As the storm season in Oklahoma approaches, plans are underway to plan and promote the Volunteer Community Storm Shelter Initiative that was discussed towards the end of the storm season last year.  The last thing anyone wants is confusion, chaos, and panic during severe weather.  Our citizens need to have a plan in place, and know if there are storm shelters available for their use. 

Several businesses, churches, and other organizations have expressed interest in making their storm shelters available to the public.  United Way of Enid & NW OK will be holding an informational/recruitment meeting on February 20th in the Executive Board room at NWOSU-Enid Campus for all of those interested in participating in the program.  Emergency Manager Mike Honigsberg and Don Driscoll from Central Christian Church, an organization which has years of experience providing a public storm shelter, will be on hand to discuss the issue and their experiences. 

Any organization with a shelter interested in making it available to the public is asked to send a representative to the meeting.  Please click HERE to register for the event.

Nonprofits like United Way and various government agencies provide excellent programs to support people in need. The problem: The people who need these programs often don’t know they exist.

2-1-1 Oklahoma is committed to the implementation of single points of entry to health and human services in all regions of the state.

What Is 2-1-1?
• 2-1-1 is an easy to remember, free 24-hour telephone number that connects people with important community services seven days a week, 365 days a year.
• 2-1-1 is statewide with designated call centers serving specific geographical areas
of the state.
• 2-1-1 certified specialists work from a computerized database which includes current information on area health and human service agencies including state government, nonprofits, faith-based organizations and others.
• 2-1-1 has access to a language translation service to better serve all Oklahomans.

How Does 2-1-1 Work?
• 2-1-1 is free and available to anyone in need. By dialing 2-1-1 on any landline or
cell phone, the caller will be connected to a call center serving that particular geographical area.
• 2-1-1 certified specialists assess a caller’s needs and determine what service providers in the area are best equipped to provide the needed help.
• 2-1-1 certified specialists refer the caller directly to appropriate service providers.

Why 2-1-1?
• 2-1-1 increases early access to community services, reduces the trauma and higher costs of delayed care and promotes self-sufficiency.
• 2-1-1 provides aggregated state and national data from 2-1-1 systems to better assess gaps in service and the needs of communities.
• 2-1-1 serves as a portal for emergency disaster response relieving the burden on 9-1-1 for non-life threatening calls and giving emergency responders a way to reach the public with accurate real time information.
• 2-1-1 works closely with Oklahoma Emergency Management and the Office of Homeland Security, empowering the state to better respond to large-scale emergencies and homeland security needs.
• 2-1-1 Oklahoma participated in the Crystal Darkness Campaign; holding
the distinction of being the first state in the nation to utilize their statewide 2-1-1
telephone system to assist callers.