LIVE BLOG: Mayor says city is shifting from initial disaster response to long-term clean-up

June 26, 2023

5:00 p.m.

Tulsa City Park released park openings and updates Monday evening.

They released the following information.

• Chandler Park and Community Center will be open tomorrow. Trails and disc golf remain closed. Splash park is closed for cleaning and maintenance. The splash park took a hit and we are ensuring that it is safe to operate and play on. Thank you for being patient with us!
• LaFortune Park restrooms are still closed. Please avoid areas with debris. The Community Center will be open with normal hours tomorrow!
• LaFortune Park Tennis Center is open.
• LaFortune Park Golf Course Par 3 is open. Championship course is still closed.
• O'Brien Park and Recreation Center is open.
• South Lakes Golf Course is open.
• Haikey Creek Park is open.
• SoCo - South County Recreation Center is open.

10:50 a.m.

Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum says the city is shifting from initial disaster response to long-term clean-up now. He offered his thanks to all the groups who pitched in to help with recovery efforts.

June 23, 2023

2:00 p.m.

The City of Tulsa officials held a press conference at 2 p.m. Friday to give updates on storm recovery. The meeting reflected ongoing messaging from this week about community resources, safety with fires as well as intersections and a look forward to this weekend's events.

Police Chief Wendall Franklin said staffing issues is a problem as events continue this weekend. He said the Tulsa police have about $70,000 in overtime payments so far and called reserve forces to help with the workload. He discussed Tulsa Pride happening June 23-25 saying staffing the parade is not possible.

G.T Bynum responded to Stitt's comments about communication saying the first time he spoke with Stitt since the storm was today. Read 2 News' full coverage here.

The city is making progress with power outages and cleanup.

10:15 a.m.

PSO released an update saying 80% of power is restored to customers impacted by the storms.

Around 170,000 customers have their power restored, with just over 34,000 still waiting.

PSO said 3,500 utility workers continue to make repairs in the Tulsa area.

They still expect the "vast majority" of customers to have power back by Saturday — which was the original date given Monday for repairs to be finished.

9:45 a.m.

EMSA extends Medical Heat Alert until Monday, June 26 due to ongoing power outages and the high temperatures forecasted.

As of 9 a.m., OG&E is reporting less than 20 outages in northeastern Oklahoma. PSO has just over 35,000 still without power.

City Councilor Phil Lakin released this update Friday morning.

Phil Lankin's Facebook page

June 22, 2023

4:00 p.m.

The City of Tulsa held its daily storm recovery update at 4 talking about how Tulsans need to continue practicing safety. The common phrase of the day, "be aware," said by the speakers as power comes back on and workers scatter throughout Tulsa.

Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum says out of the 500 traffic signals in the city about 200 are without power or flashing. That is about 40% of the streetlights still need to be worked on. Bynum thanks the Choctaw Nation as they provided ice to Tulsans and said the Muscogee Creek Nation will do the same at River Spirit's south parking lot at 8330 Riverside Pkwy Friday.

He said the green site is functioning well serving over 550 vehicles Wednesday. He ended by saying what some Tulsans are doing with the storm debris is troubling. The city noticed many incidents of people dumping their debris on school playgrounds and in city parks. He encourages people to use the free resources that the city is providing instead of being careless of those working hard to clean the city.

Wayne Green from PSO says they have recovered power to 144,000 which is about a 70% improvement from peak outages of 204,000. He said, "We appreciate our customer's patience."

COX Communications is working hard to get internet back to their customers but the process is challenging with the power outages. Roger Ramseyer Vice President and Market Leader at COX says customers may have power but not the internet because their cable line may feed to a box half a mile away that does not have power. He is thanking COX customers for their patience as the PSO and COX continue to work.

Fire Chief Michael Baker is warning Tulsans that the heat is rising which is drying out the natural debris causing a fire safety concern. He is asking people to be mindful of operating sparking machinery or discarding flammable objects in debris areas.

Tulsa Police Chief Wendall Franklin echoed his messages of intersection safety and people taking advantage of power outages. He also addressed the illegal dumping warning the fine is $500 or 30 days in jail.

At the end of the conference, Mayor Bynum was asked if he spoke with Governor Stitt. Bynum said he has reached out but has not received a callback.

11:30 a.m.

Thursday morning, the City of Tulsa said most city streets are now clear of debris.

Thursday afternoon, city crews will begin using grapple trucks to clear the trees and limbs that were cut and pushed the side.

Church on the Move is distributing free ice until 8 p.m. or while supplies last at 1003 North 129th East Avenue.

The Tulsa Area Emergency Management Agency is coordinating with volunteer organizations to provide help to Tulsa area residents who are experiencing food and medication insecurity, facing costly home repairs, and/or who cannot manage fallen trees and limbs in their yards.

If you are interested in applying for assistance, click here and select "Volunteer Disaster Assistance Request" from the drop-down menu.

The city will hold another press conference Thursday at 4 p.m. 2 News will stream it live on FB and on our website.

9:30 a.m.

PSO is reporting 66,490 power outages in their coverage area. OG&E has 623 power outages.

June 21, 2023

4:00 p.m.

The City of Tulsa held another press conference Wednesday echoing this week's common sentiments. G.T. Bynum welcomed Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat thanking him for not hesitating on signing the State of Emergency.

Wayne Green from PSO says at the beginning of Tuesday the state was at 127,000 without power. As of 3 p.m. Wednesday, that number is down to 87,000. They had a minor setback as more weather came through midday Wednesday.

The City of Tulsa announced they will be waiving the fee for Weatherhead inspections and refunding those who have paid the fee since Saturday.

1:45 p.m.

Outages increase by about 4,000 after Wednesday's midday storm goes through Tulsa primarily affecting Bixby and South Tulsa areas. As crews continue to work on getting the power back online the total of outages is now back up to around 97,000.

12:00 p.m.

The American Legion 1 Tulsa at 1120 E 8th St, Tulsa, Okla. has power restored and will be open as a cooling center.

10:48 a.m.

PSO power outages go under 100,000 for the first time since Sunday morning — outages are currently at 99,900.

10:34 a.m.

USPS temporarily suspends operations in Mannford.

A spokesperson with USPS said the suspension is due to safety concerns.

P.O. Box mail pick-up and retail services are still available at the Maramec Post Office until 4:30 p.m.

9:00 a.m.

Tulsa City Councilors will discuss storm recovery in Wednesday's committee meetings. 2 News will monitor the meetings and keep you updated.

The Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma is preparing for a drive thru event Wednesday afternoon for people who need food after losing power due to the storms.

Crews continue to work to restore power as of 7:27 a.m., there are still 103,000 PSO customers without power.

June 20, 2023

4 p.m. City of Tulsa Press conference

Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum opened the meeting by reassuring citizens that the fuel supply is not of concern.

Many gas stations around Tulsa have posted signs saying "Out of gas." Bynum says tanker trucks are filling with fuel to deliver to the stations with power. Calls for patience continue as roads are still being cleared and the power is being restored.

Bynum took a moment to thank Oklahoma Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat for not hesitating to sign an Executive Order calling for a State of Emergency. He said, "“I am grateful for him not hesitating on this.”

Bynum says the declaration provides confidence as FEMA funding will reimburse cleanup and staffing, easing city expenses. He said the city was already confident it would receive federal funding after exceeding the minimum threshold of expenses with just one building but is excited about the state action taken.

Bynum said he has reached out to Governor Stitt but has not heard back.

Wayne Green with PSO said power is restored to about 77,000 leaving about 127,000 still without power.

He stated this job is difficult because every level of the electrical grid was damaged in the storm. However big steps are being made as 7, with an 8 on the way, of the transmission lines are repaired. PSO customers should be receiving more specific times of restoration for their area this evening. The way PSO is calculating restoration times is based on the magnitude of damage.

The Tulsa Police Department is continuing increased coverage Tuesday evening as power outages have become an outlet for burglaries. Tulsa Police Chief Franklin says that the jail's power is back on and there are rooms available for those wanting to commit crimes.

Tulsa Fire Chief Michael Baker took time to remind Tulsans about the dangers of carbon monoxide especially with generator use. He also wanted to reinforce that it is illegal for open fires within Tulsa City Limits. 2 News previously covered the Fire Department's full statement. People who do not follow the fire ordinance could face a $220 fine and a misdemeanor charge.

EMSA received six heat-related calls and transported five to the hospital Tuesday. Adam Puluka from EMSA says more than 15 cases like these in 36 hours is concerning. He recommends utilizing the cooling centers saying, “Spending time in a cooling station is much better than spending time in the hospital.”

Dr. Bruce Dart from the Health Department gave general tips to stay healthy without power. He said if your refrigerator is without power and has been since the beginning the perishables foods are no longer good. He also said not to do the taste test to see if your food is still good. He also gave tips for outdoor safety reminding people to limit mosquitoes by dumping outside standing water.

The speakers continue to thank Tulsans for their patience and work ethic as they recover from the storm.

4 p.m.

The state’s price gouging statute is in effect for Choctaw, Creek, Delaware, Harper, Mayes, Pawnee, Payne, Rogers, Tulsa and Wagoner counties.

The Emergency Price Stabilization Act prohibits an increase of more than 10% for the price of goods and services after a declared emergency. The statute triggers automatically after the governor issues a state of emergency. The law allows the attorney general to pursue charges against individuals or businesses that engage in price gouging. For more information or to report a complaint, individuals can contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit toll free at 833-681-1895.

Attorney General Gentner Drummond also encourages residents to be on the lookout for contractor fraud and to report suspected fraud by calling toll free 833-681-1895.

• The Tulsa County Sheriff patrol division is focusing on areas of the county where residents are without power in an effort to reduce the potential for looting and criminal activity. Thus far, TCSO has received no reports of looting. Residents are urged to call 911 immediately if they witness potential criminal activity.
• 2,700 crew members from around the country, along with 700 PSO employees, are staging at the fairgrounds to assist with power restoration. ExpoSERVE food service is serving approximately 12,000 meals a day to workers.

2:00 p.m.

Active Governor Senate Pro Temp Greg Treat signed state of emergency for 10 counties after the weekend storms.

QuikTrip has released a full list of closed stores along with stores out of unleaded 10.

10:30 a.m.

PSO expects to release more detailed estimates on when your power may be restored Tuesday afternoon/evening. They want to thank Tulsans and other communities for their patience as they resolve the outages.

9:30 a.m.

On Monday, EMSA medics responded to 11 suspected heat-related illness calls and transported five patients to local hospitals because of their symptoms in the Tulsa area.

EMSA said as of 9 a.m. Tuesday, they have already responded to two likely heat-related calls and transported one person to the hospital.

8 a.m.

Power is coming back on around Green Country. As of Tuesday morning PSO has 135,000 customers without power.

There is a heat advisory issued for Tuesday due to hot temperatures and the lack of power across the area.

Cooling stations are open around the area: CLICK HERE FOR LOCATIONS

June 19, 2023

5:30 p.m.

EMSA is issuing its first Medical Heat Alert of 2023 for the Tulsa Area. According to EMSA a Medical Heat Alert is issued when they respond to five or more heat-related illnesses within a 24-hour period.

EMSA released the following safety tips to avoid heat illnesses:

• Wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing – even indoors. Don’t wear any restrictive clothing like spandex that will limit your body’s ability to stay cool.
• Limit alcohol and/or caffeine consumption.
• Check on elderly friends and family as well as those with preexisting medical conditions twice daily– that may mean making house calls and encouraging loved ones to leave their homes for an air-conditioned location until power is restored.
• Pay attention to weather and heat safety messaging and share those messages with those who may have limited connectivity when possible.
• Don't hesitate to visit a cooling station in Tulsa – be proactive about finding the nearest open cooling station. Encourage loved ones to do the same.

EMSA says to check on relatives and friends who may be more susceptible to heat-related illnesses.
3:30 p.m.
One person died in the aftermath of the storm. Officials said one person who was on a respirator passed away.

More than 100,000 are still without power. Emergency officials give an update on the recovery:

Public Service Company of Oklahoma said it is working on 700 poles and lines damaged, recruiting 2,700 workers to help restore power to Tulsa. PSO is prioritizing the restoration of critical infrastructure such as hospitals, high-fuel locations and distribution areas.

The city is working with the Holly Refinery to get them back and running according to Tulsa's May GT Bynum.

Mayor Bynum expressed concerns over fuel levels in Tulsa as people line the streets waiting to fuel their cars. When asked about fuel supply for city and work vehicles he said they are worried about fuel levels for the next couple of days.

Crews are working hard to clean up debris from streets and plans are in place for excess tree and green debris. The city will open a mulch yard near E Latimare St. and N. 89 E. Ave. There is no limit on the amount of natural debris people can bring. Additionally, street cleanup crews can take green material from homes. Materials must be neatly placed and not under any powerlines or trees so the machine can grab them.

Tulsa Police Chief Franklin reiterated safe driving practices as street lights across the city are without power. He said in that case the four-way stops are treated like a stop sign. Franklin also says he has increased police presence in Tulsa this evening to avoid burglaries and more damage to buildings. Franklin said police arrested a suspect in a burglary that occurred Sunday evening. He said as a message to people thinking about criminal activities, "We do have a jail to take you to."

EMSA crews have seen an increased number of calls in recent days. They want to remind drivers that emergency vehicles take priority even if their lights and sirens are not on. They also said Tulsa Fire is helping with health-related calls. They are telling people to drink plenty of water and to avoid caffeine and alcohol because it warms the body temperature.

At the press conference, Tulsans are being praised on their community and resilience during the aftermath of this natural disaster.

Mayor Bynum and other city officials are looking to the governor's office to declare a State of Emergency. Read 2 News' coverage here.

Cooling stations are available around the city for residents without power.

2 News is tracking closings as they're reported to us here: CLOSINGS

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is urging people to stay safe from fraud as clean up continues. Agents from the Consumer Protection Unit are placing signs in Tulsa and other areas affected by storm damage. Be on the lookout for contractor fraud and report any suspected fraud by calling us toll free at 1.833.681.1895.

The Tulsa metro and across Green Country is recovering after a derecho that happened over the weekend.

The storm downed trees all over the area, knocked out power to more than 100,000 customers just in Tulsa.

Green Country is working to clean up and recover from the damage.

2 News is providing the latest in storm coverage.