City Kicks To Emergency Mode To Fight Ice Storm

Monday, December 10th 2007, 8:49 am

By: News On 6

City of Tulsaâ€™s emergency management operations are in full swing and have been for since Sunday. Tulsaâ€™s mayor and every department head affected by this ice storm, are working together to make sure citizens have as many services as possible. News On 6 anchor Lori Fullbright reports the big threat right now concerns city streets closed because of downed power lines.

Clearing the streets, especially to hospitals, is a top priority. Thankfully, city officials say because of the ground temperature, the streets are not very icy.

Tulsa Police are only working injury accidents, which means if you are involved in a non-injury accident, Tulsa Police cannot send an officer to the scene.

Tulsa firefighters have been busy as well, working a number of fires related to the ice storm. Fire officials say they have held over 10 additional fire engine companies to work the increased calls. Officials say they were so overwhelmed with calls of power lines down and transformers blowing, they could not answer them all. They had to prioritize, which ones were most critical.

"Anything with smoke in a house got an assignment, some of those required two engines, a ladder company and a district chief, we have a lot of crews out for medical emergencies, power lines, tree limbs, we've had roofs damaged by tree limbs," said Tulsa Fire Captain Larry Bowles.

Tulsa Police and Tulsa County Sheriffâ€™s deputies also held over their midnight shifts, to help answer calls for help on Monday.

The big issue is power outages and you are asked not to clog up 911 to report power outages. To report a power outage, you need to call PSO at 888-218-3919. If you call 911 and it rings, be patient, if you hang up and call back, you will go to the bottom of the line.

The ice storm is also impacting all of Tulsa's hospitals. City officials say all of the hospitals with the exception of the OSU Medical Center are running on generator power. Hospital officials say all elective surgeries scheduled for Monday have been canceled.

Downed limbs can be reported to city of Tulsa's Public Works Department by calling 596-9711.

Tulsa Transit is also running on its snow routes only.

Watch the video: Ice Storm News Conference