Situation Update

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Situation Update 13
January 15, 2007 -- 11:45 a.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.

Late Sunday night, President George W. Bush approved Oklahoma's request for a federal emergency disaster declaration related to the ongoing winter storm. Gov. Brad Henry requested federal aid Sunday morning after it became clear the state would need federal support to deliver assistance to storm victims across Oklahoma. The emergency declaration covers federal assistance for federal assets necessary to continue to respond to the needs of the state and communities affected by this devastating storm. It also covers 75 percent reimbursement for emergency protective measures performed by local and state personnel.

Later today or tomorrow, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will deliver to the state generators and bottled water for communities impacted by the ice storm. The resources will be deployed from a staging location in McAlester.

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.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission reports statewide, about 112,196 electric customers are without power. (Attached map displaying power outages is also available at www.oem.ok.gov)

PSO reports 33,547 customers are without power throughout the state. Highest PSO outages are reported in McAlester, where 14,270 are without power, in Grove where 3,673 are without power and in Chouteau where 5,493 are without power. Other communities experiencing power outages are Atoka, Okmulgee, Tulsa, Vinita and Wilburton.

OG&E reports 18,508 customers are without power. The largest OG&E outages are in Muskogee where 9,956 are without power and in Checotah, where 3,157 are without electricity. Other outages are reported in Boynton, Durant, Eufaula, Fort Gibson, Holdenville, Mill Creek, Okay, Oktaha, Porum, Stonewall, Warner and Webbers Falls.

Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives reports 60,141 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 1,250 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
East Central Oklahoma Electric Cooperative (Okmulgee) - 7,800
Kiamichi Electric Cooperative (Wilburton) - 4,000
Lake Region Electric Cooperative (Hulbert) - 10,000
Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative (Vinita) - 23,361
Ozarks Electric Cooperative (Fayetteville, Ark.) - 743
People's Electric Cooperative (Ada) - 4,437
Southeastern Electric Cooperative (Durant) - 2,000

Officials with ODOT and OHP are discouraging all unnecessary travel on the state's highways and interstates which remain slick in spots and hazardous in many areas. They are receiving reports of black ice along with sagging and downed power lines on some roadways. Motorists are asked to report any road blockage to local law enforcement or OHP. ODOT reports the following road closures due to high water and downed power lines:

• State Highway 63 in Pittsburg County east of Kiowa
• State Highway 31 west of McAlester
• State Highway 82 three miles south of Red Oak in Latimer County
• US 69 Business in McAlester

ODOT continues to plow, salt and sand the state's highways and interstates. 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.

###