On Monday, Oct. 15, Councilmember Mitch Englander and his Council District 12 staff held a press conference to introduce the new OK/HELP post-earthquake window signs, and gave a live demonstration of how this valuable community preparedness tool will be used.
OK/HELP is a window sign with clear, simple instructions provided by the Los Angeles Fire Department, American Red Cross, and the U.S. Geological Survey on what to do immediately after a major earthquake.
After a major earthquake, the user tears off the sign and posts it in their front window indicating to emergency personnel, Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) or neighbors if they are “OK” or need “HELP.”
To see a graphic of the OK HELP sign online at https://db.tt/wJra70QV
To see more photos of the demonstration, visit https://tiny.cc/OKHELPphotos.
After the press conference, a live demonstration was staged showing how to use the OK/HELP sign. Several houses posted the sign up in their windows. The CERT volunteer team swept the street, checking the status of all of the houses. When they located the house that needed “HELP,” they radioed the location to the Firefighters, who responded
with a Fire Engine and simulated giving aid to the injured resident.
50,000 OK/HELP window signs will be distributed for free to LA residents, first in the San Fernando Valley and eventually city wide. As part of a broader outreach effort to increase community engagement in emergency preparedness, they will available at LAFD Fire Stations, Recreation Centers, libraries, and will be handed out at Neighborhood Council meetings, Neighborhood Watch meetings, and will be mailed out.