The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

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  • Mike Honigsberg, Enid and Garfield County Emergency Management director, explains the county’s severe weather notification system. (Staff File Photo by BILLY HEFTON)

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March 20, 2013

Weather and Disaster Preparedness Day set Saturday at Oakwood Mall

Enid News and Eagle

ENID, Okla. — The second annual Weather and Disaster Preparedness Day will be Saturday at Oakwood Mall.

It will start at 11 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. The event is put on by Enid/Garfield County Emergency Management and Oakwood Mall.

Rick Smith, warning coordination meteorologist for the Norman office of the National Weather Service, will have a booth set up and will speak on weather safety at 1 p.m. in  the Dillard’s court on the west end of the mall.

“This will be a very good class for everyone to attend,” said Mike Honigsberg, certified director of Enid/Garfield County Emergency Management. “He has really good presentations, and this will benefit everyone at home and at work.”

There will be a static display of response vehicles from noon to 2 p.m.

Police, sheriff and fire units, disaster relief vehicles, a helicopter, ambulance and a few vendors have asked to participate. Vaughn Concrete Products, of Lubbock, Texas, will have safe rooms on wheels on display in the parking lot. The safe rooms are approved by National Storm Shelter Association.

Emergency managers from Alfalfa, Kingfisher, Major and Woods counties will be on hand, as will personnel from Vance Air Force Base Emergency Management and Oklahoma Emergency Management. Air Evac, of Woodward, will have a team and helicopter on display.

Rural fire departments will have an array of equipment for visitors to see.

“Our Enid Amateur Radio Club personnel will be on hand showing their hardware and programming weather radios for you,” Honigsberg said. “If you are having issues with your weather radio at home, bring it to the mall, preferably with the directions, and they will do their magic.”

Koch Nitrogen will have officials handing out information about their plant located east of Enid.

Each hour — at noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. — there will be drawings to give away three NOAA weather radios per hour.

Emergency vehicles will be situated so if they must respond to an emergency, they can quickly leave, Honigsberg said. Those attending are asked to park away from the vehicles and the helicopter landing zone. Those areas will be cordoned off early Saturday morning.

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