Storm Season in OK-05

As we experienced last week across the Fifth Congressional District, storm season has officially arrived. I have been thinking of and praying for the people of Seminole and Pottawatomie Counties and throughout Oklahoma as they work to recover and rebuild from the destructive tornadoes. My staff and I have spoken to utility providers, including OG&E and Summit, to ensure hazards are mitigated and gas and power are restored as quickly as possible. I have been in contact with all the emergency management personnel and local officials and continue to stand ready to assist as needed. My heart goes out to all of those impacted by this difficult situation, and we must remain vigilant and prepared for more severe weather this season.

It is incredibly important to remain aware of weather conditions in the area by following the local news and responding to the National Weather Service’s severe storm warnings. I advise downloading the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) mobile app (fema.gov/mobile-app) to view safety tips, shelters, disaster recovery centers, and to receive timely alerts from the National Weather Service.

Additionally, it’s vital that your household is prepared by having an emergency protocol and severe weather kit available. The emergency plan should include how to receive alerts and warnings, where to shelter, and an evacuation route. More details can be found at Ready.Gov/plan. An emergency kit should contain water, first aid kits, batteries, whistles, and flashlights. For more information on how to build your kit, please visit Ready.gov/kit.

After the severe storms last week, hundreds of homes and businesses across Oklahoma were without power. In this case, it’s important to know what is safe to use for backup energy sources. Generators, camp stoves, or charcoal grills should always be used outdoors, and unplug all appliances, equipment, or electronics. Also, it’s advisable to install carbon monoxide detectors with battery backup to avoid potential poisoning in case an energy source is misused. For more information on how to stay safe during a power outage, please visit Ready.gov/power-outages.

Additionally, if you had property damage to your home or business due to severe storms or tornadoes, you may report it at damage.ok.gov so our state can accurately record the full extent of the damage the storms caused.

For Oklahomans seeking non-emergency disaster or health and human services information, please contact your local 2-1-1. Services are available 24 hours a day by dialing 2-1-1 from your home or cellphone. As always, please only call 9-1-1 for emergencies.

As a fourth-generation Oklahoman, I understand the threat severe weather poses to our communities, which is why I was proud to introduce the NOAA Weather Radio Modernization Act. This critical legislation will provide the necessary updates to one of the best alert systems, the NWR, we have for extreme weather and other dangerous events. Many of you all heard alerts through NWR last week when the tornadoes struck Seminole County. Thankfully, there were no reported casualties and that’s due in large part to citizens heeding the warnings of the NWR, which operates even when power is out, and cell service is down. In order to remain effective in the future, the NWR must be modernized, as it hasn’t since the late 1990s.

Last week was a stark reminder that we must be ready for unpredictable and dangerous weather events. Please take the necessary steps to keep you and your loved ones safe.