Specials & Shorts

The Seattle Fire Department (SFD), in partnership with American Medical Response (AMR), has added a new option for callers using the 911 system. The first program of its kind on the West Coast, the Nurse Navigation Program line will take low acuity calls that are non-life-threatening and do not require an ambulance, freeing up more availability for 911 operators to take emergency calls. In 2021, SFD received about 160,000 911 calls, and an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 of those calls could have been transferred to the Nurse Navigation Program line.

More information: http://www.seattle.gov/fire/safety-and-community/nurse-navigation-program 

Launched in 2016, Vanishing Seattle is a project that documents the displaced and disappearing institutions, small businesses, and cultures of Seattle. It also celebrates the histories, spaces, and communities that give the city its soul. In partnership with Cynthia Brothers and Martin Tran, Vanishing Seattle Film Fest features short films produced by independent filmmakers that document a few of Seattle's changing communities.

You can always count on a festive, and sometimes over the top, holiday light experience from Olympic Manor. Stroll or roll through the mid-century modern neighborhood near Crown Hill and enjoy house after house decked with elaborate displays that will put you in the holiday spirit. To experience the lights, enter at Northwest 85th Street and 21st Avenue Northwest or at 24th Avenue Northwest and Northwest 90th Street.

Portable generators can be essential during power outages, but as their use increases so does the danger of deadly carbon monoxide exposure. It's important to learn how to operate generators in a safe and effective way and also how to recognize the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. Local firefighters from Eastside Fire and Rescue offer tips to help you and your family stay safe during the holidays and year-round.

Watch other videos in this series:

Candle Safety
Christmas Tree & Lights Safety 
Kitchen Safety
Ladder Safety
Portable Generator Safety & Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Portable Space Heater Safety
Smoke Alarm Safety

Multitasking is a given during the holidays but it's really important to be alert and aware when you're cooking in the kitchen. Local firefighters have some tips that will set you up for success, but also help you be ready when things go wrong. Bellevue Fire Department offers up the recipe for safe and delicious cooking during the holidays and year-round.

Watch other videos in this series:
Candle Safety
Christmas Tree & Lights Safety 
Fire Extinguisher Safety
Ladder Safety
Portable Generator Safety & Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Portable Space Heater Safety
Smoke Alarm Safety

Whether you have a live or artificial Christmas tree, there are some hidden hazards you'll want to look out for. To reduce fire risk, live trees need to stay hydrated. Vintage lights may look nice, but they can generate heat and it's important to inspect all of the light strands for damage. Local firefighters from South King Fire and Rescue offer tips to help you and your family have a festive, and safe, holiday season.

Watch other videos in this series:

Candle Safety
Fire Extinguisher Safety
Kitchen Safety
Ladder Safety
Portable Generator Safety & Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Portable Space Heater Safety
Smoke Alarm Safety

Smoke alarms are one of the best ways to keep you and your family safe from fire. But placement is important, and they need to be tested monthly and replaced every ten years. Local firefighters from Seattle Fire Department offer tips to help you and your family stay safe during the holidays and year-round.

Watch other videos in this series:

Candle Safety
Christmas Tree & Lights Safety 
Fire Extinguisher Safety
Kitchen Safety
Ladder Safety
Portable Generator Safety & Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Portable Space Heater Safety

Candles can be an essential part of holiday decor for many people, but if used incorrectly they can be a fire hazard. It may seem obvious, but a few simple reminders about safely using flame candles go a long way. Local firefighters from Seattle Fire Department offer tips to help you and your family stay safe during the holidays and year-round.

Watch other videos in this series:

Christmas Tree & Lights Safety 
Fire Extinguisher Safety
Kitchen Safety
Ladder Safety
Portable Generator Safety & Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Portable Space Heater Safety
Smoke Alarm Safety

During the colder winter months, we sometimes rely on portable space heaters to keep us cozy and warm. But, to avoid fire hazards it's important to operate them in a safe manner. Local firefighters from Seattle Fire Department offer tips to help you and your family stay safe during the holidays and year-round.

Watch other videos in this series:

Candle Safety
Christmas Tree & Lights Safety 
Fire Extinguisher Safety
Kitchen Safety
Ladder Safety
Portable Generator Safety & Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Smoke Alarm Safety

Every year, firefighters get numerous calls from people who have suffered injuries from falling off a ladder. Whether you're up on the ladder place holiday lights or clean out gutters, it's important to keep a few things in mind. Local firefighters from South King Fire and Rescue offer tips to help you and your family stay safe during the holidays and year-round.

Watch other videos in this series:

Candle Safety
Christmas Tree & Lights Safety 
Fire Extinguisher Safety
Kitchen Safety
Portable Generator Safety & Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Portable Space Heater Safety
Smoke Alarm Safety

Portable generators can be essential during power outages, but as their use increases so does the danger of deadly carbon monoxide exposure. It's important to learn how to operate generators in a safe and effective way and also how to recognize the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. Local firefighters from Eastside Fire and Rescue offer tips to help you and your family stay safe during the holidays and year-round.

Watch other videos in this series:

Candle Safety
Christmas Tree & Lights Safety 
Fire Extinguisher Safety
Kitchen Safety
Ladder Safety
Portable Space Heater Safety
Smoke Alarm Safety

The City of Seattle is ready to launch its third Health One vehicle.  Operated by the Seattle Fire Department, Health One is a special unit designed to respond to individuals immediately in their moment of need and help them navigate the situation, particularly those suffering from a substance or mental health crisis. This new unit will be based in South Seattle, and will help reduce non-emergency call responses for police. Each vehicle is staffed with an SFD EMT and Human Services mental health case manager.  The unit is scheduled to hit the streets January of 2022.

Every autumn, the sounds of rakes and leaf blowers signal the changing seasons. Where do all those leaves go? In many cases they are transformed into compost, a nutrient-rich soil that help plants grow without the need for chemical fertilizers. Learn how Seattle Public Utilities' composting program turns yard waste into "conditioner for your soil" while reducing greenhouse gasses that contribute to climate change. Aerial video provided courtesy Cedar Grove. Produced by Matt Mills McKnight

You may not think of hip graphic design when it comes to government entities, but Seattleites Nate Hoe and Ryan Hunt are here to change your mind one vintage logo at a time. They co-founded Seattle Department of Design (SDOD), a "wearable research project" that celebrates retro local government graphics and our city's unique design aesthetic. Produced by David Albright

The Refugee Artisan Initiative (RAI) has teamed up with Swedish Health Services to provide custom made, sustainable medical scrubs. The scrubs are custom fit for each health care worker's unique size, embroidered with their names, titles, and even military veteran status.  In some instances, the scrubs are delivered faster and at a lower cost than orders filled from overseas. All garments are made by refugee or immigrant women learning sewing and small business skills through RAI.  

Matt Paynton saw "Batman," the movie, on the big screen in 1989 and has been dressing up as the superhero crime fighter ever since. Before comic conventions and cosplay came along, wearing the Batman costume was just a Halloween tradition. Nowadays, as "Batman in Seattle," Paynton and his fellow crime fighters at Costumed Characters for Causes lift spirits at charity events around the area. 

Fall is in the air, and the red, orange, and yellow foliage is on full display. Enjoy the season's burst of colors with this look at tree-lined Beacon Avenue in South Seattle. Video by Ian Devier

Rosie's Village, a 36-unit tiny house village located at the corner of NE 45th and Roosevelt Way NE in the heart of Seattle's University District, is named for the adjacent Roosevelt Way. Built on unutilized Sound Transit property, Rosie's will provide much-needed shelter spaces in the University District. On-site case managers will help residents obtain permanent housing, employment, health care, food security, and other services. Each tiny house has electricity, heat, and a locking door, and the village has shared kitchen, restroom, shower, and laundry facilities as well as security and a counseling office. Rosie's Village was built in partnership with Sound Transit, City of Seattle, Low Income Housing Institute, Sound Foundations NW, and many other volunteers and organizations.

Watch a press conference from the grand opening held Sept. 28, 2021.

Thousands came out to celebrate three new Link light rail stations on Saturday, Oct. 2. The 4.3-mile extension adds stops at Northgate, Roosevelt and U District, with trips of less than 15 minutes from Northgate to downtown Seattle. The $1.9 billion expansion was approved by voters in 2008 in the Sound Transit 2 ballot measure. 

Seattle native and University of Washington graduate Minoru Yamasaki gave us the United States Science Pavilion for the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. He designed the iconic Rainier Tower and what we now know as Puget Sound Plaza. His most famous work, however, is New York City's World Trade Center, which was destroyed in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. For more information, visit HistoryLink.org, the free online encyclopedia of Washington state history.

Is there anything better than summer in Seattle? From Golden Gardens in Ballard to Seward Park in the southeast corner of the city, videographer Chris Barnes captured Seattleites basking in the glow of summer in this hypnotizing hyperlapse video. 

The annual Seattle Design Festival, taking place at Lake Union Park, will bring together the design community with the public in an outdoor block party. Celebrating the way design affects our lives, the festival will feature pop-up experiences, large-scale built installations and many other hands-on activities for all ages to enjoy. The festival runs Aug. 21-22 from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. 

Following the loss of their Chinatown International District location, Massive Monkees turned to Seattle Parks and Recreation for a place to gather, teach, and dance. The world-renowned breakdance crew is committed to building community around the positive art forms of hip-hop culture. Massive Monkees are the recipients of a Welcome Back Seattle grant and this summer they're offering free open dance sessions at Jefferson Park and Pratt Park. All skill levels are welcome.

Free open dance sessions with Massive Monkees:

Tuesdays at the Covered Basketball Court at Jefferson Park through September 7, 2021

Fridays at picnic shelter #3 at Pratt Park from 6-9 p.m through September 3, 2021

"Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!" From cute animals to action heroes, kiddos (and kids at heart) dressed up Sunday during the City of Seattle's Welcome Back to Westlake event. Take a look back at the festivities celebrating downtown businesses and communities. 

Chinatown International District (CID) was alive with art, food, music, and more over the weekend. The community helped kick off three events, which aim to bring visitors and workers back to downtown Seattle neighborhoods that were hit hard during the pandemic. The "Welcome Back Weeks" celebrations continue in Pioneer Square on July 24, followed by celebrations in Westlake on July 25.