Emergencies aren’t hypothetical in Sammamish. They’re real, and they’re becoming more frequent. Climate-driven disasters, from windstorms to wildfires, are no longer distant threats. Our city rests on a major earthquake fault line, has evacuation roads built on susceptible hillsides, and a large gas pipeline running through the city which adds complexity to earthquakes disasters.
We need leaders who will ensure the city is ready instead of reactive. The Bomb Cyclone of 2024 made it clear there is a lot of room for improvement.
Improve Evacuation Readiness
Sammamish has limited evacuation routes and no direct freeway access. We need coordinated, realistic evacuation plans that can stand up to a real crisis and residents must know about them.
- Partner with Redmond, Issaquah, Fall City, and Eastside Fire & Rescue to expand regional evacuation options, staging areas, and mutual aid agreements.
- Create joint evacuation strategies with schools, especially along 228th, and conduct regular drills to prepare students and staff.
- Use traffic modeling and simulations to identify chokepoints, prioritize mitigation projects, and ensure access for all residents, including seniors or those with mobility challenges.
Create a Resilient City Government
A functioning city government is essential during a disaster. We need stronger systems and facilities that can operate in a crisis.
- Harden our power grid and critical roads by burying lines where problematic and feasible, and being prepared to quickly clear trees from emergency evacuation corridors.
- Equip city facilities with backup systems and ensure the Emergency Operations Center is fully staffed, trained, and connected.
- Maintain continuity of operations at City Hall and invest in climate-ready infrastructure like clean-air shelters and cooling centers.
Promote a Prepared and Connected Community
Preparedness isn’t just a government job, it’s a community effort. We should support neighborhoods with multilingual outreach, equity in resource distribution, and planning that reaches renters, seniors, and people with disabilities.
- Support neighborhood-based readiness programs with training, shared supplies, and communication networks that reach beyond internet access.
- Launch a citywide emergency awareness campaign, available in multiple languages and formats, so every resident knows what to expect and what to do.
- Ensure real-time coordination with utilities and conduct regular drills with staff, schools, and neighborhoods to make sure our plans work when tested.
Let’s make emergency readiness something residents can track, not just trust. By publicly reporting progress on drills, facility upgrades, and neighborhood preparedness, we’ll give the community a real way to hold the city accountable.