Tulsa Mayor on Winter Storm Response: 'It's Relentless'

Winter Storm Impact in Tulsa

• ❄️ Tulsa, Oklahoma, is experiencing a severe winter storm with up to 18 inches of snow possible.
• 🌨️ The city has already received 8-10 inches of snow in the last 24-36 hours, making travel difficult.
• ⚠️ Forecasters have warned of dangerous conditions, with impacts expected to continue into the next week.

Emergency Response and Preparation

• 🚨 Emergency responders began preparations early Friday morning, focusing on pre-treatment of roads and communication with residents.
• 🚗 Residents are urged to stay off the roads to reduce stress on first responders and allow emergency personnel to respond to critical incidents.
• 💡 The city's power grid is stable, with a relatively low number of outages compared to surrounding states.

Mutual Aid and Support

• 🤝 Tulsa and Oklahoma are prepared to offer mutual aid to other states experiencing widespread power outages, such as Texas, Louisiana, and Tennessee.
• 🌍 This national weather event highlights the need for interstate cooperation in disaster response.

Community Needs and Priorities

• 🏠 The top priority is getting unhoused individuals and those struggling to heat their homes to warm locations due to dangerously low temperatures (single digits with negative wind chills).
• ⚠️ The extreme cold poses a significant threat to life safety.

Advice for Residents

• 🏡 Residents are advised to stay home and stay warm.
• 🛣️ While crews are working to keep lanes open, road temperatures remain dangerously low, making travel slick and hazardous.
• ✅ Staying home allows emergency crews to focus on essential services and storm response.