Easily find the coordinates for your outdoor storm shelter. Visit Google Maps and zoom into your location or search your address. Zoom into where the shelter is and right-click to copy the coordinates. You can paste them into the form.
Our Mission goes beyond the Disaster. We are here to help build the community to withstand, adapt, and recover from whatever challenges come our way.
Our Mission goes beyond the Disaster. We are here to help build the community to withstand, adapt, and recover from whatever challenges come our way.
Our Motto is, “Resilience: The Heart of the Preparedness”, reflects our belief that true preparedness starts with strong, connected people. Resilience isn’t just about having a plan, it is about building a community that can adapt, recover, and come back stronger after any event. This means supporting the community with education and connections to resources, working hand-in-hand with local partners, and focusing on practical solutions to problems. Emergency management isn’t just an agencies job, it exists in every profession, every agency, and every home where someone takes steps to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from a disaster, whether small or big.
The role of emergency management in Oklahoma, as defined by the Oklahoma Emergency Management Act of 2003 and other applicable sources, involves various responsibilities aimed at preparing for, responding to, recovering from, and mitigating the impact of emergencies and disasters. Here is a summary of the key aspects of emergency management in Oklahoma:
1. Coordination and Planning: Emergency management in Oklahoma involves the coordination and development of comprehensive emergency operations plans. These plans outline the organizational structure, responsibilities, and procedures for responding to emergencies and disasters. They are regularly updated, tested, and exercised to ensure preparedness.
2. Preparedness: Emergency management focuses on preparedness measures to enhance the state's readiness for emergencies. This includes conducting training programs and exercises to train emergency management personnel and responders. Preparedness efforts also involve public education campaigns to raise awareness and promote individual and community preparedness.
3. Response: When emergencies occur, emergency management agencies in Oklahoma mobilize and coordinate response efforts. This includes activating emergency operations centers, coordinating resources and personnel, disseminating information, and facilitating communication among responding agencies.
4. Resource Management: Emergency management plays a critical role in resource management. This involves identifying and inventorying resources available for emergency response, coordinating their allocation and deployment during emergencies, and ensuring effective resource utilization to meet the needs of affected communities.
5. Recovery: After an emergency or disaster, emergency management focuses on facilitating recovery efforts. This includes coordinating and supporting the implementation of recovery programs to assist affected individuals, businesses, and communities. Recovery activities may involve financial assistance, infrastructure repair, psychological support, and community rebuilding.
6. Mitigation: Emergency management in Oklahoma also emphasizes mitigation strategies to reduce the impact of future emergencies. This involves identifying and assessing potential hazards, implementing measures to minimize their effects, and promoting resilience in communities through risk reduction initiatives.
7. Collaboration and Coordination: Emergency management agencies in Oklahoma collaborate and coordinate with various stakeholders. This includes federal, state, tribal, and local agencies, nonprofit organizations, private sector entities, and volunteer groups. Effective collaboration ensures a coordinated and integrated approach to emergency management, leveraging available resources and expertise.
8. Compliance and Reporting: Emergency management agencies in Oklahoma ensure compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and guidelines. They maintain records, prepare reports, and follow reporting requirements related to emergency management activities, including incident reports, resource utilization, and expenditures.
Road closures are posted here as they are reported to the Emergency Management office. If you have a road closure to report, please call the Emergency Management office at (405) 533-6875.
The documents provided below are for your convenience. The County Emergency Management office staff cannot provide legal advice or assist in filling out paperwork. If you need legal guidance, please consult an attorney.
Payne County Emergency Management (PCEM), as required by the Oklahoma Emergency Management Act of 2003, monitors all significant events in the county and reports them to the state. Wildfires impact Payne County each year, with some years being more impactful than others. In 2022, hundreds of acres of grass land, woods, and ranch land were scorched. These fires not only impact the land owners, but the fire departments and other personnel that respond to them. Losses in hay and other agriculture lands cost Payne County residents big bucks.
While emergency management personnel do not actively fight the fire, they play a critical role in incident management, scene stabilization, and resource management. Our personnel are trained in many areas including drone flight operations, tactical communications, documentation, fireground operations, rehab support, among others.
In an effort to streamline our response and monitoring efforts, and improve overall response times throughout the county, PCEM has adopted the following wildfire response levels (WRL);
WRL Blue - Normal operations: This is the normal day-to-day operational level for our program. We will monitor radio traffic, GeoSafe, social media, and other sources of information. Scene response will only be if an incident escalates to involve fire departments from multiple counties, or if requested by incident command.
WRL Green - Enhanced Monitoring: When the burning index is expected to be greater than 35 during the day, PCEM staff will prioritize wildfire monitoring. Weather conditions will be monitored, along with the infrared satellites and other enhanced data gathering systems. Volunteers may be asked to assist with monitoring. Scene response will only be if an incident escalates to involve fire departments from multiple counties, if requested by incident command, or if other complicating factors exist.
WRL Orange - Enhanced Operations: Under WRL Orange, burning index conditions are expected to be greater than 50. PCEM staff will coordinate with 911 dispatch staff to implement the EWAR plan. Scene response will be determined by the initial report of fire activity, proximity to structures, or other complicating factors. Volunteers will be asked to be on alert for potential deployments and to staff the EOC for a partial activation. County Commissioners will be notified of all incidents impacting their districts. The State Emergency Operations Center will be made aware of our enhanced posture for wildland fires in the event intrastate aid is needed, pursuant to the Oklahoma Intrastate Mutual Aid Compact.
WRL Red - Critical Operations: This level will be activated when the county is under Red Flag Warning or other enhanced fire conditions such as a burn ban and activation of a WAR Day for local departments. Scene response will be emergent to all fires at initial dispatch. Volunteers will be requested to staff the Emergency Operations Center to support operations under a partial or full EOC activation. This level will also include enhanced communications with the State Emergency Operations Center for the coordination of task forces and other mutual aid responses.
Preparedness starts with small, practical steps that anyone can take, no matter your job, age, or background. We encourage all residents to take steps to prepare themselves and their families for emergencies. This includes having an emergency kit, a family communication plan, and staying informed about local hazards.
1. National Weather Service: Bookmark the National Weather Services for the latest weather updates. https://www.weather.gov/oun/
2. Stay Informed: It’s important to not only receive alerts in multiple ways, but also to stay situationally aware of what’s happening around you and what’s making the news. Weather, road closures, major incidents, or community updates can all affect your safety and daily routines. Taking a few minutes each day to stay informed helps you stay ahead, whether it’s watching the skies, checking the news, or simply being alert to your surroundings. Awareness is a key part of preparedness.
3. Follow Our Facebook Page: Follow and Sign up to see posts immediately on our Facebook Page
4. Prepardness Resources: The following resources are free to access and provide helpful information to prepare for emergencies.
5. Disaster Supplies Kit: Your family will cope best by preparing for disasters before they happen. One way is by assembling a disaster supplies kit. Once disaster hits, you won’t have much time to prepare or search for supplies. If you have gathered supplies in advance, your family can endure an evacuation or home confinement.
After a disaster, emergency services use this list to check on homes that have a storm shelter. They check to ensure the residents are able to get out of their shelter and not stuck under debris. Register your shelter with us for our emergency teams to check on you after a storm.
Information provided on this form will not be shared with any groups or organizations other than emergency response personnel.
Office: (405) 533-6875
Cell: (405) 334-3447
Email: Email
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Monday – Friday
8 AM – 4:30 PM
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