Keeping cool in Oklahoma Heat #OKwx #WRN #Skywarn

Keep Your Cool in Hot Weather

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.

Join Great #Shakeout Twitter Chats #OKready

The Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) is gearing up for the 2015Great 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. 

Is your #teamJesus place #OKready?

Houses of Worship Participate in Preparedness

On July 1, 2015, the Department of Homeland Security Center for Faith-based & Neighborhood Partnerships hosted the “Resources to Help Prepare Houses of Worship for Emergencies” webinar. 

The webinar shared resources available through the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Homeland Security to help houses of worship create emergency operations plans. Presenters also discussed the importance of building relationships with first responders and how organizations can prepare for natural disasters and active shooter situations.

Response to the discussion was great, with more than 1,100 attendees and positive feedback from participants. The webinar also received national publicity on the Fortune Magazine website, and in a local news story on CBS affiliate WLTX in Columbia, South Carolina.

If you were unable to attend the webinar, the recorded presentation is available with closed captioning at: https://icpd.adobeconnect.com/p6jrqxbd8gw/.  Faith and community leaders can also download resources to assist with preparing for emergency situations.

What Is a Geosynchronous Orbit? #ARRL #hamradio #AMSAT

What do you know about Geosynchronous Satellites?



The article explains the concept so you can have an idea why Amsat's efforts for new missions is important.



What Is a Geosynchronous Orbit?



Do you work any satellites?

Don't forget to look at the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corp

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 #OKready #OKstrong

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.

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

Post-Disaster Hygiene

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 been boiled 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.

How did #PrepareAthon go?

America’s PrepareAthon! Events Recap

Thank you for making the spring 2015 America’s PrepareAthon! and the April 30 National PrepareAthon! Day such a success. More than 7.5 million people have been participating in PrepareAthon! events so far this year. We appreciate your efforts in creating a more resilient nation. Here’s a recap of some of the exciting activities from across the country.

Several communities practiced preparing for tornadoes. Spartanburg County, South Carolina held its first America’s PrepareAthon! event which included a countywide tornado drill involving several schools, businesses, and two hospitals. According to local officials, nearly 60,000 people participated in the drill. At the same time, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service and the South Carolina Emergency Management Division conducted the South Carolina Statewide Tornado Drill. Local media coverage included stories on WSPA-TV (CBS), WFXG-TV (Fox) and in the Spartanburg Herald Journal. 

Schools in Louisa County, Virginia held their second America’s PrepareAthon! event where more than 6,000 students participated in preparedness activities, including a statewide tornado drill and sheltering-in-place. 

Students at Jouett Elementary School learned about tornadoes and safety procedures. During mini-assemblies, students in kindergarten through fifth grade learned how to identify the early warning signs of a tornado and made emergency kits and communications plans to share with their families. Louisa County plans to continue its participation in America’s PrepareAthon! during National Preparedness Month in September and theGreat Shakeout Earthquake Drill in October!

Other communities prepared for earthquakes. Nearly one million residents in Utah participated in the Utah ShakeOut Earthquake Drill. Held each spring, the Utah ShakeOut helps residents practice how to “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” in response to an earthquake. The event also included preparedness fairs  across the state in support of America’s PrepareAthon!

During the America’s PrepareAthon! event in Los Angeles County, California, participants experienced simulated earthquakes in a shake trailer and watched an earthquake preparedness video. Also, the American Red cross hosted a puppet show and talked to children about the Pillowcase Project, a disaster preparedness education program that teaches students in grades 3 – 5 about personal and family preparedness. Students received a sturdy pillowcase after completing the program, and they were encouraged to store their personal emergency supplies kit in the pillowcase. In addition, FEMA and the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management held an interactive preparedness quiz and distributed emergency preparedness brochures. 

On National PrepareAthon! Day, many families, business, and organizations shared their activities on Twitter using #PrepareAthon. Take a look at ourcollection of photos to see their preparedness in action.