Assistance to Firefighters Grant opens #AltusOK #OKfire #tweko

Dear Fire and EMS Personnel within FEMA Region 6,

We are contacting you as a courtesy to inform you the application period
for the FY2014 Assistance to Firefighters Grant will be opening soon,
tentatively in early November. Region 6 has developed a recorded web based
workshop which any department can access online at any time.

Region 6 FY 2014 AFG Recorded Web Workshop (available 24/7 using Adobe
Connect)
https://fema.connectsolutions.com/p8jbsjwxrm6

Region 6 will also host two live webinars to allow for questions and
answers.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014 at 9:00 AM CST at
https://fema.connectsolutions.com/afgwebinaroct29
Tuesday, November 4, 2014 at 1:00 PM CST at
https://fema.connectsolutions.com/afgwebinarnov4

Now is the time to do some preliminary work on your potential grant
application.  Following your local procedures, determine what needs exist
and confirm costs as appropriate.  This will make the application process
less cumbersome once the final Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is
released. Departments can also begin compiling department information on
budget, population served, call volume, current age of equipment, etc. in
preparation for the application.

As a reminder, all recipients of Federal grant funding must have a valid
registration in the System for Award Management or SAM (www.sam.gov).
Take time now to confirm that your department’s SAM registration is up to
date and active.  Below are several links to documents on the AFG Program’s
FAQ page. The first link is to the slide deck used for the web workshop.
The last two links provide user friendly training videos on how to prepare
an AFG grant application, and specifically how to prepare a grant
application for a vehicle.

FY 2014 AFG Regional Workshop Slides
http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/98221

Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program - Most Frequently Asked Questions
https://edit.fema.gov/assistance-firefighters-grant-program-most-frequently-asked-questions


Training Video: Getting a Grant - Assistance to Firefighters Grant
http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/videos/83188

Training Video: AFG Vehicle Grants
http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/videos/83176

We thank you for the daily work you do for your citizens and look forward
to the opportunity to help you in providing that service. Our goal in
Region 6 is to provide you with the best possible support in applying for
and managing your grant. Please do not hesitate to contact either myself or
Brad Cole at (940-898-5310) or brad.cole@fema.dhs.gov if you have questions
or need additional information.

Very respectfully,

Nick Zotos
Grants Management Specialist
Grants Management Division
DHS/FEMA Region 6

Preparing Older Americans #OKready

Partnering with older Americans and engaging them in preparedness efforts can make a significant difference in communities before, during, and after disasters. On July 11-12, the Delaware State Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) hosted a two-day Disaster Preparedness class at the Barclay Farms Senior Community in Camden, DE.  40 staff members and residents received fire extinguisher training in preparation for a digital fire suppression exercise, and participated in several other activities.

Everyone has a role in disaster response. Here are a few ways you can engage older Americans in your community and empower them to prepare for disasters:

• Discuss what hazards might impact their community.
• Help them to sign up for Local Emergency Alerts.
• Help them to create a disaster support network.
• Make sure their Emergency Supply Kits are updated.
• Discuss evacuation and shelter-in-place plans.
• Be sure their critical documents and valuables are protected.

Remember preparedness is vital for everyone! For more information and resources on engaging older Americans in disaster preparedness, read Ready.gov’s Preparing Makes Sense for Older Americans or visit the Red Cross website.

Coming Soon: The Great ShakeOut #OKready

The September 30, 2014 National PrepareAthon! Day may be over, but another exciting preparedness initiative is just around the corner! Join the millions of people, schools, and organizations worldwide who will participate in earthquake drills as part of the Great ShakeOut on Thursday, October 16 at 10:16 a.m. Participants will Drop, Cover, and Hold On, practicing the appropriate protective actions to take in response to earthquakes.

Sign up and be counted! Make sure to register your participation on the ShakeOut website. Can’t participate on October 16?  No worries – You can select another day during the month of October.

To learn more about Great ShakeOut, visit www.shakeout.org. You’ll find valuable information about this initiative, including an earthquake preparedness guide for individuals with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.

Practicing for disasters is a great opportunity to engage your entire family in preparedness. Check out FEMA’s new animated video “When The Earth Shakes” to see what you can do to prepare for earthquakes.

End of An Era: KWTV To Take Down Historic Broadcast Tower - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

End of An Era: KWTV To Take Down Historic Broadcast Tower - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |: "By the fall of 1954, we reached the widest coverage of any station in the southwest with the view from the top reaching a 60-mile horizon."

Which brings us to the question "What happens to your repeater when the Big Stick goes away?".

For example, radio operators looking for new repeater location.  That news was replicated months ago in the New Mexico section.

What are your options?

One would be more digital resources such as Echolink, IRLP, and Allstar.  Another solution would be MORE repeaters scattered about on the same frequency with different tones, ex. 146.79 in Oklahoma City and Edmond.

The cost, either way, will go up.

What are you doing today to plan for the day the Big Stick goes away?

"You should get on HF more"

At a recent hamfest, an attendee told this attendee that.

In spite of the fact that I don't LIVE on ham radio and some insist that I live on Twitter, what are the ways I am on HF during the week?

I have HF in the personal car, the City truck, and at the Emergency Operations Center.  I am known to frequent 29.6 FM, 14.300 for the various nets there, 7.290 Traffic Net, the various Military Auxiliary Radio System nets, and some of the Oklahoma Section Nets.

Please remember that I have remote base access at a number of places on Remote Hams.  I also enjoy working the frequency agile remote base in Las Vegas on AllStar Link System on 29.6 FM.

Please know there's the Christian Amateur Radio Fellowship net on 3.930 every day except Sunday.  I also check in periodically to the South Coast Amateur Radio Service net on 7.251 periodically and try to use their VOIP net on Saturday mornings.  

Perhaps the attendee did not really mean I needed to be on HF more.  :)

73