This biweekly column is sponsored by the Arlington Office of Emergency Management.
The start of many people’s morning routines includes checking their phone or listening to the weather report: Is it going to rain today? How warm will it get later? Do I need my umbrella today, or my sunglasses? We may not think of weather as something consequential here, but the weather has caused most of the disasters in the United States.
This biweekly column is sponsored by the Arlington Office of Emergency Management.
March 21 is Tornado Preparedness Day in Virginia. Join the Arlington County Office of Emergency Management and participate in the Statewide Tornado Drill by practicing where to go and what to do during a tornado. Register to hold a Tornado drill at your home or workplace & help to prepare your family and colleagues. Look for our notice at 9:45 a.m. Tuesday, March 21, 2017 on Facebook & Twitter stating the drill has begun. Show us how you prepare by posting a picture of your drill @ReadyArlington’s Facebook/Twitter account. Review these helpful tips from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM).
This biweekly column is sponsored by the Arlington Office of Emergency Management.
Isn’t it appropriate to point out at the beginning of Women’s History Month that a field historically dominated by men has its roots attributed to a woman?
This biweekly column is sponsored by the Arlington Office of Emergency Management.
See what our staff is reading, and join us in a discussion at A Novel Catastrophe, our bi-monthly book club.
This biweekly column is sponsored by the Arlington Office of Emergency Management. The author of this post, Lauren Stienstra, is the Senior Manager for Research and Policy Development in the Arlington County Office of Emergency Management.
My stint in babysitting was brief — not because I was bored or particularly bad at it — but because it evolved into a summer job as a lifeguard, then a college job as an EMT, and eventually a career as an emergency manager here in Arlington. “Emergency Manager” was not my dream job as a 12-year-old, but the early exposure to the ideas and skills around emergencies started me down a path that would lead me to an incredibly fulfilling role and career in this community.
Other times it’s appropriate to use the non-emergency number is for nuisance calls. A barking dog or an illegally parked car are things that are annoying (and violate certain ordinances), but are not life threatening. If you cannot find your car, that is not necessarily an emergency. If you saw someone physically steal it then yes, call 9-1-1 immediately. Otherwise you can find out if it’s been towed or file a stolen vehicle report through the non-emergency number.
PRO TIP: The Arlington County Police has a great system in place for making online reports. Once the report is submitted, you will automatically receive a temporary case number. You will then receive an e-mail from an officer within 48 hours to follow up. If further information is needed, the Officer will ask for it via e-mail.
This biweekly column is written and sponsored by the Arlington Office of Emergency Management.
Elizabeth Dexter is a Watch Officer, for the Office of Emergency Management in Arlington.
I tell people I that fell into the field of emergency management. Three weeks after Hurricane Katrina ravaged Biloxi, MS, I took a break from graduate school to assist in the response efforts. Three weeks later, I was asked to stay as the Volunteer Coordinator; three weeks turned into three months, and then a year. Even today, I’m surprised by how much my time volunteering following Hurricane Katrina has affected my life and my career.
Volunteering Makes Your Life Better!
This biweekly column is written and sponsored by the Arlington Office of Emergency Management.
Give Your Car a Prep Check — Every year over 480,000 people are injured and more than 6,000 people are killed in weather-related crashes. Make sure your car is in prime working order before you hit the road in less-than-perfect conditions.
This biweekly column is written and sponsored by the Arlington Office of Emergency Management.
What says “I care” more than fun gadgets and games that’ll help loved ones during an emergency?! Just in time for the kick-off of holiday shopping, we put together a list of some of our favorite preparedness items everyone on your holiday shopping list will appreciate!
This biweekly column is written and sponsored by the Arlington Office of Emergency Management.
In emergency management, we know that it takes a “whole community” to truly make emergency preparedness work. AFAC, AWLA, A-SPAN and APS are some of our essential community partners for responding to and recovering from disasters. Let’s take a look at how their work creates a resilience for Arlington:
This biweekly column is written and sponsored by the Arlington Office of Emergency Management.
How much notification is just right?
