Personal and Home Disaster Preparedness

The Alaskan Way Viaduct was closed for inspections and emergency drills on October 15 and 16. Find out more about the closure on the Washington State Department of Transportation web site.

Audible Warning System

Seattle tests Audible Warning System
on October 15, 2005 - 10:05 a.m.

The Audible Warning System is an all-hazards system that can be used by first responders (police and fire) to warn the public via a broadcast message of any life-threatening hazard that can affect their safety. The current system has towers with tone alarm and public address equipment installed at the following three locations: Cruise Ship Terminal 30, Fire Station 5, and Myrtle Edwards Park.

Citizens should know that before a message is broadcast, strobe lights will activate from the towers and an audible tone to get peoples’ attention will be followed by a succinct verbal message that will give specific instructions on immediate actions people should take related to the specific hazard.

Click here to read the Q & A about
the Audible Warning System

Download a map showing
the Audible Warning System Towers
and Audible Tone Decibel Ranges
- Adobe PDF 278 kb

Seattle conducted emergency exercises during a Viaduct closure on October 15, 2005 - 10 a.m.

On October 15, 2005, the Washington State Department of Transportation closed the Alaskan Way Viaduct for its biannual inspection. Seattle used this opportunity to conduct a two-hour, limited-play field emergency exercise focusing on the City of Seattle’s initial response to an explosion near the Viaduct. This drill marked the first time the City tested the Seattle Department of Transportation’s Viaduct emergency closure plan.

Download a map showing
the location of the
City field exercise
- Adobe PDF 38 kb

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Emergency and Earthquake - Personal and Family Preparedness Video
Created to help Seattle residents prepare for disasters. Available in English, Amharic, Cambodian, Cantonese, Oromo, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Tigrinya and Vietnamese.

Emergency Training Classes
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Fire Facilities and Emergency Response Levy Program
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Pay a Parking or Traffic Ticket Online
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Guide to Maps - Staying Safe
City maps to assist you in the event of an emergency.