.

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Not only because the room
is filled with emergency

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managers from city departments
and regional partners, but

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also because the mayor is
going to sign an executive

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order today that shows that
Seattle knows and understands

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the importance of
emergency management

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as a shared responsibility,
not just the responsibility

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of one department.

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So I'd like to begin with
thanking all of those

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who work with us in the Office
of Emergency Management

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to make sure that emergency
management is successful.

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So I'll start with thanking
the mayor for her support.

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Also a special
thanks to my boss,

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Alison Holcomb, the
director of public safety,

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for her unwavering support.

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To my team at the Office
of Emergency Management,

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thank you.

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Your hard work and dedication
is really the foundation

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of Seattle's emergency
management program.

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To our partners across city
departments, Seattle Fire,

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Seattle Police, the Human
Services Department,

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Seattle Parks and Recreation,
Seattle Department

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of Human Resources, public
utilities, City Light,

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City Department of
Transportation,

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and so many others, Thank you.

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Thank you for your collaboration
and contributing your

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expertise and your resources
because that's what makes

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emergency management successful.

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I like to say that emergency
management is a team sport

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and we are only successful
when we work together

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with the resources and expertise
from all of those departments.

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I would also like to thank some
of our regional partners, the

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Seattle Emergency Hubs, our
Seattle Auxiliary Communications

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Service, Public Health
Seattle King County,

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King County Emergency
Management and Washington

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State Emergency Management,
the National Weather Service,

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the University of Washington
and Northeastern University,

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all have contributed valuable
resources and expertise

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to our program,
and I'm thankful.

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There are many, many others
too numerous to name.

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I'd like to talk
just a little bit

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about why this executive
order is so important.

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I mentioned that emergency
management is a team sport

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and a team effort.

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This executive order
reinforces that.

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All of you here who are
emergency managers and work

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with us on a regular
basis know that.

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But this reinforces that
collaborating and coordinating

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on training, exercises, and
accountability for continuity

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of operations and continuity
of government and then also

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on hazard mitigation
projects is really what

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makes us successful.

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It means also that we
will continue to expand

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our partnerships with
Seattle communities

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and organizations we're not
yet connected to schools

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and all of the neighbors that
make up this great city.

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Those partnerships
across city departments

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and with our regional
partners ensure

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that when an emergency happens,
whether it's an earthquake

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or a flood or something that
we haven't yet imagined,

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the city will be
able to continue

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to provide essential
services to the public.

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Because when emergencies
happen, people

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don't care which
department is doing what.

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They do care about how
the city shows up to

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take care of them.

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I do also want to say a
heartfelt personal word

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of thanks to Mayor Wilson.

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Effective governance
isn't always

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the flashiest part of the job,
but it is the most important.

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This mayor understands that
preparedness isn't a line

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item, but it's a promise to
every resident of the city

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and all who work,
study, or play here.

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She said it best herself
that this executive order

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is about doing more
to meet the moment,

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not waiting for
the next disaster

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to look at whatever are
gaps and capabilities,

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but working to strengthen
our capabilities right now.

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Her focus on getting
the fundamentals right

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and on making sure departments
talk to each other,

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continue to train together,
and share expertise

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is exactly the kind
of leadership that

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keeps people safe.

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So it's now my honor to
introduce the person

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who made the vision of
this order possible.

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Please join me in welcoming
Mayor Katie Wilson.

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Thank you, Director Mayer.

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Well, I'm delighted to be here
with all of you this morning.

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Seattle's emergency responders,
from police and fire to

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transportation and utilities,
do exceptional work every

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day and in the face
of serious incidents.

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The executive order that I'm
proud to announce today is about

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how we can do more as a
city to support their work,

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to coordinate across departments
in serious incidents,

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and foster resiliency
in our communities.

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I want to thank Director Mayer
and all the Office of Emergency

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Management staff who
contributed to this

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order and this symposium.

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The first part of this executive
order starts with setting a

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shared expectation that my
office will take an active role

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in coordinating across
city emergency planning,

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response and recovery efforts.

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This work has not always
received the attention it

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deserves despite outstanding
efforts from all the people in

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this room.

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And I want you to know that I
see you and I'm here to support

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you. Part of that
support is working

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with the Office of Emergency
Management to establish a vision

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to strengthen preparedness,
response, and

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recovery capabilities.

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As the scale, complexity,
and frequency of emergencies

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increases, the need
for OEM's work

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to coordinate preparedness,
response, and recovery

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is greater than ever.

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This executive order gives our
Office of Emergency Management

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a clear mandate to
take an active role

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in strategic planning for
Seattle-specific hazards

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and emerging threats.

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By the end of 2027, every
department in our city will

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fully understand their role
in emergency readiness and

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maintaining operations
during an incident.

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The second part of this
order directs OEM to lead an

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interdepartmental team to
establish basic preparedness

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training requirements for all
city employees and advanced

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training for emergency
management staff.

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OEM will establish a regular
cadence for exercises,

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trainings, and tests to make
sure that we are prepared

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for significant events.

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We are also strengthening
the Alert Seattle system

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by setting clear standards
for when alerts are sent,

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what they say, when to send,
and who to send them to.

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And people can sign up
at Seattle.gov/alert.

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I highly encourage
everyone to do that.

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This executive order is also
about community preparedness.

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September is National
Preparedness Month.

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And the theme this year is
Preparedness Starts at Home.

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This executive order recognizes
that preparedness starts

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with preparing our community.

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It's not enough to
just tell people

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that they should have a plan, we
need to help them develop one.

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We will work to provide disaster
preparedness training and

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materials in multiple languages
to reach at-risk populations,

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to expand partnerships with
local organizations like Seattle

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Emergency Hubs and national ones
like the American Red Cross.

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We'll work to share preparedness
resources with schools,

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with community and
neighborhood groups,

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and with large employers.

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We will also deepen coordination
with regional and state

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emergency management
partners to plan

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for what to do in the face of
unpredictable federal support.

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This order is about how we can
build on the great work already

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underway by better coordinating
across our departments

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with partners and
with our community.

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So thank you, thank
you, thank you

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to all of the emergency
management staff

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in the room here, and out in
the field for the absolutely

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essential work you do.

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And with that, I'm going to
turn it over to Deputy Chief

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Yvonne Underwood.

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Thank you.

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[applause]

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Good morning.

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I'm Yvonne Underwood, the
Deputy Chief of Seattle Police.

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In my nearly 30 years at SPD, I
have been a part of many of the

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events our city has seen, from
celebrations like World Cup,

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major concerts, festivals, and
of course, Super Bowl parades.

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I've also seen things that we
prepare for but wish would

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never happen, like natural
disasters and major crimes.

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As a police officer,
preparation is key,

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and I'm happy to be part of a
formal plan to strengthen our

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relationships with
our city colleagues.

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Having this formal partnership
in place helps all of us build

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out plans for the future,
create training opportunities,

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and have important
conversations.

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Living in one of the
most beautiful places,

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we all know that there's always
the possibility of earthquakes,

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tsunamis, wildfires, and more.

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With these things, we'd all like
to believe will never happen.

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We must plan and prepare
to our community.

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We are reviewing and updating
our Alert Seattle policies

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and protocols to take full
advantage of this system

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and provide the public
with more information.

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Our public affairs unit
will be leading this effort

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and will work alongside our
partners at Seattle Fire, OEM,

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and CARE to ensure we have
the training needed to send

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out timely information
to the public.

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We urge everyone to sign up
for this system on the Alert

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Seattle website so we can all
receive useful information

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in the time of need.

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I want to thank Mayor Wilson,
my city colleagues, and my SPD

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teammates for investing time
and energy into our emergency

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management systems for
a shared clear vision.

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The Seattle Police
Department is committed

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to this preparation plan.

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Now I'd like to turn it over
to Seattle Fire Department

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Deputy Chief Andy Collins.

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Good afternoon.

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I'm Deputy Chief Andy
Collins from the

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Seattle Fire Department.

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I oversee the Fire Department's
Fire Alarm Center with

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the incredible team of
firefighter dispatchers

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who answer nearly 170,000
emergency 911 calls every year.

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I also had the distinct honor
of working with many of you to

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lead the Seattle Fire
Department through the citywide

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multi-year effort to
host the FIFA World Cup.

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Earlier in my career, I worked
with many of you in this room

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when I served as the emergency
preparedness officer,

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which provided me with an
in-depth perspective on how

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Seattle Fire plans trains,
responds to and recovers

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from emergencies and
disasters, regardless of

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the scope and scale.

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I want to thank Mayor Wilson for

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inviting the fire
department to speak today.

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Today's event on how we can

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continue to strengthen
and work with the city to

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respond to whatever type
of incident comes our way.

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As all of you know by the
sirens heard across the

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city throughout the day
and night our firefighter

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EMTs and firefighter
paramedics respond to

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hundreds of
times daily to emergencies

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in our community.

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Whether it's a fire,
medical emergency,

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or someone who need a rescue,
we are there within minutes.

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Our on-duty personnel
live a life of responding

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to the unimaginable and
have the experience needed

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to navigate stressful
and challenging events.

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We also know that in larger and
more widespread emergencies,

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such as an earthquake,
mass casualty incident,

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or severe weather incident, it
takes a multi-departmental team

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to have an effective response.

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This includes working cohesively
with the City of Seattle's

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Office of Emergency Management
to ensure departments

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stay coordinated.

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FIFA World Cup planning provided
the city with an opportunity

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to thoroughly plan for the
unexpected and expanded our

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partnership with the community,
King County, region and

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greater region and across
the state of Washington.

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The Seattle Fire Department is
fortunate to have personnel

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with expansive incidents,
planning, and response training

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for complex responses, which
includes search and rescue,

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structural collapse, and
marine emergencies, and more.

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In addition, nearly 70 Seattle
firefighters also serve

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as members on FEMA's
Washington Task Force One

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00:14:13,519 --> 00:14:15,418
urban search and rescue team.

250
00:14:16,418 --> 00:14:21,139
These members have deployed to
real world responses in support

251
00:14:21,139 --> 00:14:24,980
of wildfires, hurricanes,
building collapses and more.

252
00:14:24,980 --> 00:14:27,980
And every time they return
from a disaster deployment,

253
00:14:27,980 --> 00:14:32,460
the real world experience they
bring back increases our city's

254
00:14:32,460 --> 00:14:36,879
preparedness should something
similar ever occur here at home.

255
00:14:36,879 --> 00:14:39,999
Planned and unplanned large
scale emergencies are increasing

256
00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:43,057
and in frequency, both locally
and across the nation.

257
00:14:43,057 --> 00:14:46,418
And I would suggest that
our need for emergency

258
00:14:46,418 --> 00:14:49,740
preparedness is greater
now more than ever.

259
00:14:49,740 --> 00:14:52,038
I'm proud of the work that
the fire department has

260
00:14:52,038 --> 00:14:56,798
done to train and exercise
internally, as well as with

261
00:14:56,798 --> 00:15:00,080
our partners, and look
forward to the continuing

262
00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:03,600
and ongoing training
to increase our city's

263
00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:10,500
preparedness. Thank
you very much.

264
00:15:10,500 --> 00:15:10,580
[applause]

265
00:15:10,580 --> 00:15:15,677
- Thank you Deputy
Chief Collins.

266
00:15:15,677 --> 00:15:18,940
Okay, so, oh, signing.

267
00:15:18,940 --> 00:15:20,639
I was all ready to
take questions.

268
00:15:20,639 --> 00:15:21,639
[laughter]

269
00:15:30,139 --> 00:15:34,500
[Inaudible]

270
00:15:36,278 --> 00:15:37,360
Yeah, sorry.

271
00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:39,000
I'm using three pens.

272
00:15:40,639 --> 00:15:50,639
[Pause]

273
00:15:58,677 --> 00:15:59,278
>> Signed.

274
00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:06,200
[APPLAUSE]

275
00:16:12,918 --> 00:16:18,846
OK. Mayor, if I could ask a

276
00:16:18,846 --> 00:16:22,206
question for Director Mayer
about just how the Alert Seattle

277
00:16:22,206 --> 00:16:25,187
system has worked in the
past and how the mayor's

278
00:16:25,187 --> 00:16:27,120
executive order may change.

279
00:16:27,120 --> 00:16:31,320
- So first I'd like to say
that alerting and warning

280
00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:36,019
is just one tiny piece
of emergency management.

281
00:16:36,019 --> 00:16:39,677
The important thing
to remember is that

282
00:16:39,677 --> 00:16:43,000
all of the departments and
agencies that work with us

283
00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:46,057
have a lead disaster
that they are the expert

284
00:16:46,057 --> 00:16:48,500
on providing information out.

285
00:16:48,500 --> 00:16:50,259
So if anything, it's
a reinforcement

286
00:16:50,259 --> 00:16:53,519
of that lead responsibility.

287
00:16:53,519 --> 00:16:59,340
We really rely on our partners
to help us provide messaging

288
00:16:59,340 --> 00:17:01,835
to-- - So in an emergency,
the fire department,

289
00:17:01,835 --> 00:17:03,875
the police department,
another agency

290
00:17:03,875 --> 00:17:06,759
contacts your office to
activate Alert Seattle?

291
00:17:06,759 --> 00:17:09,798
- No, all of the
operational departments

292
00:17:09,798 --> 00:17:12,759
have the capability
to send a message.

293
00:17:12,759 --> 00:17:15,680
- So that can be done by
individual departments?

294
00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:17,730
It can be done by
individual operational

295
00:17:17,730 --> 00:17:19,179
departments. Yes, like fire

296
00:17:21,298 --> 00:17:22,211
and so forth.

297
00:17:22,211 --> 00:17:24,286
Do you know on the night of July

298
00:17:24,286 --> 00:17:27,057
26th, the Bit of Seattle
shooting occurred,

299
00:17:27,057 --> 00:17:29,173
whether any of those departments

300
00:17:29,173 --> 00:17:32,730
asked your department
to activate the Alert

301
00:17:32,730 --> 00:17:34,460
Seattle system?

302
00:17:34,460 --> 00:17:38,616
I do not.

303
00:17:38,616 --> 00:17:43,720
>> Any last questions?

304
00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:46,220
>> Hi, I have a question
for Mayor Wilson.

305
00:17:46,220 --> 00:17:48,711
I'm just curious how you might
be working with the city

306
00:17:48,711 --> 00:17:50,317
council, specifically the public

307
00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:58,121
I mean, this is really an
operational order, but looking

308
00:17:58,121 --> 00:17:59,846
forward to collaborating

309
00:17:59,846 --> 00:18:00,873
with Council Member

310
00:18:00,873 --> 00:18:03,496
Kettle and our other, my
other council colleagues

311
00:18:03,496 --> 00:18:04,596
as we implement it.

312
00:18:04,596 --> 00:18:06,596
This is really about
empowering our Office

313
00:18:06,596 --> 00:18:09,096
of Emergency Management,
which is relatively new

314
00:18:09,096 --> 00:18:12,419
as kind of a separate
department at the city.

315
00:18:12,420 --> 00:18:14,900
And it's about making sure that
all of our other departments

316
00:18:14,900 --> 00:18:18,500
really understand Office
of Emergency Management's

317
00:18:18,500 --> 00:18:20,640
leadership role in
emergency preparedness

318
00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:22,278
and are coordinating
appropriately.

319
00:18:22,278 --> 00:18:24,200
And it's about training
throughout the city

320
00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:26,635
of our city employees to
respond to emergencies

321
00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:27,778
'cause everyone has a role.

322
00:18:27,778 --> 00:18:29,615
And then of course it's
about how we're working

323
00:18:29,616 --> 00:18:31,719
with the community to make sure
that everyone is prepared.

324
00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:34,440
So it's really, the reason
this is an executive order

325
00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:37,778
is that this is an
operational kind of matter,

326
00:18:37,778 --> 00:18:39,240
but looking forward to
working with the council

327
00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:41,096
as we implement.

328
00:18:41,096 --> 00:18:43,980
Mayor, on the Bite of
Seattle Festival,

329
00:18:43,980 --> 00:18:46,480
had you said previously
that you thought

330
00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:49,133
that maybe the alert
system should have

331
00:18:49,133 --> 00:18:50,576
been put into effect?

332
00:18:50,576 --> 00:18:52,660
I think that we all
agree that would

333
00:18:52,660 --> 00:18:55,817
have been an appropriate tool
to use in that instance.

334
00:18:55,817 --> 00:18:56,440
How does it work?

335
00:18:56,440 --> 00:19:00,659
It's an online type
of-- Yeah, so I'll say

336
00:19:00,659 --> 00:19:03,116
something briefly, and
then if Director Mayer

337
00:19:03,116 --> 00:19:04,259
wants to add anything.

338
00:19:04,259 --> 00:19:05,895
So my understanding
with Alert Seattle,

339
00:19:05,900 --> 00:19:08,977
so as Director Mayer
said, the individual

340
00:19:08,977 --> 00:19:12,479
operational departments
have the ability to send

341
00:19:12,479 --> 00:19:14,019
out those alerts directly.

342
00:19:14,019 --> 00:19:17,875
Depending on the type of event,
that can be an alert to,

343
00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:20,538
specifically to people who have
signed up for Alert Seattle,

344
00:19:20,538 --> 00:19:22,160
and that's why we're
really encouraging members

345
00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:25,298
of the public to sign
up at Seattle.gov/alert

346
00:19:25,298 --> 00:19:28,615
so that you are getting
alerts if something happens.

347
00:19:28,616 --> 00:19:30,239
When you sign up, you'll
see there's a lot

348
00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:32,971
different choices so you can
actually sign up kind of by

349
00:19:32,971 --> 00:19:35,759
topic for what kind of
alerts you want to receive.

350
00:19:35,759 --> 00:19:38,438
Now obviously if there's a
real emergency, right, we're

351
00:19:38,438 --> 00:19:41,596
going to override that and
just send it out to everyone.

352
00:19:41,596 --> 00:19:45,919
But and often we also have the
capability to send in specific

353
00:19:45,919 --> 00:19:49,365
circumstances to not just to
people who have signed up

354
00:19:49,365 --> 00:19:52,659
but to everyone within kind of
a specific geographic area.

355
00:19:52,660 --> 00:19:54,817
And that's something
which I believe is used

356
00:19:54,817 --> 00:19:57,576
on a pretty hyperlocal
basis occasionally

357
00:19:57,576 --> 00:20:00,817
when something goes on that
people within a few block radius

358
00:20:00,817 --> 00:20:02,356
really need to know about.

359
00:20:02,356 --> 00:20:04,576
So that's something that
we're also able to do.

360
00:20:04,576 --> 00:20:05,920
That's kind of a separate
part of that system.

361
00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:08,659
- Would that be a phone
or a text message or,

362
00:20:08,660 --> 00:20:09,836
you know --

363
00:20:09,836 --> 00:20:11,720
- Yeah, I think it's kind
of like the kind of alerts

364
00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:13,891
that you get on your cell phone
when there's like a missing

365
00:20:13,891 --> 00:20:14,616
person or something.

366
00:20:14,616 --> 00:20:16,239
I don't wanna like speak.

367
00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:18,160
Yeah, you wanna speak?

368
00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:19,480
>> Sure.

369
00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:23,462
Those, the kind of more far
reaching alerts are through

370
00:20:23,462 --> 00:20:26,880
the wireless emergency
alert system, which

371
00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:28,557
is used nationally.

372
00:20:28,557 --> 00:20:31,740
We would also go through
the county to do that.

373
00:20:31,740 --> 00:20:34,882
What the mayor was talking
about was kind of a geofencing

374
00:20:34,882 --> 00:20:37,813
people in a particular area
with a cell phone would

375
00:20:37,813 --> 00:20:40,817
get a message, a safety
message about something.

376
00:20:40,817 --> 00:20:46,942
Do you know why the alert
wasn't sounded on that day

377
00:20:46,942 --> 00:20:49,856
of the Bite of Seattle?

378
00:20:49,856 --> 00:20:53,769
I think we're probably going to
wait for the Inspector General

379
00:20:53,769 --> 00:20:56,836
report to tell us more about
Anybody else have any questions?

380
00:20:56,836 --> 00:20:58,980
I have a question over here.

381
00:20:58,980 --> 00:21:00,491
With all these plans for
emergency management,

382
00:21:00,538 --> 00:21:03,519
SPD
is chronically understaffed

383
00:21:03,519 --> 00:21:04,616
by hundreds of officers.

384
00:21:04,616 --> 00:21:10,259
How vulnerable does that leave
the city with these plans?

385
00:21:10,259 --> 00:21:14,680
- I'll just say that our hiring
at SPD is going very well.

386
00:21:14,680 --> 00:21:16,096
We have a department
people wanna work at.

387
00:21:16,096 --> 00:21:18,038
We have thousands of
applications in the queue.

388
00:21:18,038 --> 00:21:20,680
We brought on over 100
new officers this year,

389
00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:22,355
and we're gonna have more
officers on the street

390
00:21:22,356 --> 00:21:23,220
next year than this year.

391
00:21:23,220 --> 00:21:24,960
- But is that leave
us vulnerable

392
00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:28,096
to be that critically
understaffed?

393
00:21:28,096 --> 00:21:29,759
- I think that the
work we're doing here

394
00:21:29,759 --> 00:21:33,739
with this executive order is
clear that emergency response,

395
00:21:33,740 --> 00:21:35,440
depending on the
type of emergency,

396
00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:37,200
it's a city-wide
responsibility, right?

397
00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:38,538
There's different
kinds of emergencies,

398
00:21:38,538 --> 00:21:39,940
whether that's a
natural disaster,

399
00:21:39,940 --> 00:21:41,615
whether that's a
public safety matter,

400
00:21:41,616 --> 00:21:43,116
whether that's an
infrastructure failure.

401
00:21:43,116 --> 00:21:44,640
So this is really
about making sure

402
00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:46,019
that all of our
different departments

403
00:21:46,019 --> 00:21:48,180
are playing their
role and making sure

404
00:21:48,180 --> 00:21:50,759
that we are prepared
whatever happens.

405
00:21:50,759 --> 00:21:53,140
Raise your hands and I'll
call on people please.

406
00:21:53,140 --> 00:21:55,940
So please raise your hand and I
will call on you for a question.

407
00:21:55,940 --> 00:21:56,940
Two questions, Mayor.

408
00:21:56,940 --> 00:21:58,596
One, when it comes to
this executive order,

409
00:21:58,596 --> 00:21:59,778
when does it go into effect?

410
00:21:59,778 --> 00:22:01,576
And two, what's
different about this

411
00:22:01,576 --> 00:22:03,576
that passed legislation
from previous mayors

412
00:22:03,576 --> 00:22:07,200
when it comes to communication
from emergency management,

413
00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:09,239
SPD, fire, all that?

414
00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:12,057
Yeah, so I just signed it,
so it is now in effect.

415
00:22:12,057 --> 00:22:16,000
So we're doing the work here.

416
00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:18,758
Yeah, and I mean again,
this is really, you know,

417
00:22:18,758 --> 00:22:22,000
Director Mayer might be able
to speak a little bit more to

418
00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:24,169
the work that led up to
this executive order

419
00:22:24,169 --> 00:22:26,817
across departments, but
again, this is really about

420
00:22:26,817 --> 00:22:28,961
refreshing our training,
making sure that every city

421
00:22:28,961 --> 00:22:31,154
employee that has a role in
emergency management knows

422
00:22:31,154 --> 00:22:32,159
what they're going to do.

423
00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:34,798
So obviously we saw room
for improvement, which is

424
00:22:34,798 --> 00:22:36,116
why we are doing this now.

425
00:22:36,116 --> 00:22:37,634
So we are going to
be more prepared.

426
00:22:37,634 --> 00:22:39,153
City employees are
going to be more

427
00:22:39,153 --> 00:22:40,460
prepared to play their roles.

428
00:22:40,460 --> 00:22:42,000
Departments are going to
be better coordinated.

429
00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:43,679
I think this goes to
the Alert Seattle.

430
00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:47,159
We realize that that tool
should have been used the night

431
00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:48,480
of the Bite of Seattle shooting.

432
00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:50,356
And so part of this
is about making sure

433
00:22:50,356 --> 00:22:52,336
that every department
understands how to use it,

434
00:22:52,336 --> 00:22:54,420
when to use it, when
that's appropriate.

435
00:22:54,420 --> 00:22:57,159
So those are the kind of changes
you're going to see with this.

436
00:22:57,160 --> 00:22:59,140
I'm curious, just
in layman's terms,

437
00:22:59,140 --> 00:23:00,778
I'm thinking of people sitting
at home maybe watching

438
00:23:00,778 --> 00:23:01,940
this on a live stream.

439
00:23:01,940 --> 00:23:05,278
Can you walk us through how
ideally this would work if,

440
00:23:05,278 --> 00:23:07,919
let's say, God forbid, we have
a situation like Bite of Seattle

441
00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:09,970
happen? How does this work,

442
00:23:09,970 --> 00:23:10,979
just from a high level?

443
00:23:10,980 --> 00:23:12,960
What would we see?

444
00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:15,317
Well, I think as we've
said a few times,

445
00:23:15,317 --> 00:23:18,380
Alert Seattle is one specific
tool that could and should

446
00:23:18,380 --> 00:23:19,680
have been used in that instance.

447
00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:24,960
So I would expect that people
in that vicinity, or perhaps

448
00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:26,400
everyone who signed
up across the city,

449
00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:28,778
would receive an alert
on their phone saying,

450
00:23:28,778 --> 00:23:31,240
maybe don't go to Seattle
Center right now,

451
00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:32,460
something like that.

452
00:23:32,460 --> 00:23:34,057
So that's one way that
that would play out

453
00:23:34,057 --> 00:23:35,836
in a circumstance like that.

454
00:23:35,836 --> 00:23:37,278
I have two more questions.

455
00:23:37,278 --> 00:23:40,660
Chris, you're good.

456
00:23:40,660 --> 00:23:43,160
I have one other question.

457
00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:45,778
Before the World Cup,
there was a report out

458
00:23:45,778 --> 00:23:49,440
by the Inspector
General that talked

459
00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:53,519
about the Emergency Management
Office being understaffed

460
00:23:53,519 --> 00:23:56,616
and apparently smaller
than other cities.

461
00:23:56,616 --> 00:24:01,920
And also mentioned that there
were floods and other disasters

462
00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:06,116
where the office didn't
respond effectively.

463
00:24:06,116 --> 00:24:09,038
Has that been looked
at and examined?

464
00:24:09,038 --> 00:24:11,480
- I don't know those
particular instances

465
00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:13,268
that you're referring to,
so we could probably get

466
00:24:13,268 --> 00:24:15,576
back to you about that unless
Director Mayer wants to.

467
00:24:15,576 --> 00:24:17,278
- Sure.

468
00:24:17,278 --> 00:24:19,798
What you're referring to is
there was an assessment done

469
00:24:19,798 --> 00:24:23,440
by an outside consultant
that identified some gaps

470
00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:28,700
and our capabilities and
we this is part of that.

471
00:24:28,700 --> 00:24:32,420
Answering how we're filling
those capabilities.

472
00:24:32,420 --> 00:24:34,038
We are now fully staffed.

473
00:24:34,038 --> 00:24:38,700
I have 16 a very robust
public education team

474
00:24:38,700 --> 00:24:40,759
community engagement.

475
00:24:40,759 --> 00:24:44,076
All of the emergency management
functions that are needed.

476
00:24:44,076 --> 00:24:48,759
We now have this reinforces the
need for all city departments

477
00:24:48,759 --> 00:24:50,979
to work together in
emergency management,

478
00:24:50,980 --> 00:24:54,116
that it's not just the little
band of 16 people that

479
00:24:54,116 --> 00:24:56,220
make emergency management work.

480
00:24:56,220 --> 00:24:59,336
The partners that we work with
on a regular basis know that,

481
00:24:59,336 --> 00:25:02,180
but that's emphasizing
the importance of that.

482
00:25:02,180 --> 00:25:04,778
So this addresses a
number of the things

483
00:25:04,778 --> 00:25:07,538
that were in that assessment
you're referring to.

484
00:25:07,538 --> 00:25:12,740
Staff that was already
in existence, the 16?

485
00:25:12,740 --> 00:25:15,459
No, it's not a doubling,
but it's a big increase.

486
00:25:15,460 --> 00:25:17,720
- And what number
was before that?

487
00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:21,660
- I believe it was
10 or 11, not sure.

488
00:25:21,660 --> 00:25:25,057
- Final question, thank you
everybody for coming today.