Situation Update 3

May 6, 2022

As a result of severe weather and flooding impacts across the state, the State Emergency Operations Center remains activated. The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (ODEMHS) is in contact with emergency managers across the state and coordinating with agencies and organizations including the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Oklahoma Corporation Commission, Oklahoma State Department of Health, Oklahoma National Guard, Oklahoma State Department of Education, Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, Oklahoma Insurance Department, Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, National Weather Service, Oklahoma American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and the Oklahoma Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster.

MASS CARE

The American Red Cross reports three shelters are now open:

• Kelly Haney Center, Seminole State College, 35390 OK-9, Seminole 
• New Beginnings Church, 4104 E 151^st Street S, Bixby 
• First United Methodist Church, 600 E. Okmulgee, Muskogee

The Salvation Army has feeding units in Earlsboro and Seminole.

Southern Baptist Disaster Relief has a kitchen set up at First Baptist Church in Seminole and has chainsaw teams working in Seminole.

Samaritan’s Purse, Minute Man Disaster Response, and Southern Baptist Disaster Relief all have crews in Seminole County. Team Rubicon is assessing for field operations. 

Convoy of Hope is delivering disaster commodities including tarps to Seminole.

Additional volunteer partners are beginning to mobilize for longer term operations.

SUPPORT TO IMPACTED JURISDICTIONS

Chickasaw Nation Emergency Management provided support to Seminole County Sheriff’s Department with a drone mission to assess the damage path along with providing staff and a skid steer to remove debris. Chickasaw Nation Emergency Management and Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department also cleared 50-60 homes and located several gas leaks. 

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security staff continued to support initial damage assessments in Seminole County.

Department of Environmental Quality reports three public water systems and one public wastewater system are still impacted. They have approved a debris site in Seminole.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is providing structural engineers to help with safety assessments of local buildings.

INJURIES

According to the Oklahoma State Department of Health, 21 storm-related injuries have been reported by area hospitals:

• Cut/Pierce – 5
• Fall – 10
• Transportation related - 6

POWER OUTAGES

Oklahoma Corporation Commission reports approximately 1,300 outages statewide. The majority of outages are in Seminole County.

ROAD CLOSURES

Oklahoma Department of Transportation reports the following highways are closed due to high water:

Cherokee County

• SH-80 west of Hulbert is closed.

Muskogee County

• US-64 west of SH-351 at Dirty Creek in Webbers Falls
• The southbound SH-351/Muskogee Turnpike ramp to US-64 (mm 55) near Webbers Falls. Drivers can detour on I-40 and SH-100.

Okmulgee County 

• SH-56 about 4 miles west of Okmulgee near Dripping Springs Lake

For up to the minute info on closures, download the free Drive Oklahoma mobile app or visit www.okroads.org.

DIAL 211

For Oklahoma residents seeking non-emergency disaster or health and human service information, please contact your local 2-1-1. Services are available 24 hours a day by dialing 2-1-1 from your home or cellular telephone. Please only call 911 for emergencies.

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