Norman Emergency Management to host Preparedness Day

The City of Norman's Emergency Management Divisionand partner agencies will join forces to host Preparedness Day - a free, informational event - from noon to 6 p.m. 9/30/24 at Sooner Mall, 3301 W. Main Street. Residents of Norman and surrounding communities will have the opportunity to visit with local service organizations at this event and delve into all things public preparedness with local officials or volunteers.

"Personal preparedness is the key to being ready for the next emergency", said David Grizzle, City of Norman's Emergency Management Coordinator. "We use opportunities, such as this day at the mall, to meet with the public and discuss their concerns about preparedness and readiness issues they are interested in", he said.

The month of September is observed annually as National Preparedness Month, Grizzle said, when the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other entities lead an impactful campaign reminding Americans to stay prepared and informed.

At the upcoming event, volunteers will be on hand to assist residents with programming weather radios. Additionally, anyone interested in volunteering with Norman's Emergency Management will be able to fill out an application.

Recent weather conditions remind us of the importance of staying prepared for severe weather, indicated Chief King, Norman's Fire Chief and Emergency Manager.

"This time of year we would like to remind the residents of Norman to check the batteries in their NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) weather radio or smoke alarms, update their emergency preparedness kits and review their family emergency plans", King said. "A major change over recent years in preparing for severe weather has been the creation of applications that can be downloaded on a smart phone but these applications must also be reviewed to make sure they are up to date and the settings are correct."

Following the Preparedness Day event, attendees can take part in National Night Out, hosted through the Norman Police Department, which runs until 9 p.m. that evening at Sooner Mall.

For more information, contact David Grizzle at 405-292-9780.

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