 This week’s podcast features Kirkland Fire Inspector (and former “Bachelorette” contestant) Ryan Sheaffer. Check it out.
The Kirkland City Council met on January 16, 2024, in a hybrid meeting. Here’s a brief overview of some of the items from the meeting:
Council received Councilmember committee assignments to various appointments around the region covering a variety of policy areas for 2024.
Council received an update on the City’s 2024 State Legislative Agenda. The State Legislature convened for its regular session on Monday, January 8, 2024. This session, the second of the biennium, will be a short session of 60 days and it will conclude on March 7, 2024.
Prior to the above business agenda, the Council held a Study Session, where they discussed potential short-term options to activate the Houghton Park and Ride site while long term plans are developed.
How to watch: Kirkland City Council meetings are streamed live and can be watched after the fact on the City of Kirkland Facebook page and the City YouTube channel, in addition to the livestream on the City website. Meetings are also televised on Comcast Cable Channel 21 and Ziply Cable Channel 31.
To watch the Council discussions on the specific agenda items outlined above, visit the City’s website. The full agenda packet with information on each item is located on the City’s website.
The next City Council meeting is on February 6, 2024.
Temperatures may be ‘warming up’ to the 40’s this week, but heating equipment is still the leading cause of home fires across the country between December and February - with one-fifth of all home heating fires happening in January.
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Space heaters were most often the culprit, accounting for more than 2 in 5 fires.
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Fireplaces or chimneys were involved in approximately 3 in 10 home heating fires.
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Not cleaning equipment was the leading cause of home heating fires, especially creosote build-up in chimneys.
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Fires in which a heat source was too close to combustible materials caused the largest shares of deaths, injuries, and property damage.
Fortunately, the vast majority of heating fires can be prevented by keeping some safety tips from Kirkland Fire Department in mind:
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Heating equipment and chimneys should be cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
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Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from all heating equipment, including furnaces, fireplaces, wood stoves, and space heaters.
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Make sure space heaters are in good working order and used according to instructions. Turn them off when leaving the room or going to bed.
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Fireplaces should have a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room.
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If you smell gas in your gas heater, do not light the appliance. Leave the house immediately and call KFD or your gas company.
- Make sure smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are located throughout the home; test them monthly to ensure that they’re working properly.
Over the cold weekend, our Public Works Department got calls from people experiencing water pipe issues. When weather turns extreme, it’s best to know who to call if a need arises.
Do you know who your water servicer is?
The City of Kirkland's Water Division operates and maintains the City’s water infrastructure from parts of the South Juanita and Totem Lake neighborhoods southward. The Northshore Utility District and Woodinville Water District provide water to the Finn Hill, Kingsgate, and North Juanita neighborhoods.
Reminder - the water line on your property up to the meter is the responsibility of the property owner.
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Community Risk Reduction (CRR) Week raises awareness about reducing fire and other hazards to build safe, resilient communities. CRR also aims to reduce the number of emergency incidents and their impacts for both community members and emergency responders.
Here are the five “E’s” of Community Risk Reduction:
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Education – community members can learn how to be safe by checking smoke alarms and having a family emergency escape plan
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Engineering – use only products that have safe, tested designs
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Enforcement – Fire Inspectors make sure places like grocery stores and apartments are up to code
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Economic Incentive – investing in CRR decreases fire losses and saves lives
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Emergency Response – Kirkland Fire, Police and Public Works crews work to keep communities safe
Help us help our first responders, so we all stay healthy and safe!
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The beginning of the year is when some of us might be paying off credit cards online after the holidays or gathering information to do our taxes. Unfortunately, identify thieves are also getting ready to scam unsuspecting consumers.
Here are some tips from Kirkland Police to help protect your personal information:
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Do not give out your Social Security number or any account numbers to strangers who contact you over the phone, online or by mail.
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Don't use obvious passwords (like date of birth, mother's maiden name, or the last four digits of your Social Security number) and never carry them with you.
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Regularly check your credit reports (free once a year) with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
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Never enter your credit or debit card number on a website unless it offers a secure transaction. (A secure transaction will have a "padlock" icon at the bottom strip of the web page.)
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Never click on links sent in unsolicited emails. Use updated firewalls, anti-spyware, and anti-virus software to protect your home computer.
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Shred financial documents and mail containing any personal information.
For more consumer tips, attend a FREE Fraud Prevention Workshop from Consumer Protection Washington hosted by Kirkland Senior Council on Thursday, January 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Peter Kirk Community Center.
Pre-registration required - online or call 425-587-3360.
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Did the latest freezing temperatures catch you off guard? Check out the latest Let’s Chat video from Kirkland’s Office of Emergency Management for tips on how to be ‘winter ready’.
No one likes surprises. Want to stay updated about development activity in your neighborhood? Do you know about the Kirkland Activity Map? This tool is for community members to learn about building permits, land use actions, and code enforcement in their area and throughout the city.
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Spreading salt and de-icers on our sidewalks and driveways helps keep us safe in icy conditions.
But when washed off to storm drains, the salts and chemicals in de-icers can be harmful to our creeks, lakes, and wetlands. Here are a few tips for keeping us safe and our creeks healthy:
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After snow and ice melts, or when temperatures warm, sweep up any excess salt or sand and throw it in the trash.
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Use products according to the instructions on the label and give them time to work. Using more doesn’t work better – it’s just more expensive and means more pollution for our local waterways.
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Use a hand-held spreader to help you apply a consistent amount of product.
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Spread deicer before snow and ice start to accumulate. This will prevent snow from bonding with the pavement and speed the melting process.
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Northeast 132nd Street Interchange (WSDOT Project)
UPDATE - Due to inclement weather, this closure has been rescheduled and all lanes of northbound I-405 will now be closed late Jan. 20 through early Jan. 21.
Join an online project update to hear about progress made so far, ask questions of the project team, and learn how to stay informed. The meeting will cover the following:
• Upcoming closures on Northeast 132nd Street
• I-405 on- and off-ramps opening
• Previous and upcoming project milestones
The meeting will be held online via Zoom:
• Wednesday, Jan. 24, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Northeast 85th Street Interchange (WSDOT Project)
Starting as early as 11 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 26, crews will close all lanes in both directions on Northeast 85th Street between Kirkland Way/114th Avenue Northeast and 120th Avenue Northeast. On and off-ramps to I-405 and sidewalks in this area will also be closed. Northeast 85th Street will reopen to travelers at 5 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 29.
This closure is necessary for crews to demolish the I-405 collector/distributor ramps and install temporary intersections with traffic signals safely and efficiently. Following the closure, the way you travel around the area will be different.
During the closure, expect travel delays and plan for increased travel times, especially during the most congested times of the day. To stay up to date on travel conditions, check out the WSDOT Real Time Travel Map.
Please note that this work is weather-dependent, and the closures may be rescheduled for the following weekend or completed over two weekends if necessary.
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What: Both directions of Northeast 85th Street between Kirkland Way/114th Ave Northeast and 120th Avenue Northeast will be closed. Sidewalks in this area will also be closed. ALL RAMPS at the I-405/Northeast 85th Street interchange (Exit 18) will also be closed in every direction.
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When: From as early as 11 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 26 to 5 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 29. The closures will be in place 24/7 during this period.
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Where: A signed detour route will be available to guide travelers around the Northeast 85th Street closure. Pedestrian detour routes are being finalized and information will be sent in the coming weeks. Please review the detour maps and the information below for various detour information.
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Expect delays and plan for increased travel times, especially during the most congested times of the day.
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Traffic control officers and flaggers will help keep traffic flowing around the closure and on the detour routes. Please slow down for crews and for everyone’s safety.
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After the closure, the way you navigate the Northeast 85th Street and the I-405 interchange will be different than how you’re used to traveling in the area.
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Changes to the area will include:
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Pedestrian access moved to the northside of Northeast 85th Street.
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New intersection with signals on Northeast 85th Street between the southbound I-405 off-ramp and the southbound I-405 on-ramp.
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New intersection with signals on Northeast 85th Street between the northbound I-405 off-ramp and northbound I-405 on-ramp.
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Visit the WSDOT webpage for more information about the new traffic changes coming to the area. WSDOT will be sending out additional information regarding the traffic changes in the coming weeks.
Stay up to date and sign up for the I-405/Northeast 85th Interchange and BRT Station Project email list.
5th Ave S Water Main Upgrade
Kirkland's contractor this week is closing Fifth Avenue South, between Sixth and Seventh streets south, to vehicular traffic. The closure begins at 7 a.m. and continues until 6 p.m., Jan. 16 - Jan. 19.
Strickland & Sons is using flaggers to usher local, emergency and mail services traffic through the work zone.
The contractor has also closed the Fifth Avenue South pathway that connects Eighth Street South to Seventh Street South. Strickland & Sons Excavating plans to keep the pathway closed until May, when they expect to complete the water main upgrades.
More construction projects
Lunar New Year
Date: Saturday, February 3
Location: Peter Kirk Community Center
The community is invited to attend the annual Lunar New Year Celebration event on Saturday, February 3 from 2 to 4 p.m. Lunar New Year is a cultural event that celebrates the first new moon of the lunar calendar. This event is free and will be held at the Peter Kirk Community Center located at 352 Kirkland Ave, in Kirkland.
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Does a meaningful, service-focused career with an amazing team sound like something you’d be interested in? Check out Kirkland Fire Department.
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