Courtesy
Imagine a massive power-grid failure leaving the entire Pacific Northwest without electricity. Now imagine this happening while Seattle hosts the World Cup Games!
Volunteer workers of the Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs will test their crisis-response skills under a simulation of those conditions in activation drills scheduled for June:
• Saturday, June 7, Noon to 4 PM
El Centro de la Raza
2524 16th Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98144
• Sunday, June 22, 2025, Noon to 4 PM
Maple Leaf Reservoir Park (Southwest Corner)
8204 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115
The public is invited to these events – to learn about the Hubs, to think about their personal preparations for a disaster, and to assist Hubs volunteers in putting their skills, resources, and procedures to work. “We especially need people who can read a short script and present the Hub a problem to solve,” said Ann Forest, exercise coordinator.
The drill includes orchestrating a shift change, and a steady stream of “actors” will ensure that the Hubs volunteers can test their procedures, resources, and skills under conditions resembling a real-life emergency.
Hub volunteers have received training in Psychological First Aid.
“We want to practice using the skills we have learned in a high-stress situation,” Forrest said. “We will need actors who can help create a sense of the stress of the situation without going overboard.”
New this year is a medical component. Doctors, nurses, EMT’s, and people with similar skills are encouraged to show up and learn how they can help.
The Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs is a grassroots organization dating back to 2008; its purpose is to gather and share information and to match needs and resources in the event of a disaster or other crisis. The Hubs are locations where neighbors and community members can gather to begin helping themselves before outside assistance arrives. The Seattle Hubs comprise more than 130 designated gathering points throughout the city of Seattle; more than 70 of these are “staffed” by neighborhood volunteers ready to activate in the event of a disaster. Visit seattleemergencyhubs.org for more information, including a map of Hub locations.