Please rely on your home's cleaner source of heat until air quality improves!

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency is lowering the air quality burn ban from a Stage 2 to a Stage 1 in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties effective at 1:00 PM on January 15, 2013.

The ban remains in effect until further notice.

From a Snohomish Fire District 7 news release.

Snohomish County Fire District 7 responded to the 18400 block of 20th Drive SE in Mays Pond for a reported resident structural fire just after 3:00 AM on Saturday, January 12, 2013.

Firefighters arrived to a duplex residential structure with fire showing from the back of the residence extending to the attic. Crews confirmed all occupants had evacuated and began an offensive fire attack.

Snohomish County Fire District 1 is seeking nominees to fill a vacancy on its Board of Fire Commissioners.

The application deadline is January 18, 2013.

Commissioner Millie Judge left the Board at the end of last year to take office in January as Snohomish County Superior Court Judge. The Board of Commissioners will select and appoint someone to fill the vacancy. The appointee will have to stand election in the fall of 2013 to retain the seat and serve the two years remaining in Judge's six-year term.

Flu season is upon us and it's time to get vaccinated and protect you and your family from getting sick. This year's flu vaccine is well matched to prevent the disease. Snohomish Health District clinics offer flu shots, as do local pharmacies and many doctors.

Firefighters and staff at Snohomish County Fire District 7 helped support fifteen local families this holiday season. Each of Fire District 7’s fire stations adopted two to three families in need; buying them holiday gifts they wouldn’t otherwise be able to give their children.

Firefighters and their families came together to wrap the gifts and took a quick break for a photo with just a few of the presents. Left to right: Lieutenant Jeff Larsen, Firefighter Erik Emerson, Firefighter Matt Ball, Fire Chief Gary Meek and Lieutenant Joe Basta.

The Washington State Patrol (WSP) has received reports from a number of citizens who received calls soliciting donations to support “AMBER Alerts.”  In part of the solicitation, the callers report the money being raised goes to support the AMBER Alert program, including that 30% of the funds are for overhead costs associated with the program.  At least one solicitation indicated they were calling on behalf of WSP.  This information is inaccurate; WSP does not rely on public donations for the administration of the AMBER Alert system.

These calls appear to be a scam.  WSP oversees the AMBER Alert system in Washington State.  Most local agencies across the state have their own approved plans, which are implemented when a child is abducted or goes missing under suspicious circumstances. 

County-wide food bank programs will benefit from a $10,000 donation from the Fire 1 Foundation, a nonprofit community service organization founded by the employees of Snohomish County Fire District 1.

“Supporting food bank programs is a tradition for Fire District 1 that started more than 20 years ago when a group of firefighters passed the hat to collect money to sponsor a family for the holidays. It grew from there,” said Jim Grieco, president of the Fire 1 Foundation and a captain at Fire Station 10 north of Lynnwood.