DEBI DESILVER TERRY
CNHI
CHICKASHA —
Blinding blizzards, incapacitating ice storms, terrifying tornadoes, tumultuous thunderstorms, strong straight-line winds – oh, [yawn], just the weather here in Oklahoma.
Grady County has been declared a disaster area or in a state of emergency three times in the last four months, including:
• Feb. 25, 2010 – Grady County declared a federal disaster area due to the "Christmas Blizzard" that blew in Dec. 24 and 25, 2009.
• March 5, 2010 – Grady County declared a federal disaster area due to a paralyzing ice storm that gripped the area in late January.
• May 11, 2010 – Grady County included in a state of emergency due to a swarm of tornadoes that ripped through Oklahoma on May 10.
Grady County Emergency Management Director Dale Thompson told county commissioners on Monday that Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement checks should be arriving within the next few weeks.
FEMA reimburses 75 percent of eligible costs for public assistance.
Reimbursement to Grady County for money spent on protective measures during the December blizzard is slated for $57,228.31.
The January winter storm reimbursement for debris removal and protective measures totals $87,558.28.
Thompson told the commissioners there are still other worksheets outstanding that the three districts are working on – some related to road projects.
Although Grady County escaped the brunt of the May 10 tornado outbreak, Thompson said damage was sustained in the southeastern part of the county.
He said an EF-1 tornado touched down in the Cox City area and caused about $200,000 in damage.
"About six to eight homes sustained light to moderate damage," Thompson said. "Two homes were destroyed, although information I received indicates they weren't being lived in at the time."
He also said numerous outbuildings, barns, boats and recreational vehicles were also damaged.
Early the next morning straight-line winds in the county caused about an additional $100,000 worth of damage, Thompson said. A horse barn about four miles west of Rush Springs on Highway 17 and a senior citizen's apartment building in Rush Springs was damaged.
"It (high winds) picked the roof off the building and deposited it in the road about a block east of there after damaging the edge of a house," Thompson said.
"Who knows?" Thompson speculated. "I'm not an engineer, but the roof looked like it wasn't attached that well. It could have been weakened significantly after the storm from about a month ago."
The official word on the April 2 storm that hit Rush Springs is that straight-line winds caused the damage, but Thompson said he leans more toward the belief that it was a small tornado.
Preliminary data from the National Weather Service shows that there were 25 reports of tornadoes across Oklahoma on Tuesday, May 19, and 42 tornadoes reported in the state on Monday, May 10.
A press release from the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) said that preliminary damage assessments (PDAs) are in process from the recent storms. Specialists with FEMA, OEM, and the SBA (U.S. Small Business Association) are working to determine the unmet financial needs of individuals and businesses.
OEM also said in a separate press release that relying on outdoor warning sirens is not an adequate plan for severe weather safety.
"It's critical that you have multiple ways to get life-saving weather warnings no matter where you are or what time of day it is," said OEM Director Albert Ashwood. "Tornadoes can strike at any time of day in Oklahoma and NOAA weather radios broadcast severe weather warning and watch information 24 hours a day."
Oklahoma homes should have weather radios just like they do smoke detectors, the press release said.
