Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service #AltusOK

Monday, January 18, 2016, is the Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Day of Service.  Join Americans nationwide who will answer the call to service by assisting their communities in large and small ways. One of those ways can be ensuring that your loved ones and neighbors are ready for natural disasters, power outages, or other emergencies. You can build an emergency kit for a neighbor or check that the fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are properly working in a friend’s home. You can also find opportunities to serve through your local CERT and Citizen Corps Councils.   The MLK Day of Service is part of the United We Serve initiative – the President’s national call to service. For more information, visit the Corporation for National Community Service website.

Thank You for Helping to Prepare the Nation #AltusOK #OKready

The Individual and Community Preparedness Division would like to thank all of the individuals, families and organizations who helped make 2015 a great year for preparedness! You demonstrated your commitment to preparing your homes, communities, and the nation for disasters in many ways, including your continued participation with Community Emergency Response Teams, youth preparedness, and registered America’s PrepareAthon! events. In 2015, people across the country planned events for America’s PrepareAthon! bringing together schools, businesses, local government, faith leaders, hospitals, employees, individuals, families, and others to participate in preparedness drills and activities. Some of these experiences are featured in the new “stories” section on the campaign’s website, highlighting the incredible work happening around the country.   In one story, Visa, the global payments technology company, prepared its staff for emergencies – both at home and work. Visa conducted a two-day event that allowed staff to meet with local and national emergency preparedness organizations, build their own family and pet emergency plans, and join the financial company’s own emergency response team. They were able to sign up more than 100 employees for the team!  In another story, Smyrna, TN became the first town in the state to participate in  activities with America’s PrepareAthon!. In partnership with Smyrna, GA – more than 1,000 community members participated in a tornado safety drill in 2015. The town also held its first  emergency preparedness expo with with more than 30 sponsoring organizations – the Rutherford County’s Sheriff’s Office, Health Department, and Emergency Management Agency, Smryna Police and Fire Department, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. We also appreciate your record-setting participation and engagement in various preparedness webinars throughout 2015. With 18 webinars, we reached more than 8,500 people with preparedness messages. Thank you to the speakers and participants who attended some of our biggest webinars, such as:  “Resources to Help Houses of Worship Prepare for Emergencies” with 1,149 participants;  “Community Discussion: Preparing Individuals Disproportionately Impacted by Disasters” with 596 participants; and “Local Partnerships between the American Red Cross and CERT” with 462 participants. We would also like to thank the winners of the 2015 Individual and Community Preparedness Awards for your outstanding contributions toward making communities safer, better prepared, and more resilient.   We encourage you to continue preparing your homes, businesses, organizations, and houses of worship for another eventful year. We look forward to hearing and sharing your preparedness success stories. Thank you, and we wish everyone a safe and happy New Year!

How do your pets do winter? #AltusOK #OKice

Winter Care for Pets

Winter weather can be dangerous not only for humans, but for pets too! Taking extra precautions throughout the season can ensure your pets stay healthy and happy. The Humane Society of the Unites States offers tips to keep pets safe, including:

• 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;
• 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; 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.

It only takes a few tablespoons of highly toxic antifreeze to injure your pet.Learn the signs of antifreeze poisoning.