National Preparedness Month is not limited to safety at home, it also expands to being prepared while on the go.
Whether your daily commute consists of work, home, school or long-distance trips, every driver should be prepared in the event an emergency happens while you’re in your car.
So how do you make a vehicle emergency kit? You can start gathering items you might need during an emergency.
You should also consider customizing your kit by adding items according to the size of your household. A family with small children may need essentials such as diapers, wipes and children’s medicine and a household with small pets may need extra bowls or food. Either way, personalizing your vehicle emergency kit will help you better prepare for those untimely events.
Here’s a list of items to keep in your vehicle:
Remember to check items every four to six months to avoid items from expiring. For more information on safety and preparedness, check out our Get Prepared webpage.
The City of Southlake and the Southlake Police Department are aware of and are in regular contact with the organizers of a student-led protest scheduled to take place in Town Square this Saturday at 2:00 p.m. in response to the death of George Floyd.
The students have coordinated with the Police Department personnel so they understand what they can expect and, they have also been assigned a Southlake Police Officer Liaison for any questions they might have.
“The right to gather and peacefully protest is a right we support and ensure day-in and day-out,” said Assistant Police Chief Ashleigh Casey. “In each case, our goal is to maintain a peaceful environment while supporting freedom of speech and expression. In this instance, there are extra safety concerns since there are supposed to be young students involved.”
The Police Department has a strong operational plan and a commitment to maintaining order. “Southlake is considered a safe place, and we don’t want our well-meaning students negatively affected by unlawful activity,” Chief Casey added.
Community Conversations
“We have heard from many people with differing opinions about the protest,” said City Manager Shana Yelverton. “First amendment rights are paramount, but safety is also a big concern, and we are doing what we can to let people know about what to expect on that day so they can make an informed decision.”
Conversations about the protest have also taken place between the City and the management of Town Square and other surrounding commercial properties.
Streets Closed
Certain streets surrounding Family Park in the front of the square will be closed to traffic to help support a safe demonstration. Town Hall will also be closed to the public for the weekend.
In 2018, over 6 million volunteers in the state of Texas contributed over 563 million hours of service, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service. Because of volunteers, organizations are able to see success in their initiatives by connecting generous participants with programs in need of resources and community involvement.
The City of Southlake is no exception. Our volunteers are a key resource to help make Southlake possible together.
Volunteering with the City isn’t always a few hours here and there. Southlake Department of Public Safety volunteers remain committed throughout the year to provide extra resources to the City.
During 2019, around 40 DPS volunteers completed over 3,600 hours of service to help make Southlake a better place. The devotion of the volunteers hasn’t gone unnoticed.
DPS volunteers are required to complete the Fire and Police Citizens Academy and maintain a commitment to be on call as needs arise. The academy is a one evening per week course that lasts 10 weeks and provides volunteers a working knowledge of the police and fire departments.
“Our volunteers are the best and we owe a lot of our success to them,” DPS Community Initiatives Coordinator Valerie Snyder said. “Because of them, our teams are able to achieve the highest standards for fire and police.
DPS volunteers provide citizen on patrol ride outs, event support and serve on the fire rehab team, making sure the fire team’s physical condition is maintained during an emergency or drill.
“Our volunteers are dedicated and take pride in giving back to their community,” Fire Prevention Officer Renni Burt said. “Together we are able to accomplish our goal to protect Southlake.”
For more information about volunteering, visit www.volunteersouthlake.com.
