Tumwater On Tap: January 2013

Tumwater On Tap

January 2013

North End Fire Station Re-opens

The flag is up, the station is open. Additional staffing funded by the 2011 public safety levy has made it possible to open the North End Fire Station on a part-time basis. Levy funding, combined with regional service contract changes have allowed the Tumwater Fire Department to hire six new firefighters and one paramedic in 2012. A federal grant will provide for two additional staff in 2013-2014, to further expand the hours of operation for the satellite station. The department also purchased a new fire engine which arrived in December 2012.

The community is invited to celebrate these and other public safety accomplishments at an open house event.

OPEN HOUSE: North End Fire Station

405 Linwood Avenue SW, Tumwater, WA

Saturday, January 19, 2013, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Blood pressure checks
Learn Hands-on CPR
Prevention and preparedness programs
Tour the station and meet the staff
Ring the bell on the new fire engine

For more information about police and fire department services enhanced by the levy lid lift, select "Promises Made-Promises Kept."

Download the

Winter/Spring 2013

Parks & Recreation Brochure.

**Save the Date**

Tumwater University

Bringing neighbors together

to build community.

2013 Classes

Monday, February 25 and

Monday, March 4, 2013

6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Registration begins later this month.

Interim Zoning Adopted for Brewery

Brewery and Falls The Tumwater City Council adopted an emergency interim zoning ordinance for the brewery property at their Council meeting on January 8, 2013. The new zoning classification entitled, Former Brewery Interim Zone District, establishes uses which align development options of the property with the community's vision.

Generally, the changes narrow the type of development options that can take place on the property. The interim standards limit allowances for industrial uses and permit a mix of residential, commercial, office and similar uses in three sub-districts, the Knoll, Valley, and Bluff. The changes are provisional, until permanent regulations can be developed over the coming year.

Most brewery properties south of Custer Way are currently for sale, and if developed within the former Light Industrial Zoning may do so in ways not consistent or compatible with the community's vision. Like the name suggests, the emergency interim zoning is a temporary classification, and is immediately effective. Adoption of an emergency ordinance requires a public hearing which is scheduled for February 5, 2013, during the City Council meeting.

Keeping Infants Safe Through the Period of Purple Crying

The City of Tumwater Police and Fire Departments have partnered with the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome to provide the Period of Purple Crying Program. This safety program provides parents and caregivers with information, tools, and resources to protect infants during the time in a baby's life when they cry more than any other, the period of purple crying.

This normal infant crying period, "PURPLE," refers to:

P - Peak of Crying (usually peaks at month 2, but may go through month 5)

U - Unexpected (Crying can come and go with no specific reason)

R - Resists Soothing (May not stop no matter what is tried)

P - Pain-like Face (May look like they are in pain, even if they are not)

L - Long Lasting (Can go on as much as 5 hours a day)

E - Evening (May cry more in evening)

By increasing awareness, teaching soothing techniques (for infants and caregivers), and identifying resources, City of Tumwater Police and Fire Department personnel are working to address a critical child safety concern. Tumwater is the first community to provide this program through public safety services.

For information about the Purple Crying Program, please contact Lieutenant Jay Mason, Tumwater Police Department, at (360) 754-4200 or go to www.purplecrying.info.

Down the Drain: Think Before You Flush

From time to time, the City of Tumwater's maintenance crew is called out in an emergency to unclog one of the City's sewer lines. Clogged sewer lines can lead to backups and spills, potentially endangering human health and our environment. Emergency maintenance adds unplanned expense to the regular maintenance budget too.

The need for emergency maintenance can be reduced if we all remember not to treat the toilet as a trash can. If it didn't come out of your body, or it isn't toilet paper, it does not belong in the toilet. Many products with packaging claiming the product to be "flushable", such as baby and personal hygiene wipes, are not truly flushable and tend to cause backups and overflows in our sewer system.

Wipes, paper towels and rags tend to collect upon each other in sewer pipes and create clogs. Items with "strings", such as dental floss and tampons, attract additional material to their "tails" and get wound around the pumps at the lift stations. This can disable the pump and back up the whole system.

Please think before you flush anything down the drain!

Tumwater City Hall

555 Israel Road SW

Tumwater WA 98501

(360) 754-5855

www.ci.tumwater.wa.us