Preparedness Programs

Youth Preparedness Camp

Calhoun County Citizen Corps Council and Calhoun County EMA host an annual Youth Preparedness Camp.

For info on the this year's camp, please click here.

Outdoor Warning Siren System

Monthly Test

Calhoun County tests all of its sirens on the first Tuesday of each month at 4:00 pm, weather permitting. In the event of predicted inclement weather, the sirens will not be tested. If you notice a siren having a problem, or not working during a monthly test, please contact Calhoun County EMA.

Click here to hear the wavering tone used for monthly siren tests

Siren Locations

Calhoun County has 108 Whelen WPS-2905 outdoor warning sirens. These are electronic, omni-directional sirens. The sirens are controlled by a digital activation system that provides two-way diagnostics.

Click here to see a map of siren locations

Tornado Warning Polygon Activation System

e are electronic, omni-directional sirens. The sirens are controlled by a digital activation system that provides two-way diagnostics.

Click here to read more about the polygon system and to see a graphic of how it works

For tornado warnings, Calhoun County's sirens within the warning polygon will automatically activate twice using a steady warning tone.

Click here to hear the steady warning tone used for tornado warnings

Other Uses of the Outdoor Warning System

Calhoun County's sirens may also be used in the event of hazardous materials (hazmat) release, enemy attack against the United States, or other emergencies. The system has the capability of live public address (PA) across all 108 sirens, which could be used to deliver information in an emergency.

Tornado Saferoom Project

FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program

Calhoun County occasionally receives funding for Individual Saferooms as part of the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Although we currently have a waiting list for this program, we will continue to take take applications for residents that are interested in applying to participate. Your application will be filed and stored for future grant opportunities.

If you are interested in applying, please download the instructions and application paperwork using the links below:

Please note: The FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program does not allow reimbursement for existing saferooms. If you currently have a saferoom or if you install a saferoom before being accepted into the grant program, you will not be eligible to participate and will not receive any reimbursement.

Emergency Preparedness for At Risk Individuals

Would you need extra help in an emergency?

The Calhoun County At Risk Registry is a voluntary registry of individuals who would require special assistance in the event of an emergency. By participating in the At Risk Registry, you can provide 9-1-1 and first responders with certain critical information before an emergency. Examples of how we might use information in the Registry include providing instructions in the event of a major emergency in your neighborhood, coordinating evacuation assistance for disabled persons, and helping to deliver special life-support and medical supplies during a winter storm.

Our mission is to plan for all hazards in coordination with other public safety and municipal agencies. Information in the Registry will be accessible to your local fire department, emergency medical services, health care, and law enforcement agencies. The At Risk Registry should be considered strongly for people who have special medical needs (for example, oxygen or life support systems that are dependent upon electrical power) as well as those who have physical disabilities or other functional needs that would make it difficult for them to evacuate or take shelter by themselves during an emergency.

Participation in the Registry is strictly voluntary. All information will be used only for emergency planning and response purposes. The registry is not for individuals who live in or are served by a residential program (such as a nursing home or assisted living facility).

By completing a few simple steps, you can help us identify family members who are unable to evacuate or shelter in place by themselves or with the assistance of nearby family, friends, or neighbors. Please:

Review the Functional Needs Assessment form to determine if you should register.
Return the completed form to the Calhoun County EMA.
Please do not complete this form if the person you are registering does not need assistance or if the person lives in an assisted living facility or nursing home.

To participate, please download and complete the Functional Needs Assessment form below and submit it the Calhoun County EMA by mail or email. Click here for our contact information.

Click here to download: Functional Needs Assessment form (PDF)

Please note: Participating in the At Risk Registry does not guarantee use of your information or any special service by first responders. By submitting your information, you grant the Calhoun County EMA and the Calhoun County 9-1-1 District authorization to use and share this information, subject to some restrictions. For more information, please see the disclaimer on the Functional Needs Assessment form.

Preparedness Tips

Being prepared for an emergency is as simple as 1-2-3.

Have a Disaster Supply Kit
Putting together a disaster supply kit requires very little time or money but can be invaluable to you in the days following a disaster. Your kit should be in a sturdy, waterproof container and include the things your family will need (don’t forget the pets) for the first three days after a disaster. You don’t have to create your kit in one day; take time each week to place a few of the items you need in your kit. Some suggested items for your kit include:
- Water, 1 gallon per person per day
- Non perishable food and a manual can opener
- Paper cups, plates, plastic utensils, and paper towels
- Battery powered radio and/or NOAA weather radio with extra batteries
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- Hygiene products such as soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, toilet paper, etc.
- A complete change of clothing for each family member including a pair of sturdy shoes
- Prescription medications and extra glasses/contacts
- Specialty items for infants, the elderly or anyone in your home with special needs
- Fire extinguisher
- First aid kit
- Tools, including a wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
- Money, both cash and change
- Copies of important family documents, insurance policies, etc.
- Comfort items such as books, puzzles, and toys
Create an Emergency Plan
Your family may not be together when a disaster strikes so it is important to plan in advance what you will do if a disaster happens and you are separated. You should discuss how you will contact one another, how you will get back together, and what you will do in different situations. Discussing what you will do ahead of time will help reduce fear and anxiety if a disaster happens. Here are some tips in mind when creating emergency plan:
- Create a list of addresses and phones numbers for the places where your family spends the most time along with family members’ cell phone numbers and work numbers. Each family member should have a copy of the list and a copy should be placed in your disaster supply kit.
- Indentify meeting places in your neighborhood (in case of a house fire) and meeting places outside your neighborhood in case you have to evacuate.
- Select an out-of-town relative or friend to be the “family contact person”. After a disaster, it is often easier to make a long distance call than a local call. If separated, family members should call the “contact person” and tell him or her where they are. Everyone must know the contact’s name, address, and phone number.
- Know what to do if authorities instruct you to shelter in place or evacuate.
- Practice and maintain your plan by reviewing and updating it every six months or with any major changes in your family.

Be Informed
It is important to know what hazards in your community you should prepare for. These hazards can be either natural, such as severe weather, or man-made, such as a hazardous materials incident. Take time to discuss these hazards with your family, including how can prepare for them and how you will respond if faced with one.

Being informed also includes know the ways authorities may broadcast important information during an emergency. One way to authorities may use are television or radio EAS stations.

EAS Stations for Calhoun County
AM Radio	FM Radio	Television
WCKS AM810	WJCK 88.3	WBRC Fox TV Channel 6
WHMA AM1390	WVOK 97.9	WVTM NBC TV Channel 13
WDNG AM1450		WJXS TV Channel 24
WANA AM1490		WJSU ABC TV Channel 33/40

A NOAA Weather Radio is an important item to have in your disaster supply kit because it not only lets your receive severe weather watches and warnings but it can also be a way authorities broadcast important information during an emergency. To ensure that you are receiving information for Calhoun County, make sure your radio is set to Channel 4 and S.A.M.E county code 001015.

An important part of being informed also means knowing your siren tones. In Calhoun County, we have specific tones for severe weather, a hazardous material or radiological accident, and siren tests. The severe weather tone is a long, high pitched tone. The tone for a hazardous material or radiological accident is a high-low tone. The sound for the siren test, conducted the first Tuesday of each month at 4:00 PM, is a wail tone.

For information on preparing for specific local hazards, check out the information below.

Tornado Preparedness Tips

A tornado watch is issued by the National Weather Service when conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes. The watch is intended to give you time to review your safety rules.
A tornado warning is issued by the National Weather Service when a developing tornado has been detected by radar or has been reported on the ground by reliable sources.
Determine in advance where to take shelter in the event a tornado warning is issued.
- Storm cellars or basements provide the best protection. If underground shelter is not available, go into an interior room or hallway on the lowest floor possible.
- Stay away from windows, doors and outside walls. Go to the center of the room. Stay away from corners because they attract debris
- Put as many walls between yourself and the outside as possible. Try to get under something sturdy such as a large piece of furniture. If available put on a bicycle or motorcycle helmet to protect your head from injuries.
- A vehicle, trailer or mobile home does not provide good protection. Plan to go quickly to a building with a strong foundation, if possible.
- If shelter is not available, lie flat in a ditch or other low-lying area. Do not get under an overpass or bridge. You are safer in a low, flat location.
- Plan to stay in the shelter location until the danger has passed.

Thunderstorm Preparedness Tips

Severe thunderstorms are defined as thunderstorms that produce one inch hail or larger and or strong wind gusts of 58 miles per hour or greater.
A severe thunderstorm watch is issued by the National Weather Service when conditions are favorable for the development of thunderstorms.
A severe thunderstorm warning is issued by the National Weather Service when either a severe thunderstorm is occurring, has been detected by National Weather Service Doppler Radar, or a reliable report has been received. Persons in the warned area should take immediate action to protect their lives, lives of others, and their property. Tornadoes can and occasionally do accompany severe thunderstorms. Treat this warning the same as you would for a Tornado Warning by taking the proper safety precautions.
Prepare your home
- Remove dead or rotting trees and branches that could fall and cause injury or damage during a severe thunderstorm.
- Secure outdoor objects that could blow away or cause damage.
- Shutter windows and secure outside doors. If shutters are not available, close window blinds, shades or curtains.
Remember the 30/30 Lightning Safety Rule: Go indoors if, after seeing lightning, you cannot count to 30 before hearing thunder. Stay indoors for 30 minutes after hearing the last clap of thunder.

Heat Wave Preparedness Tips

The National Weather Service has devised a Heat Index which is given in degrees Fahrenheit. The Heat Index is a measure of how hot it really feels when relative humidity is added to the actual air temperature. The National Weather Service will initiate alert procedures when the Heat Index is expected to exceed 105° F to 110° F for at least two consecutive days.
Tips for staying safe during a heat wave
- Strenuous activities should be reduced, eliminated, or rescheduled to the coolest time of the day.
- Drink plenty of water while the heat wave lasts. Avoid alcoholic beverages and caffeine. They interfere with your body's ability to cool itself.
- Try to get out of the heat for at least a few hours each day. If you can't do this at home drop in to a cool store, restaurant, or theater to keep your exposure time down.
- Cool or at least ventilate your home; avoid enclosed rooms. Moving air, even if not cooled, helps cool you by evaporating your sweat.

Winter Weather Preparedness Tips

Freezing Rain creates a coating of ice on roads and walkways.
Sleet is rain that turns to ice pellets before reaching the ground. Sleet also causes roads to freeze and become slippery.
A winter weather advisory means cold, ice and snow are expected.
A winter storm watch means severe weather such as heavy snow or ice is possible in the next day or two.
A Winter storm warning means severe winter conditions have begun or will begin very soon.
Tips for Staying Safe during a winter weather event
- Prepare your car before the storm hits. Check the anti-freeze protection and fill the fuel tank. On icy roads, drive slowly and carefully; increase following distance 3 times normal. Use tire chains when ice covers the roads. Do not let air out of your tires; reduced inflation tires do not have better traction. Keep a blanket in the car.
- Plan ahead of the storm. During the winter months, stock up on non-perishable foods that may be served without refrigeration or heating, in case the power goes out. Make sure that you have at least 10 to 14 additional days worth of medication.
- Make sure your home is well insulated and that you have weather stripping around your doors and windowsills to keep the warm air inside.
- Insulate pipes with insulation or newspapers and plastic and allow faucets to drip a little during cold weather to avoid freezing.
- Stay indoors during the storm. If you must go outside, several layers of lightweight clothing will keep you warmer than a single heavy coat.

Flood Preparedness Tips

A flash flood watch is issued when flash flooding is possible.
A flash flood warning means a flash flood is occurring; seek higher ground on foot immediately.
Preparing your home for a flood
- Find out if your home is at risk for flood and educate yourself on the impact a flood could have on you and your family. Even very small streams, gullies, culverts, dry streambeds, or low-lying ground that appear harmless in dry weather can flood.
- Most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. Talk to your insurance provider about your policy and consider if you need additional coverage.
- The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) can help provide a means for property owners to financially protect themselves if additional coverage is required. The NFIP offers flood insurance to homeowners, renters, and business owners if their community participates in the NFIP.
Turn Around, Don't Drown
- Do not walk into or travel into water of unknown depth, or that is over your calf or hubcap deep in flooded areas. A 3 mph current can sweep the strongest off of their feet. Water above the floorpan can make cars buoyant just long enough to float them off the road. Wait for the water to fall, or find another route.
- If your vehicle stalls, abandon it immediately and seek higher ground. Many drown while trying to rescue their cars.

Recent News

The 2012 Youth Preparedness Camp will be July 17 from 9 am to 4 pm in Oxford. For more info, click here.

Posted: June 7th, 2012

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