As part of this year's Oklahoma National Preparedness Month activities, a weather radio programming event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday at Crossroads Mall. The National Weather Service, Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management, Oklahoma City Emergency Management and the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security have partnered to host the event in the center court area of the mall.
Oklahomans are invited to bring their weather radios and receive assistance in programming the radios to receive critical warnings and other information. Current models of weather radios allow the user to program them to receive information for only the counties they choose.
History shows Oklahoma can experience significant severe weather events outside of springtime and residents need to be ready to handle bad weather whenever and wherever it might happen. Most recently fall severe weather outbreaks occurred on Oct. 9, 2001 when a tornado hit western areas of the state, including Cordell, and Oct. 3-4, 1998 when 28 tornadoes hit central and eastern Oklahoma.
Weather safety and preparedness information will also be available at the radio programming event.
Governor Brad Henry has proclaimed September National Preparedness Month in Oklahoma. The program started in 2004 as a nationwide effort to encourage Americans to prepare for emergencies of all kinds in their homes, businesses, schools and communities. This is the third year the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security has sponsored activities in conjunction with National Preparedness Month which today boasts more than 100 coalition partners.
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