News Release
Release: May 23, 2013
Contacts: Alessandra Jerolleman, NatHazMA@gmail.com / Tim Lovell, tulsapartners@gmail.com

In aftermath of Moore Tornado, Americans are encouraged to build stronger

In the terrible aftermath of the Moore Tornado, many people and media interviews have focused on the impossibility of building stronger in the face of such incredible destruction. Tulsa Partners, Inc. and the Natural Hazard Mitigation Association (NHMA) want Oklahomans, and indeed all Americans, to seize this teachable moment to build in better, safer, and smarter ways. There are things you can do to make your homes, businesses and schools more resilient in the face of extreme wind events. Protection from tornadoes and derecho or straight winds has two elements:

· One is a well-engineered Safe Room, where occupants can take shelter in a room, either above or below ground, engineered to withstand even the strongest of tornadic winds and to keep wind-driven missiles from penetrating the walls or ceilings.

· The other is building with, or retrofitting with, techniques and materials that lend structural strength and wind resistance to the building itself. Most such features are not designed to withstand direct assaults by strong tornadoes, but can lessen damage in less severe storms or in situations when a building is along the edges of a strong tornado’s path.

Take the time to talk to your employers, school administrators, and others – encourage them to learn about protection from high winds, and educate yourself on their current plans.

Tulsa Partners works with a number of national nonprofit organizations with expertise on tornados and disaster resilience. One of them, NHMA, has set up a webpage, http://nhma.info/moore/ that provides critical information from a variety of sources concerning measures to make your property stronger.

“Local communities have learned, over many disasters, that it’s important to take time now to plan for a safe and sustainable future,” said NHMA President Ed Thomas, who leads NHMA’s membership of experts in disasters and safe building (hazard mitigation). “Now is the time to invest in mitigation, for a better future.”

The sources include other national organizations with which both Tulsa Partners and NHMA collaborate, such as the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, and the National Storm Shelter Association.

“Tulsa Partners is happy to join the knowledge of our local experts with the resources of these important national organizations,” said Megan Quickle, President of Tulsa Partners, Inc.

Please review these important mitigation measures on the NHMA webpage. You can also visit the preparedness page of the Tulsa Partners website for business continuity, mitigation and preparedness information at http://tulsapartners.org/tpi/be-prepared .

Tulsa Partners, Inc. is a nonprofit organization incorporated in December 2000. Tulsa Partners mission is to mobilize all segments of the population to build a disaster-resistant, sustainable community.

The Natural Hazard Mitigation Association (NHMA) was founded in 2008 to bring together individuals and organizations working in the field of hazard mitigation. NHMA serves as a respected voice in hazard mitigation policy both in the United States and throughout the world.

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The Tenth Annual Nania Awards Banquet will be in the Sapulpa Room at the Griffin Communications Center, 303 North Boston, in the historic Brady Arts District, directly across from the Guthrie Green, on Wednesday evening June 26. Registration/Reception with cash bar at 6 pm, Dinner beginning at 6:30 pm.

Our Master of Ceremonies will be KOTV News on Six Chief Meteorologist Travis Meyer. Our National Nania Awardee and Keynote Speaker will be Gerald McSwiggan with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Business Civic Leadership Center (BCLC). Gerald oversees the BCLC’s disaster assistance and recovery capabilities.

“Nania” is a Cherokee word that means “All Together.” The Nania Awards recognize the outstanding collaborative work of local corporate and nonprofit entities and individuals in building a disaster-resistant and sustainable community. Nominations for our Nania Corporate and Signature Awards will be open until May 15. See the Nania Awards Criteria Page on Tulsa Partners website for background information on the awards, then go to the 2013 Nania Awards Nomination Page to make your nomination! We have also opened the online REGISTER NOW! page if you are planning to attend.

For more information select the 10th Annual Nania Banquet link in the black menu bar above.

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A DAY WITHOUT BUSINESS – “MAKE A PLAN!” WORKSHOP

Workshop to train businesses and nonprofits in continuity planning.

When the unthinkable happens, do you have a plan to respond and to lead your business through the crisis? One in four small businesses closed by a disaster never re-open. The “Make A Plan!” Workshop will assist business owners and administrators in developing their own customized business continuity plans to ensure they don’t become part of that statistic.

Building on the successful 2012 A Day Without Business Summit, this four hour workshop will walk you through the steps you will take to make an effective business continuity plan. Tailored to the needs of small businesses and nonprofits, experts from the fields of continuity planning, information technology, insurance, finance, and disaster recovery will be available to assist you in the development of your plan.

“After sponsoring A Day Without Business last year as an all-day summit, this year, we wanted to offer a shorter, nuts-and-bolts presentation on how to make a plan.” said David Hall, a Business Lines Section Manager at State Farm Insurance, and Chair of Tulsa Partners’ Disaster-Resistant Business Council. Mr. Hall reports that plans are in development for a second workshop on testing your plan, to be scheduled in October.

Hosted by the nonprofit Tulsa Partners, Inc., A Day Without Business – “Make A Plan!” Workshop will take place on Thursday, April 18, 2013 from 8 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at State Farm Insurance, 12222 State Farm Blvd., Tulsa OK 74146. Registration is open through April 15 online at www.tulsapartners.org or by phone at 918-632-0044. The cost for the four hour workshop is $35, and space is limited.

The Platinum Donors supporting Tulsa Partners and making this workshop possible are State Farm Insurance, TRC Disaster Solutions, Roofhawk, the Brannin Family Foundation, and Meshek and Associates. Gold Donors supporting Tulsa Partners are ESPO Fire and Restoration Services, and PCC Cleaning and Restoration. Other participating organizations for the event include the Association of Contingency Planners-Oklahoma Chapter, the Bixby Chamber of Commerce, the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, Titan Data Services and the Tulsa Regional Chamber.

Tulsa Partners, Inc. is a non-profit organization using collaboration to build a safe, sustainable community. Tulsa Partners’ Disaster-Resistant Business Council is made up of citizen, business and agency partners working to reduce risk and assist businesses and nonprofit organizations in being prepared for all hazards.

For more information about A Day Without Business – “Make A Plan!” Workshop, contact Tulsa Partners at 918-632-0044 or at tulsapartners@gmail.com

Registration is Now Open!

Online at http://tulsapartners.org/tpi/a-day-without-business-conference
By phone at 918-632-0044
By mail at P.O. Box 2192, Tulsa, OK 74101
Register Today!

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NewsOn6.com – Tulsa, OK – News, Weather, Video and Sports – KOTV.com |

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One of the real joys in the holiday season is the opportunity to thank those who support us and help us achieve a safe and sustainable community. May you and those you love have a beautiful holiday season.
–The Board of Directors and Staff of Tulsa Partners, Inc.

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Thanks to a request made by our Secretary-Treasurer Judyth Gulden, Whole Foods in Tulsa has made Tulsa Partners their nonprofit Bag Refund recipient from Monday November 26th through December 23. Every time you use your own reusable grocery bags to carry your purchases home at Whole Foods, a donation will be made to Tulsa Partners. It is easy for you, good for the environment and great for Tulsa Partners!

In addition, Whole Foods is also working with Tulsa Partners by promoting our virtual Holiday/Christmas tree in their Tulsa store. Customers at Whole Foods will be provided web site information to not only donate to Tulsa Partners, but also create a virtual ornament to hang on our tree. Donations will range from $2 – $10. Our tree is available until Sunday January 6 at http://tulsapartners.org/tpi/holiday-tree .

WHOLE FOODS MARKET ADDRESS: 1401 E. 41st St. Tulsa, Oklahoma 74105

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The booth included video PSAs in multiple languages on creating preparedness kits, children’s preparedness go kits on display, and children activity books with a list of things to include in a kit. We also handed out business cards to the parents with children-friendly websites on disaster preparedness. People loved it!

Thanks to Sheryl Siddiqui and her family, Martha Grant, Cindy Webster, Tina Pena and her family and volunteers, Diana Higgins and her volunteers, Tim and Cara Lovell, Pastor Len Busch, and all the other volunteers who made our LCB booth at Kid’s World a success this weekend! And special thanks to Tulsa Global Alliance for hosting this wonderful event!

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Program Approval Number: 06112012-6.00-10175-in

The National Continuing Education Review Service (NCERS) of the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB) has approved the above named program for continuing education credit with an approval start date of 11/06/2012 and an expiration date of 11/06/2013.

This educational offering has been reviewed by the National Continuing Education Review Service (NCERS) of the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB) and approved for 6.00 clock hours and 6.00 participant hours.

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Our partners at the Natural Hazard Mitigation Association (NHMA) have created a Hurricane Sandy resources page, shown below.The page includes a draft guidance document for impacted communities. Please check out this valuable resource. And below it is an interview on Hurricane Sandy with NHMA President Ed Thomas by American Planning Association’s Jim Schwab:

Tulsa Partners is a member organization of NHMA. The board of NHMA includes representatives from the Tulsa area like Tom Bennett, Tim Lovell and Ann Patton.

Hurricane Sandy Resources Link

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