Wednesday, May 15, 2013
OKLAHOMA CITY – Preparing for wildfire season in Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) is joining forces with Firewise Communities, a program designed to help individuals and communities plan for the threat of wildfires.
“We are certainly accustomed to the threat of wildfires in our state, but I am urging Oklahomans to know their individual risk to their homes and families. Use the information that Firewise provides to protect against devastating damages as summer approaches,” Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak said. “I enthusiastically support this program as it is designed to provide information to people across the state to defend themselves from wildfire natural disasters.”
The Firewise program assists in educating communities located in the wildland urban interface (WUI) about resources and s! teps they can take to increase protection and engage community leaders to reduce wildfire risk. Oklahoma Forestry Services offers grants and free assistance to communities to participate in the Firewise Communities program. OID and Firewise work in support of the national Ready, Set, Go! program to develop and improve discussion about wildfire awareness and action between local fire departments and residents.
“Entire communities can be destroyed by a wildfire outbreak,” continued Doak. “While we cannot always prevent a wildfire from breaking out, we can protect ourselves and our communities with information on how to prepare and mitigate damages.”
More than 800 communities in the U.S. – including 50 in Oklahoma – have dramatically lowered their risk of wildfire damage by participating in the Firewise Communities Program. It is sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association and USDA Forest Service.
Learn more about Firewise at http://www.forestry.ok.gov/firewise-communities.
For information about wildfire preparation, visit http://www.ok.gov/oid/Consumers/Prepare_Yourself/Wildfires.html.
About the Oklahoma Insurance Department
The Oklahoma Insurance Department, an agency of the State of Oklahoma, is responsible for the education and protection of the insurance-buying public and for oversight of the insurance industry in the state.
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For more information contact:
Kelly Collins
(405) 522-0683