When it comes to disasters, Oklahoma's No. 1, per capita
In disasters, Oklahoma's No. 1, per capita

By Chad Previch

Published: July 28, 2007

Oklahomans are more likely to be affected by natural disasters compared to other states, according to figures from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Among the top 10 states with the most federal disaster declarations, Oklahoma ranks first, per capita, FEMA numbers show.

Since the May 3, 1999 tornadoes, more than $502 million in damages have been inflicted upon the state.

That number doesn’t include the last five declarations, although preliminary figures put damages from flooding and severe storms this month at $80 million.

Oklahoma has morethe most declarations — five — than any other state this year, regardless of population.

This year the state has seen damages from severe winter storms, tornadoes and flooding. Better hope that volcano near Kenton in the Panhandle never erupts.

“The diversity of disasters we have is unique to Oklahoma for the most part,” said Albert Ashwood, Oklahoma’s emergency management director. “It changes pretty fast in Oklahoma with the weather. I mean Will Rogers was right.”

Rogers, was only partially right when he said if you don’t like the Oklahoma weather, just wait a minute. The disasters change just as quickly.

Oklahoma’s position on the globe is to blame, Ashwood said. We can go from wildfires one year to flooding the next. Drought can set in months after an ice storm pelts the state. Then, an F5 tornado could rip through the state.

Ashwood is proud of his juggling skills, which included work during the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. But even he was surprised when Oklahoma became a hurricane state in 2005.

Because of the influx of evacuees from Hurricane Katrina seeking shelter in Oklahoma, the federal government declared an emergency for the state in September 2005.

“I never foresaw us becoming a hurricane state but, by golly, it happened,” Ashwood said. “I won’t rule anything out. Tsunami, hurricane, whatever.

“It’s just been crazy.”

Something else Ashwood has never seen is a year like 2007. There have been two severe storms/flooding/tornadoes declarations, two severe winter storms declaration and one severe winter storms and flooding declaration.

Ashwood, president of the National Emergency Management Association, said he doesn’t know of another state seeing such a year.

“Eastern Oklahoma looks like Tennessee and western Oklahoma looks like Arizona,” he said. “We have every kind of disaster that goes along with those types of climates. We get the worst of both worlds across our state.”

Storm survivors

State emergency management officials said they are proud of how quickly Oklahomans rebound. Experience does that. Gary White owns one of the most experienced homes in one of the most experienced states. His Bartlesville home, built in 1958 by his father, was flooded in 1974, 1975, 1986 and again earlier this summer.

FEMA officials won’t let White, his wife and son move back in yet. They sleep in a travel trailer in their driveway.

White, 50, wanted to move back in by month’s end. “It’s not anything fancy,” he said. “It’s not a real big home but the sentimental value means more to me than anything. It’s still a very sound structure from the way the house was built.” The home was protected by flood insurance until a few years ago when White didn’t make premium payments. Other than damages to the home itself, White also lost his washer, dryer, oven and other kitchen supplies.

Damages would have been worse but White learned from previous flooding and elevated things like his heating and breaker box. What is not insured from the 4 feet of flood water inside his home, federal, state and local money could cover.

White is just one of thousands of residents who have benefited from federal aid. Although known as Tornado Alley, what’s surprising is that tornadoes usually pale in comparison to ice in Oklahoma.

The most expensive recent disaster, based on loss reimbursed by federal, state and local governments, was the Dec. 25, 2000, ice storm that inflicted $222 million in damage. The Jan. 30, 2002, ice storm caused $180 million in damage.

By comparison, the May 3, 1999, tornadoes caused $47 million in damage and the May 8 and 9, 2003, twisters caused $6.7 million in damage. Federal funds cover 75 percent and state and local entities split the rest.

In addition to aid, $83 million in federal money has been spent on hazard mitigation since 1999 to eliminate or decrease the effects of disasters.

Mother Nature’s tough love puts strain on residents and emergency management workers, department spokeswoman Michelann Ooten said.

“I always say, in some states the emergency responders and recovery workers have to depend on exercises to test their operations,” Ooten said. “In Oklahoma, we do the real deal, unfortunately, all too often.”

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