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Published:2/2/2010 7:01:55 AM
Snow and ice cover Oklahoma in January
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| Despite the severity of the winter storm
in late January, these residents find fun sliding down a hill in Tahlequah,
Okla. (Photo by Jami Custer) |
By Will Chavez, Christina Good Voice and Jami Custer
Staff Writers
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – A winter storm hit Oklahoma on Jan. 28 and 29, dumping freezing rain, sleet and snow that caused seven deaths, travel problems, power outages and all 77 counties to be declared disaster areas.
The National Weather Service estimated the storm dumped 8 to 10 inches of snow near Enid, 5 to 8 inches in the Norman area and 4 to 6 inches around Oklahoma City. In eastern Oklahoma, freezing rain, sleet and snow accumulations totaled anywhere from 2 to 7 inches.
Authorities said the storm is linked to seven deaths. An 86-year-old Yukon man died two days after slipping and falling on Jan. 29. A 62-year-old Anadarko man was found dead Jan. 31 in his travel trailer where there was no power.
A 79-year-old Harmon County woman was found dead Jan. 30 in her house where there was no power and a 59-year-old Geary woman was found dead outside her home Jan. 30. Also, a 73-year-old Pontotoc County man died Jan. 30 in a house fire and a 33-year-old Holdenville man was killed in an auto accident.
The storm knocked out power to more than 150,000 homes and businesses and stranded travelers across Oklahoma. The state’s Department of Emergency Management figures show most of the power outages occurred in central and southwestern Oklahoma.
No power outages were reported in the 14 counties within the Cherokee Nation’s jurisdiction.
However, the CN was prepared to respond prior to the arrival of the storm, said CN Communications Director Sammye Rusco.
“We have staged some water, meaning we have placed it at various locations in our communities so that if it is needed we can more easily access it,” she said. “We also filled our vehicles, readied our chainsaws and started our Emergency Operations Center.”
She added that CN Emergency Management volunteers were ready and CN Community Services called many communities and advised them to initiate their phone trees to keep in touch with community members.
Although the tribe’s Emergency Management group was ready, it didn’t receive any calls for assistance related to the storm, Rusco said.
On Jan. 29, Gov. Brad Henry requested that the White House declare all 77 counties disaster areas. President Barack Obama approved the request, qualifying the counties for federal disaster relief. The relief helps cover some costs incurred by state and local responders in areas struck by the storm.
“We appreciate the president’s speedy response to our request for federal aid, and we will continue to stay in close touch with the White House and federal authorities as we recover from the winter storm,” Henry said. “Many Oklahoma communities have been hard hit by this latest round of winter weather, and we will be doing everything possible help them in the days and weeks to come.”
The president’s action authorizes the Homeland Security Department and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate all disaster relief efforts to alleviate the hardship and suffering caused by the storm. It also allows federal assistance for required emergency measures. FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize and provide at its discretion equipment and resources necessary to deal with damage caused by the storm. The federal government will provide 75 percent reimbursement for eligible expenses.
The federal assistance allows state and local governments to be reimbursed for expenses associated with responding to the storm. Eligible expenses could include personnel overtime costs as well as costs associated with operating shelters and clearing snow- and ice-covered roads.
After FEMA teams survey affected areas, additional federal assistance may be requested to aid local and state government recovery efforts.
Oklahomans seeking non-emergency disaster or health and human service information should contact local 2-1-1 services. Services are available 24 hours a day by dialing 2-1-1.
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