Ice Storm Response/Recovery Efforts Continue

Situation Update

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Situation Update 21
12-17-07, 4:15 p.m.

The number of Ice Storm-related fatalities has increased to 27, according to the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner’s Office.

• 16 died in motor vehicle accidents – includes one who died in a crash Friday in Guymon; one who died in a crash Saturday in Tulsa; and, one who died Sunday in Tulsa after being struck by an electric restoration vehicle
• 8 died in house fires
• 2 died of carbon monoxide poisoning
• 1 died of hypothermia – a Tulsa resident who died after being found at their home Saturday.

A Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative lineman injured last week remains in a Tulsa hospital.

Oklahoma Corporation Commission reports statewide 109,076 homes and businesses are without electric service. At the height of the power outages, more than 640,000 were without electric service.

AEP-PSO reports 30,321 customers without power, including 30,205 in the Tulsa metro area.

OG&E reports 68,243 customers without power, including 62,083 in the Oklahoma City metro area and 3,329 in Sapulpa.

Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives reports 5,712 rural electric customers without power including 3,750 Verdigris Valley Electric and 1,262 Northeast Oklahoma Electric customers. OAEC also reports 3,677 poles destroyed by the ice storm.

Municipal Electric Systems of Oklahoma reports about 3,900 customers without power in Collinsville, Cushing, Miami, Pryor, Skiatook and Stroud.

Empire District Electric Company reports about 900 customers without power in far northeast areas of the state.

Dry and mild conditions will prevail across Oklahoma through Friday. Daytime temperatures will be in the 50s and nighttime lows generally in the 30s. Rain is possible for central and eastern Oklahoma on Saturday, with a slight chance of snow in northern Oklahoma late Saturday.

For Oklahoma Road Conditions call 888-425-2385, a toll-free information line operated by the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety. For road conditions in neighboring states call: Texas, 800-452-9292; Kansas, 866-511-5368; Arkansas, 800-245-1672; and Missouri, 800-222-6400.

Oklahoma continues to await word on Gov. Brad Henry’s request for a major disaster declaration for Oklahoma counties devastated by the Ice Storm. The request lists the initial seven counties of Cleveland, Lincoln, Mayes, Oklahoma, Pottawatomie, Tulsa and Wagoner where damage assessments were completed. As more damage assessments are completed, additional requests will be made for more counties to be declared. If approved, cities, towns and counties impacted by the Ice Storm will receive public assistance for expenses related to response and recovery efforts. In the seven counties, preliminary estimates for debris removal and utility damage (rural electric cooperatives and municipally-operated electric systems) alone exceed $30.4 million.

The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) continues to build the state’s case for federal Individual Assistance. Residents and business owners who have uninsured ice storm damages are urged to call the toll-free Oklahoma Damage Assessment Hotline (866) 560-7584 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Operators are on-hand to take the calls daily. Since opening Thursday, the hotline has taken nearly 4,500 damage reports. Due to heavy call volume, the line is often busy. Oklahomans are reminded there is plenty of time to report their damage. The hotline is open seven days a week and will remain open through this week. THIS IS NOT A FEMA APPLICATION LINE. IT IS OPERATED BY THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

All 77 Oklahoma counties also remain under a State of Emergency and the State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) remains activated. In addition to OEM, agencies and organizations represented at the EOC include the Oklahoma State Department of Health, Oklahoma Corporation Commission, Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, Oklahoma Military Department, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Department of Energy, OG&E, Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives, American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. Resources continue to be deployed to cities, towns through the State EOC.

Shelters are open at the following 32 locations.

• Agra– Senior Citizen Center
• Beggs – First Baptist Church, 110 W. Fifth
• Bixby - New Beginnings Church, 4104 E. 151st
• Bristow – Bristow Indian Community Center, 710 S. Main
• Bristow – First Baptist Church
• Broken Arrow- Arrow Heights Church, 3201 S. Elm Place
• Catoosa – 20 S. 200 Ave.
• Cedar Lake– Fire Department, 11150 S. Cedar Road
• Chandler- First Baptist Church, 912 W. First
• Claremore - First United Methodist Church, 1615 N. Highway 88
• Collinsville - First Baptist Church, 1301 W. Main
• Coweta – First Assembly of God, 29707 E. SH 51
• Davenport– Davenport Nazarene Church, 116 E. First
• Drumright – First Baptist Church, 229 S. Ohio
• Ketchum - Methodist Church, 206 Amarillo Drive
• Mannford - Community Activity Center, 100 Common Ave.
• Miami - Assembly of God, 1815 E. Steve Owens Blvd.
• Moore– Community Center, 301 S. Howard (NE corner of 4th and I-35)
• Nowata – Fire Department, 425 S. Cedar
• Oilton – Freewill Baptist Church
• Oklahoma City– Cox Center
• Okmulgee– Twin Hills Indian Community, 8110 Hwy 52 and 16
• Rolling Hills – Community Center, 20 E. 200 E Ave.
• Sapulpa– Sapulpa Indian Community, 1020 N. Brown
• Sapulpa– First Presbyterian Church
• Sperry - First Baptist Church, 115 N. Cincinnati
• Tryon – First Baptist Church
• Tulsa - First Baptist Church, 403 S. Cincinnati
• Tulsa - Asbury United Methodist Church, 6767 S. Mingo
• Tulsa - Lutheran Church of Good Sheppard, 8730 E. Skelly Drive
• Tulsa - Tulsa Indian Community, 8611 S. Union
• Wellston – First Baptist Church

The American Red Cross reports about 1,937 individuals stayed at shelters Sunday night.

In addition to the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and Southern Baptist Men’s Relief Effort are serving meals at many of the shelters.

Oklahoma 211 continues to receive calls from Oklahomans impacted by the Ice Storm. 211 is for anyone seeking non-emergency disaster or health and human service information. Services are available 24 hours a day by dialing 2-1-1 from your home or cellular telephone in the following areas.

Tulsa Area/Green Country, dial 2-1-1or 918-836-4357

OKC Metro/Central OK, dial 2-1-1or 405-286-4057

Southeastern OK, dial 2-1-1or 580-332-0558

Northeast OK, dial 2-1-1or 918-336-2255

Southwest OK, dial 2-1-1or 580-355-7575

Due to high call volumes, callers may receive a busy signal when calling 2-1-1. Call specialists are available 24/7, so please continue to call 2-1-1 for disaster related information.

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