It Begins With
Preparedness
We Asked Our Local Emergency Management Teams How To Prepare For Emergencies
Here Is What They Advised
Bob Noltensmeyer
Cushing Emergency Management
[email protected]
918-225-0277 Ext. 4135
Question #1: What is the ONE thing you
really wish everyone knew about the work
you do in the EM department?
[Bob Noltensmeyer] It's not just about
the weather! Fire, Industrial, Flooding,
Earthquakes. There are 4 phases where
we focus our attention to protect our
citizens:
Preparedness, Response,
Recovery and Mitigation.
Question #2: What do you consider to be
the most important activity a family can do
to prepare for an approaching potentially
damaging Spring storm?
[Bob Noltensmeyer] Understand and
PRACTICE what to do in the event of
an emergency situation. Fire, tornado,
fl ood, or any type of disaster. Have a
plan. Practice the plan. Think outside of
the box! We weren’t thinking about a big
earthquake in Cushing, but it happened.
The Emergency Management Team were
fi rst on the scene and had a plan already
in place. Many citizens were caught off
guard and didn't know what to do. So talk
about it, make a plan and practice it.
Have a "go" bag prepared with
essentials you don't want to be without
such as water, transistor radio, important
documents, medicines, toilet paper.
Have a bag for each member of your
family and don't forget your pets. Pack a
supply bag for your pets too.
Rob Hill
Stillwater Emergency Management
[email protected]
405-372-7484
Question #1: What is the ONE thing you really
wish everyone knew about the work you do in
the EM department?
[Rob Hill] Emergency management is
guided by four phases; response, recovery,
mitigation and planning. Each of these
phases are just as important as the one
before and the one after. Our offi ce spends
an exorbitant amount of time in the planning
and mitigating phases for all possible
disasters that can impact our community.
We work tirelessly with our internal core
partners to build resilience into our plans. We
train constantly to become better emergency
management employees and to stay current
on federal mandates. Even though there are
four phases to emergency management,
there are two primary areas of responsibility
assigned to our offi ce. 1. Our primary
responsibility is to the City of Stillwater,
that is City government. Our responsibility
is to ensure that each department, core
service provider and responder is prepared
to respond to emergencies, recover, mitigate
those emergencies and plan for the next
event and improve from their last response.
Our second responsibility is just as important
and often supported by the fi rst responsibility
in keeping the citizens of Stillwater informed
on what types of disasters can and will
impact Stillwater. Our responsibility is to
make sure that citizens have access to
materials that will best educate and train
them on responding, recovering, mitigating
and planning disasters that impact them at
home, work or wherever they may be. Our
offi ce is also very lucky in the fact that we
have 20+ volunteer specialists that work
Ernie Willis
Seminole Emergency Management
[email protected]
405-382-3702
Question #1: What is the ONE thing you really wish everyone knew
about the work you do in the EM department?
[Ernie Willis] We are the behind the scenes responders. Most
do not realize how much training, testing, exercising and
preparation that goes into effect in the event of an emergency.
All of the days and months taken to prepare for a disaster will
all take hold in only moments when it happens. We'll be at the
ready.
side by side with staff during emergencies
and special events. These specialists train
as we do and work with us during all phases
of emergency management. Specialists
put in approximately 2000+ hours a year
(combined) in training, exercises and real
life events.
Question #2: What do you consider to be
the most important activity a family can do
to prepare for an approaching potentially
damaging Spring storm?
[Rob Hill] The most important thing families
can do is communicate with one another. This
can be completed by parents watching their
favorite weather source and letting everyone
in the household know what type of weather
is expected for the day or week. Making sure
that each person in the household has a go
bag. This is a bag specifi cally designed with
each member of the house in mind. It can
contain toys, clothes, activities, important
documents: banking, identifi cation, birth
certifi cates, insurance forms, medications.
Each member of the household should
have a go bag. Then each member should
know what to do wherever they are. Where
to take shelter, or seek areas of refuge.
Each member should know what to do at
home, what the plan is, where to shelter,
how to contact someone in the event of an
emergency and know how to get important
information about the emergency. And of
course, we would be remiss if we did not
mention to have electronic device chargers,
fl ashlight, battery powered radio and at
least two or three apps that can provide
critical information for updates on events.
And of course, sign up for your local mass
notifi cation system to get reports from your
local offi cials.
Question #2: What do you consider to be the most important
activity a family can do to prepare for an approaching potentially
damaging Spring storm?
[Ernie Willis] Have a PLAN! The biggest fear I hear of from
families is "What if we aren't at home together when a disaster
happens?" Families today are often caught out - and apart
from each other - when spring storms hit for example. Family
members may be at home, work, school, activities, shopping.
Develop your plan to include what to do to shelter in place, how
to contact each other after, and where do we meet if our home is
not accessible anymore. Know what the protocols are at school,
daycare, etc.
It Begins With
Preparedness
Photo Taken By Enid News & Eagle
24 | Spring Scenes | March 2020