Okmulgee Public Schools Cleaning Up Damage After Flooding Earlier This Month

Okmulgee Public Schools is still cleaning up from the flood damage from last Monday’s severe storms.

Superintendent of Okmulgee Public Schools, Renee Dove, said in her 45 years of working for the district, she’s never seen storm damage this bad.

“At our gymnasium, the flooding in the basement of our gymnasium and that’s when I knew we were in trouble,” Dove said.

Okmulgee High School and Okmulgee Primary School received flood damage, forcing students at the high school to relocate to Dunbar Elementary for summer school.

Some areas at each building have been curtained off, as restoration crews continue to work.

“Because it’s contaminated water, everything had been taken up, the walls have been taken down, everything in the classroom is in the center with wrap around it,” Dove said.

“It’s the second unprecedented weather event this year,” Mayor Richard Larabee said.

Mayor Larabee said a good amount of damage from the storms was found outside the floodplain.

“We got a quick response from Minute Men, Baptist Disaster Relief Agencies coming in and mucking out home. Unfortunately, they can’t work in rental properties, so they had a lot of people affected who were renters,” Larabee said.

Dove said they expect to know the total cost of damages by the end of the week. Despite, the challenge, Dove believes they’ll get through it together.

“Children are resilient, teachers have learned to get through some of the hardest days,” Dove said.

If you were affected by the storms and need help, the city is offering assistance. You can CLICK HERE