Tree Limb Damages School Bus

The recent dangerous winds have caused more power outages because of falling limbs.  It also caused an accident that slightly injured a school bus driver.  The News On 6's Emory Bryan reports the bus accident didn't hurt any children, but it illustrates the continuing danger of the limbs that were weakened during the ice storm.

Broken and hanging limbs pose a danger that's made worse by the windy weather.  The broken limbs continue to fall and many others are swaying in the wind, ready to fall on something or someone.

Bernard Gaines, a mail carrier, says he's spent every day since the ice storm, looking up.

"They're still falling, you just really have to be watchful," said Gaines.

Limbs were cracked in the storm almost a month ago, but haven't fallen until Friday.  In South Tulsa, the wind moved a broken limb into the path of a school bus early Friday.  The driver didn't see it in time and it smashed out the windshield.

"We've done our routes several time since then, but with the wind, the limbs are shifting so we have to be on the lookout," said Rick Delp of Jenks Public Schools. 

It happened on 71st Street, where many other limbs are just off the side of the road or overhead.  The city considers big branches hanging over roads a priority, but most of their calls are from people wanting limbs out of their yards.

The calls to report the damaged limbs have dried up.  The Mayor's Action Center has taken just four calls since December 28th about the dangerous limbs.

That's compared to the hundreds of calls each day that came in right after the storm.

Gaines knows he will have to keep watching for more than just the rain and snow and dogs that usually are the mail carriers greatest enemy.

"And it is windy and that would stir up a few of these branches," said Gaines.

The Mayor's Action Line is still taking reports of dangerous limbs and dispatching crews to get rid of them, but they need the help of the public.  To report dangerous limbs call 596-2100.