Volunteers Help Okmulgee Residents Clean Up After Flood Damage

On Friday, volunteers began helping people in Okmulgee clear out furniture, rip up floors and tear out walls that were damaged in this week's flooding. 

“My husband got out of bed and put his foot in water. We had no idea. It’s a good thing it wasn’t any higher or we would have drowned," said Debbie Dugger.

Dugger and her husband waited out the storm inside their home, with the water up to their knees. She said it was even worse outside as she watched her back porch float away. 

“It is now sitting with the picnic table and the water heater still on it. It’s in my neighbor’s pasture,” said Dugger.

Dugger was overwhelmed as she walked through her home and looked at the work that needs to be done. Luckily, she's getting some help.

Volunteers with Minutemen Disaster Response is a non-profit based in Texas. Dugger's home is the first stop for the volunteers. 

“She was just extremely grateful that people would just show up. You know some of the guys came up from Texas, and Edmond and Tulsa. People just come in because we just want to help. And she’s just extremely grateful," said W.A. DeVore, Tulsa County Coordinator for Minutemen Disaster Response.

DeVore said it's shocking to see the damage caused from nearly 10 inches of rain.

“It’s sad. Water up to two, three, four feet in some of them,” said DeVore. “It was such a flash flood and such a surprise people didn’t have any time to move anything out. So, everything is just lost.”

Dugger said she feels so blessed the volunteers are here and the cleanup is going quickly. 

“You know it doesn’t take a lot of skill to do what we’re doing today, so we’ve got the call out for more volunteers. So as long as we can get volunteers for teams, we’ll stay till the job is done," said DeVore.

If you are interested in volunteering with Minutemen Disaster Response or need help, click here.