Community Engagement
Creating A Culture of Preparedness
Living in Seattle can be both a wonderful and eye-opening experience. You may not know it, but Seattle is prone to many disasters that could be brought on by both natural and human-caused hazards. This doesn’t have to be a scary thing though. Knowing what you have to be prepared for is the first step to creating a culture of preparedness for your family and within your community.
Disasters in the U.S. have disproportionate impacts on people of color and other vulnerable groups and can increase the inequality that already exists in communities. OEM is committed to prioritizing outreach and engagement to those communities that are likely to be most impacted by disasters.
The trainings listed below can be scheduled (subject to staff and/or volunteer availability) by filling out our Training Request Form
Please read through the available options in detail so you can choose the training that best fits your needs. OEM offers both in-person and virtaul training options.
Note: Our Seattle Neighbor Actively Prepares Program (SNAP) will only be offered in person for low-income and senior housing facilities. We will offer virtaul SNAP programming for all audiences.
Click here to access Training Request Form (IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ACCESS THIS FORM, PLEASE CALL (206) 233-5076 TO ARRANGE A PROGRAM.)
Disaster Preparedness: The Basics
This presentation provides an overview of the hazards that can impact Seattle, and steps that individuals and families can take to become more prepared to deal with them. This includes guidance on how to develop a disaster plan, build a disaster supply kit, and organize with your neighbors to become better prepared. The presentation also provides an overview of other OEM efforts including the SNAP program, Community Emergency Hubs, and the City's new alert and notification system, Alert Seattle.
Intended Audience: This presentation is intended for a broad array of audiences. This could include a business or non-profit organization looking to increase the personal preparedness of its employees. It could also
include a community group looking to improve the personal preparedness of the neighborhood or people they serve.
Duration: Approximately 1 hour
Neighborhood Preparedness (SNAP: Seattle Neighborhoods Actively Prepare)
The SNAP program introduces participants to basic information on personal and family preparedness, including how to develop a disaster plan and an emergency supply kit. In addition, this presentation provides guidance and tools for organizing with neighbors. Participants will become familiar with neighborhood response priorities and strategies for working together with neighbors to ensure an effective neighborhood response.
Intended Audience: A group of neighbors from a particular block, apartment building, or condo. You may also want to have a SNAP presentation at a community center or other location to get a larger group of neighbors thinking about preparedness.
Duration: 45 minutes - 1 hour
Workplace Preparedness
The workplace preparedness training provides an overview of key workplace preparedness steps, including guidance on planning for sheltering in place, plans for communicating with employees, clients and partners, the basics of continuity planning, and the importance of individual and family preparedness for employees.
Intended Audience: A business, community organization, or other workplace that is in the process of developing emergency plans or wants to improve existing preparedness efforts. Typically this will be smaller organizations that do not have staff dedicated solely to safety or continuity planning.
Duration: 45 minutes – 1 hour
Emergency Planning for Child Care Providers Workshop
The Emergency Planning for Child Care Provider workshop provides a curriculum for providers wishing to prepare their centers and/or at-home programs for disasters. The workshop provides training on hazard mitigation, utility control, hosting effective drills, education, child release & family reunification, and guidance for working with the community before and after disasters.
Intended Audience: Licensed child care centers, Licensed at-home programs, Unlicensed child care programs
Duration: 2 hours - 2.5 hours
Special Events
When possible OEM will staff informational tables at special events. OEM staff will provide information on personal and family preparedness and interactive preparedness activities. These types of events are more difficult to staff, but we do our best to accommodate these requests.
Skills Specific Training
OEM offers and supports a series of courses that provide more in depth instruction on specific preparedness and response topics. The trainings listed below are offered throughout the year at various locations throughout the city as scheduled by OEM.
Earthquake Home Retrofit Classes
Introductory class provides information for do-it-yourselfers or those who want to become educated consumers on how to seismically secure your home (especially if built before 1980) to its foundation. Experienced home retrofit instructors share their insight on tools needed, building techniques, the city's free plan set and the permit process. View the upcoming trainings page to see when the next class is offered.
Home Retrofit Contractor Training Seminar
The Washington Association of Building Officials (WABO) hosts a one day seminar for contractors on how to complete a seismic retrofit based on the city's standard plan set. This seminar is scheduled based on demand. If you are a contractor interested in taking this class, contact WABO at tjenkins@wabo.org. Once they have established sufficient interest, they will work to schedule a class.
Disaster Skills Series
Disaster Skills Workshop
This workshop provides training on key skills needed after a disaster and more in-depth instruction on key preparedness actions. Participants will rotate through up to four stations, with each lasting no more than 30 minutes.
The workshop covers the following topics:
(1) Fire Extinguisher Use,
(2) Utility Control,
(3) Water Storage and Purification and
(4) Emergency Sanitation.
Registration is required for this session. View the upcoming trainings page to see when the next workshop is offered.
Disaster Skills: Stop The Bleed
Mass casualty events can happen at anytime and anywhere. At your workplace, at the game, during your commute, or even at your house. This free Stop the Bleed training will equip participants with the knowledge to save lives. This training is led by volunteer EMTs, nurses and physicians and includes hand-on practice sessions.
Upon completion, participants will be able to:
(1) Describe the progressive strategy for controlling hemorrhage.
(2) Demonstrate wound packing and learn about topical hemostatic dressings.
(3) Explain the rationale for early use of a tourniquet for life-threatening extremity bleeding.
(4) Demonstrate the appropriate application of a tourniquet to the arm and leg.
To learn more about ways the Stop the Bleed program can benefit your community, visit the Stop the Bleed page!
Online Training
The Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) offers on-line courses through their Emergency Management Institute. The courses are self-paced and designed for people who have emergency management responsibilities and the general public. All are offered free-of-charge to those who qualify for enrollment. Here is a list of courses that may be of interest:
IS-10.A:
Animals in Disasters: Awareness and Preparedness
IS-36:
Multihazard Planning for Childcare
IS-106.17:
Workplace Violence Awareness Training 2017
IS-325:
Earthquake Basics: Science, Risk, and Mitigation
Seattle OEM Skills Videos
For those unable to attend an OEM disaster skills training, or looking for a refresher, these short videos provide instruction on some key disaster skills.
Controlling Utilities: Gas
Controlling Utilities: Water
Using a Fire Extinguisher