While Yakima County hasn't received a potentially dangerous envelope containing  'powder' like some other election offices in the state Yakima County Auditor Charles Ross says he's working to improve the existing safety plan to protect employees and the public just in case.

THURSTON COUNTY WAS THE LATEST COUNTY TO GET AN ENVELOPE WILL YAKIMA BE NEXT?

The latest county to receive an envelope containing a white powder is Thurston County. The envelope was isolated and turned over to law enforcement before it was opened by election staff. Similar envelopes have been sent to election offices in King, Pierce, Skagit, Spokane and Snohomish counties. The envelopes sent to King and Spokane counties tested positive for fentanyl.

610 KONA logo
Get our free mobile app

YAKIMA AUDITOR CHARLES ROSS SAYS YAKIMA COUNTY IS PREPARED

Ross says the most important part of a plan in Yakima is the availability of Narcan, an anti-opioid drug that could help someone exposed to fentanyl from a suspicious envelope. Ross is working with local, state and federal officials on the safety plan that was initially put in place to protect election workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ROSS HOLDING DRILLS TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS AWARE

Now Ross says he's working expand the plan to include drills to make sure everyone knows what to do if a suspicious envelope is ever received in Yakima County. He says currently they have protocols in place that he won't talk about to protect employees and procedures for follow up.

A RAMPED UP PLAN IS ON THE WAY

Ross says while precautions are already in place he hopes to have a beefed up safety plan in place before the upcoming presidential election where he says the state and county election offices could see other suspicious envelopes containing a white powder that could be the deadly drug fentanyl.

MORE TOP STORIES FROM LANCE:

25 True Crime Locations: What Do They Look Like Today?

Below, find out where 25 of the most infamous crimes in history took place — and what the locations are used for today. (If they've been left standing.)

READ ON: See the States Where People Live the Longest

Stacker used data from the 2020 County Health Rankings to rank every state's average life expectancy from lowest to highest. The 2020 County Health Rankings values were calculated using mortality counts from the 2016-2018 National Center for Health Statistics. The U.S. Census 2019 American Community Survey and America's Health Rankings Senior Report 2019 data were also used to provide demographics on the senior population of each state and the state's rank on senior health care, respectively.

Read on to learn the average life expectancy in each state.

Gallery Credit: Hannah Lang

LOOK: 50 cozy towns to visit this winter

Stacker created a list of 50 cozy American towns to visit each winter. Towns were selected based on visitor opinions, ratings from nationwide publications, and tourist attractions.

Gallery Credit: Laura Ratliff

More From 610 KONA