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Friday, April 19, 2024

National Preparedness Month Creates Ideal Planning Opportunity for Residents

As we wrap up National Preparedness Month, it is important to remember that everyone has the power to prepare for disasters. By taking advantage of the information we have presented this month, you can fully prepare your family with an emergency kit, a plan that includes communications, and an understanding of any local hazards.

We want you to know that the City of Southlake also prepares, and we have an entire office dedicated to it. Since June, Emergency Management has led the City’s Executive Leadership Team and Emergency Preparedness Matrix Team in updating the City’s Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). As part of this comprehensive plan, the city intends to use all available resources to protect its citizens during hazardous incidents, major emergencies, and disasters that may threaten public health, safety, and property. There are a number of components to the EOP, ranging from alerting and warning citizens to shelter and mass care to emergency public information and response to terrorist incidents.

“Having an updated and effective plan is like having a playbook established before we even know which game we are playing,” says Amanda Meneses. “Our plans give us the proven framework for a response, and are created when we are all thinking with a level and calm head, not in the heat of the moment.”

Over the last three years, the City has used the EOP to respond to COVID-19, the 2021 winter storm, and the DalDen HAZMAT fire to just name a few. We looked at best practices and areas of improvement to incorporate into the plan in order to provide the best response to citizens.

“Our plan is created with an all-hazards approach so that we can respond effectively and efficiently no matter what the emergency,” says Meneses. “My hope is that every family has a plan they feel just as confident about.”

To learn more about how to prepare your family even further, visit the Office of Emergency Management’s “Get Prepared” page or call 817-748-8903.

Stay Prepared While on the Go – How to Prepare Your Vehicle Emergency Kit

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:

  • Spare Tire
  • Jumper Cables
  • Tool Kit
  • Flashlight
  • Extra Batteries
  • First Aid Kit
  • Reflective Triangles and Vest
  • Rain Poncho
  • Blanket
  • Drinking Water and Nonperishable Food
  • Cell Phone Charger for Your Car
  • Duct Tape
  • Emergency Contact Info

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.

Winter Weather Update

UPDATE 6:30 am 1/16/2018: the National Weather Service has canceled the Winter Weather Advisory.  Temperatures remain very cold.  Drivers are asked to use caution on the roads.

The DFW area, including Southlake, is under a Winter Weather Advisory from 6:00 p.m. Monday night (1/15) until 12:00 pm Tuesday (1/16) afternoon.

According to the Southlake DPS Office of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service in Fort Worth, wintry precipitation is likely across most of North and Central Texas Monday night and Tuesday morning.

If you are planning to travel late this evening or tomorrow morning stay informed. For the latest information around Southlake, visit the Southlake DPS Facebook page, Southlake DPS Twitter, the City of Southlake’s Facebook page, or the City of Southlake’s Twitter page.  For the latest DFW information you can visit the National Weather Service Fort Worth Facebook page or your favorite local news source.

For information about the City’s emergency management operations and ideas about getting informed and getting prepared for hazards that could affect our community, visit CityofSouthlake.com.