A number of emergency response agencies were available for residents to talk to, including representatives from the Oklahoma City Police and Fire Departments, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management, the National Weather Service and the Oklahoma State Department of Health.
Civic Center Public Information Manager Jennifer McClintock said the event not only allowed for people to become informed on what to do in emergency situations, it also gave the Civic Center an opportunity to stage a mock evacuation with an audience.
“We partnered with the Oklahoma City Office of Emergency Management, they also have some community outreach needs … so this was a wonderful opportunity for us to partner and to provide important information to the public while at the same time giving our staff an opportunity to do a live evacuation,” she said.
Luke Hadsall, 40, of Oklahoma City, attended the event with his two boys, Oliver, 6, and Simon, 3, and his wife, Kelly Hadsall.
Luke Hadsall said he came out to the event to get some general information about emergency situation preparedness and to “let the kids climb on the fire trucks.”
“They put that young firefighter to task, I think he knows every part of the ladder truck now,” he said.
A seminar featuring speakers from the Office of Emergency Management, Oklahoma State Department of Health and the National Weather Service, gave participants information on what to do in situations involving tornadoes, earthquakes and other natural disasters, as well as training about “If You See Something, Say Something,” the national anti-terrorism campaign from the Department of Homeland Safety.
After the seminar, visitors participated in a mock evacuation of the Civic Center and were given a free lunch provided by the Municipal Employees Credit Union.
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