City of Shawnee

Being prepared starts with a plan. Involve your family members in developing a plan, then remember to post the plan somewhere everyone can see the details. Here are some things to consider when creating your plan:

• Discuss the dangers of fire, severe weather, hazardous materials spills, floods and other emergencies. Talk about the ways in which you will respond to each situation.
• Discuss power outages and medical emergencies. Teach children how and when to call 9-1-1.
• Draw a floor plan of your home. Mark two escape routes from each room.
• Select two meeting places - one near your home in case of fire, and another that is outside your neighborhood, in case you cannot return home after a disaster.
• Learn how to turn off the water, gas and electricity at main switches.
• Post emergency numbers near each telephone in your home.
• Instruct family members to turn on the radio for emergency information.
• Take basic CPR and first aid classes.
• Keep important records in a waterproof and fireproof container.

Create an emergency communications plan
Choose an out-of-town contact your family or household will call or email should a disaster occur. Your selected contacts should live far enough away that they would be unlikely to be directly affected by the same event, and they should know they are the chosen contacts. Make sure every household member has the contacts', and each other's, email addresses and telephone numbers (home, work and mobile). Leave these contact numbers at your children's schools and at your workplace. Your family should know that if telephones are not working, they need to be patient and try again later or try email. Many people flood the telephone lines when emergencies happen but email can sometimes get through when calls don't.

Check on school emergency plans at your child's school
Does your child's school keep children at school until a parent or designated adult can pick them up or send them home on their own? Be sure that the school has updated information about how to reach parents and responsible caregivers to arrange for pick up. And, ask what type of authorization the school may require to release a child to someone you designate, if you are not able to pick up your child. During times of emergency the school telephones may be overwhelmed with calls.

Disaster-proof Your Home
Do you know what to check in your home to ensure the safety of your family? 

• Know how to turn off your household gas supply and water supply. Have tools nearby so they are handy during an emergency. 
• Check smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they have a battery backup and fresh batteries.
• If you have an electric garage door opener, know how to manually open the door in case power goes out.
• If the electricity does go off, keep refrigerators and freezers shut, and open them only when absolutely necessary.

Evacuations
If local authorities ask you to leave the area, they have a good reason to make this request, and you should heed the advice immediately. Listen to your radio or television and follow the instructions of local emergency officials and keep these simple tips in mind: •Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants and sturdy shoes so you can be protected as much as possible.

• Take your disaster supplies kit.
• Lock your home.
• Use travel routes specified by local authorities-don't use shortcuts because certain areas may be impassable or dangerous.
• Stay away from downed power lines.
• Take your pets with you; do not leave them behind! Because pets are not permitted in most public shelters, follow your plan to go to a relative or friend's home, or find a "pet-friendly" hotel.
• Listen to local authorities. Your local authorities will provide you with the most accurate information specific to an event in your area. Staying tuned to local radio and television, and following their instructions is your safest choice.
• Call your family contact to tell them where you are going and when you expect to arrive.
• Shut off water and electricity before leaving, if instructed to do so. Leave natural gas service ON unless local officials advise you otherwise. You may need gas for heating and cooking, and only a professional can restore gas service in your home once it's been turned off. In a disaster situation it could take weeks for a professional to respond.

Evacuations at Work
It's easy to figure out what you would do at home in case of an emergency, but what about your workplace? Would you know what to do if you had to evacuate your building at a moment's notice? Here are some tips in setting up business evacuation plans: •Upper management should play a leadership role in instituting, reviewing and updating the program. 

• Employee suggestions should be solicited in designing the plan.
• Ensure the plan is comprehensive enough to deal with all potential emergencies.
• Perform a hazard audit to determine potential toxic materials.
• Include emergency escape procedures and routes for all employees, including the disabled.
• Provide floor plans and maps that clearly show escape routes and refuge areas.
• Assign a sufficient number of people to assist in an orderly evacuation.
• List detailed procedures for employees who will remain behind during an evacuation to oversee essential operations.
• Establish a chain of command and a person responsible for coordinating emergency activities.
• Have a plan that will allow you to account for all employees after the evacuation is complete, with someone responsible for reporting any missing personnel.
• Ensure your facilities have adequate and distinct alarm systems that all people can hear or see.
• Finally, host regular evacuation exercises for the entire workplace, including employees with disabilities

Gather necessary items and information for your family's emergency preparedness kit.

Basic Disaster Supplies Kit

To assemble your kit, store items in airtight plastic bags and put your entire disaster supplies kit in one or two easy-to-carry containers such as plastic bins or a duffel bag.

A basic emergency supply kit could include the following recommended items:

• Water - one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
• Food - at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
• Flashlight
• First aid kit
• Extra batteries
• Whistle to signal for help
• Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Manual can opener for food
• Local maps
• Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery

More information can be found through the Federal Emergency Management Agency at https://www.ready.gov/kit

Stay tuned to these resources for severe weather, disaster and other local emergency information.

NOAA Weather Alert Radio
NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly from the nearest National Weather Service office. NWR broadcasts official Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Working with the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) Emergency Alert System, NWR is an "All Hazards" radio network, making it your single source for comprehensive weather and emergency information. In conjunction with Federal, State, and Local Emergency Managers and other public officials, NWR also broadcasts warning and post-event information for all types of hazards – including natural (such as earthquakes or avalanches), environmental (such as chemical releases or oil spills), and public safety (such as AMBER alerts or 911 Telephone outages).

NOAA Weather Radios equipped with an audio alert tone kept in your bedroom will allow you to be awaken at night when severe weather threatens your area.

Local Television and Radio Stations
Stay tuned to local media outlets during emergency situations for the latest information and follow instructions provided by emergency management officials and first responders to keep you and your family safe.

Social Media
Like and follow The City of Shawnee on Facebook and Twitter to get updates about local government, as well as information about emergencies affecting the area.

Notify JOCO
Notify JoCo is a public notification system designed to keep Johnson County residents and businesses informed of emergencies. Notify JoCo relies on E911 phone numbers and personalized information registered by you or your family to reach you during emergencies. Public officials strongly recommend that you log on to www.NotifyJoCo.com to customize your preferences.

Outdoor Warning Sirens
Shawnee is protected by a system of 18 outdoor warning sirens.

• This system of sirens is not intended to alert people who are indoors.
• A NOAA Weather Radio, mentioned above, is still the most reliable to receive severe weather notifications.

The system is tested by Johnson County Emergency Management on the first Wednesday of every month at 11:00 a.m.
The system performs a daily self-check to verify operability.

During a tornado warning, sirens will sound for three-minutes out of every ten minutes until the tornado warning expires. 

• There is no “all-clear” signal.
• Stay calm and take cover in your pre-determined safety spot.
• Don't tie up phone lines by calling the National Weather Service, local emergency services, public officials or the news media.
• Turn to local media for updates or instructions from public officials.
• Call the Shawnee Fire Department Office of Emergency Management at (913) 631-1080 with questions or to report a possible siren malfunction.

In 2016, Shawnee began a process to replace many sirens that exceeded their life-cycle. In the process, some of the sirens were relocated to enhance coverage across the city. Due to the relocation, some residents may not hear the sirens as clearly as before due to new siren locations. These maps show coverage before the update and after. We will continue to evaluate coverage and improve it as needed.

 

CERT
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)provides training in emergency preparedness and basic response techniques enabling citizens to take a more active role in personal and public safety.

MRCKC
The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers locally organize and utilize medical professionals and others to promote healthy living throughout the year and prepare for and respond to public health emergencies.

American Red Cross
The American Red Cross disaster relief focuses on meeting people's immediate emergency needs caused by disaster. When disaster threatens or strikes, the Red Cross provides shelter, food, and health and emotional health service to address basic human needs and assist individuals and families in resuming their normal daily activities independently.

RACES
The Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) is an organization of amateur radio operators who volunteer to provide radio communication for Emergency Management in times of disaster.

The Emergency Management Coordinator is available to give presentations about severe weather, preparedness tips and more. Call Shawnee Fire Department Office of Emergency Management at (913) 631-1080 to discuss preferred topics and schedule a presentation