Surveying the storm: Emergency management assesses damage after Saturday's severe weather

Apr. 29—Severe storms on Saturday left parts of Stephens County with damage as a result of straight-lined winds and flooding.

Stephens County Emergency Manager Gary Curtis said his office reported scattered damage within the county from the storms that swept Oklahoma on April 27. Those storms, according to the Associated Press, produced at least 22 tornadoes that touched down, which killed at least four people and injured nearly 100 in the state, as they "flattened homes and buildings" in small towns, like Sulphur.

Assessing the damage

Curtis said while the destruction wasn't as severe in Stephens County, there was still damage to some structures.

"In Marlow we found some buildings that were totally destroyed, roofs taken off of them," Curtis said.

In Stephens County District #1, Curtis said crews removed a large roof found in the center of a road. Power lines were also down in various areas.

Flooding brought another major concern during the storms. Some areas have started to dry out, but damage from the flooding hasn't been assessed yet, Curtis said, although they know some culvert pipes were washed out and asphalt suffered and now has holes.

"Quite a bit of water over the roads, a lot of debris up on the roads that's been washed up," he said. "We don't know how much damage to the roads right now until the water is totally gone."

He knows they'll haul gravel and have to fix roads for a while, however, and said anyone with road damage should report it to the emergency management team so they can document it to keep a record.

The damage in Marlow, Curtis said, came directly from a line of straight winds and hit Frontier Feed and Grain near Caddo Road where it "did massive damage."

Fences, older trees, barns and roofs were not spared.

Marlow City Administrator Jason McPherson said tree damage and disfigurement of smaller buildings and roofs were left in the wake of the storms that brought winds as high as 90 miles per hour and rainfall varying from one-and-a-half to four inches. The event center also lost its roof. Thankfully, he said, they didn't see damage on a major scale.

"The city electric lost a handful of poles and the most out of power was about 120 customers," McPherson said. "Most, if not all, were back in power the same night."

McPherson said the city crews quickly began to remove tree debris Monday morning and will continue as necessary. The city will continue to update tree and branch cleaning on their social media platforms, McPherson said.

With another potential round of storms coming through this week, Curtis said the county can still use the rain, but if there's another massive rainstorm with flash flooding, it could contribute to more road issues.

Winds and flooding brought the bulk of the harm, Curtis said, although some reported damage from marble-sized hail.

Storm safety

With some storms behind us and more on the horizon, Curtis said its important to remember not to drive through high water and to stay cautious around lightning and electrical wires, which can cause fires a lot of the times, and to not drive over them.

"If you see any wire lines down, stay away from them," Curtis said. "Always treat them as being energized. Electricity feeds back through the ground, so 100-foot area around them could be very deadly."

Since tornado season still has a few months left in it, Curtis said if sirens sound, its time to take shelter where you are.

"Do not travel any big distance to get to a shelter," he said. "Find the inside of your home that has two walls between you and the outside — that's the safest place."

While bathtubs used to be safe, they aren't anymore, Curtis said.

"They're not cast iron anymore, they're plastic," he said. "Always put two walls between you with no glass."

That could be an inner hallway or internal closet if you don't have a safety shelter. Those who live in mobile homes, however, should get to the lowest area they possibly can that isn't a flood zone.

Deputy Emergency Manager Scott Arrington said by the time the tornado sirens go off, it's not the time to go find somewhere to go.

"You want to do this pre-planning ahead of time," he said. "If the tornado warning sirens are going off, you need to shelter in place, because it's too late to go find somewhere to shelter at."

Curtis suggested for everyone to purchase a weather radio. He said they are around $30.

"They run on batteries or on plug-in," Curtis said. "Those will give out the tornado watch. As soon as you get a watch, that's when you really need to start paying attention (to) what's going on."

Curtis said this means there are existing conditions that could cause a tornado to drop. He said when the sirens sound, they spotted a tornado or rotation.

Curtis said most lives are lost in these storms by flying debris.

"Those are things we want to watch out for," he said.

Arrington said it's important to have a severe weather plan in place to take the right actions.

Curtis said to have a "go bag" packed and ready to go with medications, flashlights, extra batteries, pet food, water and other necessary items someone would need in an emergency.

For those with their own shelter, these emergency items should be in the shelter already. Curtis said it's good to be prepared for the next 24-72 hours. He said they do have local missions available to help with needs as well.

Public vs. private shelters

Curtis said they plan to start a safety shelter program, but as of right now, the state doesn't have the money to fund it. The county courthouse, he said, serves as a designated shelter, but it does suffer from flooding.

"It is a long distance from anyone," he said. "It's not a safe direction to get to unless you were right next door."

Curtis said the reason there's not public shelters is because it brings a liability issue.

"Some of your schools ... that (do) have safe rooms ... will allow their students and families to come in," he said. "They're not really public shelters."

Because of liability issues around public shelters and the danger when it comes to traveling to them, Curtis said having a personal shelter is a better way to go.

Drones help spot damage

Following major storms resulting in damage, Curtis said they will activate their Commercial Federal Drone Pilot to assess damages as part of the Arial Damage Assessment.

Curtis said for anyone who sees a bright orange drone over their property, it belongs to Emergency Management and it is a county and federally certified drone.

"Do not shoot at it," he said. "That's a felony."

He said they are not there to "peek in" on anyone, but they are doing a quick flight to see if there are any damages to assist property owners.

If damages are noted, Curtis said they are more than happy to talk with owners. He said the drone will move constantly and if it stops, it won't be for long.

"We do 4K drone footage to make sure we can turn this in," he said. "We even send it to National Weather Service to show the damages."

Curtis said not every county has this capability, but it is accessible in Stephens County. He said if residents have damage in a large area, to contact emergency management.

"We are definitely flying to help them in the long run," Curtis said.

For anyone who knows they may have water coming into their house, The Stephens County Courthouse has sandbags available for residents to fill and dispose of themselves.

For more information about packing a to-go bag, visit https://stephenscountyem.com/before-an-emergency-strikes/ or for questions, contact Emergency Management at 580-255-3411, stcoem@stephenscountyok.com or visit stephenscountyok.com.

For more information on road closures, local weather updates and storm tips, visit Stephens County Emergency Management on Facebook.

Charlene Belew contributed to this story.