Tracy Connelly is Seattle OEM’s new Community Planning Coordinator

Barb Graff, Director of Seattle’s Office of Emergency Management has just announced the hire of Tracy Connelly as Seattle Office of Emergency Management’s new Community Planning Coordinator. Tracy starts August 1^st.

Tracy Connelly has been a Public Outreach Specialist at OEM working with access and functional needs, immigrant and refugee, homeless, and multi-cultural populations.

In her new position as Community Planning Coordinator she will work to incorporate the skills and resources of service clubs, youth, retirees, community and functional organizations, faith communities, etc. into planning and preparedness.  The Coordinator grows the network of people willing to help one another out throughout the City in times of emergencies – “hubs” where help meets need at the basic level.

While Vashon is outside her area, we still expect to interact with her as we work with West Seattle Be Prepared and other Seattle neighborhood groups – where many Vashon residents work, and Vashon workers live.

Seattle has adopted and extended Vashon Local Area Communication Center (LACC) model and formed a series of Communication Hubs. Seattle also offers a full-sized map of these hubs. Hopefully Vashon residents working in Seattle should (in the future) be able to go to a hub and get information about options for returning to Vashon and the state of affairs on Vashon.