News Release
Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management
Oklahoma Emergency Management Association
Oklahoma’s new plan to take hurricane shelter operations to Louisiana and other states is among topics slated for discussion at annual training event
Next week emergency managers from across the state will meet for extensive discussions on their role in preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation efforts related to keeping our communities, state and nation safe. It’s all part of this year’s Oklahoma Emergency Management Conference set for Sept. 28-30 at the Renaissance Hotel in Tulsa. The conference is sponsored by the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) and the Oklahoma Emergency Management Association (OEMA).
More than 250 emergency managers and other public and private sector officials are expected to be on-hand when the conference begins at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 28. Conference highlights are listed below.
Monday, Sept. 28
- 10 a.m. – Opening remarks will be provided by Albert Ashwood, OEM director, and David Barnes, OEMA president and Oklahoma County Emergency Management director.
- 10:30 a.m. – OEM’s Ashwood will brief emergency managers on Oklahoma’s plan to take hurricane shelter operations to Louisiana and other states. Additionally, OEM staff will provide program updates.
- Lunch – Remarks by Gary Jones, FEMA Region Six acting administrator, are expected to begin around 12:15 p.m. Presentation of OEM’s Ben Frizzell Public Information Officer Award is expected around 12:45 p.m.
- 1:30 to 5 p.m. – Afternoon breakout sessions feature discussions on H1N1 Swine Flu, Social Media and the Oklahoma Floodplain Management Association’s Disaster Task Force.
Tuesday, Sept. 29
- 8:15 a.m. – Sid Sperry, with the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives, and Steve Piltz, with the National Weather Service, will present the Sperry-Piltz Ice Accumulation Index
- 9:45 a.m. – Kim Elmore, with National Severe Storms Lab, will present VORTEX II.
- 1:15 p.m. – Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security Director Kerry Pettingill will provide an update regarding programs and services.
- 3 to 5 p.m. – Afternoon breakout sessions feature discussions on Incident Management Teams, Search and Rescue Teams, Transporting Hazardous Materials and the Habits of Disaster Thinking.
Wednesday, Sept. 30
- 8:15 a.m. – OEMA’s Communications Committee will lead a discussion on Basic Radio Interoperability.
- 9:30 a.m. – Oklahoma’s top emergency management directors and volunteers will be recognized during OEMA’s Annual Awards Program.
The Renaissance Hotel is located at 6808 S. 107th East Avenue in Tulsa.