OLYMPIA — The Washington State Department of Health has launched a new winter seasonal hazards dashboard to help residents stay informed about public health and safety trends and better prepare for seasonal hazards, according to an announcement from the DOH. 

The dashboard provides timely data about severe winter weather, including motor vehicle crashes, falls, cold-related illnesses like hypothermia and frostbite, carbon monoxide exposures and asthma-related emergency department visits, according to the announcement. It aims to empower communities, healthcare providers and policymakers with timely information to reduce risks and protect lives. 

The dashboard includes: 

• Data on motor vehicle crash-related emergency department visits, overlaid with temperature trends. 

• An interactive map showing motor vehicle crash-related emergency department visits by county, helping users identify areas most affected by winter weather. 

• Additional tabs covering emergency department visits for cold-related illnesses, falls, asthma and carbon monoxide exposures to provide a holistic view of seasonal health risks. 

The dashboard is available at https://bit.ly/DOHSeasonalHealthDashboard. For more information on how to prepare for seasonal emergencies, visit our emergency preparedness pages. 

“This dashboard helps Washingtonians understand and prepare for the health dangers winter can pose,” Dr. Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett, chief science officer at DOH, wrote in the announcement. “With clear maps and graphs and accessible information, our goal is to keep our communities safe and informed about severe weather events.”