'It's a blessing.' Emergency shelters open doors as bitter cold rushes into Oklahoma
Clad in a gray hoodie and carrying a broom to help clean, Traci Naugle slipped through a growing crowd of people at Oklahoma City's Homeless Alliance as they sheltered from bitterly cold, 2-degree weather.
About 300 people experiencing homelessness crowded into the large, open space that will serve as a 24-hour shelter until Christmas night. Some formed a line for a free lunch. Others found an open seat at a table or curled up on the bare floor, wrapped in their bedding.
Naugle volunteers here every day, but she's also one of its clients.
"They've helped me out," said Naugle as she emptied her dustpan. "That's why I'm giving back to these people. They've stood up for me."
The Homeless Alliance is one of several shelters that have opened their doors as a warm, safe place during the winter storm. On a normal day, the shelter is only open during the day. But once the temperature drops to dangerous levels, it remains open as a life-saving gathering place for people who have nowhere safe to fall asleep.
Oklahoma City has eight overnight shelters that serve the unhoused community throughout the year. Along with the temporary emergency night shelter at Homeless Alliance, there are three other winter overflow shelters available representing about 200 extra beds: The Salvation Army, City Care and City Rescue Mission.
A cold winter storm like the one that pushed south through the United States this week, and is expected to bring below-freezing temperatures to Oklahoma City into the weekend, is an inconvenience for many people, but a deadly one for those who don't have the warm sanctuary of home.
Flights delayed, canceled at Will Rogers World Airport
Holiday travel plans for many took a hit Thursday because of the winter storm.
At least 19 flights coming into, or out of Oklahoma City, had been canceled at Will Rogers World Airport by midday Thursday, according to FlightAware.com.
Another 15 flights had been delayed.
Stacey Hamm, the airport's public information officer, said foot traffic inside the airport was pretty light, and she encouraged passengers to check with their airlines before heading to the airport to make sure they don't make a trip unnecessarily.
Oklahoma road conditions continued to deteriorate throughout the day
Eastbound lanes of the Turner Turnpike were closed for parts of Thursday after the Oklahoma Highway Patrol responded to a fatal accident near the intersection with the Kickapoo Turnpike in Lincoln County.
Sarah Stewart, the Oklahoma State Department of Public Safety's director of media operations, said there were two accidents at that location, involving five or six vehicles.
Troopers responded to dozens of accidents, Stewart said, most involving single vehicles where drivers lost control because they were traveling too fast for current road conditions.
Travelers can keep up to date with road conditions using the Oklahoma State Department of Transportation's interactive road conditions map online. Live images are available from cameras across the state.
OG&E reported power outages north and west of Oklahoma City
Nearly 6,000 Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co. customers north and west of Oklahoma City were without power Thursday morning.
Outages were reported near El Reno, southeast of Enid and west of Perkins.
In a news release, OG&E said most outages were due to high winds that have downed power lines, as well as broken power poles. OG&E also said its power plants were meeting customer demands for activity.
OG&E customers can keep track of outages online using the company's System Watch.
Gov. Kevin Stitt declares state of emergency
Late Wednesday, Gov. Kevin Stitt declared a state of emergency for all 77 counties in Oklahoma due to the inclement weather.
In a Twitter post announcing the declaration, Stitt urged Oklahomans to stay inside and check on their neighbors.
Stitt's executive order temporarily suspends requirements for size and weights permits of oversize vehicles transporting materials and supplies used for emergency relief and possible power restoration.
The order also temporarily waived some restrictions on storage of natural gas, effectively allowing dealers to stock their tanks if they are less than 10% full without going through the usual regulatory approval.
During Winter Storm Uri, in February 2021, natural gas was in such high demand it outpaced supply and led to massive spikes in prices. Utilities paid exorbitant rates to obtain the natural gas that was used throughout Oklahoma during the storm to keep homes and businesses heated, and residents are expected to pay back those costs for decades to come through their utility providers.
The Oklahoman will continue to monitor the natural gas markets in coming days to determine whether a similar run on natural gas occurs.
The executive order will be in effect for seven days.
Red Cross provides tips for freezing weather as cold weather continues
With bitterly cold weather expected across much of the central United States to continue, the Red Cross provided tips for managing the freezing temperatures.
Have an emergency plan in place. Know who your support network will be in case you need help or a place to stay.
Drain outside faucets so they don't freeze and burst. Insulate them as best you can.
Make sure you have plenty of heating fuel, be it propane, wood or other.
Check your smoke alarms and be sure they are working properly. If you don't have any, the Red Cross can install them for free. Go to redcross.org to find information.
Keep your phones charged and have a backup power source ready in case the power goes out.
Keep your vehicle fueled. You never know if you may have to evacuate your home or could get stranded on the road. You want to be able to stay warm until help arrives.
Make sure a roadside emergency kit is in your car and has everything you need in case you get stranded: blankets, gloves, flares, water, snacks.
Remember your pets. Give them extra blankets or something to keep them warm. They withstand the cold about like we do. Bring them indoors if you have to. Check on outdoor animals and see that they have water and food that isn’t frozen.
Check on your senior adult neighbors. Make sure they have everything they need to shelter in place if needed.
Some Oklahomans navigate cold with help from shelters, outreach continues for others
Marcus Long sought refuge at the Homeless Alliance shelter with his dog, Triva.
He moved from Hawaii to Oklahoma City so he can be closer to his 8-year-old son, and has been coming to the day shelter for two years. As Triva chased birds around a fenced-in area just outside the shelter, Long described why he came back to Oklahoma, how he's recovering from being crushed by a dump truck, and that he's fighting for custody of his son.
Another client, Jeremy Cunningham, sat on the floor near the cafeteria kitchen. He usually stays on the street near the shelter, but had been inside since the night before.
"They told us (about the weather) the day before," Cunningham said. "It's a blessing. Without that, we'd be freezing our butts off out there."
Homeless Alliance Executive Director Dan Straughan said outreach teams were combing the city and known encampments looking for vulnerable people. They began sending teams out on Friday to warn residents about the impending weather.
"We're trying to make sure people are safe and know where they can go, and give them a ride if they need it," Straughan said.
By noon on Thursday, as the temperature settled in the low single digits, ambulance service EMSA reported it had responded to seven cold exposure calls. Three patients in Oklahoma City were taken to the hospital. An EMSA spokesman also said they've had almost double the expected number of hospital transports, 10, because of falls leading to injury.
Another volunteer at the Homeless Alliance, Melody Phillips, was making ham and cheese sandwiches for the crowd, which at that point had formed a line along one side of room. Phillips first volunteered here more than a year ago through her employer, the Skirvin Hilton Hotel.
"But once I found out I could sign up on my own, I started coming back. I come every week," Phillips said.
She wasn't scheduled to volunteer Thursday, but figured they would need the extra help. Even just placing sandwiches and mustard packets into a zip-top plastic bag is fulfilling.
"I know that I'm gonna feed a bunch of people that are really hungry, and I'm glad that they opened up 24 hours for people to get to come in," Phillips said.
Naugle, who has plans to move into her own apartment after Christmas, became emotional as she talked about the "family" she's found at the shelter.
"That's why I come up here and volunteer. I hope everybody comes in if you're elderly or handicapped, mental illness, addictions, whatever. You know, it means a lot to me to see my friends out here," she said.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Emergency shelters open doors as bitter cold rushes into Oklahoma
