Tulsa County Updates Public On Winter Weather Response

NewsOn6.com

TULSA, Oklahoma -- With more winter weather headed this way, Tulsa County Commissioners held a news conference Friday to update the public on road conditions, street clearing operations and public safety.

Commissioner Karen Keith said getting schools up and operational is a top priority, but there are many issues that are making that difficult. Some school officials are snowed in and not sure how they would get to work if schools were open, she said.

Undersheriff Brian Edwards of the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office said his crews are using the 12 to 14 four-wheel drive vehicles the department owns "24-hours a day."

"We've not seen anything like this before," he said.

His crews have been driving other emergency workers back and forth to work, driving dialysis patients to treatments and checking on the welfare of people who live in difficult-to-access parts of Tulsa County.

"The roads out in the county are rather difficult," he noted. Deputies are walking through drifts of up to four feet as they check on people who live "way off the roadway."

Karen Keith noted that they are making a priority of opening the Tulsa County Courthouse on Monday, trying to clear off Civic Plaza.

"Our crews are incredibly dedicated," she said. "We really appreciate all of their efforts."

Edwards also asked people whose cars have blue tape on them from being stranded earlier this week to be sure to remove the tape. If their cars get stranded again, officers will assume someone has already checked on the car if the blue tape is present.

The conference was held at the Tulsa Fairgrounds where the Boat Show is underway.