Weekly Siren Test In Tulsa Canceled After Earthquake

By Tara Vreeland, News On 6

TULSA, Oklahoma -- The Tulsa Area Emergency Management Agency went into action mode after a 4.3 earthquake rattled parts of the city Wednesday morning.

10/13/2010 Related Story: 4.3 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Central Oklahoma, Felt Across Five States

The Emergency Management Agency usually tests the sirens on Wednesdays at noon, but on this Wednesday they decided to cancel the sirens because they didn't want to alarm anyone after this morning's quake.

A class of kindergartners at Limestone Technology Academy learned about earthquakes Wednesday. But it wasn't on Mandi Cloud's lesson plan.

"All of a sudden the smart board and the projector started to shake. And on the screen it looked like it was bouncing all over the place," Cloud said.

"We were sitting all down, then something shaking. I saw it and I said "Mrs Cloud the board is shaking," said Jaycee Fry, a kindergartner.

10/13/2010 Related Story: News On 6 Viewers Share Their Earthquake Stories

There was no video of the actual quake in the classroom but the 23 rowdy kindergartners tried to mimic the seismic shaker.

Downtown, the Tulsa Area Emergency Management Agency was preparing for the weekly radio check up.

"Once a week we do a radio test with the state emergency management to insure that the radios are working and report in any significant events that people might have, which are pretty mundane calls," said Roger Jolliff, Acting Director of Tulsa Area Emergency Management. "This morning there was a lot to talk about with the earthquake having just happened."

The agency made calls to city managers and their staff.

"Let them know there were no plans to activate the EOC at this time because while there were concerns, there was really no response needed at the level we operate," Jolliff said.

The city says the Fire Chief Allen LaCroix said the effects were minimal and they don't expect any underground damage to water or sewer lines.

Tulsa County also reported little to no damage in Tulsa. Mostly, people were just startled by the short quake.

"This was an opportunity for all of us to think about earthquakes for a minute and think about other disaster preparedness," Joliff said.

And for Mandi Cloud's class of kindergartners, the experience left them with a mix of opinions: some said it was scary, others said it was not scary.

The Tulsa Emergency Management Agency says they conducted a silent test on the sirens Wednesday. Weather permitting, they will test and sound the sirens at noon next Wednesday.