Situation Update

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Situation Update 12

January 14, 2007 -- 9 p.m.

The State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) remains activated due to winter weather conditions that continue to impact areas of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) is in contact with emergency managers in the affected areas and has received the following reports.

Since the winter weather system first impacted the state Friday morning, 11 people have died on Oklahoma roads, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. This includes the seven who died in the I-40 crash near Elk City this morning. On Saturday, one OG&E lineman was injured while working near Muskogee. He was treated and released from a local hospital.

An OG&E lineman was injured yesterday when he fell while working on a utility pole. Additionally, approximately 230 have been treated at Oklahoma hospitals for various injuries related to current weather conditions, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

Oklahoma awaits word on Gov. Brad Henry's request to Pres. George W. Bush for an emergency disaster declaration for all 77 Oklahoma counties. If approved, the declaration would deliver federal resources to include generators for public facilities and bottled water for open shelters in communities impacted by power outages. Additionally, the request seeks federal assistance for costs associated with debris removal and emergency protective measures, to include overtime for first responders. Gov. Henry made the request earlier today. The Governor's State of Emergency declaration for all 77 Oklahoma counties remains in effect.

In addition to OEM, the Oklahoma Military Department, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT), Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH), Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP), Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC), Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives (OAEC), OG&E, American Red Cross and The Salvation Army are represented in the State EOC.

Efforts continue to deliver generators to communities affected by power outages. In the last 24 hours, generators have been delivered for shelters in Checotah, Crowder, McAlester, Broken Arrow, and Eufaula and water treatment systems in Calvin, McAlester, Madill, Kiowa and for the Pittsburg County Rural Water District. National Guard, ODOT and OEM personnel are working to deliver the generators.

OSDH, through its regional teams, is providing medical support at many of the shelters opened by the American Red Cross.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission reports statewide, about 122,338 electric customers are without power. (Attached map displaying power outages is also available at www.oem.ok.gov)

PSO reports 44,801 customers are without power throughout the state. Highest PSO outages are reported in McAlester, where 15,899 are without power, in Grove where 6,039 are without power and in Chouteau where 8,151 are without power. Other communities experiencing power outages are Atoka, Hugo, Lawton, Okmulgee, Tulsa, Vinita and Wilburton.

OG&E reports 18,987 customers are without power. The largest OG&E outages are in Muskogee where 10,062 are without power and in Checotah, where 2,362 are without electricity. Other outages are reported in Ardmore, Bowlegs, Boynton, Caddo, Calera, Durant, Edmond, Eufaula, Fort Gibson, Okay, Oktaha, Porum, Stonewall, Stratford and Sulphur.

Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives reports 58,550 electric cooperative customers are without power. Electric restoration crews report 4 inches of ice accumulation on some power lines. OAEC continues to report more than 700 utility poles are down in the cooperative service area.

Below is a list of electric cooperatives, the location of their office and the number of power outages.

Canadian Valley (Seminole) - 2,800

Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative (Stigler) - 5,000

Cotton Electric Cooperative (Walters) - 40

East Central Oklahoma Electric Cooperative (Okmulgee) - 7,800

Kiamichi Electric Cooperative (Wilburton) - 4,000

Lake Region Electric Cooperative (Hulbert) - 8,500

Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative (Vinita) - 21,000

Ozarks Electric Cooperative (Fayetteville, Ark.) - 3,188

People's Electric Cooperative (Ada) - 2,722

Southeastern Electric Cooperative (Durant) - 3,500

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission reports 525 AT&T (formerly known as SBC) customers are without power in Muskogee, McAlester and Grove.

Since Friday morning, OHP has worked 389 crashes across the state. Five involved fatalities and 99 were injury collisions. Officials with ODOT and OHP continue to discourage travel on the state's highways and interstates which are slick and hazardous in most areas. They also warn of black ice along with downed power lines and tree limbs which are making for dangerous driving conditions. Motorists are asked to report any road blockage to local law enforcement or OHP. ODOT reports State Highway 63 in Pittsburg County between Kiowa and Haileyville remains closed due to high water. State Highway 31 west of Haywood in Pittsburg County is closed and US-69 in McAlester remains diverted to Business 69 due to downed power lines. More than 1,000 ODOT personnel are working to ensure the state's highways and interstates are plowed, and treated with salt and sand. For information regarding Oklahoma roads, call 888-425-2385. For road conditions in neighboring states call: Texas, 800-452-9292; Kansas, 886-511-5368; Arkansas, 800-245-1672; and Missouri, 800-222-6400.

American Red Cross is operating shelters in the following locations:

Checotah – Multi-purpose Building

Durant – Bryan County Community Center

Eufaula – Senior Citizen Center

Grove – Senior Citizen Center and Moose Lodge

Henryetta – Community Center

Holdenville – Senior Citizen Center

Jay – Assembly of God

Langley – First Christian Church

Lawton – Centenary United Methodist Church

McAlester – First Baptist Church, First Pentecostal of God Church, Stipe Center

Muskogee – Muskogee Recreation Center and Bacone College

Pryor – Grand Memorial Auditorium, Methodist Church at Rowe and Main

Stigler – Twin Lakes Motel

Temple – City Hall

Tulsa – First Baptist Church

Warner – Fire Department

About 500 stayed at the shelters today. American Red Cross and local officials are prepared to open additional shelters if weather conditions and power outages warrant.

The Salvation Army reports all permanent shelters are open and accepting clients in Lawton, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Ardmore, Enid, Muskogee, Norman, Ponca City and Stillwater. Saturday night, shelters in Lawton, Tulsa and Oklahoma saw an additional 400 clients due to the weather. They are serving meals at the shelters and providing meals to go. In Muskogee, the Salvation Army is providing blankets at the shelter that the American Red Cross is running. In many cities and towns, Salvation Army personnel are standing by to assist with additional shelters that may be necessary due to power outages. They are also assisting Woodward Police and the Woodward County Sheriff's Office with travelers' assistance needs.

The Southern Baptist Men's Disaster Response has been preparing meals for many of the shelters. Tomorrow, they will be staging their large-capacity feeding unit, which can feed up to 15,000 meals, in McAlester. A second feeding unit will be staged in Muskogee to accommodate shelters in that area.

The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, located in Oklahoma City, and the Tulsa Food Bank have been providing food for shelter preparation.

The State EOC continues to utilize the 2-1-1 system as a resource for non-emergency disaster information services. 2-1-1 is the number to call for access to non-emergency health, human service, and disaster related information. Just dial "2-1-1" from any phone in 36 Oklahoma Counties (see the lists below where 2-1-1 is available). Phones are answered 24/7/365. If you are calling from a rotary dial telephone or large phone system, such as PBX, please access 2-1-1 services through the 10-digit telephone numbers listed below. In counties where 2-1-1 is not available, residents should contact local emergency management officials or the American Red Cross for assistance.

Tulsa 2-1-1 Helpline (918-836-4357)

Creek, Okmulgee, Osage, Rogers, Tulsa, Wagoner

HeartLine 2-1-1, Central Oklahoma (405-286-4057)

Canadian, Cleveland, Grady, Kingfisher, Lincoln, Logan, McClain, Oklahoma, Pottawatomie

2-1-1 of Southeastern Oklahoma (580-332-0558)

Atoka, Bryan, Carter, Choctaw, Coal, Garvin, Haskell, Hughes, Jefferson, Johnston, Latimer, LeFlore, Love, Marshall, McCurtain, Murray, Pittsburg, Pontotoc, Pushmataha, Seminole, Stephens

For assistance in Comanche County, please call Helpline (580-355-7575) - note that 2-1-1 is not active in Comanche County at this time.

Winter precipitation has ended across the state as a storm system previously in the southwest U.S. has moved into Kansas. Areas along and north of I-44 received sleet with 1-2 inches, while areas south of I-44 received mainly freezing rain of 1-2 inches. In far southeast Oklahoma, 2-4 inches of rain was received. The storm system is sending more Arctic air to the state with temperatures in the single digits expected Monday night. Winds will be in the 10-20mph range tonight, which may adversely affect areas with significant icing.

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