City of Holdenville Emergency Management

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Here is an interesting article that was published in the Dallas Morning News after the Ft. Worth tornado

03/31/2000

By Steve Blow / Dallas Morning News

If your roof was just ripped off, maybe you should be forgiven for anything you might say. But there was a comment I heard several times after Tuesday's storm that kind of ranked me.

With a sense of indignation, people would say "We had no warning!" Excuse me? You were expecting an engraved announcement, perhaps? No warning? We had two days warning about that storm! Weather folks were talking Sunday about the big storm looming. By Monday night, they were almost predicting the hour it would roll through.

I don't know what sort of warning people expect. We're so overwarned about everything else these days, maybe they expect a bright red sticker to be put up on the front door:

Caution! Cuidado! Achtung! All hell to break lose at 6:22 p.m.!

I think a couple of factors create this false expectation that tornados are preceded by a nice, courteous warning.

Making noise!

First, cities love to put up those warning sirens. They make disaster planners feel all warm & fuzzy inside. And admit it, they are dramatic & exciting! But that doesn't mean the sirens are going to wail an hour before a tornado arrives on your street. If your lucky, you MIGHT get a few minutes of warning. Often, tornadoes come & go before the official siren sounder knows it.

Our second sense of false-security comes from the TV weather folks. They all love to brag about their Super-Duper Doppler Storm-Stopping Radar Systems. Don't fall for it. Thats mostly for rating. There's no such thing as "precision" radar.

The TV weather gurus were obessing over some sort of "signature couplet" radar pattern over northern Tarrant County while a real-live tornado was pounding Fort Worth. No injuries were reported in the signature couplet.

But lets not make the weather forecaster the bad guys here. They are heroes. They all gave us all the warning we could expect about a dangerous storm. At some point, our safety becomes our responsibility.

When the sky turn green & funky, its time to get into a safe place, not stand in the yard with a video camera, for heaven's sake!

Survivors story

I kind of got religion about this many years ago when I wrote about the fifth anniversary on the terrible tornado that hit Wichita Fall in 1979. It was one of teh best story I ever wrote. And why do I say that? Because I didn't write it. In talking to survivors, I realized that nothing was more powerful than their own words. So I just let them tell the story. And one message came through very clear: If you take cover in time your chance of surviving a tornado are very, very good.

If you don't, well..........

In Wichita Falls, I talked to a lovely woman who couldn't decide whether to remain in her gift shop as the storm approached. At the last minute, she decided to run for shelter in a more substantial building nearby.

SHE WAITED TOO LONG!

The tornado hit as she ran. She managed to wrap herself around a metal pole. She described how the storm literally sucked the air in & out of her lungs. Flying debris pounded her unmercifully. She watched as a piece of sheet metal sailed by, cutting her leg off in one swift slice.

I got religion.

Tuesday night, as the storm rolled into Dallas County, I was cleaning space in the hall closet. I wasn't scared, just ready.

No warning about tornadoes?

I got my warning 16 years ago.

Tornado Safety Tips

In homes....The basement offers the greastest safety. Seek shelter under furniture...if possible. In homes without basements seek shelter in the center part of the house...on the lowest floor...in a small room, such as a closet or bathroom. Stay away from windows.

In schools, hospitals & shopping centers...move to pre-designated shelter areas. Interior hallways on the lowest levels are best. Stay out of auditoriums,gymnasiums and other buildings with large free-span roofs.

In open country...move away from tornadoes path at right angles. If theirs isn't time to escape, lie flat in the nearest ditch or ravine.

In your car...do not try to outrun a tornado. If availible..take cover in a sturdy structure. Otherwise get in a ditch or ravine until the tornado passes.

In mobile homes...mobile homes should be evacuted when strong winds or a tornado is forecasted for your area.

OUR MISSION

The Holdenville Emergency Management Agency is dedicated to SAVING LIVES and PROTECTING THE PROPERTY of the citizens we serve.

We accomplish this by:

. Supporting all emergency services agencies in the Holdenville area.

. Maintaining a Storm Watch/ Severe Weather Program.

. Providing continuing education for Volunteers and Emergency Management Staff.

STORM WATCH/SEVERE WEATHER OPERATIONS

The City of Holdenville Emergency Operations Center(EOC) is activated during all Severe Thunderstorm and Tornado watches issued for Hughes & surrounding counties or when severe weather is possible.

Other Weather Sites

Current Accuweather radar (password required)
OK-First/ONALERT data (password required)
Oklahoma Mesonet (password required)
satellite data
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Forecast Model Runs

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Anyone interested in becoming a storm spotter or any other branch of emergency management call the EOC for more information at 379-5933.

This page was built and is maintained by Mike Dockrey. If you have any questions or have any ideas for this page feel free to e-mail me.

Last updated 7/26/04

Email: Holdenville Emergency Management