LWTC, LWSD classes canceled Wednesday, Kirkland Municipal Court to reopen despite more street closures

Published 9:04 am Monday, November 22, 2010

Many schools and roads are closed and some local services have been postponed due to weather conditions in and around Kirkland. The National Weather Service is advising that temperatures will not rise above freezing until Thursday and more snow may fall on the Puget Sound area Wednesday evening and into Thursday morning.

Currently there are some road closures within the city limits but no major arterials, according to City of Kirkland spokesperson Marie Stake. The city is reminding residents that hilly streets are prone to hazards and closed in accordance with the city’s snow/ice removal priority system.

The following roads are currently closed: Side streets between Market Street and Sixth Street; Second Avenue South off of Lake Street South and 9400 block of 131st Way near Juanita Elementary. The city has also added hilly streets at 5th Avenue South, east of Lake Street South, N.E. 52nd Street from 108th Avenue N.E. to Lake Washington Boulevard and Kirkland Avenue from Railroad Avenue to Slater and N.E. 121st Street at 108th Avenue. To view the City’s snow/ice removal priority map, please visit www.ci.kirkland.wa.us. To report road hazards within Kirkland city limits, please call 425-587-3900.

One of the biggest closures is the Lake Washington School District, which was closed Tuesday and will be closed on Wednesday, Nov. 24. The closure includes no extended day care. All activities are canceled. There are no athletics, events or building use. School administrators anticipate class to be back in session on Monday.

All three Lake Washington Technical College campuses are also closed Wednesday.

The City of Kirkland closed the Kirkland Municipal Court and City recreation programs and classes were also cancled. It is anticipated that the Kirkland Municipal Court will be open on Wednesday, Nov. 24, however, court customers are encouraged to call the Court after 8:30 a.m. at 425-587-3160 to confirm the status of services.

“In coordination with the Lake Washington School District school closures, recreation programs and classes offered by the City are cancelled and the North Kirkland and Peter Kirk Community Centers are closed,” said Stake.

Kirkland City Hall is open today with limited staff. The North Kirkland Community Center and Peter Kirk Community Centers are closed and recreation classes have been canceled.

Luckily, there have been no reports of power outages within city limits.

Most city administrative offices will be closed tomorrow due to furlough.

Waste Management will not have service to King County residents Tuesday. In most areas, up to twice as much material will be accepted on the next regular collection day for each container. Contact Waste Management at 1-800-592-9995 (Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or visit http://www.wmnorthwest.com/weatherboard.html for more information.

Eastside Interfaith Social Concerns Council is operating a severe weather shelter Tuesday, Nov. 23 and Wednesday, Nov. 24 in the evening hours. The shelter is located at the Crossroads Community Center, 16000 N.E. 10th Street, Bellevue. Please call 425-614-8544 prior to arriving at the shelter.

The following are tips from the City of Kirkland for weathering the cold:

Personal Preparedness for Winter Weather Conditions

The American Red Cross reminds citizens that exposure to cold can cause injury or serious illness such as frostbite or hypothermia. The likelihood of injury or illness depends on factors such as physical activity, clothing, wind, humidity, working and living conditions, and a person’s age and state of health. The American Red Cross offers these tips to stay safe in the cold weather:

Dress appropriately before going outdoors. Dress in layers so you can adjust to changing conditions and wear a hat that covers your ears. Avoid overdressing or overexertion that can lead to illness.

If possible, avoid being outside in the coldest part of the day, or for extended periods of time in extreme cold weather.

Wear waterproof, insulated boots to help avoid hypothermia or frostbite by keeping your feet warm and dry and to maintain your footing in ice and snow.

Take frequent breaks and stay hydrated.

Keep a winter storm survival kit in your car. This should include blankets, food, flares, chains, gloves and first aid supplies.

Prepare your vehicle. Winterize your car by taking it to a trusted mechanic, who will check things like the tires for appropriate pressure and tread, the cooling system, the battery, the wiper blades and washer fluid, etc.

During the winter months, make sure to keep your gas tank near full to avoid ice in the tank and fuel lines. Keep extra blankets in the trunk in the event that you are stranded and have to wait for help. 

For more safety tips or to purchase a disaster kit for your home or vehicle, please visit www.seattleredcross.org.

Home Preparedness for Winter Storm Conditions

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers the following preparedness tips:

Prepare for possible isolation in your home by having sufficient heating fuel; regular fuel sources may be cut off. For example, store a good supply of dry, seasoned wood for your fireplace or wood-burning stove.

Winterize your home to extend the life of your fuel supply by insulating walls and attics, caulking and weather-stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows or covering windows with plastic.

Insulate pipes with insulation or newspapers and plastic and allow faucets to drip a little during cold weather to avoid freezing.

Keep fire extinguishers on hand, and make sure everyone in your house knows how to use them. House fires pose an additional risk, as more people turn to alternate heating sources without taking the necessary safety precautions.

Learn how to shut off water valves (in case a pipe bursts). If the pipes freeze, remove any insulation or layers of newspapers and wrap pipes in rags. Completely open all faucets and pour hot water over the pipes, starting where they were most exposed to the cold (or where the cold was most likely to penetrate).

Maintain ventilation when using kerosene heaters to avoid build-up of toxic fumes. Refuel kerosene heaters outside and keep them at least three feet from flammable objects.

A special note about using back-up generators and space heaters:

Use alternative heat sources and back-up generators safely and wisely. Follow manufacturers’ instructions. Adequately vent fueled space heaters (e.g., kerosene, propane, alcohol) to avoid fatal carbon monoxide gas buildup. If used incorrectly, generators pose a significant hazard to both the user and crews attempting to restore power. Never plug them in to feed power to your home circuitry. Instead, plug appliances and fixtures directly into the outlets of the generator. Be sure to use generators in a well-ventilated area.

If you cook with outdoor grills or campstoves, use them outdoors. Using them indoors without proper ventilation may cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Natural-gas stoves and ovens will work properly even when the power is out. (Use a match to manually light cooktop burners).

For more information on emergency preparedness, visit www.takewinterbystorm.org.

City Emergency Public Information:

Go to www.ci.kirkland.wa.us/emergency

Watch to KGOV Channel 21 (Comcast Channel 31, Verizon Channel 32) and KLIFE Channel 75 (Comcast Channel 32, Verizon Channel 33). Available to City of Kirkland residents and online at www.ci.kirkland.wa.us.

Subscribe to the Neighborhood EBulletin to receive email updates. To subscribe to the e-bulletin, go to www.ci.kirkland.wa.us/E-Bulletins and click on the “Kirkland E-mail Alerts” icon.  

To receive regional emergency news alerts, subscribe to the Regional Public Information Network (RPIN) at www.rpin.org.