By Donna Hales
The ice storm that ravaged the area and caused power outages for thousands of customers will cost the American Red Cross at least $250,000.
That cost will be more if relief is needed more than a few more days, said Hope Margarit of the Muskogee Red Cross office.
Margarit said the Red Cross needs donations from individuals and businesses to help pay its expenses.
She said at least 100 Red Cross volunteers were taking meals to at least 1,450 people in Cherokee and Adair counties Friday and to West Siloam Springs in Delaware County.
Eight emergency response vehicles were in the field covering 90 percent of Adair County and 50 percent of Cherokee County, Margarit said.
The Southern Baptist Disaster Relief kitchen has moved to the Baptist Church Camp in Cookson, she said.
The city of Muskogee racked up expenses for sand, salt and overtime, but the total won’t be known until sometime next week, said Jim Wixom of the Muskogee Public Works Authority.
Those overtime costs keep adding up, he said. Employees will be out early today sanding any slick spots, he said.
OG&E; had power back on for all but one or two customers Friday afternoon. Spokesman Al Stevens said those one or two should be back in power before dark.
OG&E; costs won’t be known until next week, he said.
Stevens said this year’s ice storm didn’t do nearly as much damage as last year’s.
East Central Electric had 2,000 without power Friday morning and had that figure knocked down to 125 by 4 p.m. Most of those were in the Summit area and a few in the Keefeton area, said Billy Moore, a management supervisor.
“Our operations man said the biggest part of those will be back on before dark,” Moore said late Friday afternoon.
The cost?
“We’re working on that and should have a figure by Monday or Tuesday,” Moore said.
Lake Region Electric Cooperative reported early Friday that 5,427 of its 12,500 customers without power after the peak of the storm remained without power at 7:30 a.m. Friday.
All main lines were expected to be restored Friday, said Lake Region Chief Executive Officer Hamid Vahdatipour.
The majority of LREC customer affected by the storm are in Cherokee County. There were scattered power outages in Braggs and Camp Gruber area in Muskogee County, he said.
More customers may lose power as the ice melts from trees and power lines, causing the lines to touch each other or limbs that are bent below the lines rise up and contact the lines, Vahdatipour said.
LREC had 95 broken poles, but had 22 contractor crews on site trying to get power restored, with at least 76 additional workers helping in the effort, he said.
Any damage between the meter and the house or business is the responsibility of the member, he said. Those damages should be repaired by the member before power can be restored, he said.
About five or six trees will have to be removed from Honor Heights Park, said Parks and Recreation employee Richard Randall, as a group of employees surveyed the damage Friday.
“Most of it is just damage to limbs,” he said. “We got lucky this year. Basically, what we’ve got is a bunch of small stuff. Some of the stuff that fell off was weakened last year.”
A hackberry tree he estimated to be 45 feet tall was one targeted for removal. It was stuck between dogwood trees workers don’t want to damage, he said.
It was peeled all the way down on one side.
Because the land in the park was dry, it just bent, he said. The tree probably is 45 years old, Randall said.
The moisture from the ice and rain will be good for the ground in the park, he said.
Only minor damage to small limbs could be seen at Spaulding Park.
Red Cross shelters
• Cookson: TACO (Tenkiller Area Community Organization) Building, 31521 S. 540 Road.
• Tahlequah: First United Methodist Church, 300 W. Delaware.
• Stilwell: First Baptist Church, 801 W. Hickory.
• Westville: Assembly of God Church, U.S. 62 East.
Persons in Cherokee County who to be transported to a Red Cross shelter should contact local police, emergency management or sheriff’s office. The number set up for rural rides to shelters is 456-3304.
How to help
If you are interested in volunteering or making a financial donation to the Red Cross disaster relief, visit www.oklahomaredcross.org or mail a check to 566 N. Sixth St., Muskogee OK 74401.
Reach Donna Hales at 918-684-2923 or Click Here to Send Email
