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On Wednesday the Snohomish Health District in Everett, Washington announced a second Snohomish County resident has been hospitalized reportedly due to a vaping-associated lung injury. Here’s their press release:

Vaping has become extremely popular in the past 3 years.

A woman in her forties was hospitalized last week. She reported vaping both flavored nicotine and THC products. The products were purchased legally.

A medical provider reported the case to the Snohomish Health District. The District, in partnership with the state Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has asked providers to report lung injuries that are not fully explained by another infection or illness, and where the patient reports use of an e-cigarette or vapor device.

The CDC is reporting nearly 1,300 cases of vaping-associated lung injury across the country, and 26 deaths. Locally, there have been a total of 12 cases reported throughout Washington. The specific ingredient(s) or contaminant(s) causing the national outbreak has not yet been determined. Whether Snohomish County’s and Washington State’s cases are linked to or caused by the same culprit as the national outbreak is also unknown at this time.

No additional Snohomish County cases are being investigated at this time.

Dr. Chris Spitters, interim health officer for the Snohomish Health District, urges people who vape to strongly consider quitting. “And those who don’t vape shouldn’t start,” he said.

“Our position remains the same,” said Dr. Spitters. “There are serious health concerns with using e-cigarettes or vapor devices, regardless of what product or substance you use. Although we do not know what is causing these lung injuries, we do know that the ingredients in vaping products are not regulated by the FDA, their long-term health effects are uncertain, and this national outbreak certainly points toward potentially serious and even fatal consequences for many users.”

People who use vapor or THC products should seek medical attention if they experience coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, fever, nausea or fatigue. Healthcare providers should also contact the Snohomish Health District at 425.339.5278 to report cases of unexplained lung disease in people who have used e-cigarettes or vapes in the past 90 days. This includes patients who report vaporizing marijuana concentrates or extracts, often called dabbing.

If you need help quitting tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, you can contact your doctor or call the Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW for access to safe and proven methods. Trained professionals will help you set up a quit plan, provide quit help information, and provide nicotine replacement if eligible.

Along with investigating the local cases of vaping-associated lung injury, the District has been working on youth vaping prevention and parent education. The 2018 Healthy Youth Survey showed that nearly half of high school seniors in Snohomish County have tried an e-cigarette or vape pen at some point, and nearly a third of them currently use one. Only about a third of seniors said they believe regular vaping is harmful.

More information is available online at www.snohd.org/vaping. People can follow the Snohomish Health District on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for ongoing outreach about youth vaping prevention and other public health topics. Healthy communities specialists from the District also will be providing information at three November presentations about teen vaping hosted by Everett Public Schools.

More information on vaping-associated lung injury:

·         Snohomish Health District – http://www.snohd.org/vaping

·         Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Outbreak of Lung Disease Associated with E-Cigarette Use, or Vaping

·         Washington State Department of Health: Vaping Associated Lung Injury

A press release from the Everett Fire Department today regarding promotion of a long-time member of the department to the rank of assistant chief.

Calvert joined the Everett Fire Department in 2001.

“We are lucky to have him as part of our department,” states Chief DeMarco. “He brings a wealth of knowledge, skills, experience and leadership expertise to the table, which compliments the command staff team, the department, and the City as a whole.”

Calvert recently graduated from the Executive Fire Officer Program, an intensive four-year program at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, MD, on Aug. 30, 2019. During the program, he built relationships with chief fire officers across the country and developed his leadership, thinking and problem-solving skills to better serve the Everett community.

As part of the academic component of the program, Calvert completed several applied research papers. His final paper, “The Potential Impact of Earthquakes on Firefighting Water Supply in Everett, Washington (https://bit.ly/32okBmw),” describes the vulnerabilities of the Everett community and its water system to the types of earthquakes the region is likely to experience and explores the strategies used in other jurisdictions to overcome these vulnerabilities. As part of the program, Calvert successfully defended his paper in front of a panel of fire chiefs from across the country.

Calvert is a graduate from Cascade High School and a life-long Everett resident. He has a Fire Science Associate’s degree from Everett Community College and a Bachelor’s of Science degree in cellular and molecular biology from the University of Washington, which led him to a 13-year career in the local biotech industry prior to becoming a firefighter/EMT with the department. Calvert has served as a board member for the Snohomish County Red Cross and the Everett Fire Fighters Association.

This in from the Everett School District…

There’s a new outdoor courtyard. Photo credit: Everett Schools

The new building can accommodate approximately 825 students in the two-story, 123,000 square foot facility which includes 30 classrooms, an administrative office, library, gymnasium, auxiliary gymnasium, music area, cafeteria and kitchen. Of the 123,000 square feet, approximately 29,000 square feet was existing renovated space. Outdoor improvements include a new main parking lot with an improved drop-off lane, new perimeter fencing and upgrade of the track and field to synthetic surfaces, which are actively being installed with a construction completion date expected in January of 2020.

The Everett Marina has been hit by thieves taking valuables off boats this summer.

Throughout the summer, the Port of Everett Marina experienced an uptick in thefts from boats. Many thefts involved fishing rods, downriggers and other equipment taken during the early morning hours. Initially, many thefts were not reported. However, as they continued, reports were filed and Property Crimes detectives worked with victims, the Port of Everett and local businesses to identify two suspects.

Based on their investigation, detectives located and arrested a 38 year-old Everett woman. During her interview, the woman admitted to taking part in the thefts with her estranged husband and provided information that helped recover six stolen fishing poles. The woman was booked into the Snohomish County Jail on theft charges.

The following day, the 36 year-old estranged husband was located and arrested. During his interview with detectives, the man confessed to thefts at the Everett Marina, admitted to selling stolen property online and gave information on the whereabouts of four more fishing poles. The man was booked into the Snohomish County Jail on theft and trafficking charges. Detectives will work to recover the stolen fishing poles.

“Everett has a large marina community and we recognized this spree specifically targeted them,” said Lt Robert Marshall. “Detective Olsen worked diligently with the community in his investigation to identify and arrest the suspects. Excellent work brought this saga to a close.”

While the two suspects admitted to several crimes, detectives will continue working with the Port of Everett to investigate other thefts and recover more stolen property. The marina community is reminded to report all crimes and call 911 when they see something suspicious. The Everett Police and Port of Everett will continue working with marina tenants on theft prevention techniques.