If you see or hear any emergency-looking activities on Wednesday, April 20th, don’t worry – you may just be witnessing the City of Burien’s participation in a statewide “Drop, Cover and Hold” earthquake drill, which will start at 9:45am.

The city will join other government entities, school districts, healthcare systems and private sector participants in a statewide drill, which will be announced over the All Weather Radio system and other media around the state.

“April is Disaster Month in Washington state, reminding everyone of the importance of emergency preparedness by all who live, work and play in the City of Burien,” the city said in a statement, which also adds:

Residents can join City officials in participating in the drill and taking action to ensure you, your family, and place of work are prepared not only for the an earthquake, but for the days following a disaster as well. People should have a three-day supply of enough food, water and other necessities.

For more information see www.redcross.org, www.kingcounty.gov/prepare or www.ready.gov.

Together with the King County Sheriff’s Office, Burien and SeaTac Police are continuing their twice-yearly “Citizen’s Police Academy” program with an orientation on

Here are the details:

WHAT: Citizen’s Police Academy Training

WHEN: Starts Thursday, March 11th and continues through April 24th. Classes are held on Wednesday nights from 6pm to 9pm at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Center in Burien.

Classes will run for 13 weeks, plus a graduation ceremony including a certificate of completion and pictures with police staff. A light meal will be provided for students. There are presentations by many of the Sheriff’s Office Units and several opportunities for hands-on experiences, plus a field trip to the King County Communications Center.

The training sessions are held twice a year in the spring and fall. The sessions require approximately 20 hours to complete. There is a minimal fee for tools supplied to students, enabling them to build their own emergency response kit.

WHERE: Initial meeting is at the Burien/Normandy Park Fire Station, which is located at 15100 8th Ave SW in Burien; subsequent classes will be at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Center in Burien.

COST: FREE!

INFO: From a press release:

Graduates of the Citizen’s Police Academy will have a better understanding of the law enforcement role in the criminal justice system and an appreciation for the many challenges facing law enforcement in today’s complex society. They will also be better able to assist offices in improving their neighborhoods and communities.

The goal is for emergency personnel to train members of neighborhoods, community organizations or workplaces in basic preparation and response skills. CERT members are then integrated into the emergency response capability for their area.

SeaTac and Burien Fire and Police Departments partner in offering this eight-week training held on weekday evenings, with a Practical Fianl Exercise held on a Saturday. Sessions require approximately 20 ours to complete.  There is a minimal fee for tools supplied to students, enabling them to build their own emergency response kit.

Training is designed to cover the following:

• Disaster Preparedness
• Fire Safety
• Disaster Medical Operations (Triage, Treating Life Threatening Injuries, and Assessment, Treatment and Hygiene.)
• Light Search and Rescue
• Team Organization
• Disaster Psychology
• Terrorism

Graduates will also be eligible for the Ride-Along program, in which you can spend up to an entire shift riding with an officer.

This course is an unforgettable experience and it’s completely free for anyone who lives or works in the cities of SeaTac or Burien!

There are two sessions each year and they fill up fast, so register early with your local Community Service Officer.

If you are interested in attending the next session and would like an application sent to you by mail, please contact CSO Mechee Burnett at mechee.burnett@kingcounty.gov or 206.973.4917 (you can also download a PDF application here).

• SEATAC: If you are from the SeaTac area, please contact: CSO Eloise Kruger: 206-973-4915 or ekruger@ci.seatac.wa.us
• BURIEN: If you are from the Burien area, please contact: CSO Nicki Maraulja: 206-296-3333 or nicki.maraulja@kingcounty.gov