Tulsa Cooling Stations Provide Relief In Dangerous Conditions

Thousands of people still do not have power and they may not have it for days. Combine that with the heat advisories this week, and it can be a dangerous combination.

EMSA announced its first Medical Heat Alert of 2023 for the Tulsa area on Monday. They said the alert will remain in effect through at least Saturday, June 24th.

Dozens of people have taken advantage of the cooling stations. One man said they came to one because his mother is on an oxygen machine that requires electricity.

William Petterson and his mother, Anita, are like several Oklahomans right now, trying to make it through without any power.

William said they lost power on Saturday around midnight and he's thankful they found a place to get cool.

"We've been coming here since yesterday when we learned it was open," William said.

He was also affected by the 2007 ice storm, so this isn't his first experience with a severe storm in Oklahoma.

His mother is on oxygen, and he's worried about her health.

"It's been a little rough for her because when it gets hot at night it makes it more difficult for her to breathe, so coming here is actually an act of necessity at this point,” William said.

The concern is the forecast for the week does not show any relief. The forecast shows hot and humid conditions, and it could be this coming weekend before everyone has power.

"The power lines close to our house were all knocked off, so we know it will take time to get new ones in and replace everything," William said.

William said they are just trying to stay positive. "I mean you can't control these things. It's an act of nature," William said.

Cooling and Charging stations:

John 3:16 will be operating a cooling station from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at its facilities located at 906 North Cheyenne Avenue and 2134 North Madison Place.

The Salvation Army will be operating a cooling station from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at its facility located at 102 North Denver Avenue.

Tulsa County Social Services will have a cooling center open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 2301 Charles Page Boulevard.

First Baptist Church Tulsa is also providing a cooling station open to the public starting Tuesday and running until Friday. It will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and includes AC, water, charging stations and an indoor recreation area. The gym entrance to the church is located on 4th Street between Cincinnati and Detroit.