By Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy CEO Joe Dorman 
I want to extend my condolences to those families who were impacted by severe storms this past week.
From reports that were aired, it sounds like many Oklahomans were lucky to get away with only property damage as two Mississippians were killed by a tornado. You simply do not know when the next damaging or fatal tornado will strike and where. Our state consistently ranks in the top three for areas impacted by the variety of storms, fires, and other catastrophes.
Thankfully, the National Weather Service based in Norman provides location-based notifications about extreme weather events that are transmitted directly to your phone using a Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA). These alerts are issued by government authorities, including state and local safety agencies, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the Department of Homeland Security.
The service does not track individuals by their billing address; rather, these are notifications sent by cell towers to mobile devices in the affected area. Every phone capable of receiving WEA notifications should receive them if you have cell coverage and alerts are allowed in your settings. To be safe, you should check your phone’s settings to ensure that it can receive alerts.
For iPhones:
-Tap “Settings” and then “Notifications.”
-Scroll to “Government Alerts” at the bottom of the screen.
-Check that “Emergency Alerts” and “Public Safety Alerts” are turned on. The green circle indicates the alerts are on and enabled.
The instructions may vary on Android phones, but here is the standard:
-In “Settings,” find “Apps and Notifications.”
-Tap “Notifications.”
-Next, turn on “Allow alerts.”
-Make sure each of the alert types are enabled.
While enabled, a loud tone will alert you whenever you receive a WEA. It is best to consult your phone carrier to ensure that you have your system set up properly.
I own a battery-operated NOAA Weather Radio with a warning alarm for my home, preparedness I learned from my father. This makes an excellent back-up for home for the hours when one is asleep. These are often very affordable and can easily be set to your home location.
Many municipalities do not provide storm shelters established for public use, so it is best to check with your local city hall to see if your community has one. Occasionally, county governments will offer grant assistance for home shelters, so watch for this support. Several rural schools have included the minimal extra cost to build shelter space for students and school employees for storms which hit during the daytime hours. Often, they will open these spaces to the community at night, but note the rules, such as most not allowing pets. Visit with your local school board to ensure that addition is included in future construction.
I also want to share how FEMA reimbursements often work. When a disaster hits, FEMA will review the damage to public spaces, including cities, counties, electric cooperatives, and tribal facilities. The reimbursement rate is as follows: 75% coverage from the federal government, 12.5% covered by the state, and 12.5% paid for by the entity receiving damage. Individuals are rarely covered by property damage as that is up to private insurance.
Following natural disasters, many young people face severe trauma, both physical and mental. I have heard stories of multiple surgeries required to heal people, often leaving families near bankruptcy. There also does not appear to be any structured support network to help with long-term mental trauma following disasters. I would encourage lawmakers and state agency leaders to explore assistance for such support services. This up-front care will provide work stability and decrease health issues long term.
Further information for preparedness can be found at the Oklahoma Office of Emergency Management website at https://oklahoma.gov/oem.html and through your county emergency managers.
