Eligibility and How to Join
Eligibility Requirements
In order to join OK-First, participants must be employed by or appointed to an eligible agency. Eligible agencies include:
- Local/municipal, state, regional, tribal, or federal government agencies,
- Schools (K12 and university), and
- Non-profit disaster relief agencies (e.g., Red Cross).
Agency Certification
For an agency to become OK-First Certified, one lead participant (called the "Certified Participant") from that agency must:
- Complete and file an OK-First Certified User Policy (including supervisor signature) with the Oklahoma Mesonet,
- Request an OK-First account,
- Apply for and be accepted to the OK-First Certification Class (Note: these classes are only offered in late winter and late summer), and
- Attend and pass the OK-First Certification Class.
Maintaining Certification
For an agency to maintain their certification, the Certified Participant must attend OK-First Re-certification training no less than once every 18 months. Failure to comply with this training requirement will result in de-activation of accounts associated with that agency.
Assistant Participants
Agencies are also encouraged to send additional representatives to training to become OK-First "Assistants". Requirements to become an assistant are as follows:
- Complete and file an OK-First Assistant User Policy (including Certified Participant signature) with the Oklahoma Mesonet,
- Request an OK-First account,
- Apply for and be accepted to the OK-First Assistants Class (Note: these classes are only offered in late winter and late summer), and
- Attend and pass the OK-First Assistants Class.
Assistants are not required to attend OK-First Re-certification training but are welcome to apply.
