Emergency

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The mission of Emergency Management is to ensure the safety of the citizens of Ponca City by providing timely warning, life-saving information and educational resources in regard to all dangerous situations that may occur in or around Ponca City.

In 2001, Emergency Management obtained national certification for Ponca City as a National Weather Service Storm Ready Community.

Emergency Management, under the direction of Paula Cain, operates and maintains a warning system for the Ponca City area.

The Ponca City Emergency Management operates and maintains a warning system for the Ponca City area. Radio controlled outdoor warning sirens are tested every Thursday, weather permitting. If the sirens are sounded, citizens should turn their radios or TV to a local station for information and instructions.

In the event of a tornado or other hazardous situations, the sirens will emit three to five-minute blasts. The outdoor warning sirens will be activated when a tornado, funnel cloud or wall cloud has been sighted and is approaching Ponca City.

Emergency Management is operated out of the Public Safety Center at 200 East Oklahoma Avenue. Call 767-0380 for information.
 

Warning Sources

The NEXRAD system is utilized by "spotters" to track severe weather formation and movement.

Emergency Management informs the local media of emergency related information, such as severe weather, evacuation, and sheltering in place, that needs to be broadcast to the public.

The Kay County Radio club and the Ponca City Emergency Management Office maintain the NOAA Weather Radio station. Information and warnings originate from the National Weather Service office in Norman. They are transmitted to the station over phone lines. The information is then transmitted to anyone with an alert radio receiver in the Kay County area. The receiver will automatically turn on for weather warnings to be received by citizens. Many of these receivers are located in schools, businesses and homes in the Ponca City area.

Emergency Management maintains a "pyramid" type phone list that can be used to notify businesses, day care facilities and other persons requesting this service.

Emergency Management can use the audio override to interrupt the cable service in Ponca City and broadcast emergency information to the citizens.