As residents throughout King County continue to recover from the November rains and December winds, the Metropolitan King County Council’s Growth Management and Natural Resources Committee will review the county’s response to the winter storms and be briefed on the impacts to King County’s natural resources and utilities at its next meeting on Tuesday, January 9, at 9:30 a.m.

“In the space of six weeks, every corner of King County was hit by two major and severe storm events,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips, chair of the Growth Management Committee. “Preparation is the best tool in responding to disasters—both natural and man-made. The briefing is an opportunity to assess the damage, see what worked, and take note of where we need to improve.”

The briefing will cover:

• Impacts on county wastewater treatment facilities, including Brightwater construction and the West Point wastewater discharge event
• Impacts on county parks facilities, trails, and trees, and the role of parks in providing emergency shelter
• Flood warning systems, flood management, and levees
• Disposal of storm debris and impacts on solid waste transfer stations

Tuesday’s briefing also serves as a launching point for a full Council Town Hall meeting in February that will take a broader inter-jurisdictional review of storm response and long-range policies.

“As stormy weather continues to grip the region, I hope King County can start applying the ‘lessons learned’ from what we’ve already endured,” said Phillips. “During storms, citizens should take care to avoid carbon monoxide exposure from running generators in enclosed areas, should look in on vulnerable neighbors, and avoid driving over downed power lines and through flooded streets.”