Emergency Management News

Friday, September 30, 2016

Prepare for Fall Storms #WRN #Skywarn #AltusOK

Altus --- As National Preparedness Month comes to a close, area emergency managers call on residents to be weather aware during the fall storm season.

"Area residents should continue to have a 72-hour kit," said Wayne Cain, Jackson County Emergency Manager.  "Keeping the supplies rotated through the year is important as well."

Oklahoma's fall storm season has brought tornadoes to Tulsa in December, according to Lloyd Colston, Altus Emergency Management director.  He noted that, historically, there is no month in which Jackson County has not had a tornado reported.

Citizens are encouraged to have three ways to get weather warnings.  Those include:

*  All-Hazards radio broadcast from the National Weather Service with a specially designed receiver that has a specific area message encoder technology.  Information may be found at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/.

*  Alert Altus allows users to get text and email warnings for the Altus area.  Information and signup is at http://altusok.gov/alertaltus

* Local radio and television stations broadcast severe weather alerts.  A battery powered AM-FM radio or television set will be important during power outages.  Media also have text and email weather alerting applications.

*  Local amateur radio operators relay reports to the National Weather Service Office in Norman.  Radio scanners can be used to listen to the reports.




Wednesday, September 28, 2016

October Climate Information for #AltusOK from @OKmesonet

Shown as October 2016
SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday
Periods of Record
Temps#1903-2010
Precip#1903-2012
Snow#1903-2012
# - large gaps in record
Key
* - Record since tied
Highlight = Oct record
All Temps in deg F
All Precip in inches
Sig Prcp Freq = Pct of
days with >= 0.1" precip
Oct. Averages
High Temp78 F
Low Temp50 F
Avg Temp64 F
Precip2.85"
Snow0.0"
   
1T Avgs: 85/54
Sig Prcp Freq: 6%
Extremes:
High T104 (1977)
Low T39 (1985)
Precip1.46 (1941)
2T Avgs: 85/55
Sig Prcp Freq: 8%
Extremes:
High T102 (2000)
Low T40* (1975)
Precip1.12 (1986)
3T Avgs: 84/55
Sig Prcp Freq: 12%
Extremes:
High T104 (2000)
Low T40 (1975)
Precip2.15 (1955)
4T Avgs: 83/56
Sig Prcp Freq: 15%
Extremes:
High T102 (1928)
Low T38 (1979)
Precip3.57 (1953)
5T Avgs: 82/55
Sig Prcp Freq: 14%
Extremes:
High T98 (1937)
Low T37 (1932)
Precip3.45 (1919)
6T Avgs: 82/55
Sig Prcp Freq: 13%
Extremes:
High T99 (1937)
Low T35 (2001)
Precip2.31 (1930)
7T Avgs: 80/53
Sig Prcp Freq: 16%
Extremes:
High T101 (1979)
Low T31 (1952)
Precip1.13 (1919)
8T Avgs: 80/53
Sig Prcp Freq: 16%
Extremes:
High T99 (1979)
Low T34 (1976)
Precip1.54 (1919)
9T Avgs: 81/52
Sig Prcp Freq: 13%
Extremes:
High T99* (1928)
Low T26 (2000)
Precip4.44 (1918)
10T Avgs: 80/51
Sig Prcp Freq: 11%
Extremes:
High T96 (1963)
Low T27 (2000)
Precip1.66 (1926)
11T Avgs: 79/52
Sig Prcp Freq: 7%
Extremes:
High T97 (1954)
Low T34 (1932)
Precip1.43 (1931)
12T Avgs: 79/52
Sig Prcp Freq: 12%
Extremes:
High T95 (1979)
Low T28 (1977)
Precip1.71 (1960)
13T Avgs: 80/53
Sig Prcp Freq: 11%
Extremes:
High T100 (1954)
Low T34 (1986)
Precip3.73 (1923)
14T Avgs: 79/52
Sig Prcp Freq: 14%
Extremes:
High T99 (1928)
Low T34* (1969)
Precip1.89 (1960)
15T Avgs: 78/51
Sig Prcp Freq: 23%
Extremes:
High T97 (1917)
Low T35* (1914)
Precip3.31 (1915)
16T Avgs: 78/51
Sig Prcp Freq: 16%
Extremes:
High T96 (1917)
Low T30 (2001)
Precip1.80 (2006)
17T Avgs: 77/50
Sig Prcp Freq: 12%
Extremes:
High T98 (1972)
Low T31* (1976)
Precip1.05 (1942)
18T Avgs: 77/49
Sig Prcp Freq: 12%
Extremes:
High T95 (1972)
Low T33 (1948)
Precip4.16 (1965)
19T Avgs: 77/48
Sig Prcp Freq: 4%
Extremes:
High T95 (1940)
Low T25 (1989)
Precip1.40 (1983)
20T Avgs: 75/48
Sig Prcp Freq: 12%
Extremes:
High T95 (1979)
Low T25 (1976)
Precip7.10 (1983)
21T Avgs: 76/48
Sig Prcp Freq: 18%
Extremes:
High T95 (2003)
Low T32 (1917)
Precip1.96 (1972)
22T Avgs: 75/48
Sig Prcp Freq: 15%
Extremes:
High T93 (1939)
Low T29 (1990)
Precip2.76 (1986)
23T Avgs: 73/47
Sig Prcp Freq: 20%
Extremes:
High T92 (2003)
Low T28 (1917)
Precip1.33 (1977)
24T Avgs: 73/45
Sig Prcp Freq: 13%
Extremes:
High T95 (2003)
Low T27 (2005)
Precip1.25 (1949)
25T Avgs: 73/46
Sig Prcp Freq: 9%
Extremes:
High T91 (1939)
Low T28 (2005)
Precip2.18 (1923)
26T Avgs: 73/45
Sig Prcp Freq: 13%
Extremes:
High T93 (1950)
Low T26 (1957)
Precip2.60 (1918)
Snowtrace* (1913)
27T Avgs: 72/44
Sig Prcp Freq: 12%
Extremes:
High T91 (1930)
Low T26 (1997)
Precip0.74 (2000)
28T Avgs: 72/45
Sig Prcp Freq: 8%
Extremes:
High T90 (1937)
Low T26 (1925)
Precip1.95 (1991)
29T Avgs: 73/45
Sig Prcp Freq: 11%
Extremes:
High T92 (1950)
Low T20 (1980)
Precip1.50 (2009)
30T Avgs: 72/45
Sig Prcp Freq: 13%
Extremes:
High T90 (1963)
Low T17 (1917)
Precip1.90 (1979)
31T Avgs: 70/44
Sig Prcp Freq: 21%
Extremes:
High T88* (1944)
Low T17 (1993)
Precip1.88 (1940)
Snowtrace (1941)

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Where is the Disaster Kit when you NEED one? #AltusOK #OKready

Ready Where You Are: Disaster Kit Storage

You never know where you’ll be when an emergency occurs, so it’s a good idea to be ready wherever you are.  That means preparing supplies for your home, work, and vehicle.
The Ready Campaign has information about creating a disaster supply kit for each location.
For your home:
  • Create a kit containing enough food, water, and supplies to last at least three days; and
  • Keep the kit in a designated place and make sure family members know where it is.
For your work:
  • Be prepared to shelter in place for at least 24 hours;
  • Include food, water, and other necessities like medicines in your kit. Keep the kit in one container and be ready to grab and go; and
  • Have comfortable walking shoes in case an evacuation requires walking long distances.
For your vehicle:
  • Include jumper cables, flashlights, clothing, and a first aid kit; and
  • Consider having a fully charged cell phone and phone charger, flares, baby formula, and diapers if you have a small child.

Saturday, September 17, 2016

Give the Gift of Your Time #AltusOK #OKready #NatlPrep


The local American Red Cross and Salvation Army can always use volunteers.  There's a volunteer recruitment effort on September 20 at the local chapter office on Willard.  Call 5804825303 for details.

Community service is often one of the most rewarding ways to spend free time. During my year as a national service volunteer, I learned that giving time to your community or other communities is one of the most gratifying things you can do.

Giving your time to help communities across the country to be more prepared is incredibly important. There are many ways to do so:
This week is a great time to consider spending some time serving your community as Sunday, September 11th was commemorated as a day of service--honoring the first responders and civilians that lost their lives 15 years ago.
Individuals taking a selfie volunteering in neighborhood
 
Whichever volunteer opportunity you choose to partake in to help prepare your community, your community will be both better prepared and thankful for it.

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Do you have a Safe Shelter? #OKwx #AltusOK

Room for Safety

FEMA tornado publication
Safe rooms are a good way to protect you and your family or employees from hurricanes or tornadoes. Having a safe room for your home or business can help provide “near-absolute protection”  from injury or death caused by the dangerous forces of extreme winds.

Are you interested in building a safe room for your home or small business? Download FEMA P-320 Taking Shelter from the Storm: Building a Safe Room For Your Home or Small Business, and FEMA P-361 Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes: Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms. These publications help home or small business owners assess their risk and determine the best safe room for their needs.

To learn more about safe rooms, visit fema.gov/safe-rooms. You can also check out this list of FAQs.
If a safe room in not available during a hurricane, the best protective action is to evacuate before the hurricane makes landfall. Otherwise, seek the best available shelter:
  • Go to a small, interior, windowless room such as a closet or bathroom on the lowest level of a sturdy building; for a hurricane, make sure the room is not subject to flooding;
  • Cover yourself with any materials that may provide protection from debris, such as cushions, a sleeping bag, or a blanket; and
  • Kneel down and bend over into a ball, and cover your head and neck with your arms.
To learn more about how to protect yourself and your family during severe weather, visit the America’s PrepareAthon! website.

Saturday, September 10, 2016

National Preparedness Month Week Three: Preparing Through Service #AltusOK #OKstandard


National Preparedness Month logo
September 11 – 17 is week three of National Preparedness Month. The theme for this week is “Preparing Through Service.”

Need ideas for how you can participate? There are several things you can do, including:
We encourage you to participate in this national campaign to prepare individuals, families, and communities across the nation. Check out the 2016 National Preparedness Month Social Media Toolkit to find valuable resources to promote the weekly theme, including community service graphics and special social media messages to share with family, friends, and colleagues.


Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Does your Child have an "In Case of Emergency" CARD?

ICE Cards for Kids

Looking for a way to make disaster preparedness fun for kids? Check out the new PSA from Save the Children and 20th Century Fox featuring characters from the upcoming movie Ice Age: Collision Course! The children’s rights organization and film distributor recently teamed up to encourage parents to create In Case of Emergency (ICE) cards for their children so families can quickly reunite after a disaster.
Make an ICE card with phone numbers of family and friends you can call in case of an emergency. Print the free cards at home, put one copy in your child’s bag, and keep another copy for yourself. 
Disasters can strike when you least expect them. Plan ahead to stay connected to those you love. Create your ICE card today!

Saturday, September 3, 2016

Join the September 11 National Day of Service & Remembrance #AltusOK #OKready @CitizenCorp #Prep2Serve


One way to show your support for National Preparedness Month is through volunteering. Volunteers can play an important role in their communities by helping first responders after a disaster. Join thousands of Americans participating in the September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance to honor those who lost their lives during the September 11, 2001 attacks. The National Day of Service is also dedicated to survivors and those who served their communities following the attacks.  Find volunteer opportunities in your area today!  
Also, @Citizen_Corps will host a Twitter chat on Friday, September 9 at 1 PM ET discussing the importance of volunteering and ways you can support your community. Join the conversation using #Prep2Serve.