Posted in emergency management, tagged Decatur Fire, Decatur Police, Decatur Police Department, fire alarm, public safety, safety, security alarm on April 3, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
Help your Decatur Fire and Police Department continue to provide efficient and effective services by registering your fire and security alarms. Alarm registration information in the Decatur database will be used only by public safety.
Please provide information about the owner, property, key holder, and alarm company. Public safety does not need passwords or codes. Sign up online here.
Posted in Community, emergency management on April 1, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
Today may be April Fools’ Day but this is no joke…Tomorrow is the first Wednesday of April so we’ll be testing the tornado outdoor warning sirens at 5:00 p.m. The test should last approximately one minute. Should the weather become inclement, the test will be postponed until Thursday, 3 April 2014.
If you have questions or want more information about the siren system, check out the Siren page on the City’s website or contact Police Lt. Barry Woodward at 404-373-6551.
Posted in emergency management, tagged city of decatur fire, Decatur Fire Department, Fire, fire hydrant, hydrant, testing on March 30, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
The Decatur Fire Department will conduct fire hydrant servicing March 31- April 25. The purpose is to ensure all hydrants are functional with the proper amount of water flow and to meet insurance requirements
Hydrant testing signs will be posted in various locations during service testing. Flowing water is used to test the hydrant and flow times will be Monday – Sunday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. It is best to avoid doing laundry during flow times in your neighborhood. If there are any questions or concerns please call 404-373-5092.
Posted in Community, emergency management on March 6, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
This year, I am taking the time to learn how to prepare for severe weather during National Severe Weather Preparedness Week, March 2-8, 2014, sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Being prepared to act quickly could be a matter of survival. This is especially evident during the threat of severe weather. The deadliest and most destructive tornado of 2013, an EF-5 on May 20 in Moore, Oklahoma caused more than $2 billion in property damage. Even though severe weather was anticipated days in advance, many in the impacted areas said they did not have a plan and were caught unprepared. And while spring tends to produce more tornadoes, they’re not uncommon in fall. On Nov. 17, a late season tornado outbreak that struck seven Midwestern states became the most active tornado day of 2013 with a total of 74 tornadoes.
Here is what you can do to prepare:
Know Your Risk – Hurricanes, tornadoes and storms – every state in the United States experiences severe weather. Visit weather.gov to get the latest on weather threats.
Take Action – Take the next step in severe weather preparedness by creating a family communications plan, putting an emergency kit together, keeping important papers and valuables in a safe place and learning about Wireless Emergency Alerts.
Check out the Emergency Management Services page on the City’s website for other helpful hints and links to other preparedness organizations.
Posted in Community, emergency management on March 4, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
Tomorrow is the first Wednesday of March so we’ll be testing the tornado outdoor warning sirens at 5:00 p.m. The test should last approximately one minute. Should the weather become inclement, the test will be postponed until Thursday, 6 March 2014.
If you have questions or want more information about the siren system, check out the Siren page on the City’s website or contact Police Lt. Barry Woodward at 404-373-6551.
Posted in emergency management, Meetings, tagged children, City of Decatur, city of decatur fire department, famliies, Fire Department, Fire station, fire station #1, smart 911, special needs on March 2, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
Announcement from Sgt. Violante of the Decatur Fire Department:
Special Needs Informational Meeting
Wed. March 12
Two opportunities to stop by: 10 a.m. or 6:30 p.m.
Fire Station #1, 230 E. Trinity Pl.
The City of Decatur Fire Department would like to meet with any families with children with special needs or medical issues. We want to continue responding in the best way possible to care for all families, including those with special needs. The meeting will discuss medical care, large scale events, and fire scenarios with families. In addition, we want to inform families about the benefits of using Smart 911 and exchange ideas on how to better dispatchers’ responses to emergency calls from families with special needs.
We need your participation and input to do the best job possible. Please join us on March 12 at 10 a.m. or at 6:30 p.m. at the City of Decatur Fire Station #1.
The address for Fire Station #1 is 230 E. Trinity Pl., Decatur, GA 30030. If you have any questions regarding this meeting, please contact Sergeant Violante at Ninetta.Violante@decaturga.com or via phone, at 404-457-3289.
Children interacting with City of Decatur firefighters last fall
Posted in Community, emergency management, Sustainability on February 27, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
Every few weeks, I receive a notice in my inbox about a coyote sighting in a Decatur neighborhood. As annoying as this might sound, coyotes have adapted to an urban lifestyle and are here to stay, so co-existence is encouraged. The City of Decatur does not have a policy to remove coyotes. Here is a summary of information from the Stanley Park Ecology Society about co-existing with coyotes in an urban setting –
It is not normal for coyotes to attack or pursue humans, especially adults; it is a learned response to human behavior (e.g., feeding). You can discourage coyotes from hanging around your home by scaring them off your property and by removing coyote attractants, such as:
While coyotes will prey on outdoor cats and small dogs, here are some things you can do to reduce the risk to your pets.
If you own a cat – The only way to guarantee your cat’s safety is to keep it indoors. Outdoor cats face potential death from cars, diseases, parasites, raccoons and dogs, in addition to coyotes.
If you own a small dog –
If you own a large dog – Coyotes pose less risk to medium- to large-sized dogs. Keep large dogs on leash, except in designated areas, and discourage your dog from feeling comfortable with coyotes by preventing it from “playing” or interacting with a coyote.
For more tips on how to deal with coyotes and to report Decatur coyote sightings, please visit the City of Decatur Coyote Information Page, www.decaturga.com/coyotes.
Posted in emergency management on February 24, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
Most of us were spared from an extended loss of power a few weeks ago but do you know what you would do if such an event were to occur in the future? Our friends at the Ready Campaign think you should know the following tips and we do, too!
While it seems we’re done with the polar weather for a while, it’s never too late to plan for the next storm event.
Posted in emergency management, Retail & Restaurants, Sidewalk Talk on February 13, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
All City of Decatur offices will open tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 14 for regular business operations. Trash and recycling that was not picked up today will be picked up tomorrow.
If you had a Decatur Municipal Court hearing that was canceled this week, please call 678-553-6655 tomorrow during regular business hours to reschedule.
While tonight’s “Fall in Love Indie-Catur” event remains canceled, many local restaurants will be open for those looking to get out of the house. Souper Jenny’s new Decatur location will be giving away free soup starting at 5 p.m. this evening.
Posted in emergency management, tagged City of Decatur, Decatur Police, Decatur Recreation Center, municipal court, road closures on February 12, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
All city of Decatur offices, including City Hall and the Design, Environment and Construction (DEC) division of Public Works, are closed tomorrow (Thursday, Feb. 13).
Municipal Court hearings for tomorrow evening are cancelled. Call 678-553-6655 to reschedule once offices re-open.
The Decatur Recreation Center is closed tomorrow and all Thursday activities are cancelled. The Center plans to be open regular hours on Friday.
Trash and recycling pick up for Thursday is cancelled. If tomorrow is your regular trash day your trash will be picked up on Friday, Feb. 14 instead.
Midway Rd. at S. Candler was closed this afternoon because of concerns that a leaning tree might fall. That is the only road closure in the city at this time. The latest DeKalb County road closures are available here.
Overall, things have been quiet in the city of Decatur during this winter weather. There have been no wrecks, no injuries, and no power outages. Public safety personnel and volunteers continue to check on seniors and other vulnerable members of the community.
Temperatures are dropping and more snow is on its way this evening (up to 3” is possible). This will continue to make travel difficult and dangerous. Please stay safe indoors. If you do leave the house, be aware that roads and sidewalks are slippery and frozen. If you or your children choose to sled, please avoid sledding into any roadways.
Important phone numbers
Georgia Power: 1-888-891-0938
All power outages or objects that have fallen on power lines MUST be reported to Georgia Power. The city cannot touch or repair power lines.
Police non-emergency: 404-373-6551
Please use the police non-emergency number only if you or a neighbor requires public safety assistance, not to report power outages.
Finally, continue to charge medical devices, cell phones and other electronics in anticipation of possible power outages. If there is a loss of power, the city may use the CodeRED Emergency Notification System to communicate with the community. Please take this opportunity before a power outage occurs to register your phone number here.
