Emergency Management - Shawnee, OK

10/20/2026

We've received quite a few questions lately about whether the countywide burn ban is still in effect and when it expires, so we wanted to share a quick update!

📢 The Pottawatomie Countywide Burn Ban officially expired today, Tuesday, October 20, 2026, and is no longer in effect!

While outdoor burning may resume, we want to remind everyone that just because you can burn doesn't always mean you should! Dry vegetation, low humidity, and gusty winds can quickly turn a small fire into a dangerous situation.

🔥 Before lighting that match, please remember:

✅ Check the weather and wind conditions before burning.
✅ Keep water and fire suppression equipment nearby.
✅ Never leave a fire unattended.
✅ Clear dry vegetation and other flammable materials from the surrounding area.
✅ Have a safety plan and be prepared to extinguish your fire if conditions change.

🚨 If conditions aren't safe, please DON'T BURN! No fire is worth risking your home, your neighbor's property, or the safety of our first responders.

We appreciate everyone who has reached out with questions and, more importantly, everyone who continues to do their part to keep our county safe!

🔥 Burn Smart. Burn Safe. Burn Responsibly. Let's Keep Pottawatomie County Safe!

10/14/2026

11:24 AM | A Flash Flood Warning has been issued for portions of Cleveland, Garvin, Lincoln, McClain, Oklahoma, & Pottawatomie Counties until 2:15 PM CDT. Between 2 and 3 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are possible in the warned area.

10/13/2026

10/10/2026

Congratulations Christina Brown!!

☀️ SOME PEOPLE JUST MAKE THE WORLD A LITTLE BRIGHTER! ☀️

Gold Line Support™ is proud to recognize Christina “Chrissy” Brown of the Shawnee Police Department 9-1-1 in Shawnee, Oklahoma, as a Sunshine Dispatcher Award nominee! 💛

With nearly 20 years in public safety, Chrissy has built a reputation for something special: making sure the people behind the headset feel seen, supported, and included.

Whether she's encouraging her own team, connecting dispatchers from smaller agencies, or celebrating someone's accomplishments, Chrissy goes out of her way to lift others up.

At the national NENA Conference, she made sure attendees who traveled alone felt welcome, introduced professionals who might never have met, and celebrated scholarship recipients as if they were members of her own team.

And if you know Chrissy, you know she loves her sparkles and bling! ✨ But it's the light she brings to others that truly makes her shine.

Great leaders don't just build strong teams. They help others find their place, their confidence, and their voice.

A special thank-you to Katie White for nominating Chrissy and sharing the incredible impact she's making across Oklahoma and beyond.

💛 Thank you to GovWorx, the proud sponsor of the Gold Line Support™ Sunshine Dispatcher National Recognition Program, for helping us recognize the amazing professionals who make a difference in public safety communications every day.

☀️ Congratulations, Chrissy! Keep shining and reminding others that they are never alone behind the headset.

Before the lights, before the siren—there's a voice.™

10/06/2026

10/06/2026

Shawnee-Prague-Paden, OK F4 Tornado – October 5, 1970

A devastating F4 tornado carved a skipping 25-mile path across parts of Pottawatomie, Lincoln, and Okfuskee Counties.

Shawnee took the brunt of the damage. Hundreds of homes were damaged, along with 157 businesses, 12 public buildings, 10 churches, and five schools.

Four people were killed in Shawnee: John Coats, Roy Lee Coats, Mrs. Allen Roberts, 25, and Alex Taylor, 66. Taylor died the following day from injuries he suffered when the tornado struck the Bob Brackeen Buick Agency.

The tornado later struck the southwest side of Prague, damaging 14 homes and one business and injuring four people there.

https://www.tornadotalk.com/shawnee-prague-paden-ok-f4-tornado-october-5-1970/

09/12/2026

City of Shawnee Alert:

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued September 12 at 3:44PM CDT until September 12 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Norman OK

09/10/2026

October is Fire Prevention Month, and the Shawnee Fire Clowns are going prehistoric!

Community Performance:
🌋 October 8 at 7 p.m.
📍 Shawnee Municipal Auditorium, 401 N Bell

Join us for a night of dinosaur-sized laughs, adventure and fire safety as the Fire Clowns take you on a Jurassic journey!

Charge Into Fire Safety. Safe Charging Is a Superpower.

Hold onto your hats. The Fire Clowns are loose!