Tulsa Mayor Says City Is Ready For The Snow

Ashli Sims, News On 6

TULSA, Oklahoma -- Tulsa's mayor says city hall will be open Tuesday. But, he's urging folks to stay at home unless absolutely necessary.

It's going to be a long night for city and the county crews who are standing by for whatever winter weather comes our way. Be it ice, sleet, or snow, Tulsa city and county officials say they're ready.

Nearly a dozen agencies and department from across the city and county were on hand to coordinate their emergency response.

PSO officials say they've been monitoring the storm's potential since the middle of last week.

"The freezing rain chances are mostly south and east of Tulsa and that's what are initial focus is in terms of resources," said PSO Official Steve Baker.

Emergency management officials say the threat of power outages is intensified because of the sub-zero temperatures that are also forecasted.

"We ask people to be aware of just how cold it's going to be, and you just can't be out in this, and ya'know you can't weather it in the house without some form of heat," Baker said.

But, fire officials want folks to make sure keeping warm doesn't lead to disaster.

"Make sure you're heating your home properly. Space heaters, anything that's combustible near space heaters. Please keep it three feet back. We don't want to make a situation worse," said Tim Smallwood, Tulsa Fire Department.

Streets crews will be on duty throughout the night, spreading salt as soon as the roads are wet enough to hold it.

"The more snow the better cause that way we don't have to use a lot of our salt and we can just plow it," said Dan Crossland of Tulsa Public Works.

Officials say if you don't have to be out, stay off the roads.

"We certainly want to remind everybody to be very careful," Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett said.

"Just really be cautious because if it comes in like they're talking it's going to be hazardous in the morning," said Crossland

Tulsa Transits director says city busses will be running snow routes tomorrow. And he says it may well be the safest way to get around if you have to be out and about tomorrow.

In fact, he says that's how he will be getting to work.

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