I have to laud the management of this city for stepping forward to be prepared for coming emergencies. It has long been our forefather’s ways to plan and prepare for future needs as well as set aside money for the proverbial “rainy day.”

However, I feel compelled to question the wisdom of declaring a state of emergency for flooding that has not yet happened. Admittedly, we are at an increased risk for flooding due to the damage which occurred to the Howard Hanson dam. Our city leaders should be applauded for taking proactive action to prepare against the increased flood risk. It just strikes me as odd that our mayor declared a state of emergency before it has even started to rain. Everyone should agree that it would be preposterous to start claiming unemployment because our economic conditions make it likely that I may be laid off soon. Likewise, this seems to be bit premature.

A definition for “A state of emergency” reads:

“A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend certain normal functions of government, may work to alert citizens to alter their normal behaviors, or may order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale for suspending civil liberties. Such declarations usually come during a time of natural disaster, during periods of civil unrest or following a declaration of war.” Source: The Free Dictionary

Admittedly, the mayor is asking us to alter our normal behavior and prepare against the possibility of flooding this winter. However, it seems an overreaction to take the step of declaring an official state of emergency. Do our preparations really require the government to suspend its normal functions?

The normal safeguards built into our governmental process are there for public safety. Declaring a state of emergency now allows them to bypass those safeguards. There is no state of emergency yet and prematurely grabbing those rights is dangerous. If our governmental processes and safeguards are so onerous that they don’t allow for a reasonable and methodical response to situations such as the Howard Hanson dam represents, then we need to revisit those strictures and regulations to allow our government to serve out needs. Let’s hold off crying “wolf” until our weather forecast has more than just a trace of rain.

Jack and Leiana Smith

Renton