April 17, 2017
By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –
Elk City is busy cleaning up the debris and beginning an attempt to try to mend the lives and homes that were damaged or destroyed by Tuesday’s deadly storm.
Governor Mary Fallin flew into the Elk City airport about 12:30 Wednesday afternoon aboard a Red Cross helicopter flanked by State Representatives Todd Russ and Harold Wright. She met State Senator Darcy Jech who was already in Elk City providing his support. She immediately left to tour the stricken area, spending about an hour and a half before returning to Oklahoma City.
She is expected to sign a state declaration of emergency in order to release federal monies to help reimburse homeowners so they can mend and repair their homes.
It’s believed that at least 100 structures were damaged and more than 50 homes were destroyed when an EF-2, possibly an EF-3 tornado struck the southern part of town.
Most of the homes destroyed were concentrated at the Elk City Country Club where about 40 homes were damaged or destroyed. Another approximately 15 homes were heavily damaged or destroyed on Mulberry Lane.
One man lost his life, 53-year-old Gene “Bo” Mikles, Junior, died when his vehicle was picked up by the wind and dropped. Authorities estimate another 20 people are hurting and in the hospital.
Power appears to have been restored to most home owners in the Elk City area. Last night, it was estimated that 24-hundred were without power. School was canceled today but will be business as usual on Thursday.
Police Chief Eddie Holland says emergency crews have been securing the streets and residential area of the places most impacted which was concentrated at the Elk City golf course.
Holland says crews are now scouring the area, home by home.
Mayor Bill Helton says officials are still trying to get a handle on how many were injured.
Helton says the city is expecting an number of contractors to pour into the area to help homeowners get back into their residences, however, Helton says, they need day permits to do business in the area.
Helton says until DEQ issues that permit, no limbs or other debris can be taken to the city landfill. Hopefully, that DEQ permit will come today or tomorrow.
John Doak, Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner was on site today at the emergency staging area currently housed in the Elk City Sale Barn. He and his office staffers are on site to help with all of the homeowners insurance needs and questions.
Doak says the people that need to know this information are heavily involved in the clean up of their residence, so for neighbors or family members that are listening, the bottom line is to tell them to flag down one his staffers who will be on site for several weeks.
The Beckham County Health Department is urging workers and homeowners that are working in the field to get a tetanus shot, just to be on the safe side.
Tracey Lane, a RN and the coordinating nurse for the health department, says the shots are free and are simply a good idea.Beckham County’s Emergency Management Director, Lonnie Risenhoover is on site, as well, and is organizing a team of experts that will conduct a preliminary damage assessment of the homes and the general area. He’s working on this in conjunction with Governor Fallin.
It’s his hope that the area will be declared in a manner to get individual assistance for homeowners.
Many in Western Oklahoma are wanting to help. The local American Red Cross Disaster Action Team Leader, Gary Woodrow says for those that want to give a donation locally, Woodrow says just call the Red Cross.
Woodrow says they’re gladly taking supplies at the Convention Center.
As for physical man-power, it’s more of a thank you, but not right now. Unfortunately, providing help next week is much, much better than today or tomorrow.
Beckham County Sheriff Derek Manning says a number of ranchers have already put down or buried dead cattle. He says a number of head of cattle died in the storm.
However, Brian Pritchard urges cattlemen to hold off if they can. Pritchard is the Beckham County Farm Service Agency Director and says he can come up with some financial incentives to replace the lost cattle, but ranchers need to see him before they bury any. Once they’re in the ground, its too late.
He says its a simple procedure and won’t delay their activity too long and Pritchard believes the incentive is well worth their time.As for Mikles, the man who died last night, Sheriff Manning says he called the sheriff’s office prior to the tornado striking telling dispatchers he had to leave his mobile home and seek shelter elsewhere.
Mikles body was found by neighbors in a field nearby his home and several hundred feet away from his pickup. It’s thought he was getting into his vehicle when the twister hit.
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