Another community coalition with a lot going on …

That’s a photo by Alki Community Council president Charlotte Starck from last week’s personal-safety seminar, hosted by the ACC and presented by Seattle Police at West Seattle (Admiral) Library. She reports, “SPD Officer German Barreto presented, with Seattle Police instructor Sarah Lawson, who brought experience as a 911 operator and a victim of crime herself. She shared her own experience getting out of an attempted robbery and stabbing when a knife-wielding attacker came at her and she used her metal water bottle to defend herself and her loud commanding voice.” Speaking of loud voices, Starck recounts a memorable moment from the seminar: “There was one point when the basement meeting room at the library was anything but quiet as attendees found their voice in calling for help from police at the top of their lungs.” She also says participants learned about texting 911 and Smart 911, plus the overall importance of contacting 911 when something’s happening. “The message was clear, call 911. They are the experts in determining a response for emergency or non-emergency. Instructors said don’t ever assume that someone else called in any obvious emergency. It is better to have more calls on emergencies than to have few or even none because people thought someone already called.”

COUNCILMEMBER SAKA AT NEXT ACC MEETING: The ACC’s next meeting is this Thursday (March 21), 7 pm at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds), and City Councilmember Rob Saka is the main guest, as he continues making the rounds of community groups. (Here’s our coverage of his three recent West Seattle appearances: District 1 Community Network, Admiral Neighborhood Association, and a small-business mini-roundtable.) Though ACC meetings are usually hybrid, this one is in-person only.