Ice, Rain, Freezing Rain

Ice on the Way!

Tega — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 03:16:31 GMT

Ok everyone. You see that ice is coming! All hands on deck! If you don't have everything together in case your power goes out... act now. Get the candles, lanterns, blankets, etc... As you know from last storm if this hits really bad your power could be out for a while. Your fridge (which seems to be the biggest concern after warmth) will only keep the food good for about 24 hours. Get dry ice if you can and if you cant, pack the meat or whatever in a cooler and store it in your trunk. Don't set it outside because animals will dig in it. Keep yourself hydrated. (#1 even before food) Check for shelter locations. (Sometimes PSO will have this information for you as they arm us with all we need to help!)

I would also like to tell you about a night light you can get to plug into the wall that only comes on when the lights go out. It charges the whole time it's plugged in and if the power goes out it kicks on. This is great because it helps you get to whatever heat and light source you have without having to scrounge for it in the dark. You can get these at most hardware stores like The Home Depot. Put it in a place that is common sense (ie: don't put it in the socket under the bed)

When you call to report an outage, understand that even if this is your 5th call we are going to ask you the same questions. Answer them as short and sweet as you can and allow us to do our jobs! We are there to help. Understand that while you are there with your families, most of us are working to get your power back on even though our own familes are in the dark!

Above ALL.... be safe!!!!

Tega

(Your friendly neighborhood PSO rep)

P.S.

I am back at work from surgery so the rep you talk to MAY be me! :)

tornado season and brush piles

JESSICA GELLOW — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 07:41:47 GMT

HAS ANYONE CONSIDERED WHAT THE SPRING WEATHER MIGHT DO TO ALL THE PILES OF LIMBS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD? WHEN 70 PLUS MPH WINDS OR A TORNADO HIT THE PILES OF TREE LIMBS THE RESULT COULD RESULT IN GREAT HARM TO PEOPLE AND PROPERTY. THE CITIES SHOULD MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO REMOVE THE LIMBS AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. WHAT IF PEOPLE DECIDE TO SET FIRE TO THE PILES AS A PRANK? CALL OUT THE NATIONAL GUARD! THIS COULD BE A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM!

Mayor meets FEMA face-to-face

Marlin — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 12:50:39 GMT

Reported by: Abbie Alford

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) January 24 - Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor just wrapped up a meeting with FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison in Washington D.C., begging for ice storm assistance.

It's the first face-to-face meeting since last month's ice storm.

This now puts Tulsa on the radar but it remains to be seen if the meeting will make a difference.

Earlier this Month, FEMA denied individual assistance. The Mayor estimates the clean-up will cost $19 million.

Watch FOX23 News at 5 to find out what's the next step for the city.

FOX23.com

Thank them ... Thank them, Not!

jd4fox23 — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 04:51:19 GMT

I understand that there are people on both sides of the issue about the job the power company has done restoring power to everyone. Some people believe we should praise and thank the power company for restoring our power. Others feel that it took way too long to get the power back on, and besides .. they get paid for what they do, and they get paid well for doing it too... so why thank them for doing their job?

What do you think? Do you understand both sides of the issue? What is a good balance?

The real cost of Decembers Ice Storm

jd4fox23 — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 22:34:35 GMT

What did this ice storm cost you? Damages .... generators ... gas to run generators ... spoiled food....... etc?

Mayor announces Operation Power Up

Marlin — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 12:14:24 GMT

(TULSA, Okla.) December 15 - Mayor Kathy Taylor held an emergency press conference asking for volunteers to help get the lights back on.

Right now more than 57,000 thousand homes and businesses are still without power tonight.

And even with dozens of crews working around the clock, some people may not have their electricity restored for two more weeks.

Mayor Taylor announced a new plan to speed up the restoration of power. It's called Operation Power Up.

Starting tomorrow at 1pm they're asking for volunteers to come out and help remove debris from around power lines.

Mayor Taylor says with the help of a lot of other people they're hoping they can have power restored by Christmas.

MORE

Lights Coming Back On Up North

Marlin — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 11:23:50 GMT

The number of people with electrical service restored continues to go up. Even some of the hardest hit areas have lights as of Wednesday night. News On 6 anchor Latoya Silmon reports some people in far north Tulsa are again able to watch The News On 6 and do other things that they couldn’t do without electricity.

North Tulsa was one of the first areas to go dark. After more than a week, many of those residents can finally see the light. A week ago plunging utility poles and downed power lines made it difficult for neighbors to get around.

MORE

Ice Storm T-Shirts

maduko — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 13:32:03 GMT

Check this out- pretty funny...

Oklahoma Centennial Blackout

Clever design with an aerial boom truck and the line "I survived the 2007 ice storm." You can buy them online.

President issues disaster declaration

Marlin — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 22:52:40 GMT

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ President Bush issued a major disaster Declaration today for seven Oklahoma counties that suffered major Ice storm damage.

The governor's office says the counties included in the Declaration are Oklahoma, Tulsa, Pottawatomie, Wagoner, Cleveland, Lincoln and Mayes.

The declaration clears the way for federal funds to reimburse State and local governments for storm cleanup and infrastructure Repairs in the affected counties.

Paul Sund -- a spokesman for the governor -- says state Officials plan to ask for additional counties to be added to the Declaration as damage assessments are completed.

Fox23.com

tree takes out 2 pick up trucks & a house

jd4fox23 — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:36:10 GMT

slides 14-18

http://www.fox23.com/Photo.aspx?slideshow=a6f14b43-8285-4428-9618-ab3315f04fbc&photo=44363c89-6531-4879-bf9b-cebcb9acc3ad

The Psychology of it all

jd4fox23 — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 20:00:16 GMT

So ... how does all this being without power for so long make you feel? I was thinking about this last night some, and to tell you all the truth, it makes me feel that we're too dependant on other people to provide us all "power" so we can live a normal life in the city. We need other power sources besides PSO, like wind power, solar power, and any other option that can supplement power needs for the city and even smaller communities.

Maybe it's something that I'm off on my own thinking about ... How has this disaster effected you?

WHERE IS OUR MAYOR????

Tinuviel_33 — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 15:44:16 GMT

We are going on nearly a week without power, and I've seen her TWICE!!!! Once when the news just happened to run into her, and the second was with Brad Henry with her photo op and her fur coat!!! Why isn't she on the news or on the radio telling her city what's going on, where to go, what to do??? Why is she leaving it up to the news stations to give us this information??? Why hasn't she been a public figure???

So I ask......where are you Kathy Taylor?

Showing Appreciation..

Tinuviel_33 — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 00:56:35 GMT

For the thousands of out of state crews coming in to help get us all out of the dark. I'm just trying to fiugre out what I can do to show it. They've all left their families two weeks before Christmas to help us out and I just want to show them that Tulsans are greatful for their efforts. I thought of food, but I'm sure they are getting some pretty good stuff catered in.

From what I saw from various news sources, they are staying at the UMAC and at the Expo...

Ideas??

Power Lines & phone lines & ICE on the roads!!

Echo — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 19:42:34 GMT

ok .. our power has flickered off and on several times. I'm praying for everyone to not have to lose their power or their phone lines because of this ice storm.

Stay safe people, and if you have to get out and drive, be careful and drive slow. My daughter went down to Stillwater last night to help her friend move back to Tulsa today (of all days to pick to do that!!) and she's on the road trying to come home. I am hoping the roads have salt and sand on them.

Could someone call Mayor Kathy

Marlin — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 15:01:20 GMT

.......and tell her that ice is covering all the overpasses in town?

I couldn't believe my eyes this morning as I was driving in Tulsa. If they did put any sand down on the overpasses, it was gone when I went over them.

Cars were in the ditches everywhere because of the black ice. Mean while back here in Broken Arrow the overpasses were sanded and easy to drive over.

I-244, Hwy 169 and the BA Expressway were the roads I took this morning in Tulsa and they were all bad. Hopefully the sun will come out so Mayor Kathy doesn't have to get out of bed to address this issue.

Red Cross storm shelter locations

Marlin — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 22:21:13 GMT

Red Cross storm shelter locations

(TULSA, Okla. ) December 9 - The American Red Cross has opened several shelters to assist people who are without power due to the winter storm.

Tulsa - First Baptist Church
3rd & Cincinnati

Collinsville - First Baptist Church
1301 W. Main St.

Vinita - John's Episcopal
522 W. Canadian

Miami - Assembly of God
1815 Steve Owens Blvd.

Sand Springs - Plaza Community Center
420 Plaza Court

Fox23.com

Tulsa Airport Closed

Marlin — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 18:17:35 GMT

Power Outage Shuts Down Airport

AP - 12/10/2007 10:30 AM - Updated 12/10/2007 11:30 AM

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- Tulsa International Airport is without power after an ice storm and a spokeswoman says it may be two days before electricity is restored. Alexis Higgins says there are no flights into or out of the airport and no flights are likely to leave Tulsa until power is restored. She says Public Service Company of Oklahoma has told airport officials it may be Wednesday before service is back at the airport.

Higgins says the airport is nearly empty although there are a few people in the terminal.

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