In the "We are ALL gonna DIE!" Department:

N0D - - Special Event Station celebrating The End of the world!

That’s right, the end is finally near. According to one of the three Mayan Calendars,
the End of the world will occur on Dec 21, 2012. To celebrate this literally once in a
lifetime event, Special Event Station N0D (Now Zero Days) will be activated on 10-80
meters and on several satellite passes for three days during and after(?) the end of the
world. December 20; is a celebration of the end of the world. December 21, the day of
destruction, we will be on the air as long as possible. December 22nd, that is a little iffy
right now.

Amateur radio stations around the crumbling globe are invited to contact N0D, who
will be operating from a secret, undisclosed location. Our operating schedule may
be a little erratic as destruction rains down upon us and as long as our antennas hold
out. Those of you who may be looking skyward for the end of the world, N0D will be
operating on several satellite passes.

This will provide cosmic, maybe even intergalactic coverage for the end of the world as
we know it. Thanks to Allen, our Doomsday press release has been picked up by the
Amsat News Service and will be carried in a future bulletin in about a week or so.

You can celebrate Doomsday by contacting N0D directly on the air. Amateurs can also
become an official Doomsday station by registering on our website. You will be given
a registration number and the authority to identify yourself as “Official Doomsday
Station” followed by your Doomsday number.

QSL with SASE to KK5W. If Doomsday actually does happen, we regret that a QSL will
not be possible so hold on to your SASE until the 22nd at least. Check out our website
for a preview of the N0D QSL card.

Amateurs can also become an official Doomsday station by registering on our website.
You will be given a registration number and the authority to identify yourself as “Official
Doomsday Station” followed by your Doomsday number. Official Doomsday stations
will receive the Doomsday Station Certificate.

It is not entirely clear exactly how it will happen. Will it be a cataclysmic shift in the
earth’s magnetic field, Global Warming on steroids, earthquakes, volcanoes floods,
global thermonuclear war, meteor collision, the 10 plagues of Egypt UFO invasion
who knows ? There are scientists, soothsayers and philosophers on both sides of the
question. Either way it will be an event worth remembering.. . .or maybe there will be
no one left to remember it?

More information is available on the Official N0D website, www.nowzerodays.com
You can also e-mail the N0D team at N0D.Doomsday@gmail.com. Check our website
for the latest updates. www.nowzerodays.com

*Editor's note:  In the mean time, Tweets, Facebook posts and Blog posts are scheduled well past the doomsday event.  Why?  Because the clock in the Back to the Future car was set past the date.


Here's the Certificate for KC5FM

USFA and the U.S. Department of Justice Initiate Study of Best Practices for Emergency Vehicle Visibility

Emmitsburg, MD. – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), supported by the U.S. Department of Justice National Institute of Justice (NIJ), and in partnership with the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemen's Association's (CVVFA) Emergency Responder Safety Institute, has initiated a study of emergency vehicle markings, lighting, and design to recommend best practices for increased visibility to approaching motorists.

"USFA is committed to reducing emergency vehicle crashes and responders being struck on the roadway," said U.S. Fire Administrator Ernest Mitchell. "We are grateful for DOJ's support of this important study which will benefit both the fire service and law enforcement."

The goal of this study is to develop best practices in the application of various chevron patterns, creative use of reflective decal markings, new arrangements of warning lights and other innovative designs, all with the intent of increasing the visibility of the emergency vehicles to motorists approaching them. The study will focus on emergency vehicles not covered by existing standards in this area.

"Increasing the safety of law enforcement officers and firefighters is a key focus of NIJ," said John H. Laub, Director of the National Institute of Justice. "Through effective emergency vehicle safety projects such as this, we are committed to reducing deaths and injuries from crashes and being struck by vehicles."

"CVVFA is pleased to work with both USFA and NIJ on this project to enhance the safety of emergency responders," said CVVFA President Michael Sullivan. "Our goal is to support the decision makers in local fire, police, and EMS departments on ways to enhance the emergency vehicle and roadway operations safety of their organizations."

Further information on USFA's emergency vehicle and roadway safety research initiatives may be found on the USFA website.

Community Webinar Thursday

You are invited to a Let’s Move Faith and Communities! Webinar/Conference Call for faith and community leaders on Thursday, November 29^th

Make Your Community a Source of Health and Wellness

Join this Let’s Move Faith and Communities webinar to learn about the role of faith and community organizations as catalysts for health and wellness, and hear from faith leaders as they share how they have successfully established programs for healthy living in their communities. 

Sue Heitmuller, Manager of Health Ministry and Community Benefits for Adventist HealthCare, will offer thoughts on the important role of health in faith settings and provide an overview on how to develop health leadership in your community.  We’ll also hear from faith community leaders who have successfully integrated health and wellness into the lives of their congregations.

The presentation will be followed by a Question & Answer session.

Thursday, November 29^th, 2012
2:00 PM Eastern

(1:00 PM Central, 12:00 PM Mountain, 11:00 AM Pacific)

Click here and select the November 29^th webinar to reserve a spot for this Let’s Move Faith and Communities event

SAVE THE DATE: Our next Let's Move Faith and Communities webinar/call will be held on January 31^st, 2013 at 2 pm ET. Join us to learn how to provide families with the information, support, and food they need to develop or maintain a healthy lifestyle. Hear about how Catholic Charities West Virginia transformed their food pantry into a source of health and wellness for their community.

You are subscribed to The Partnership Center Newsletter for U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services. Learn more aboutThe Partnership Center.

Free #OKwx training offered #tweko

The spring 2013 OK-First class schedule has been launched and we are now taking applications for all classes! You can find the best class for you at the following link:

http://okfirst.mesonet.org/news.php?event_id=440

For all of our current OK-First certified and assistant participants, we strongly encourage you to apply to one of our 7 re-certification classes, all of which will focus 100% on dual-polarization radar. Even if you took a re-certification class as recently as spring 2012, taking a spring 2013 re-certification class will help you make use of the new dual-pol data that is now fully operational across Oklahoma as of mid October (and the entire region will be done by mid April).

As a reminder, to keep OK-First access each agency's Certified Participant is required to attend re-certification training at least once every 18 months. While I don't like doing it, we do put accounts on probation and de-activate them when this requirement is not met.

And as final piece of news to share - the Mesonet/OK-First team is currently in the process of completely re-designing the OK-First website. The new site will not be ready until approximately next summer, but we are putting a lot of work into designing a brand new data area (that can function on different devices), new training area, and building a capability to eventually offer some online OK-First classes. Stay tuned for that!

Please share this message with anyone in your office or anyone new to OK-First who you think might be interested in the training and data access. 

____________________________________

James Hocker

Program Manager, OK-First

Oklahoma Mesonet

Winter Awareness Day is November 14, 2012 #OKwx #OKice

Governor Fallin advised some winter weather preparedness tips when she
declared Winter Weather Awareness Day in Oklahoma.

Have A Plan:

• Discuss with your family what to do if a winter storm watch or
warning is issued.
• Ensure your family knows meeting places and phone numbers of other
family members in case they are separated when a winter storm hits.
• Know what to do if basic services such as water, gas, electricity or
telephones are cut off for an extended period of time.
• Understand the hazards of wind chill. Cold temperatures are even
more dangerous, and potentially deadly, when combined with strong
winds. The lower the temperature and stronger the wind, the more at
risk you are.
• Check on family, friends and neighbors, especially the elderly. Make
sure they are prepared.
• Plan to bring pets inside during winter weather. Move livestock to
sheltered areas with non-frozen drinking water.
• Install and check smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
• Let faucets drip to avoid freezing and know how to shut off water
valves if necessary.
• Have an alternate heating method such as fireplace or wood or coal
burning stove. Always be cautious using a portable space heater.
• Have your car winterized before winter storm season. Keep your gas
tank full for emergency use and to keep the fuel line from freezing.
• Make sure your home is properly insulated. If necessary insulate
walls and attic. Caulk and weather-strip doors and windowsills.
• Install storm windows or cover windows with plastic from the inside.
• To keep pipes from freezing, wrap them in insulation or layers of
old newspapers. Cover the newspapers with plastic to keep out
moisture.
• Never heat a home with an oven if the electricity goes out

Make A Kit:

• Windshield scraper, de-icer, snow shovel and small broom for ice and
snow removal.
• A cell phone with charger and a battery powered radio.
• Several blankets or sleeping bags.
• Mittens, they are warmer than gloves because fingers generate warmth
when they touch each other.
• Rain gear, warm coats and extra sets of dry clothing, mittens, socks
and a cap.
• Non-perishable snacks like dried fruit, nuts and other high energy
"munchies."
• Several bottles of water. Eating snow will lower your body
temperature. If necessary, melt it first.
• Sand or cat litter for generating traction under wheels and a set of
tire chains or traction mats.
• Jumper cables, flashlight with extra batteries, first aid kit and
brightly colored cloth to tie to antenna if you get stranded.
Stay Informed:

• Know what National Weather Service winter storm and blizzard watches
and warnings mean.
• A winter storm watch is a message indicating a winter storm is
possible in your area.
• A winter storm warning indicates a winter storm is occurring winter
storm is occurring or will soon occur in your area and could threaten
life and property.
• A winter weather advisory means winter weather conditions are
expected to cause significant inconveniences and may be hazardous,
especially to motorists.
• A frost/freeze warning means below freezing temperatures are expected.
• Ice storms usually bring heavy accumulations of ice that can bring
down trees, electrical wires, telephone poles and lines, and
communication towers. Communications and power can be disrupted for
days while the utility company works to repair the extensive damage.
• A blizzard warning means sustained winds or frequent gusts to 35 mph
or greater and considerable falling or blowing snow is expected to
prevail for a period of three hours or longer.
• Depend on your NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio, along with local
radio and television stations, for weather reports.

Be Cautious with Alternative Heat Sources:

Never use generators, grills, camp stoves or other gasoline or
charcoal-burning devices inside your home or garage. They produce
carbon monoxide which is an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas that
kills more than 500 people every year. Use extra caution when using
space heaters.

• Use fireplaces, wood stoves, or other combustion heaters only if
they are properly vented.
• Do not place a space heater within 3 feet of anything that may catch
on fire, such as drapes, furniture, or bedding, and never cover your
space heater.
• Never place a space heater on top of furniture or near water.
• Never leave children unattended near a space heater.
• Do keep a multipurpose fire extinguisher on hand in case of emergency.
• Protect yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning by installing a
battery-operated carbon monoxide detector and never using generators,
grills, camp stoves or similar devices indoors.

Follow the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management at:

www.facebook.com/OklahomaDepartmentofEmergencyManagement or www.twitter.com/okem

Free Preparedness Webinar

Engaging Families in Community Service and Preparedness 
Wednesday, November 7th
3:00 p.m. EDT

Plan ahead and be prepared for National Family Volunteer Day on November 17^th  by joining the FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness Division and Ready.gov for a FREE Webinar on Wednesday, November 7.  National Family Volunteer Day is held the Saturday before Thanksgiving and kicks off National Family Week. National Family Volunteer Day was created to mobilize family members within the community and is a great opportunity to get families involved in service, including projects and activities that help communities to prepare for disasters. Our guest speakers will discuss ways that you can capitalize on this event and engage families in your community, and encourage those who haven’t yet made a family service-day commitment to do something that will help prepare their community for disasters. Helping others provides opportunities for family members to be role models and brings them closer together, while also making a difference in their communities.

Speakers from the Hands On Network and Serve Alabama will share their own service initiatives and efforts to engage the public in volunteer opportunities and service projects.

Register/Log in 

Register if this is your first time joining the Community Preparedness Webinar Series.

Log in if you have already registered for this webinar, have registered for a previous webinar or if you're aHSIN.gov user.