ENID, Okla. - As storm season approaches every year we start to get inquiries about where the public shelters are. Mike Honigsberg with Garfield County Emergency Management starts to get the question as well, especially with new families that have moved to Enid.
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The answer to the question of where Enid's public storm shelters are is this - officially Enid does not have public storm shelters. If you've ever heard Mike speak about storms and storm preparations he has explained why he does not believe our area should have public shelters.
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The reasoning behind his decision is that most folks wait too long to finally make a decision to go to a shelter and then they become a part of the traffic gridlock problem. Many people will wait, watching TV, until they finally realize that a storm is going to hit town. It's at that moment, when it's already too late, that many people will hop in their car and try to beat the storm.
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In recent years most other cities in Oklahoma have eliminated public storm shelters as well. Their reasons are cost, upkeep, no suitable buildings, lack of adequate space and also the problem of residents on the road during the storm and aftermath.
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In 99.9% of the time people are okay staying at their residence and much better off than in their car. If you live in an apartment, Mike suggests you call a friend who lives in a house. Homes are built a bit better and you should be much safer there.
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Enid does have an outdoor emergency warning system with over 40 sirens. Many people do not realize that our storm sirens are outdoor warning devices and are not designed for you to hear in your home or business. If you hear the sirens going off in Enid, you are in eminent danger, and it is recommended that you seek shelter immediately! Storm sirens are tested on the first Monday of the month at noon if the weather is clear so don't panic.
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For tornado warnings, the sirens will sound with a 3-5 minute steady burst. You will be given as much notification as possible. If you are indoors you should rely on local radio stations, a NOAA weather radio, the NIXLE text alerts, email advisories, or many other local means. Please do not rely on Enid Buzz for emergency warnings. There are times I may be away from my devices and will not be able to post warnings.
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Everyone should register their saferoom, storm shelter or a specific area of their home with county emergency management. That way, their search and rescue teams will be able to find you as quickly as possible after a disaster. Register your location of safety at www.gcem.org.
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It is recommended that you rely on local information in time of storms.
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1. Sign up for text alerts from Emergency Management at www.nixle.com
2. Text your zip code to 888777 for SMS notifications
3. Sign up for email updates at mike.honigsberg@gcem.org
4. Download the emergency management app for iPhones and Androids.
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Listen to local radio at:
103.1 - KOFM • 960 - KGWA - AM • 107.1 - KNID • 95.7 KXLS - FM • 1390 - KCRC - AM
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Have an emergency kit ready to go in case of a disaster. Make this now.
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Enid Does Not Have Public Storm Shelters
