Office of Emergency Management

Texas Panhandle ACP Monthly Meeting (Amarillo EOC, Fire Extinguisher Training)

mmartinez — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:58:33 +0000

Check out the ACP Chapter website at: http://txpanhandle.acp-international.com/

Warning Test (Indoor & Outdoor Systems)

mmartinez — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:56:00 +0000

WTAMU Active Shooter Drill: May 18, 2012

mmartinez — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:54:29 +0000

G-620, Texas Disaster Recovery Course: June 12-13, 2012, Amarillo (TBD)

mmartinez — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:53:04 +0000

Full-Scale Airport Accident Exercise (Rick Husband International Airport)

mmartinez — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:49:48 +0000

Slight Risk For Severe Storms Today – Be Prepared & Stay Alert

mmartinez — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:52:01 +0000

Stay Alert to Weather Conditions. Recipients should seek updated information and have a means to receive severe weather warning information during inclement weather (e.g. NOAA All-Hazards Weather Radio, local media, mobile alerts, etc..). Pay attention to reports and know where you or your family would go should a warning be issued.

Protective Actions. Take warnings seriously. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning means a severe thunderstorm is producing hail one inch or larger in diameter and/or winds equal or exceed 58 miles an hour. Seek shelter, be alert for rapidly changing weather conditions, and be ready to act quickly. A Tornado Warning means a tornado has actually been sighted, indicated on radar and is occurring or imminent in the warning area. Seek shelter in the lowest level of your home (basement or storm cellar). If there is no basement, go to a small inner closet, room, or inner hallway. Protect your head with a helmet if possible. If you are in a manufactured (mobile) home, take shelter elsewhere. If you are outside, get inside and seek shelter in a sturdy building. Avoid large-span roof areas such as school gymnasiums, arenas, or shopping malls.

Severe Weather Possible This Week – Stay Weather Alert

mmartinez — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 17:20:57 +0000

Stay Alert to Weather Conditions. Recipients should seek updated information and have a means to receive severe weather warning information during inclement weather (e.g. NOAA All-Hazards Weather Radio, local media, mobile alerts, etc..). Pay attention to reports and know where you or your family would go should a warning be issued.

Protective Actions. Take warnings seriously. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning means a severe thunderstorm is producing hail one inch or larger in diameter and/or winds equal or exceed 58 miles an hour. Seek shelter, be alert for rapidly changing weather conditions, and be ready to act quickly. A Tornado Warning means a tornado has actually been sighted, indicated on radar and is occurring or imminent in the warning area. Seek shelter in the lowest level of your home (basement or storm cellar). If there is no basement, go to a small inner closet, room, or inner hallway. Protect your head with a helmet if possible. If you are in a manufactured (mobile) home, take shelter elsewhere. If you are outside, get inside and seek shelter in a sturdy building. Avoid large-span roof areas such as school gymnasiums, arenas, or shopping malls.

Severe Weather & Local Frequently Asked Questions

mmartinez — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 18:49:54 +0000

April 2012

When will the sirens be activated? The Office of Emergency Management will activate the Outdoor Warning Sirens on a steady tone for 5 minutes when a Tornado Warning is in effect, a funnel/tornado has been sighted by an official spotter, and/or a tornado has been radar-indicated. When sounded, you should immediately move to shelter and listen to local radio or television stations for emergency warning information. Our office currently operates over 89 outdoor warning sirens that are designed to alert people who are outdoors of a potential emergency in the community. Outdoor Warning Sirens are NOT designed to be heard indoors.

Are there Public Community Shelters? In Amarillo there’s no place for the public to go that’s sanctioned by the city. The problem is the size of Amarillo makes it harder to keep everyone safe. Part of that is that our community is so much bigger and more spread out. There’s a real risk if people drive to shelter when the warning is issued and they will be put into a higher risk situation than if they just taken shelter in their own home or own location. Wind speeds of less than 100 mph can easily flip a car and there have been numerous cases of vehicles being carried up, dropped, and more commonly penetrated by flying debris. Over a third of the people killed by the Mid-May 2008 tornado outbreak died in a vehicle.

Where should I go if a tornado threatens? The best place to seek shelter is in a basement, storm shelter, or saferoom. If one is not available, use a small interior room, bathroom, closet, or hallway on the ground floor of your home or business. Mobile homes offer little protection in a tornado. If you do live in a mobile home, find a sturdy building nearby.

Business Connection – check out our LEPC booth @ the Civic Center

mmartinez — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:28:14 +0000

http://www.amarillo-chamber.org/events/eventdetail.aspx?EventID=1305

Texas Panhandle ACP (Xcel Energy Site Visit)

mmartinez — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:24:47 +0000

- http://txpanhandle.acp-international.com/