6 minute read
Edmond Life and Leisure - April 25, 2024
Edmond City Source feature
City keeps focus on emergency management
From City Source Edmond
Ben Curry knows that even with the most modern state-of the-art technology available, trying to predict Oklahoma weather is folly at best.
But the City of Edmond’s Director of EmergencyCommunications/Emergency Management knows one thing for certain: it’s best to be prepared … for anything.
“We’re not always focused on the ‘worst case scenario’ ” said Curry, who leads the City's efforts in overseeing emergency communications, including 911 dispatch, emergency planning and managing critical situations, “but we are focused on making sure we are always prepared for that scenario if it happens.”
Which, in a nutshell, is what the City’s Emergency Management team – Curry, Emergency Manager Brook Pintens, the Edmond 911 team and members of Edmond Police, Fire, Public Works, the City’s utilities and more – does on a daily basis.
This highly trained team of professionals is diligent in putting in place plans, resources, relationships and materials needed if any incident – from dangerous, threatening weather to unexpected events – should occur. And then they hope they never, ever have to use them.
“If we find ourselves in the EOC (Emergency Operations Center) for no reason, that’s a good thing,” said Pintens, who was named the 2023 Central Area Emergency Manager of the Year by the Central Oklahoma Emergency Management Association. “You want to be prepared, but you are not hoping for a need to act. You want to be there in case something happens, not on your way at a time when minutes count. It’s better to be here even if there isn’t an immediate need than to get here after the fact and try to play catchup.”
With spring just beginning – and the predictably unpredictable Oklahoma weather closing in – Edmond's Emergency Management team remains focused on promoting and providing public safety in and around the community. The goal is to ensure both the City and its resources, and the community overall, are prepared to deal with the effects of any incident, whether man-made or natural. They meet this goal by nurturing relationships and activities involving multiple agencies and organizations, coordinating cooperation and response plans, identifying available response and preparation resources here and with partners – like their close working relationship with the National Weather Service – and proactively identifying vulnerability assessments.
“Anytime there is a response to an incident –whether it’s weather or an accident or unplanned incident – and the resources are beyond what we have available as a City, it’s our job to help find those needed resources,” Curry said. “We need to know who to call – whether it’s neighboring jurisdictions, or community or state or federal partners – to get our first responders and services the resources we need. That is a huge part of our job, and it requires strong, active partnerships and planning by everyone here in the City.”
And both said one important partner can help make a huge difference: The people in the community.
“Being prepared personally really can make a huge difference when there are weather-related or other incidents,” Curry said. “Have a plan – and practice it. Do you know the ways to get out of the house if there is a fire, or an emergency? Do your kids? If kids are home alone, do they know what to do? Where they go? Knowing what to do in advance can make a world of difference when the time comes.”
“Talk to your family or household in advance,” Pintens said “It’s not about having a five-page plan hanging on your refrigerator; it’s about making sure everyone knows where they are going and what they are doing in the event of an emergency.”
There are programs and tools that will help residents prepare for weather and unexpected incidents.
Storm shelter registration
Edmond's Severe Weather Shelter Registration Program is a free and voluntary program that allows residents who own a personal severe weather shelter in the Edmond city limits to register their shelter with the City of Edmond. Shelter registration is part of an effort to be proactive in response to rescue situations that can occur as a result of severe weather.
This program will provide rescue personnel with valuable, time-saving shelter-location information. This information would be critical should a storm shelter exit be blocked by debris or structural damage caused by severe weather. Shelter owners are also encouraged to include an out-of-town accountability contact as part of their personal severe weather plan. This program provides an additional safeguard against being trapped in a shelter.
To register a storm cellar, safe room, or other personal severe weather shelter, call 405-3594564, or register your storm shelter online with the Shelter Registration Form at gis.edmondok.gov/stormshelters/.
Free Weather Radios
The City offers free, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) "All Hazards" radios to qualified, multiple-occupancy sites, such as nursing homes, assisted living centers, daycare centers, schools, churches, or businesses with 20 or more employees.
To qualify, a site must have a written Severe Weather Preparedness Plan. The plan must be exercised at least annually, and training must be provided for staff and residents, where applicable.
CodeRED Emergency Notification System
CodeRED is a state-of-the-art voice messaging system that the City of Edmond will use to alert residents and businesses about homeland security issues, missing children or adults, evacuation orders, local criminal activity and other situations that require immediate dissemination of crucial information.
The CodeRED dialing system attempts each telephone number up to three times and will leave a voice message.
A resident or business owner in Edmond can register on the CodeRED page at www.edmondok.gov/498/CodeRED-EmergencyNotification-System. Those who register can add other telephone numbers, such as cell phone numbers or out-of-county/state phone numbers as long as each is associated with their Edmond resident or business address.
The Emergency Management team is on-call for more than just weather events. They man the EOC during major public events – like Heard on Hurd, Vibes, the Arts Festival and Cycle 66 – and are available for any critical, large-scale incident responses by Police and Fire, ready to offer help or coordinate efforts between agencies.
“People tend to focus on the ‘emergency’ in our title, but it’s really the ‘management’ that makes a difference,” Pintens said. “It’s planning, preparing, making sure the City and our first responders and services have the resources they need to address incidents or situations. That’s how we make sure that we, as a City, are ready and prepared to come to our residents’ aid when the need arises.”
Learn about these programs and more at www.edmondok.gov/482/Emergency-Management.
