SEVERE WEATHER IMPACTS STATE
May 4, 2024 – 9 p.m.
The State Emergency Operations Center remains activated due to impacts from recent severe weather. The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) remains in contact with emergency managers across the state and is coordinating with agencies and organizations including the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Oklahoma Corporation Commission, Oklahoma State Department of Health, Oklahoma National Guard, Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, Oklahoma Insurance Department, Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, National Weather Service, the Chickasaw Nation, the Muscogee Nation, Oklahoma American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Oklahoma Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, and many others.
FEMA ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE
Carter County is now approved for FEMA assistance for individuals and business owners impacted by recent storms.
Disaster assistance was approved for Hughes, Love and Murray counties earlier this week. The designation delivers assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for housing repairs or temporary housing, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest loans for individuals and businesses to repair or replace damaged property, disaster unemployment assistance, and grants for serious needs and necessary disaster expenses not met by other programs.
To apply for disaster assistance individuals and business owners in Hughes, Love, and Murray counties may call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or go online at www.disasterassistance.gov.
REPORT DAMAGES:
The state will request additional counties be added to the declaration as damage assessments are completed. Residents are asked to report damage online at damage.ok.gov to help ensure all areas of damage are included in the assessments.
INJURIES, FATALITIES, AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
The Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner reported four storm-related fatalities: two in Holdenville (mobile home), one on Interstate 35 near Marietta (vehicle) and one fatality in Sulphur (business).
The Oklahoma State Department of Health totaled 296 injuries reported by area hospitals.
Local health departments in the impacted areas are offering free tetanus shots for residents and volunteers participating in cleanup activities.
The Love County Health Department (LCHD) was directly affected by Saturday night’s storms and is currently closed. There is no timeline for when the building will reopen. Clients are being directed to the Carter or Marshall County Health Departments. Health Departments locations in neighboring counties are included below:
- Carter County Health Department: 405 S Washington St., Ardmore, OK 73401
- Marshall County Health Department: 310 W Lillie Blvd., Madill, OK 73446
The Oklahoma Department of Public Safety Wellness Team will be in at City Hall in Sulphur Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday for any responders who need wellness support.
MASS CARE
Two American Red Cross shelters remain open:
- Crossway First Baptist Church, 2108 W. Broadway Ave., Sulphur
- Christ Community Church Ardmore, 2620 Mount Washington Road, Ardmore
For additional needs, please visit American Red Cross at these sites:
- Chickasaw Nation Senior Center, 401 E Oklahoma, Sulphur, Okla.
- Love County Fairgrounds respite center, 500 N 2nd Street, Marietta, Okla.
- Murray County Expo Center, 3490 W. Highway 7, Sulphur, Okla.
- Artesian Hotel, 101 W. 1st Street, Sulphur, OK (top level of the parking garage)
Mobile feeding from American Red Cross emergency response vehicles ended in Ardmore and Plainview after dinner on Saturday. Mobile feeding in Sulphur and Dickson will end after dinner on Sunday. Food will still be served in the shelters for as long as they are open.
Mercy Chefs is providing hot meals for impacted residents at Crossway First Baptist Church, 2108 W. Broadway Ave in Sulphur.
The Chickasaw Nation provided shuttle services in Sulphur to residents who needed transportation to the disaster update town hall meeting. They also provided livestreaming of the meeting on their Community Radio Stations.
Big Five Community Services is offering its Love County transit service free of charge on all medical, pharmacy, chemo. treatments, kidney dialysis, doctor appointments, etc., along with any trips needed by citizens to get to and from employment. They are also offering free round-trips to Ardmore for groceries Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.- 2 p.m., and will continue to do so until not needed as Marietta's only grocery store was destroyed. Their food bank in Marietta also continues to serve residents.
Oklahoma Southern Baptist Disaster Relief has 10 chainsaw teams deployed (four in Morris and six in Sulphur) and is providing mass feeding for the Salvation Army and Red Cross in Sulphur, serving an average of 800 meals per sitting and will continue as long as needed. Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)-trained chaplains are also available for affected residents and first responders. Visit their website okdisasterhelp.org and complete the assistance request form or call our assistance number at 1-844-690-9198.
Team Rubicon deployed Greyshirt volunteers in Sulphur to assist the community with muck outs to clear debris, roof tarping, and chainsaw operations to cut down damaged trees. Residents can send requests for assistance to rfa@teamrubiconusa.org.
Also helping with clean-up in Sulphur, Morris and Holdenville are: Minuteman Disaster Response, Samaritan’s Purse, Hope Force, Crossings Community Church, Christian Aid Ministries and NECHAMA Jewish Response to Disaster.
Crisis Clean-Up has a hotline by which any affected resident may request clean-up help: 580-440-0126.
Convoy of Hope has delivered several loads of essential supplies — including food, water, sports drinks, rakes, totes, tarps, hygiene kits, and more — to Sulphur, Holdenville, and Ardmore.
HOW TO HELP
Volunteers who wish to help with donations sorting in Sulphur can check in at the Murray County Expo Center at 730 Cambridge Drive in Sulphur.
Samaritan’s Purse is accepting walk up volunteers in Sulphur, but volunteers are asked to arrive at the Murray County Expo Center for shifts at 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
For those wishing to donate, cash is best. Financial contributions are the fastest, most flexible and most effective method of donating to support recognized disaster relief organizations on the ground. Oklahoma Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster has a list available of member organizations and donation guidance at https://okvoad.org/donate-2/. Many VOAD members have restricted funds for their storm response.
BancFirst locations statewide are accepting donations for the Sulphur community. Funds are administered by Crossway Church of Sulphur. Donate online at bancfirst.bank/sulphur or in person at any BancFirst location. For a list of all statewide BancFirst locations, visit bancfirst.bank/locations
ROAD CLOSURES
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation reports the following highways, interstates, or turnpikes are impacted by recent storms or flooding:
CHEROKEE COUNTY
- SH-80 is closed approximately 3 miles west of Hulbert due to high water.
MCINTOSH COUNTY
- US-266 is closed east of Checotah in a work zone due to high water.
To check current road conditions in Oklahoma, call the Road Conditions Hotline at 844-4OK-HWYS (844-465-4997) or go to www.okroads.org.
STATE SUPPORT
Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) staff continues to coordinate with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and local emergency management on preliminary damage assessments in numerous impacted counties.
Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality reports they are working with municipalities and counties to register sites for their storm debris. Visit their website for more information on cleanup for residents and local jurisdictions: https://www.deq.ok.gov/external-affairs-division/for-media/severe-weather-flooding-information/
Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) crews have been assisting with clean-up efforts in Sulphur, Marietta, and Holdenville. They also provided use of a electronic road sign in Sulphur to support recovery efforts.
The Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) is available to help residents with issues they may have with their insurance claims. Call the Oklahoma Insurance Department Consumer Assistance Division at 800-522-0071. You can also find more information about preparing for storms and reviewing your insurance coverage at oid.ok.gov/get-ready.
PRICE GOUGING STATUTE IN EFFECT
The state’s price gouging statute is in effect. The Emergency Price Stabilization Act prohibits an increase of more than 10% for the price of goods and services after a declared emergency. The statute triggers automatically after the governor issues a state of emergency. The law allows the attorney general to pursue charges against individuals or businesses that engage in price gouging. For more information or to report a complaint, individuals can contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit toll free at 833-681-1895.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond told residents to beware contractors who go door-to-door, demand upfront payment and use aggressive sales tactics. Agents from the OAG’s office will be visiting communities with storm damage to help prevent contractor fraud, and residents may report fraud to 1-833-681-1895 or consumerprotection@oag.ok.gov.
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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