Windstorms and Debris

As the fall and winter storm season approaches, residents should be aware that property owners are responsible for the debris on their property regardless of the source.  Please DO NOT put debris into the street or public right-of-way for clean up, the City is not responsible for disposal of private yard waste.  Additional yard waste can be added to your curbside yard waste service through Waste Management, and local transfer stations also accept extra yard waste.  See below for more information or check the yellow pages or your local paper for debris cleaning or hauling firms.

Getting Ready for Storm Season

• Have a list of numbers to call
  • If your power goes out call Snohomish PUD Outage Hotline (425) 783-1000
  • For Natural Gas emergencies, 24 hours a day 1-888-225-5773
• Be sure to have flashlights and a portable radio and batteries.
• Refresh your supply of bottled water.  The recommendation is one gallon of water per person per day.
• Update your supply of prepared foods.  Check that the can opener is available.
• Be sure to have your medications.
• Fill up your car with fuel.  If the electricity goes out the pumps may not work.
• Refresh your first aid kit.
• If you have gas in your home, know how to turn off the gas.
• Also know how to turn off the water to your home.

Please Check Your Drains

In the event of windstorms, leaves may fall and block the City’s drains.  If you have a storm drain near your home, please rake away leaves to keep the drains flowing.  The Public Works crews will be checking and clearing drains.  However, the public works crews may be called out to streets to assist with life threatening emergencies.

Curbside Yard Waste Collection

It is acceptable to add additional debris to your curbside yard waste collection as long as you follow the proper procedure.

Please call Waste Management Customer Service at 1-800-592-9995 or click on the following link to access the website for details.

 http://wmnorthwest.com/millcreek/index.html

Snohomish County Solid Waste Division

You can haul your excess debris to your local transfer station.

Please call Snohomish County Solid Waste Division at (425) 388-3425 or click the following link to access the website for details.

 http://www1.co.snohomish.wa.us/Departments/Public_Works/Divisions/SolidWaste/Facilities/

Other Informational Links:

 WSU King County Extension: Storm Damage Information

http://king.wsu.edu/forestry/windstorm.html

The City of Seattle: After the Storm…Advice on dealing with tree issues

http://seattle.gov/transportation/afterthestorm.htm

International Society of Arborists: How to recognize and Prevent Tree Hazards; Eight Warning Signs Every Homeowner Should Know

www.pnwisa.org/htp/index.html

Snow and Ice

Starting this year, the City of Mill Creek will take a proactive approach in snow and ice control.  We will focus our efforts in anti-icing and de-icing.  These efforts will be concentrated on primary roads, school bus routes and City Hall.  The highlighted roads on the snow and ice route map will be the first priority and we will continue to work on these roads as long as needed.  When the primary roads have been treated we will begin working on the secondary roads and citizen calls for service.

Please keep in mind that the City is now responsible for Bothell-Everett Highway (SR 527) and 132^nd Street SE (SR 96) that run through the city limits and these roads will take top priority.

Citizen Calls for Non-Emergency Services

Please call City Hall @ (425) 745-1891

Emergencies

Please call 911

Getting Ready for Storm Season

• Have a list of numbers to call

  • If your power goes out call Snohomish PUD Outage Hotline (425) 783-1000

  • For Natural Gas emergencies, 24 hours a day 1-888-225-5773

• Be sure to have flashlights and a portable radio and batteries.

• Refresh your supply of bottled water.  The recommendation is one gallon of water per person per day.

• Update your supply of prepared foods.  Check that the can opener is available.

• Be sure to have your medications.

• Refresh your first aid kit.

• Prepare your vehicle for winter conditions.

  • Keep your gas tank full.

  • Check your tires to make sure they have sufficient tread and that they are properly inflated.
  • Make sure your spare tire is properly inflated; carry a jack and other tire changing tools with you.
  • Make sure your car is running properly and the engine is tuned.
  • Replace windshield wipers and keep washer fluid filled.
  • Pack a winter safety kit filled with
    • Ice scraper
    • Shovel
    • Bag of sand or cat litter
    • Warm clothes, including boots and gloves for all passengers
    • Drinking Water
    • Energy Snacks
    • Flashlight with batteries
    • Additional anti-freeze
    • Cell phone
• If you have gas in your home, know how to turn off the gas.
• Also know how to turn off the water to your home.

Public Works

The Public Works Maintenance Department includes 6 employees and has the following equipment: (1) Snow Plow, (1) 2 yard Sander, and (1) De-icing spray tank.

Maintenance crews will not plow driveways, private roads, private parking lots, or steep hills that are unsafe for our equipment to drive on.  If a snowplow, while clearing a road, leaves snow blocking a private driveway or mailboxes it is the homeowner's responsibility to clear their own driveway.  We cannot stop to help people out of ditches or help with traffic accidents during an event.  We will report accidents to the police as we come upon them.

Goals

• To clear major Police and Fire Routes.
• To reduce life threatening and injury producing conditions.
• To provide reasonable driving surfaces in winter road conditions
• To reduce the interruption of the economic life in the City of Mill Creek.

Objectives

• To plow and/or apply deicer or sand to public streets during most winter driving conditions.
• To reduce accidents by treating hazardous locations.
• To close off hills when safe conditions cannot be attained.
• To improve the flow of traffic on City streets in the following priorities:

1. Primary routes - established emergency routes and arterials.
2. Secondary routes – collector arterials.
3. Residential routes.

Other Informational Links

Everett School District; Emergency Information

http://www.everett.k12.wa.us/everett/Emergency%20Closure

Washington State Dept. of Heath; Winter Storms

http://www.doh.wa.gov/phepr/handbook/hbk_pdf/winter.pdf

American Red Cross; Winter Storms

http://www.redcross.org/static/file_cont265_lang0_127.pdf

FEMA; Winter Storms

http://www.fema.gov/hazard/winter/index.shtm