CENTRAL JACKSON COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

PRESS RELEASE

CJCFPD Training Facility, 4175 US 40 HWY, Blue Springs, MO P: 816.229.9118 eoc@cjcfpd.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: November 4, 2011

CONTACT: Kim Nakahodo, Public Information Officer

Phone: 816.655.0497, Cell: 816.651.6449

Email: knakahodo@bluespringsgov.com

First nationwide test of Emergency Alert System scheduled for Nov. 9

CENTRAL JACKSON COUNTY, Mo. – For years, local television and radio stations have periodically tested the Emergency Alert System with familiar tones followed by “This is a test…,” but on Wednesday, Nov. 9, for the first time ever, a nationwide test of the alert system will take place.

While the Emergency Alert System is often used by state and local emergency managers for weather warnings, it has never been used or tested at a national level.

“In a major disaster that affects large areas, such as an earthquake, this system could be used to broadcast life-saving information very quickly,” said Todd Farley, Emergency Manager for the Central Jackson County Emergency Management Agency. “This test will ensure that the system will work as intended if a nationwide alert needs to be issued.”

At 1 p.m. CST on Wednesday, Nov. 9, radio stations, local television stations, wireline video services, and cable and satellite providers in the Kansas City metropolitan area will join other broadcasters across the country for a simultaneous test of the system. Although the test will be similar to the routine monthly tests most of us are familiar with, there are a few key differences:

• The nationwide test will last longer than normal — approximately three minutes.
• While the audio message will include the words “This is a test” and be the same for everyone, the video test may vary due to differing technologies. Viewers should be aware that the video messages may or may not include the words “This is a test” in the background image or scroll at the bottom of the screen.
• The test will be conducted through broadcast media only — it will not include NOAA weather radios, mobile devices or outdoor warning sirens.

The nationwide Emergency Alert System test will be conducted jointly by the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Federal Communications Commission and National Weather Service. These agencies selected the date, Nov. 9, because it is near the end of hurricane season and before the severe winter weather season begins. The time (1 p.m. CST) was selected to occur during working hours in time zones across the nation, minimizing disruption by avoiding traffic rush hours.

“The best time to prepare for a disaster is before it happens,” said Farley. “While the alert system can provide basic instructions during an emergency, we all need to take personal responsibility to make sure we’re ready.”

For more information on how you can prepare your family, visit Metropolitan Emergency Managers Committee’s website at www.preparemetrokc.org. This site has preparedness tips for various types of disasters, as well as an online tool for creating a family plan.

For more information about the nationwide Emergency Alert System test, visit www.fcc.gov/guides/emergency-alert-system-nationwide-test-eas.

The CJCEMA is an emergency management agency consisting of the Central Jackson County Fire

Protection District, the City of Blue Springs, Grain Valley, LakeTapawingo and surrounding unincorporated areas. The EOC is located at the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District’s Training Facility and brings together representatives from Police, Fire, Public Works and Emergency Management agencies.

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CITY OF BLUE SPRINGS, MISSOURI

PRESS RELEASE

903 W. Main Street, Blue Springs, MO 64015 — P: 816.228.0110 — F: 816.228.7592 — www.bluespringsgov.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: May 18, 2011

CONTACT: Kim Nakahodo, Communications Manager

Phone: 816.655.0497, Cell: 816.651.6449

Email: knakahodo@bluespringsgov.com

Police Department responds to a request from SEMA for Joplin disaster aid

Blue Springs, Mo. – The City of Blue Springs has received an official request from the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to send a police team to aid in the recovery operations of Sunday’s devastating tornado in Joplin, Mo. The Blue Springs Police Department team consisting of 1 commander and 5 officers will perform traffic and security duties during their assignment to the Jasper County Emergency Operations Center. The team left for Joplin this afternoon at 4 p.m. and are expected to be deployed for the next 5 days.

The Joplin Emergency Operations Center is coordinating all requests for assistance though SEMA as part of the National Incident Management System (NIMS.) This system streamlines requests, eliminates redundancies and ensures getting the correct resources at the right time.

“When news of the devastation in Joplin reached us, we wanted to respond immediately. But our emergency management training taught us that unsolicited responders compete with disaster victims and first-responders for food, water, valuable cell phone band width and lodging,” said City Administrator Eric Johnson. “We are pleased to have the opportunity to respond and confident that our assistance will be well coordinated by those managing this enormous recovery effort.”

SEMA has requested that all donations (financial/blood/shelter volunteers) be coordinated through the American Red Cross and the United Way.  To donate to the Red Cross, you can visit any Price Chopper, text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 or call 1-800-RED-CROSS. You can volunteer time or make a donation by calling the United Way at 2-1-1 in most areas in Missouri.

The Red Cross has also partnered with the Blue Springs Family YMCA to host a blood drive this Friday, May 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.  You can make an appointment at www.redcross.org and enter sponsor code BLUESPRINGSYMCA or by calling the Blue Springs Family YMCA Welcome Center at 816.224.9620.

The City of Blue Springs would like to extend our sympathy to the entire community of Joplin as they cope with the devastation and loss of life, and best wishes to them as they begin to rebuild lives and property.

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I’m resending this per request….my opinion THE BEST Severe weather web page is http://www.crh.noaa.gov/eax/

Book mark this….It’s the National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill. Do NOT rely on AccuWeather, Yahoo, etc…..  Click on the link now…you will see in red…the current tornado warnings.  Click on the Red Polygon….once the forecast comes up…look for the Red Text “Tornado Warning” above the written out forecast.  Click on “Tornado Warning” and you can read all the current info. regarding that specific tornado. Even listing towns/cities in its path.. 

Pete Grigsby

www.BSSDTV.net

www.BSSDRadio.net

www.JagTVnews.net

Paul Consiglio Education Center

1501 NW Jefferson Street

Blue Springs, MO  64015

816-224-1740  X-314

CENTRAL JACKSON COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

PRESS RELEASE

CJCFPD Training Facility, 4175 US 40 HWY, Blue Springs, MO — P: 816.229.9118

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: May 24, 2011

CONTACT: Kim Nakahodo, Public Information Officer

Phone: 816.655.0497, Cell: 816.651.6449

Email: knakahodo@bluespringsgov.com

Donation and Volunteer Information for Storm Victims in Joplin, Mo.

CENTRAL JACKSON COUNTY, Mo. –To help better manage the outpouring of support for Joplin, Missouri tornado survivors, disaster recovery experts have established some simple ways to help, whether volunteering or donating resources.
The Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offer those who are impacted or just wanting to help the following advice:
Volunteer or Donate
The easiest way to help is to call 2-1-1 in most areas in Missouri to volunteer time or make a donation. Unsolicited responders compete with disaster victims and emergency personnel for food, water, valuable cell phone bandwidth and lodging.

Cash is the best because it offers voluntary agencies the most flexibility in obtaining the most-needed resources. You can donate to the United Way by calling 2-1-1 or donate to the Red Cross by visiting any area Price Chopper, texting REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 or calling 1-800-RED-CROSS.

Confirm what emergency responders need from voluntary organizations before collecting donations. Unsolicited donated goods such as used clothing, miscellaneous household items, and mixed or perishable foodstuffs require helping agencies to redirect valuable resources away from providing services to sort, package, transport, warehouse, and distribute items that may not meet the needs of disaster survivors.
If you have a quantity of a given item or class of item to donate, and you need help in determining which organizations to give to, you can make your offer through www.aidmatrixnetwork.org/fema and click on Missouri.

Locating a Loved One

Residents affected by the tornado wanting to notify friends and family that they are safe are asked to go online to https://safeandwell.communityos.org/cms. This Web site can also be used to check on a loved one in the Joplin area. This site is easy and free and only basic information is needed. If you are not able to go online, call 417-659-5464 to register or find someone who has registered.
The CJCEMA is an emergency management agency consisting of the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District, the City of Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Lake Tapawingo and surrounding unincorporated areas. The EOC is located at the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District’s Training Facility and brings together representatives from Police, Fire, Public Works and Emergency Management agencies.

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Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CJCEMA or become "fans" of our Facebook page by

logging onto www.facebook.com and searching for the Central Jackson County

Emergency Management Agency.

The City of Blue Springs, Missouri and the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District (CJCFPD) have contracted with Emergency Communications Network to license its CodeRED high-speed notification solution. The CodeRED system provides officials the ability to quickly deliver messages to targeted areas or the entire covered region. This service is available to all Blue Springs residents and those covered in the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District.

Blue Springs Police Chief Wayne McCoy, cautioned that such systems are only as good as the telephone number database supporting them. "If your phone number is not in the database, you will not be called." One of the reasons the CodeRED system was selected is it gives individuals and businesses the ability to add their own phone numbers directly into the system's database, this is an extremely important feature.

“No one should automatically assume his or her phone number is included,” McCoy said urging all residents and businesses to visit either the City of Blue Springs Website, www.bluespringsgov.com/codered or the CJCFPD Website, www.cjcfpd.org/codered, and follow the instructions on the site. Those without Internet access may call the CodeRED hotline at (816) 220-CODE (2633) to supply their information over the phone. Required information includes first and last name, street address (physical address, no P.O. boxes), city, state, zip code, and primary phone number, additional phone numbers can be entered as well.

All businesses are encouraged to register, as well as all individuals who have unlisted phone numbers, who have changed their phone number or address within the past year, and those who use a cellular phone or VoIP phone as their primary number.

Central Jackson County Fire Protection District Fire Chief Steven P. Westermann explained, "CodeRED allows geographically based delivery, which means street addresses are required to ensure emergency notification calls are received by the proper individuals in a given situation. The system works for cell phones too, but we need to have an associated street address to provide relevant messages."

Westermann stated, "CodeRED gives those who want to be included an easy and secure method for inputting information. The data collected will only be used for emergency notification purposes."

For more information about the CodeRED system, please contact Kim Nakahodo, Communications Manager at (816) 655-0497.
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