Lake Forest Park response to Coronavirus

Photo courtesy City of Lake Forest Park

From City Administrator Phillip Hill

On March 5, 2020, Mayor Johnson signed a local proclamation for the existence of a Public Health Emergency, with respect to the recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). 

This emergency proclamation is not a cause for alarm, but a formal step in a process that facilitates the City’s coordination with other agencies, including the State Department of Health and Public Health-Seattle and King County, and grants the City access to additional resources if needed. 

The issuance of the proclamation provides for the preparation and carrying out of plans for mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery in response to the situation, per Lake Forest Park Municipal Code Chapter 8.15. Currently, the City of Lake Forest Park is:

• Continuing to work closely with lead agencies and the King County Public Health District, to monitor the COVID-19 outbreak.
• Staff continues to work closely with our health districts and is now meeting regularly to streamline communication and prepare, should conditions change here in our community.
• First responders play an important role in response to the virus and our first responders are taking appropriate safety measures to protect personnel and the public while responding to medical emergencies. For additional information on what fire agencies across King County are doing in response to COVID-19, visit the King County Fire Chiefs Association website

As a member of the Northshore Emergency Management Coalition (NEMCo), the administration is meeting at least twice a week with the City of Kenmore, Northshore Utility District, and Northshore Fire to coordinate information and efforts in response to the Public Health Emergency with respect to the outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The NEMCo Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is not currently operating, but may in the future should the response require more frequent coordination among the agencies.