April 18 - World Amateur Radio Day!

Amateur Radio is celebrating 100 years on April 18, 2025! Every year on April 18, radio amateurs around the world take to the airwaves in celebration of World Amateur Radio Day. It was on this day in 1925 that the International Amateur Radio Union was formed in Paris to defend and expand the frequency allocations for Amateur Radio. Today, Amateur Radio is more popular than ever, with more than 3,000,000 licensed operators! World Amateur Radio Day is the day when IARU Member-Societies can show our capabilities to the public and enjoy global friendship with other Amateurs worldwide. Seattle OEM houses the Seattle Auxiliary Communications Service (ACS). Seattle ACS is an emergency communications team of approximately 150 trained volunteers serving the City of Seattle, sponsored by the Seattle Office of Emergency Management and has been in operation since 1993. Team members are licensed amateur radio operators and registered state emergency workers. If you are interested in learning more about amateur radio and how you can get involved, email join@seattleacs.org or click the link.  Get Involved

April is Financial Preparedness Month

You’ve worked hard to care for your home and save for the future, but disasters can lead to financial emergencies. A financial emergency is any expense or loss of income you do not plan for, like a missed paycheck, a damaged roof, a flat tire, or medical bill. Financial emergencies may include car damage, unemployment, medical treatment, property damage, or family emergencies.

What You Can Do Before an Emergency:

• Start an emergency savings account. Saving even small amounts like $5 or $10 a week is a good place to start. Make a budget to estimate monthly income and expenses. Reduce debt by making regular payments of at least the minimum due and pay your bills on time to maintain a good credit rating.
• Review your insurance coverage including flood, health, and homeowners or renters' insurance. Remember, flood insurance typically takes 30 days to go into effect. You’ll want to renew your insurance every year.
• Create and update your emergency plan. Consider using the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK) as a guide. By having a plan in place, you will be better prepared in case of an emergency.
• Keep important records safe and save important receipts. Store them digitally and in a waterproof, fireproof container.
• Protect your property by taking photos and videos of household items in case you need to repair, replace, or rebuild after a disaster.
• Keep cash in a secure place so that you are able to access it in case of an emergency and Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) are not available. Contact a qualified financial counselor or coach.
• Contact local organizations and non-profits that employ qualified and nationally certified counselors or coaches to receive guidance on how to organize your finances before and after an emergency.

What You Can Do During an Emergency:

• Use emergency savings for purchasing essentials like food, gas, and temporary lodging.
• Contact credit card companies and lenders to learn about payment options to avoid late penalties, interest charges, and damages to your credit.
• List current expenses and negotiate with lenders for extensions.
• Reach out for assistance by logging on to DisasterAssistance.gov, visiting a Disaster Recovery Center in your community, or dialing 211 for a referral for community-based resources.
• Contact community organizations, like food banks and faith-based organizations, for assistance to help cover daily essentials and to connect you with additional resources.

What You can Do After an Emergency:

• Log onto DisasterAssistance.gov to find out if you qualify for financial disaster relief. Visit a Disaster Recovery Center in your community for important resources for relief by FEMA and community and faith-based organizations.
• Make a list of all property damage and contact your insurance company as soon as you can.
• File a flood insurance claim and work with your insurance adjuster and insurance agent to receive guidance through the process.
• Be cautious of scams after disasters. Don’t give out your personal identification numbers.
• Prioritize your spending and take inventory of your credit cards. Create a list to get all of your information in one place, understand your spending needs, and protect your credit.
• Research tax breaks you might qualify for based on your situation.
• Turn off utilities to save on expenses if you are unable to live in your home.

May Happenings - Mark Your Calendars

National Building Safety Month

May 1st marks the start of Building Safety Month, an international campaign to raise awareness about building safety. This campaign reinforces the need for the adoption of modern, regularly updated building codes, and helps individuals, families and businesses understand what it takes to create safe and sustainable structures.

The International Code Council, its members, and a diverse partnership of professionals from the building construction, design and safety communities come together with corporations, government agencies, professional associations and nonprofits to promote building safety through proclamations, informational events, legislative briefings and more. We come together to support Building Safety Month because we understand the need for safe and sustainable structures where we live, work and play.

2025 Theme - Game On!!

• Week 1: The Warmup (May 1–3) Discover how building safety impacts our daily lives including the places where we work, learn and play.
• Week 2: Build Your Offense (May 4–10) Create a plan to actively support building safety programs in your community.
• Week 3: Build Your Defense (May 11–17) Stay prepared for natural hazards such as severe weather, wildfires, earthquakes and more with our disaster toolkits.
• Week 4: The Starting Lineup (May 18–24) Meet building safety professionals and learn about rewarding careers in building safety.
• Week 5: Going Into Overtime (May 25–31) See what’s next for the building safety industry, including global trends, artificial intelligence and more.

Mount St. Helens and Volcano Preparedness Month in WA

In Washington State, the month of May is chosen each year to be Volcano Awareness Month to commemorate the tragic eruption of Mount St. Helens that killed 57 people, billowing out 540 million tons of ash and forever changing how Washingtonians view volcanoes. 

In February of this year, dozens of local, tribal, state and federal officials met to talk about how they’d respond if either Mount Adams or Mount St. Helens erupted. It comes in the wake of Mount Adams showing an increased amount of seismic activity.

“When we talk about volcanic eruptions, one of the biggest things we have to deal with is uncertainty,” said Volcano Program Manager Brian Terbush at the Cascades Volcano Observatory in Vancouver. “We don’t really know when it’s going to erupt, what direction, how much ash is going to be, whether it will be days, weeks, months of unrest. So, the best thing we can do on a coordination plan is who has what responsibilities, who shares information, when and at what level, who reports to who.”

Washington State is home to five active volcanoes located in the Cascade Range, east of Seattle: Mt. Baker, Glacier Peak, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens (pictured above). Washington and California are the only states in the lower 48 to experience a major volcanic eruption in the past 150 years.

Learn About WA Volcanoes

International Firefighters Day is May 4, 2025

International Firefighters' Day (IFFD) is a time to celebrate firefighters across the world and recognize their heroic efforts. It occurs on May 4th each year, which falls on the first Sunday this year. The day first became an internationally recognized day of celebration and honor after a volunteer firefighter named JJ Edmondson advocated for it in memory of her friends who were past firefighters: Jason Thomas, Stuart Davidson, Matthew Armstrong, Chris Evans, and Garry Vredeveldt.

International Firefighters' Day is observed on May 4th because it is also the feast day of Saint Florian, the patron saint of firefighters. Saint Florian was a Roman army officer who is said to have saved an entire town from being consumed by fire with a single bucket of water. For over 24 years, International Firefighters' Day has paid homage to individuals who have volunteered to help countries fight the one common enemy of fire and protect people, animals, and artifacts from harm.

On May 4th, you may choose to celebrate firefighters and International Firefighters’ Day in various ways, including the following: 

• Thanking a firefighter in your life for their service
• Taking a minute's silence to remember a firefighter who was lost  
• Signing up to volunteer at your local fire station 
• Sending care packages to a local fire station 
• Posting about local firefighter stories 
• Leaving flowers at a firefighter memorial 
• Learn more about firefighters from the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation
• Advocating for firefighter mental health 
• Reading stories from individuals who firefighters saved
• Donating to a local fire station 
• Donate to disaster relief funds for locations impacted by fires 
• Protecting the natural environment from fire risks by learning about fire prevention and safety 

As working in fire service can be a dangerous career, showing thanks to the firefighters in your community may be appreciated by those who work to save lives and put out fires. 

Get Involved

National Police Week is May 12-18, 2025

National Police Week offers honor, remembrance, and peer support, while allowing law enforcement, survivors, and citizens to gather and pay homage to those who gave their lives in the line of duty. It includes the National Peace Officers Memorial Service and other events throughout the week that honor those that paid the ultimate sacrifice.

National Police Week has a rich history. It started in 1962 when President John F. Kennedy made May 15 Peace Officers Memorial Day. He also declared the week around that date as Police Week. This was a key moment to honor the sacrifices of law enforcement nationwide.

We are dedicated to honoring the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers and providing support to their families and colleagues. Join us in our mission to show appreciation and gratitude for the men and women who courageously protect our communities.

Learn More

National EMS Week is May 18-24, 2025

In 1974, President Gerald Ford authorized EMS Week to celebrate EMS professionals and the important work they do in our nation's communities. National Emergency Medical Services Week brings together local communities and medical personnel to honor the dedication of those who provide the day-to-day lifesaving services of medicine's frontline.

EMS Week is presented by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) in partnership with the National Associations of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT). Together, NAEMT and ACEP lead annual EMS Week activities. These organizations are working to ensure that the important contributions of EMS professionals in safeguarding the health, safety and well-being of their communities are fully celebrated and recognized.

EMS Week Theme Days

• Sunday is Health, Wellness, and Resilience Day

• Monday is Education Day

• Tuesday is EMS Safety Day

• Wednesday is EMS for Children Day

• Thursday is Save-A-Life Day AND STOP THE BLEED® Day!

• Friday is EMS Recognition Day

• Saturday is EMS Remembrance Day

About EMS Week

Be the first to know with AlertSeattle

Don't be the last to know what to do in an emergency! AlertSeattle is the city's emergency notification system and is here to help you stay safe in an emergency. Anyone can sign up to receive timely and critical lifesaving information. 

How does it work? When an emergency occurs that meets the criteria for sending out an alert to the public, the City’s emergency dispatchers will gather the necessary information and push out an alert to the affected area. Alerts can be sent out city-wide to everyone who has opted in to the system, or to a specific area or neighborhood for more localized events.

Learn more about AlertSeattle by visiting seattle.gov/alert or click the link below to sign up today!

Register Today