West Seattle Be Prepared | About the Hubs

Emergency Communication Hubs sign – look for these at designated gathering locations during an emergency

The West Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs are our emergency community gathering sites in case a major disaster occurs that makes it impossible to get information and help in the usual ways. They were established in direct response to instructions from city and county officials, who tell us that neighborhoods may need to be self-sufficient for 3 to 7 days following a major disaster. Our goal is to help our community react more quickly and effectively to disaster.

As mentioned on our Welcome page, we’ve created maps to show you where the emergency communication hubs are located, including the interactive online Google map embedded on our home page that allows you to zoom in/out and map directions from your current location. Be sure to include the information in your emergency kits and vehicles; visit our Blog where we have maps in multiple languages that you can print.

The pages in this “About the Hubs” section also provide important additional details about the hubs: what are they and what to expect, why they have been designated, and how they will function during an emergency situation.

For those who like details, we’ve added videos about the hub roles. Don’t miss the FAQ; the answers were provided by the Seattle Office of Emergency Management (OEM)!

Note that our efforts in West Seattle are part of a broader effort. There are now dozens of emergency hubs across the city of Seattle. You’ll find more details, including an interactive map that shows these locations here.

IMPORTANT! The information on our website is intended to be supplemental to resources and information provided by the City of Seattle, King County, State and/or Federal sources (we’ve linked to their sites from our Resources section). During an actual emergency, look for official communications from the Office of Emergency Management and these other sources.

Note that we may need to adjust the location or relocate a hub if its designated location is not safe. If we activate the emergency communication hubs during or following a disaster, we will put up signs like the one above that should help to make the location easier to find.

Please, do not attempt to go to one of the Emergency Communication Hubs if you feel that doing so would put you in danger. The Emergency Communication Hubs may NOT have supplies or provisions immediately following an earthquake or similar disaster. The primary role of the Emergency Communication Hubs is communication and information sharing: between individuals, neighborhoods and agencies or officials.