Preventing Hypothermia #AltusOK #OKready #OKwx

Some parts of the country are receiving an early dose of heavy snow storms and plunging temperatures. These cold temperatures can make your body lose heat faster than it’s produced. This condition results in abnormally low body temperature, also known as hypothermia.

Hypothermia affects the brain, leaving the person unable to think clearly or move well. This makes hypothermia particularly dangerous because individuals experiencing it may not know that it’s happening. Individuals most often affected by hypothermia include:

• Older adults with inadequate heating, food or clothing;
• Babies sleeping in cold rooms; and
• People who remain outdoors for long periods like the homeless, hikers or hunters.

In extreme cold, make outside trips as brief as possible to protect your health and safety. However, if you must be outside take a few special precautions:

• Work slowly if you have to do heavy outdoor chores;
• Notify friends and family where you will be before you go hiking, camping or skiing; and
• Dress warmly and in layers.  A waterproof jacket will help you stay warm and dry if it starts to snow.

Do not ignore shivering. It is an important first sign that the body is losing heat. Learn the other signs of hypothermia and how to care for someone who may be suffering from it before your next outdoor winter excursion.

Thanks to FEMA for this information.

Do 1 Thing to be be #OKready #AltusOK

As 2014 comes to a close, it’s a good time to begin planning your preparedness activities for 2015. Start the New Year off with an exciting web-based preparedness program called Do 1 Thing!  This 12-month program focuses on different areas of preparedness each month in a way that is inexpensive, easy, and fun for the whole family. The program also won in the Awareness to Action category of the 2014 FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness Awards. The Do 1 Thing mission is to move individuals, families, businesses and communities to prepare for all hazards and become disaster resilient.

To get started, click the topic for the current month, select an activity from the list of “Things to do,” and do that one thing! After following along for an entire year, you’ll be better prepared for disasters and emergencies. Participating in these activities can also count as participation in America’s PrepareAthon! so be sure to register.

Do 1 Thing also has resources available in seven languages, braille, large print and audio.

On the Job Preparedness #AltusOK #OKready

Disasters can have a major impact on the workplace, both for the people who work there, and to workplace operations.  After a disaster, workplaces cannot recover without their people and people cannot recover without a job to go back to.

Organizations can have tremendous influence on their personnel when it comes to preparing for a disaster. For example, when employers encourage employees to be prepared for disasters, employees are 75 percent more likely to take action. And with more than 63 percent of the U.S. population aged 16 or older in the labor force, the workplace is one of the most effective environments for educating and encouraging people to take steps to be ready for disasters.

America’s PrepareAthon! has tools and resources, such as hazard-specific Playbooks, to help business owners talk with their employees about emergency preparedness. America’s PrepareAthon! will benefit your organization by helping to:

• Increase knowledge of safety policies and procedures;
• Reduce a disaster’s effects, including injury and loss of life, property or inventory damage, and financial loss from business disruption; and
• Build morale and trust by demonstrating a commitment to safety and well-being.

Thanks to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for this information.

America’s PrepareAthon 2015: Who’s Next?

Last month we announced the open registration period for America’s PrepareAthon! Spring 2015 and encouraged everyone to begin registering their preparedness activities. We asked, and you showed up! We’re pleased to announce the addition of more than 2 million registered preparedness actions to the campaign thanks to PrepareAthon! events from the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) and the Kentucky Center for School Safety.

On November 5, GEMA’s Ready Georgia campaign held its first statewide PrepareAthon! for Tornado Safety where more than 1,400 schools held a drill to practice the actions students, teachers, and staff should take if a tornado strikes during school hours. As a result, more than 1 million actions were taken and counted towards America’s PrepareAthon! Spring 2015.

Additionally, the Commonwealth of Kentucky has registered more than 1.3 million actions to be taken in January as part of the Kentucky Center for School Safety’s PrepareAthon! Students, faculty, and staff from nearly 1,200 public schools will participate in earthquake and severe weather drills to practice specific actions that will keep them safe in the event of a disaster.

Now that you’ve heard about preparedness activities in Georgia and Kentucky, check out the tools and resources available to start planning your very own PrepareAthon! event today! Please be sure to register your activities through the America’s PrepareAthon! website.

We’re over 2 million strong and counting! Who’s next?

Winter Pet Protection

In many parts of the country, winter can prove dangerous for four-legged family members. Taking extra precautions during winter months can ensure your pets stay happy and healthy when the temperatures plummet. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) suggests these steps:

• Keep pets warm and indoors. No matter the temperature, windchill can threaten a pet’s life. Pets are sensitive to severe cold and are at risk for frostbite when outdoors during extreme cold snaps;
• Protect paws from salt. This and other chemicals used to melt snow and ice can irritate the pads of your pet’s feet. Be sure to wipe off their paws with a damp towel; and
• Avoid antifreeze poisoning. Antifreeze has a sweet taste that may attract animals, but is a deadly poison. Don’t allow pets to wander unattended near driveways, garages or other places when they may come into contact with antifreeze.

Switching to a brand of antifreeze containing propylene glycol can lower your pet’s risk of poisoning, but it’s still toxic.

Take action today! Learn how to detect the early symptoms of antifreeze poisoning in your pet. Then, sign up to receive the latest pet news, action alerts and more from the HSUS.

Choosing Fire Extinquishers #AltusOK #OKready

A portable fire extinguisher can save lives and property by putting out a small fire or containing it until the fire department arrives. But when it comes to extinguishers, one type does not fit all. There are five primary types of fire extinguishers, each designed to put out different kinds of fires:

• A:  For use with materials like cloth, wood and paper;
• B:  For use with combustible and flammable liquids like grease, gasoline, oil and oil-based paints;
• C:  For use with electrical equipment like appliances, tools, or other equipment that is plugged in;
• D:  For use with flammable metals like aluminum, magnesium, and titanium; and
• K:  For use with vegetable oils, animal oils and fats in cooking appliances.

There are also multi-purpose fire extinguishers that might be labeled “B-C” or “A-B-C”. These are best suited for home use and can be found at most home improvement stores.

Before you consider using an extinguisher there are some very important details to remember:

• The U. S. Fire Administration recommends that only those trained in the proper use and maintenance of fire extinguishers consider using them when appropriate! Contact your local fire department for training in your area;
• If you do not think you would be able to safely put the fire out in five seconds using an extinguisher, do not attempt to use it! Leave the area and call 911; and
• When using an extinguisher, be sure to follow the PASS method – Pull the pin, Aim low, Squeeze the handle, and Sweep from side to side.

To learn more about fire safety and how to properly extinguish fires, check out FEMA’s preparedness activity module, Putting Out Fires.

Thanks to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for this report.

Yuletide Lighting #OKready #OKfire #AltusOK

Hanging holiday lights can be a fun family activity and adds a festive touch to your home. But if you’re not careful, yuletide illuminations can also increase your risk of a home fire. According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), one of every three home holiday tree fires is caused by electrical problems. As you deck the halls this season, remember to be fire smart. Here are some tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission tokeep your decorations from going up in smoke:  

• Whether it’s indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety. Make sure your lights have a label from an independent testing laboratory;
• Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Discard damaged sets or replace them before using;
• Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord; and 
• Turn off lights on trees and other decorations before going to bed.

Don’t let disaster ruin your festivities! Learn more ways to “Put a Freeze on Winter Holiday Fires” with USFA’s colorful infographic and give the gift of safety by sharing this important information with family and friends.

Last Call: Citizen Corps and CERT Information Deadline #AltusOK #OKready

The deadline for Citizen Corps Councils and CERT Programs to update their information is this week! We ask that all local programs log in to the registration system and make their updates by 11:59 PM ET on Friday, December 12. Citizen Corps and CERT data collected by this deadline will be included in the 2015 National Preparedness Report.

Updating your online profiles provides us with information that we can use to justify continued Federal support for the Citizen Corps and CERT programs, including:

• The website and all of its free downloadable resources and an online searchable directory of programs;
• Free printed materials for registered programs through the FEMA Warehouse;
• Technical assistance and support through the Citizen Corps and CERT inboxes;
• Recognition programs like the Individual and Community Preparedness Awards;
• Outreach and education efforts, including regular e-briefs and webinars; and
• The development of new content and updates to existing content, including the CERT curriculum and supporting materials.

While we encourage you to update any new information in your online profiles, we are particularly interested in updates to the following for 2014 (Please note that not all of these are applicable for both CERT and Citizen Corps):

• Numbers of individuals trained;
• Number of trainings conducted;
• Number of volunteers and volunteer hours;
• Council membership;
• Number of exercises; and
• Funding sources.

We hope that you will take the time to update your profiles, so that all of the great work you have done will be accounted for in the National Preparedness Report and elsewhere! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at citizencorps@fema.dhs.gov or atcert@fema.dhs.gov. Thank you!

Stranded! Now What? #OKready #AltusOK

Some parts of the country experience extreme winter weather including blizzards. If a blizzard traps you in your car, do you know how to survive?

Taking the following steps can help you stay safe until you are found:

• Don’t walk around in the snow to look for help. You might lose your way or become exhausted;
• Remember to occasionally check your tailpipe to make sure it’s free of snow.  Clean the pipe to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning when the engine is running.
• Keep yourself moving! A car offers very little room, but exercise is essential; and
• Make the car visible for a rescue! Hang bright colored cloth or plastic from the windows. If the snow has stopped falling, open the hood of the car as a signal of distress.

If you have a cell phone call 911 to ask for help. Do not hang up until you know whom you have spoken with and what will happen next. You can also sign up for wireless emergency alerts before you travel to receive life-saving alerts wherever you are.

Items found in your vehicle emergency supply kit can assist you until help arrives. Take a look at this video from The Weather Channel showing how to prepare your winter car supply kit.

Thanks to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for this information.

Are you #OKready yet?

Citizen Corps and CERT Information Deadline Extended #OKready #OKstrong

The deadline for Citizen Corps Councils and CERT Programs to update their information has been extended by two weeks. We ask that all local programs log in to the registration system at http://www.ready.gov/citizen-corps/council-login and make their updates by 11:59 PM ET on Friday, December 12. Citizen Corps and CERT data collected by this deadline will be included in the 2015 National Preparedness Report.

Updating your online profiles provides us with information that we can use to justify continued Federal support for the Citizen Corps and CERT programs, including:

• The website and all of its free downloadable resources and an online searchable directory of programs;
• Free printed materials for registered programs through the FEMA Warehouse;
• Technical assistance and support through the Citizen Corps and CERT inboxes;
• Recognition programs like the Individual and Community Preparedness Awards;
• Outreach and education efforts, including regular e-briefs and webinars; and
• The development of new content and updates to existing content, including the CERT curriculum and supporting materials.

While we encourage you to update any new information in your online profiles, we are particularly interested in updates to the following for 2014 (Please note that not all of these are applicable for both CERT and Citizen Corps):

• Numbers of individuals trained;
• Number of trainings conducted;
• Number of volunteers and volunteer hours;
• Council membership;
• Number of exercises; and
• Funding sources.

We hope that you will take the time to update your profiles, so that all of the great work you have done will be accounted for in the National Preparedness Report and elsewhere! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at citizencorps@fema.dhs.gov or atcert@fema.dhs.gov.

Thank you!

Financial First Aid

When survivors of Hurricane Sandy were asked what they wished they would have done before the storm, one of the top five responses was collecting and safely storing important personal financial documents. A FEMA survey conducted in 2011 showed that less than 35 percent of Americans report having copies of their vital records stored as part of their preparedness kit.

FEMA, together with Operation HOPE, released an updated tool to support emergency financial preparedness. The Emergency Financial First Aid Kit(EFFAK) helps individuals and families at all income levels collect and secure critical financial documents and information. The updated EFFAK includes new checklists and forms that can be filled out online and saved electronically. You can access the updated EFFAK on the FEMA or Operation HOPE websites.

Learn more about this valuable tool and how it can help your family! Take a look at this new video from FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate and Operation HOPE founder and CEO John Hope Bryant as they discuss the importance of financial preparedness.

The America’s PrepareAthon! campaign also offers financial preparedness support materials, including the “Be Smart. Protect Your Critical Documents and Valuables” guide.

Remember, disaster preparedness extends beyond storing water and supplies. Having a plan to pay your bills and access your important records and accounts will help you on the road to recovery.

Thanks to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for this information.

Weather Ready Nation adds Ambassador Number 1000 #AltusOK #WRN

Our newest Ambassador, The International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), helped us reach the 1000th NOAA Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador.

The freezing temperatures that have blanketed most of the country last week and the historical lake-effect snowfall totals highlighted the importance of building a Weather-Ready Nation, one that is prepared for extreme weather, water and climate events.  WRN Ambassadors are a vital part of the national effort to ensure that all of us are ready for every kind of weather.

I also wanted to share with you some Ambassador success stories - and plans for the future:

• After becoming a WRN Ambassador, Midland Radio Corporation gave each employee an ER300 emergency crank weather alert radio and highlighted the importance of preparedness at a company-wide meeting.
• Bossier Parish Central Library now serves as a hub for people to come and be trained and educated on severe weather, severe weather preparedness, and severe weather safety.
• The National Environmental Education Foundation recently created a Winter Weather and Energy Public Service Announcement that was shown before Green Bay Packers games.
• NWS Weather Forecast Offices have created web pages to celebrate the accomplishments of their Ambassadors, such as in Tampa and San Francisco.
• NOAA is developing a National Seasonal Safety Campaign. In a couple of weeks, I will send an email with outreach materials on winter safety that I hope you will use in your outreach efforts. I invite you to be a part of this campaign and help build a nation that’s winter-ready.
• Raytheon Professional Services has committed resources to develop weather-ready training modules targeting elementary students, high school students, and adults. These training modules will teach people to become weather-ready and have the potential to reach millions across the country.

Looking ahead to 2015, we’re going to raise the bar in several new areas, including youth education, outreach to vulnerable populations, and getting businesses large and small involved in Weather-Ready Nation. Your support of these new activities will be essential for their success.

While the weather rarely cooperates as we head into the holidays, we have many reasons to be thankful. I want to personally extend my thanks to your organization for becoming a Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador and contributing in ways you best can. Your dedication and support is essential to building a Weather-Ready Nation.

Thanks to the @OKMesonet for your #AltusOK December figures

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Periods of Record Temps #1903-2010 Precip #1903-2012 Snow #1903-2012 # - large gaps in record	1 T Avgs: 60/33 Sig Prcp Freq: 8% Extremes: High T 81 (1950) Low T 7 (2006) Precip 0.98 (1933) Snow 2.5 (2006)	2 T Avgs: 60/32 Sig Prcp Freq: 6% Extremes: High T 83 (1995) Low T 8* (1985) Precip 2.33 (1913) Snow trace (1919)	3 T Avgs: 59/33 Sig Prcp Freq: 11% Extremes: High T 80 (1995) Low T 17 (1967) Precip 0.65 (1993)	4 T Avgs: 59/32 Sig Prcp Freq: 11% Extremes: High T 88 (1954) Low T 18 (2009) Precip 1.47 (1947)	5 T Avgs: 59/33 Sig Prcp Freq: 13% Extremes: High T 84 (1956) Low T 18* (1950) Precip 0.81 (1935) Snow trace* (1950)	6 T Avgs: 56/32 Sig Prcp Freq: 7% Extremes: High T 80 (1939) Low T 6 (1950) Precip 1.82 (1926) Snow 1.6 (1942)
7 T Avgs: 57/30 Sig Prcp Freq: 6% Extremes: High T 83 (1966) Low T 8 (1950) Precip 0.51 (1942) Snow 7.5 (1942)	8 T Avgs: 54/30 Sig Prcp Freq: 6% Extremes: High T 77 (1970) Low T 2 (2005) Precip 1.65 (1980) Snow trace* (1921)	9 T Avgs: 54/29 Sig Prcp Freq: 8% Extremes: High T 75* (1957) Low T 4 (2005) Precip 1.42 (1999) Snow 2.0 (1932)	10 T Avgs: 54/30 Sig Prcp Freq: 9% Extremes: High T 83 (1939) Low T 7 (1919) Precip 1.07 (1999) Snow trace (1997)	11 T Avgs: 54/29 Sig Prcp Freq: 9% Extremes: High T 81 (1939) Low T 8 (1917) Precip 0.95 (1960) Snow 0.5 (1972)	12 T Avgs: 54/29 Sig Prcp Freq: 11% Extremes: High T 79 (1921) Low T 5 (1989) Precip 0.96 (2007) Snow 0.5 (1972)	13 T Avgs: 52/29 Sig Prcp Freq: 8% Extremes: High T 84 (1921) Low T 6 (1917) Precip 0.53 (2000) Snow 2.0 (1985)
14 T Avgs: 53/28 Sig Prcp Freq: 5% Extremes: High T 79 (1921) Low T 8* (1914) Precip 0.70 (1992)	15 T Avgs: 52/27 Sig Prcp Freq: 10% Extremes: High T 79 (1977) Low T 8 (1987) Precip 0.99 (1984) Snow 5.0 (1932)	16 T Avgs: 54/28 Sig Prcp Freq: 9% Extremes: High T 78 (2006) Low T 8 (1987) Precip 1.54 (1931) Snow trace* (1965)	17 T Avgs: 53/27 Sig Prcp Freq: 6% Extremes: High T 77 (1939) Low T 0 (1932) Precip 0.80 (1959) Snow 2.5 (1924)	18 T Avgs: 52/28 Sig Prcp Freq: 5% Extremes: High T 76 (1977) Low T 8* (1964) Precip 0.70 (1995) Snow 1.0 (1924)	19 T Avgs: 54/28 Sig Prcp Freq: 8% Extremes: High T 76 (1978) Low T 0 (1924) Precip 1.41 (1918) Snow 0.5 (1995)	20 T Avgs: 52/28 Sig Prcp Freq: 8% Extremes: High T 77 (2004) Low T 6 (1983) Precip 1.59 (2006) Snow trace* (1951)
21 T Avgs: 52/27 Sig Prcp Freq: 8% Extremes: High T 78 (1981) Low T 5 (1983) Precip 1.24 (1997) Snow 1.0 (1916)	22 T Avgs: 53/27 Sig Prcp Freq: 9% Extremes: High T 74* (1982) Low T 0* (1983) Precip 1.20 (2002) Snow 3.0 (1913)	23 T Avgs: 52/27 Sig Prcp Freq: 7% Extremes: High T 76 (1964) Low T -10 (1989) Precip 2.79 (1932) Snow 10.5 (1918)	24 T Avgs: 51/26 Sig Prcp Freq: 7% Extremes: High T 88 (1955) Low T 4 (1983) Precip 1.29 (1965) Snow 2.5 (2009)	25 T Avgs: 51/26 Sig Prcp Freq: 6% Extremes: High T 75 (1950) Low T 5 (1983) Precip 0.85 (2009) Snow 5.0 (1939)	26 T Avgs: 52/27 Sig Prcp Freq: 4% Extremes: High T 77 (2005) Low T 7 (1914) Precip 1.75 (1987) Snow 1.3 (2000)	27 T Avgs: 51/27 Sig Prcp Freq: 7% Extremes: High T 78 (1923) Low T 7 (1924) Precip 1.18 (1927) Snow 1.3 (2000)
28 T Avgs: 52/27 Sig Prcp Freq: 6% Extremes: High T 80 (1923) Low T -1 (1924) Precip 0.34 (1943) Snow 2.0 (1944)	29 T Avgs: 53/27 Sig Prcp Freq: 6% Extremes: High T 80* (1923) Low T 1 (1983) Precip 0.64 (1979) Snow 3.5 (1954)	30 T Avgs: 53/28 Sig Prcp Freq: 2% Extremes: High T 82 (1921) Low T 8 (1990) Precip 0.64 (2006) Snow 2.0 (2009)	31 T Avgs: 52/28 Sig Prcp Freq: 9% Extremes: High T 81 (1951) Low T 6 (1968) Precip 1.78 (1984) Snow 1.5 (1918)	Key * - Record since tied Highlight = Dec record All Temps in deg F All Precip in inches Sig Prcp Freq = Pct of days with >= 0.1" precip	Dec. Averages High Temp 55 F Low Temp 29 F Avg Temp 42 F Precip 1.18" Snow 1.0"

The Neighbor Effect #AltusOK #OKready

With the frequency and severity of natural disasters on the rise, so has the importance of our understanding of community resilience in disaster recovery increased. A sense of community positively shaped disaster recovery for residents of 12 neighborhoods hit by Hurricane Sandy.  A new study conducted by the Associated Press-National Opinion Research Center for Public Affairs Research shows these 12 communities report high levels of recovery two years after the disaster due, in part, to neighbors helping neighbors.

If a disaster hits your community, your most immediate source of aid will be each other. Let America’s PrepareAthon! assist by providing the tools you’ll need to prepare for various disasters including winter storms and wildfires. Visit www.ready.gov/prepare for valuable information to help you take action and practice the necessary steps to protect your family, community, and organizations today!

Thanks to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for this report.