Oklahomans Ready To Deal With Ike

By Ashli Sims, The News On 6

UNDATED -- Thousands fled Hurricane Ike, yet many chose to ride out the storm.  A number of evacuees are heading to the Sooner State and some Oklahomans are hunkering down in Houston.

The Tulsa Chapter of the American Red Cross says Tulsa will really be a back-stop for Oklahoma City.  Oklahoma City could see as many as 4,000 Texas residents fleeing Ike and its aftermath.  Tulsa will open a shelter, if the Oklahoma City gets more than they can handle.       

In the meantime, there are some Oklahomans who are finding themselves in the path of the storm.

Ike is being called a monster: 600 miles across and barreling toward the fourth largest city in the country.

"We're just kind of waiting.  It hasn't really hit, ya know. So, we're just kind of in the waiting period of not knowing what's about to happen," said Amanda Andrews of Norman.

Norman resident Amanda Andrews is getting her nursing certification in Houston.  She thought about leaving, but the longer she waited the worse traffic became, and her studies called.

"I had to stay or I would've totally have been dropped from the certification I was taking. So, I was like well, I spent a lot of money on it. So, I couldn't really give in so I stuck it out," said Amanda Andrews of Norman.

Oklahoma volunteers are heading Andrews' way.  Two emergency response vehicles were originally sent to Florida.

"Those volunteers were sent out for Hurricane Ike last week, and then, over the weekend, the hurricane center realized it had swung around and it was going to be hitting Texas, so our volunteers swung around right with it," said Nellie Kelly with the Tulsa Red Cross.

Andrews says she's hunkered down with a dozen other folks.  And so far, the wind is starting to pick up, but the storm hasn't really closed in.  And, like a true Sooner, the hurricane isn't her biggest concern.

"I guess I'm more nervous about the possibility of tornadoes and things. Being from Oklahoma, it's just on the mind, but right now I feel pretty safe," said Amanda Andrews.