'If You See Something, Say Something' During the Holiday Season

The City of Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) and the Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) are reminding residents to stay attentive during the holiday season. Both departments are stressing the importance of the “If You See Something, Say Something”™ anti-terrorism public awareness campaign, urging residents to report any suspicious activity by calling 9-1-1 for any immediate threats or 855-RPRT-2-S4, the official local number of the campaign.

OEMC and the DHSEM launched the “If You See Something, Say Something”™ campaign in 2015 in partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Locally they have partnered with transit agencies, colleges and the faith-based community to help promote the program to residents on public transportation, in schools, at events and at other public and private spaces around the community. Additionally, the City and County launched a radio and digital campaign to reinforce the reporting number to Chicago and Cook County residents so they know to report immediate threats to 9-1-1 or to report criminal suspicious activity that could indicate terrorism to the local number.

“It’s important to be aware of your surroundings in public places,” said Mark Edingburg, interim executive director of the DHSEM. “Residents know their surroundings better than anyone else, so if they see something out of the ordinary, they should pick up the phone and report it.”

“Our residents are our partners in keeping our community safe,” said Alicia Tate-Nadeau, executive director of OEMC. “Whether you’re at a shopping center or major public gathering to celebrate the holidays, make sure to pay attention to the people and things around you and report anything out of the ordinary.”

 ###

The Office of Emergency Management and Communications was established in 1995 to coordinate the City’s delivery of Police, Fire and Emergency Medical Services resources. OEMC operates Chicago’s public safety communications system, manages emergency situations and coordinates major events, 3-1-1 and 9-1-1 Communications Operations. For more information, visit cityofchicago.org/oemc or www.facebook/coemc.

The Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management integrates first responders, their departments and resources from 134 Cook County municipalities, and serves as the central agency in Cook County for coordinating efforts to prevent, protect against, mitigate the effects of, respond to, and recover from all incidents, whether man-made or natural. For more information, visit our website at www.cookcountyhomelandsecurity.org.