Are you ready for Fire?

Today in 64 AD, the Great Fire of Rome began under Emperor Nero"


Now Nero is not around for another fire, but fires still occur.


Are you ready?


Find out what the experts know about the best way to make your home and neighborhood safer from wildfire. From the basics of defensible space and sound landscaping techniques to research on how homes ignite (and what you can do about it), there are tips, tools and teachings you can use!


Now that you have the information, are you prepared?

Join Great #Shakeout Twitter Chats

The Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) is gearing up for the 2015 Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill. To promote the event, SCEC will host a series of weekly Twitter chats at 2 PM ET/11 AM PT every Wednesday from now through August 26.

Each week the Twitter chats will highlight one of the "Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety":

·        July 29: Organize Disaster Supplies (Step Three)

·        August 5: Minimize Financial Hardship (Step Four)

·        August 12: Drop Cover Hold On (Step Five)

·        August 19: Improve Safety (Step Six)

·        August 26: Reconnect And Restore (Step Seven) 

Follow along each week to learn how to stay safe before, during, and after an earthquake.  Also, be sure to check out the How to Prepare for an Earthquake guide from America’s PrepareAthon! for valuable information about this hazard. 

Keep Your Cool in Hot Weather #OKwx #AltusOK

Summer is in full swing and temperatures are heating up across the nation. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), heat is one of the leading causes of weather-related deaths in the United States, resulting in hundreds of fatalities each year and even more heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke, heat cramps, and heat exhaustion. 

The best line of defense against these illnesses is prevention. The ReadyCampaign offers the following tips to stay safe when the mercury rises:

·        Stay indoors as much as possible and limit exposure to the sun;

·        Stay on the lowest level out of the sun if air conditioning is unavailable;

·        Eat well-balanced, light, and regular meals;

·        Dress in loose-fitting, lightweight, and light-colored clothes that cover as much skin as possible; and

·        Avoid doing strenuous work outside during the warmest part of the day.

When necessary, NWS issues heat-related alerts to help you prepare for extreme weather conditions. To learn more about these alerts and how they impact you, visit: www.nws.noaa.gov/om/heat/ww.shtml.

Have you looked at the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corp?

Medical Reserve Corps Gets Results

Last month, the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) network participated in a nationwide drill in conjunction with America’s PrepareAthon! The drill waspart of MRC’s month-long Healthy Home program designed to bring awareness to hazards including lead, mold, and carbon monoxide. 

During the April 30 drill, MRC Regional Coordinators asked MRC Unit Leaders across the country to respond to a simple, yet critical question: “Have you checked the carbon monoxide and smoke detectors in your home within the past 60 days?” At the end of the exercise, responses were tallied and reported to the MRC network, which is comprised of nearly 1,000 MRC Units.

According to MRC Director Captain Rob Tosatto, 685 MRC Units replied to the question, and out of those who responded, 516 participants indicated that their carbon monoxide and smoke detectors were checked, and in good working order.

“At its heart, this drill was about personal preparedness and increasing the safety and security of individuals within our MRC network. Our Healthy Homes initiative proved, yet again, that the MRC is a robust and active network which models and promotes preparedness measures,” said Tosatto.

Join the Next CERT Webinar #AltusOK #OKready

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Individual and Community Preparedness Division is pleased to invite you to a webinar that focuses on practices that will enhance the experience for CERT participants with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.

Title: Inclusion of People with Disabilities and Others with Access and Functional Needs in CERT Programs

Date: Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Time:  3:00 - 4:30 p.m. (ET)

Guest Speakers:

• Gay Jones, FEMA Office of Disability Integration and Coordination (ODIC)
• Kathryn Gerk, Emergency Services Manager, Richmond, CA Fire Department
• Jennifer Fales, Emergency Management Coordinator, Kansas City, MO Office of Emergency Management

How to Join the Webinar:

• Adobe Connect Registration Web Link.
• Be sure to test your Adobe Connect connection prior to the meeting.
• This webinar will offer closed captioning.

Protect your Identity during Disasters #OKready #OKstrong

The disaster recovery process is often a gradual one that takes a lot of time and effort.  While safety is a primary concern, you should also be mindful of another aspect of disasters – identity theft scams. Scammers use the confusion of disasters to take advantage of those in need.  

Though it can be hard to monitor everything that is taking place in the midst of an emergency, Equifax offers a few helpful rules to protect your identity, including:

• Stop your mail from being delivered! Mail can contain important and personal information. Leaving it in your mailbox for an extended amount of time leaves it vulnerable to thieves; 
• Check your credit report as soon as you can after a disaster to inspect for suspicious activity;
• Protect your virtual assets. Only use secure, password protected Internet connections to check bank accounts, email, or other potentially sensitive websites; and
• Make a plan to protect your documents! 

You can use the Be Smart. Protect Your Critical Documents and Valuables guide from America’s PrepareAthon! to get started.

What do you know about Post-Disaster Hygiene? #OKready #OKstrong

Personal hygiene is critical to help prevent the spread of illness and disease especially during an emergency such as a flood, hurricane, or earthquake. Clean, safe water is essential for proper hygiene and handwashing, but can be difficult to find following a disaster.  

If your tap water is unsafe, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend washing your hands with soap and water that has beenboiled or disinfected.

To ensure your hands are washed properly, follow these steps from the CDC:

• Wet your hands with clean water (warm or cold) and apply soap; 
• Rub your hands together to make a lather and scrub them well. Be sure to scrub the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails; 
• Continue rubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds; 
• Rinse your hands well under water; and 
• Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them. 

According to the CDC, you should use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available. While this will reduce the number of germs on your hands, it will not eliminate all types of germs. Also, hand sanitizers are not effective on visibly dirty hands.   

Washing your hands is the best way to reduce germs! Maintaining basic hygiene and taking extra steps to ensure cleanliness will help keep your disaster recovery safe and healthy.