MYEVERETTNEWS.com

Timely information from Snohomish PUD as rain and wind are in the forecast for the next couple of days.

A good reminder no matter the cause.

With stormy weather forecast for the latter part of the week, Snohomish County PUD is prepared to respond quickly to power outages and minimize disruptions to its customers. The PUD will be taking extra precautions to ensure the safety and well-being of its employees and customers during the ongoing pandemic.

“Our employees have worked tirelessly to maintain reliability throughout the COVID pandemic,” said John Haarlow, PUD CEO/GM. “We will continue to respond to outages in a timely manner that puts safety paramount during the upcoming storm season.”

The National Weather Service is calling for rain and windy conditions to impact Snohomish County and the Puget Sound region beginning the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 23, and continuing through Friday. The PUD will be monitoring weather conditions to ensure personnel are available to respond. Starting Wednesday, the PUD will assign crews to designated areas of the county for a faster response time to possible outages.

Because of extra safety precautions, storm restoration may take additional time. PUD line crews are practicing social distancing when able to in the field, wearing fire-resistant face coverings and sanitizing equipment and tools between each use.

“In normal times, our crews enjoy interacting with our customers while restoring power,” said Aaron Janisko, Senior Manager Regional Design & Construction Services, “but during the pandemic we are asking customers to respect our crews’ safety and keep their distance while they work.”

With more customers working from home during the pandemic, it’s important to remember to be prepared for potential outages. Customers should make sure to have a supply of non-perishable food and water available, and flashlights and a radio with charged batteries ready. Customers can visit www.snopud.com/winterprep to learn what to put in an easily assembled emergency kit that will help them get through an extended outage. Also, make sure cell phones are charged and bookmark the PUD’s Outage Map at www.snopud.com/outagemap.

To ensure an uninterrupted power supply, customers should consider purchasing a portable generator. If using a transfer switch to power hard-wired systems, the generator should be installed by a licensed electrician to make sure the generator does not back feed to the PUD’s system. Portable generators should never be used inside the home or garage.

Customers and first responders are advised to stay away from any fallen power lines, including lines that are sagging or broken. The safe thing to do is assume that all power lines are live and can injure or kill if a person comes in contact with them. Any fallen or damaged power line should be reported to the PUD at 425-783-1001. If it’s a life-threatening situation or medical emergency, call 9-1-1.

For more information on storm preparation and to track and report power outages, visit the PUD’s Outage Map at www.snopud.com/outagemap. Customers can also report outages by calling 425-783-1001.

From longtime MyEverettNews.com sponsor Totem Diner…

Open daily at 7am for breakfast and lunch at 44th and Rucker.

This in today from Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin.

Mayor of Everett, Washington, Cassie Franklin. Photo credit: City of Everett

“The strength and vitality of our community comes from our rich diversity of cultures, experiences and faiths,” said Franklin. “I am committed to ensuring Everett remains a welcoming, inclusive and safe community for all who live, work and visit here.”

The directive builds and expands upon the work completed through the mayor’s 2018 directive on community engagement and inclusion and outlines initiatives to: engage with all Everett residents, especially those historically underrepresented; diversify the City workforce to better reflect the diversity of Everett; and embed equity as an explicit government principle in all City departments to assess how City operations, policies and procedures impact Everett residents.

“Since 2018, we have made meaningful progress in our efforts to achieve our vision of ‘One Everett. A connected and engaged community built on trust, inclusion and equity’,” said Franklin. “Yet, much work remains to dismantle institutional barriers to success that impact marginalized communities, including our Black, Indigenous, people of color, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, and low-income households.”

Under the directive, City staff will:

• Foster engagement and mutual understanding with the Black, Indigenous, people of color community, as well as other marginalized communities
• Improve inclusion, equity and diversity at the City and create a culture of anti-racism, which actively addresses barriers to opportunities for all
• Identify and address inequities and bias in City systems, policies and data

Read the full directive and learn more at everettwa.gov/directives.

The pier was filled with happy people today as the USS Kidd returned to Everett. Here’s the story as provided by the public affairs office at Naval Station Everett.

USS Kidd photo courtesy US Navy

Kidd deployed in April 2020, along with an embarked detachment from the “Wolf Pack” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 75 (HSM 75). During deployment, they conducted U.S. Southern Command and Joint Interagency Task Force South’s enhanced counternarcotics operations missions in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean.

Kidd Sailors aided the embarked U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) in the recovery of 805 kilograms of suspected cocaine worth over an estimated wholesale value of $30 million. In addition, the crew rendered assistance to a fishing vessel in distress, towing the vessel over 200 nautical miles to safety, and participated in a passing exercise (PASSEX) with the El Salvadoran Navy.

While on deployment in a COVID-19 environment, a primary focus of ship’s leadership was crew safety.

“This deployment has been extremely challenging, but Kidd set the standard for operational mission execution and readiness”, said Cmdr. Nathan Wemett, Kidd’s commanding officer. “I thank all the Sailors and U.S. Coast Guardsmen
who overcame many obstacles in order to carry out our mission.”

“I could not be more impressed with my team of Sailors, chief petty officers, and officers for their accomplishments,” said Cmdr. Matt Noland, Kidd’s executive officer. “They were able to safely execute missions vital to national security and I am thankful for all of the Kidd families who maintained the home front during a challenge none of us anticipated prior to our deployment.”

“Each ship that has operated in the U.S. 4th Fleet AOR has represented the best our Navy has to offer and I am proud of their resiliency, professionalism and more importantly their sense of service and duty, said Capt. Tom Myers, commodore, Destroyer Squadron 43. “Because of them, as a force, we have been able to advance our goals significantly as relates to counternarcotics operations and other maritime missions.”

Kidd partnered with other U.S. Navy warships, as well as numerous U.S. agencies from the Departments of Defense, Justice and Homeland Security, in the effort to combat transnational organized crime. The Coast Guard, U.S.
Navy, Customs and Border Protection, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with allied and international partner agencies, are all playing a role in counter-drug operations.