Chicago City Wire

Beginning October 2 through October 10, the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC), the Chicago Police Department (CPD), and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) will conduct five disaster preparedness training sessions at various houses of worship in each of the city's five police areas.

“Throughout the year, OEMC collaborates with CPD and other City agencies on exercises to ensure that the City is prepared to respond to a variety of emergencies and disasters,” said Jose Tirado, OEMC Executive Director. “This upcoming workshop series will build upon our preparedness efforts, providing these houses of worship with critical training to better respond to various potential emergency scenarios.”

The workshops are aimed at security personnel or emergency response coordinators from each participating house of worship. Training for the half-day session includes a schedule starting from October 2 at Another Chance Church in Area 2. The sessions continue at Park Community Church in Area 3 on October 3, Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in Area 1 on October 8, JLM Abundant Life Center in Area 4 on October 9, and Liberty Christian Center in Area 5 on October 10. Media coverage is invited for sessions at Area 3 on October 3 and Area 1 on October 8, with an RSVP required.

OEMC is dedicated to providing preparedness training and information through community engagement and public education. Their Safe Chicago program has installed over a thousand bleeding control kits across the city, including locations like Navy Pier, City Colleges, sports arenas, tourist destinations, and more. More than four thousand city employees and partners have been trained to use these kits.

The OEMC also promotes public awareness campaigns such as "If You See Something, Say Something™" to encourage reporting suspicious activities. Additionally, residents can access safety information through the Chicago OEMC App available on Apple App and Google Play stores.

To engage residents further on public safety topics, OEMC has partnered with Marvel Comics featuring Ironheart to provide themed messaging about preparedness tips ranging from severe weather safety to reporting suspicious activities.

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program offers hands-on disaster response training for residents who can sign up for spring classes online. CERT members receive extensive training before becoming registered volunteers.

For more details on emergency preparedness information or to follow updates from OEMC, visit their official website or social media platforms.

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