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Dear Neighbors, A healthy lifestyle and safe community are key ingredients to the quality of life for you and your family. As Chair of the King County Board of Health, I recognize the need to not only implement healthy policies, but also to promote education, share valuable information and lead by example. Therefore, in this e-newsletter, I highlight health and safety information and events which may be of interest of to you, including an upcoming County Council Town Hall meeting on pandemic flu and preparedness being held in South King County. I encourage you to read below and contact me with any feedback or suggestions related to public health and safety or any other County matter. If you would like to share your thoughts in person, please join me and Councilmember Reagan Dunn at a meet-and-greet this Wednesday, August 23rd from 7:00 to 8:30pm at the Spirit of Washington Event Center at 233 Burnett Avenue South in Renton. It is a pleasure and an honor to serve you. Sincerely, |
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As Chair of the Board of Health, I am very concerned about the number of drownings this summer in our lakes and pools. In a recent meeting, the Board of Health received a briefing on drowning and drowning prevention, which outlined a number of steps for prevention that may prove useful when you enjoy water sports this summer. They are: 1. When boating or in deep water, always wear a life jacket. A number of lakes have life jacket day rentals to make wearing one less cost prohibitive and easy to access. 2. Know the water. We have very cold water in the Pacific Northwest, even in some lakes. Do not stay in cold water too long and avoid swimming in areas with high or unpredictable currents. 3. Limit alcohol when swimming. Drinking excessively impairs judgment in the water and often is the primary cause of accidental drowning. 4. Always swim in areas with lifeguards, especially in large lakes like Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish that have contained swimming areas. This not only ensures that a lifeguard is in range in case something happens, but reduces the risk of motor sport/swimmer accidents. I recently sent a letter to the Mayors of all the cities in King County encouraging them to retain funding for lifeguards. We know the presence of a lifeguard is one of the best drowning prevention methods. I was pleased to hear back from a number of Mayors who understand the importance of lifeguards on drowning prevention, and know that relative to their minor cost, lifeguards provide an invaluable service to their communities. |
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Emergency Preparedness Town Hall a Success Thank you to the Des Moines residents who joined me at the Woodmont Elementary School gymnasium in Des Moines on July 26th for a community discussion about emergency planning. I hosted this town hall meeting to provide an opportunity for local residents to find out what King County is doing to prepare for a disaster such as an earthquake or pandemic flu. They also learned what can be done to keep themselves and their families safe during emergencies I was joined by Eric Holdeman, King County Director of Emergency Management, and Caren Adams, Seattle/King County Public Health’s South Region Health Educator. Both of these County officials provided valuable information and answered questions. By coming together at community meetings like this, we become better prepared to keep our families safe should an emergency occur. If you missed my Town Hall meetings in Des Moines and Renton and are interested in learning more, please visit my website or attend the upcoming King County Council Town Hall on Pandemic Flu and Preparedness: Monday, August 28th |
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Please join me! I am sponsoring a team to take part in the Lifelong AIDS Alliance’s 2006 AIDS Walk and welcome you to participate. The walk will be held on Saturday, September 9, 2006 and will start at Volunteer Park in l Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. This is their 20th Anniversary year, so the event will be memorable and well attended. Please contact my office by calling: 206.296.1005 or emailing julia.patterson@metrokc.gov for more information or to join Team Patterson. Lifelong AIDS Alliance is a non-profit organization in King County that assists over 5,000 people living with HIV/AIDS every year. Services they provide include food, housing, health insurance and access to medical care. To learn more about the Lifelong AIDS Alliance and the work they do in King County, visit their website: www.llaa.org |
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The King County Live Well Challenge is an annual 8-week event during August and September. This team-based competition for King County employees is designed to encourage fruit, vegetable and whole grain consumption and regular physical activity through friendly competition. To set a good example, my four staff members and I have come together to form a team (District Five Fitness Fans) to participate in the competition. We all are eating healthy and are engaging in at least 30 minutes of exercise five days a week. If we can do it, you can too! Check my website at the end of September for a report on how we did. For more information about the Live Well Challenge, and how you can replicate it in your workplace, visit the Live Well Challenge website. |
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