October 27, 2020 Situation Update 1

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management

Situation Update 1

October 27, 2020 5:30 p.m.

Due to the hazardous weather conditions, the State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has been activated since Monday. A winter storm warning is in effect for the Oklahoma panhandle, with much of western and central Oklahoma under an ice storm. 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 Department of Transportation, Oklahoma State Department of Health, Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, Oklahoma National Guard, Oklahoma Corporation Commission, Oklahoma Insurance Department, National Weather Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, American Red Cross and other Oklahoma Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster.

A State of Emergency for 47 Oklahoma counties was issued on Monday, including Alfalfa, Beaver, Beckham, Blaine, Caddo, Canadian, Cimarron, Cleveland, Comanche, Cotton, Creek, Custer, Dewey, Ellis, Garfield, Garvin, Grady, Grant, Greer, Harmon, Harper, Jackson, Jefferson, Kay, Kingfisher, Kiowa, Lincoln, Logan, Major, McClain, Noble, Okfuskee, Oklahoma, Osage, Pawnee, Payne, Pottawatomie, Roger Mills, Seminole, Stephens, Texas, Tillman, Tulsa, Washington, Washita, Woods and Woodward counties.

The Executive Order temporarily suspends requirements for size and weights permits of oversized vehicles transporting materials and supplies used for emergency relief and power restoration.

Two locally managed overnight shelters are open:

• Coyle High School, 700 S Cottingham Ave, Coyle
• Ebenezer Baptist Church, 3600 N Kelley Ave, Oklahoma City

One American Red Cross supported overnight shelter is open:

• El Reno Citizens Center, 401 S. Grand, El Reno

Additional shelters or warming stations may open this evening.

Heading into the evening, Oklahoma Department of Transportation crews continue round-the-clock salt/sand and plowing operations throughout much of the state due to icy precipitation and freezing temperatures.

Motorists are discouraged from traveling as highways remain slick and hazardous in the Panhandle and northwestern Oklahoma. While conditions have improved somewhat in north-central, western and southwestern Oklahoma, including the I-40 corridor west of Oklahoma City, drivers should use extra caution if travel is necessary this evening as water and slush on roadways can refreeze.

As icy conditions persist, drivers should be alert to fallen tree limbs or downed power lines across highways. Highways reported as closed due to downed power lines include US-81 just north of Pocasset in Grady County and SH-156 east of Lucien in Noble County. Drivers are reminded to never attempt to drive over fallen power lines. 

Roadways are mostly wet in central and southern Oklahoma; however, drivers should remain alert as conditions can quickly change as the sun goes down. Crews continue to treat these areas, including I-35 and I-40.

Crews are continuing to closely monitor conditions in northeastern and eastern Oklahoma, as highways are mostly wet. Some slick spots have been reported in Osage County.

If travel is necessary, drivers should closely follow the forecast and check current road conditions on the interactive travel map at www.okroads.org or through the Drive Oklahoma smart phone app.

When driving in dangerous winter weather conditions, motorists are asked to:

• Stay at least 200 feet behind road clearing equipment; crews need room to maneuver and can engage plowing or spreading materials without notice.
• Allow extra space between vehicles to provide adequate distance for braking.
• Be aware of "black ice," which looks wet on the roadway but is a thin layer of ice.
• Be patient, plan trips ahead and allow extra time in reaching destinations.

To check CURRENT ROAD CONDITIONS in Oklahoma, call ODOT's ROAD CONDITIONS HOTLINE at 844-465-4997 or go to www.okroads.org. For turnpike information, call the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority at 877-403-7623 or go to www.pikepass.com.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission reports approximately 313,387 outages statewide.

**OG&E – Data system down, below is estimate 

Total: 238,000 

 

PSO Total: 14,014 

Grady: 5,649 

Caddo: 3,010 

Washington: 1,371 

Kiowa: 888 

Washita: 627 

Comanche: 574 

Pittsburg: 526 

Osage: 357 

Stephens: 333 

Haskell: 317 

McClain: 179 

Tillman: 80 

Greer: 37 

Custer: 20 

Latimer: 20 

Jackson: 12 

Tulsa: 11 

 

COOPERATIVES

CKenergy Electric Cooperative Total: 18,891

Blaine: 308

Caddo: 8,704

Canadian: 4,777

Comanche: 755

Custer: 1,749

Grady: 422

Kiowa: 690

Washita: 1,485

Dewey: 1

 

Canadian Valley Electric Cooperative, Inc. Total: 11,716  

Lincoln: 4,137

Okfuskee: 404

Oklahoma: 411

Pottawatomie: 6,516

Seminole: 248

 

Oklahoma Electric Cooperative Total: 10,582  

Caddo: 104 

Canadian: 338 

Cleveland: 3,525 

Grady: 3,086 

McClain: 3,067 

Oklahoma: 125 

Pottawatomie: 337 

 

Central Electric Cooperative Total: 9,216  

Garfield: 33 

Lincoln: 2,190 

Logan: 1,839 

Noble: 589 

Oklahoma: 1,609 

Pawnee: 60 

Payne: 2,896 

 

Indian Electric Cooperative, Inc. Total: 4,555  

Creek: 1,409 

Kay: 3 

Noble: 187 

Osage: 487 

Pawnee: 1,686 

Payne: 678 

Tulsa: 105 

 

Cimarron Electric Cooperative Total: 3,314  

Blaine: 365 

Canadian: 1,686 

Dewey: 112 

Garfield: 49 

Kingfisher: 610 

Logan: 483 

Major: 9 

 

Southwest Rural Electric Association, Inc. Total: 1,970 

Comanche: 3 

Greer: 4 

Jackson: 1,063 

Kiowa: 317 

Tillman: 583 

 

Cotton Electric Cooperative, Inc. Total: 2,280  

Caddo: 8 

Comanche: 1,086 

Cotton: 5 

Grady: 261 

Stephens: 920 

 

Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. Total: 878  

Carter: 1 

Garvin: 209 

Grady: 206 

McClain: 410 

Stephens: 52 

 

Verdigris Valley Electric Cooperative Total: 516  

Nowata: 1 

Osage: 431 

Washington: 84 

 

Kay Electric Cooperative Total: 385  

Grant: 1 

Kay: 357 

Noble: 9 

Osage: 18 

 

Northwestern Electric Cooperative, Inc. Total: 76  

Dewey: 14 

Woodward: 62 

 

Northfork Electric Cooperative, Inc. Total: 49  

Beckham: 42 

Washita: 7 

 

People's Electric Cooperative Total: 19  

Garvin: 2 

Pontotoc: 17 

 

MUNICIPALS 

Blackwell: 1,000 

Eldorado: 256 

Olustee: 270 

Frederick: 400 

Edmond: 5,000 

Orlando: 100 

Perry: 3018 

Geary: 150 

Yale: 665 

Manitou: 81

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management is asking residents impacted by the recent storms to report physical damages to their homes or businesses at damage.ok.gov. Reporting damage helps local and state emergency managers better coordinate response and recovery efforts. Residents can report damage to homes, businesses or agriculture through the online survey.

When temperatures fall and power goes out, the possibility of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning rises as people try to stay warm. Invisible, odorless and tasteless, CO is a highly poisonous gas produced by the burning of fuel such as gasoline, natural gas, kerosene, charcoal or wood. Unvented or faulty gas and kerosene appliances have the greatest potential to produce dangerous levels of CO in a home. Smoldering or poorly vented fireplaces, slow-burning fuels such as charcoal and vehicle exhausts also are potential indoor hazards. Take these precautions:

• Don’t use an unvented gas or kerosene heater in closed spaces, especially sleeping areas.
• Don’t use gas appliances such as an oven, range or clothes dryer to heat your home.
• Don’t burn charcoal inside a house, garage, vehicle or tent for heating or cooking, even in a fireplace.
• Look for CO exposure symptoms including headache, dizziness, weakness, sleepiness, nausea and vomiting that can progress to disorientation, coma, convulsions and death.
• If you suspect CO poisoning, open doors and windows, turn off gas appliances, and go outside for fresh air. Call 9-1-1 emergency medical services in severe cases.
• Look at the color of the flame. A hot blue flame produces less CO and more heat than a flickering yellow flame. If you see yellow flames in your furnace or stove burner, it should be adjusted so that the flame is blue.
• To prevent residential fires, make sure that heaters, stoves, and fireplaces are at least three feet from anything that burns. Use screens in front of fireplaces, and do not leave children alone with space heaters. Never leave candles burning when you are not at home or while you are sleeping. If a heater uses fuel like propane or kerosene, use only that kind of fuel and add more fuel only when the heater is cool. Store all fuels outside in closed metal containers.

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 9-1-1 for emergencies.

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