Overview
- Mayor Katie Wilson signed Executive Order 2026-07 after Seattle Police released texts that showed confusion in command and a nearly five-hour delay in public safety updates during the Bite of Seattle shooting.
- The order directs the Office of Emergency Management to lead interdepartmental teams and requires departments to update Continuity of Operations and Hazard Mitigation Plans by the end of 2027 to keep FEMA recovery funding eligibility.
- The order mandates new training and exercises including advanced NIMS certification standards within six months, at least two tabletop exercises and one functional emergency operations center exercise annually.
- AlertSeattle reforms obligate the AlertSeattle Operating Board to set standardized operating procedures, run an annual system-wide test, and launch a public opt-in campaign to prevent repeats of the no-alert failure during the festival shooting.
- The move faces political and oversight tests with City Council hearings, an inspector general probe and audits ongoing, and it builds on a 2025 assessment that flagged gaps in Seattle’s emergency preparedness and capacity.