Post by blackcrowheart on Mar 30, 2007 8:53:06 GMT -5
Ice Storm effects Rural Indian community
"Nobody knows we are here. I just gotta keep praying for my people and hope
nothing bad will happen."
KANSAS OK
Liz Gray
In the midst of miles of downed trees and iced over roads lies a small
Cherokee/Keetoowah community struggling to make it without electricity or
water.
Located on the Delaware and Cherokee County line just west of a small town
called Kansas lies the Bullhollow community where Indian and non-Indian
families
reside. This countryside community is not associated with any small town and
the residents think this is to blame for emergency state and government
services to overlook their needs. They have been without electricity or
water
since Friday.
"Nobody knows we are here," said Adalene Smith, former Keetoowah
councilperson. "There are more people further east toward Colcord in the
rural areas
such as the Clouds Creek Community. There are a lot of small communities
here
that no one is bothering to assist."
Smith said she knows many people who are running out of propane and
officials are telling them it could be another three weeks before they get
service.
"Kansas Fire department went to Jay to get water from the Red Cross to meet
trucks and they came back empty handed, twice," said Smith.
Smith herself is without water or electricity. The only source of heat she
has is a propane cookstove by keeping the burners lit. She is melting
icicles
for her water and using water runoff from her roof for utility purposes.
While outside gathering her water a tree fell and almost landed on her. "The
top of the tree fell right behind me and parts of the branches and ice hit
my back. I thought it got me," she said.
Many residents across Oklahoma are without electricity according to the
Public Service Company of Oklahoma. As of this afternoon, 92,096 customers
remained powerless, a drop from 122,000 on Sunday, most in the eastern part
of the
state. These outage numbers reflect the number of homes or businesses, not
the number of people affected.
The city of McAlester had 13,952 customers without power and 9,877 in
Muskogee, city with a high population of Muscogee Creek and Cherokee
citizens.
Trees are the main source of downed powerlines in the Bullhollow area. The
layers of ice are causing trees to literally break in half from the weight.
"It sounded like world war out there with all the trees falling. I am not
kidding. Trees falling and crashing, trees on the lines, branches are
everywhere," said Smith. "Trees are doubled over so it is like trying to go
thru a
tunnel around here."
Ice and freezing conditions are being blamed for up to 23 deaths across
Oklahoma, authorities said today. Including two victims who were found dead
today
inside their icy homes in the Delaware Cherokee Counties.
"We've got elderly in the communities like this that need to be checked on
daily," said Smith. "It is really worrisome to think about these elders."
One is an elderly man with emphysema who only has a woodstove to keep warm.
"He can't even see to put wood in his stove," said Smith.
The small fire department of the town of Kansas has a big job trying to help
miles of rural communities like Bullhollow, especially without supplies from
other emergency services. According to Chief David Spencer, he had been
trying for three days to get water. He got the shipment of supplies he
needed
during the interviews for this story.
"Charlie Wyrick, our State Representative came in here and got the ball
rolling," said Spencer. "If it wasn't for him I don't know where we would be
right now. Nobody wanted to help. I couldn't get nothing. Red cross would
bring
the food, as far as people needing water at home they could not get it."
"Oh thank God! I've been calling all over the place," Smith told Native
Times when she got the news. "Isn't that wonderful."
Spencer was preparing a package for a family of seven who were without food.
"I'm fixing them up right now. We got peanut butter, juice and water," he
said.
But there are thousands of residents in the area that need reached and only
a small fire department to help them. Many roads to the rural houses are
covered with downed trees and are impassible for people to get out and get
help.
Many residents are in need of generators and chainsaws. And the weather
isn't
letting up. Ray Sondag, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in
Tulsa, said Wednesday's high in northeast Oklahoma should reach 29 degrees,
with a low at 20. On Thursday, the high will hit 38 degrees with mostly
sunny
skies. The low will dip to 16 degrees.
Friday's high will reach freezing. Saturday's high will reach 38 degrees,
with a slight chance of rain, with a possibility of snow or sleet as the low
drops to 30 degrees.
Sunday's high will reach 39 degrees with a chance of sleet or rain.
If any Native Times readers has equipment and wants to help this area, they
can call Adalene Smith and she will direct you to help her little community.
Her number is 918-868-3669.
"I just gotta keep praying for my people and hope nothing bad will happen,"
Smith said.
[If you or a relative have a story related to the storm, please call the
Native Times at 918-438-6548]
"Nobody knows we are here. I just gotta keep praying for my people and hope
nothing bad will happen."
KANSAS OK
Liz Gray
In the midst of miles of downed trees and iced over roads lies a small
Cherokee/Keetoowah community struggling to make it without electricity or
water.
Located on the Delaware and Cherokee County line just west of a small town
called Kansas lies the Bullhollow community where Indian and non-Indian
families
reside. This countryside community is not associated with any small town and
the residents think this is to blame for emergency state and government
services to overlook their needs. They have been without electricity or
water
since Friday.
"Nobody knows we are here," said Adalene Smith, former Keetoowah
councilperson. "There are more people further east toward Colcord in the
rural areas
such as the Clouds Creek Community. There are a lot of small communities
here
that no one is bothering to assist."
Smith said she knows many people who are running out of propane and
officials are telling them it could be another three weeks before they get
service.
"Kansas Fire department went to Jay to get water from the Red Cross to meet
trucks and they came back empty handed, twice," said Smith.
Smith herself is without water or electricity. The only source of heat she
has is a propane cookstove by keeping the burners lit. She is melting
icicles
for her water and using water runoff from her roof for utility purposes.
While outside gathering her water a tree fell and almost landed on her. "The
top of the tree fell right behind me and parts of the branches and ice hit
my back. I thought it got me," she said.
Many residents across Oklahoma are without electricity according to the
Public Service Company of Oklahoma. As of this afternoon, 92,096 customers
remained powerless, a drop from 122,000 on Sunday, most in the eastern part
of the
state. These outage numbers reflect the number of homes or businesses, not
the number of people affected.
The city of McAlester had 13,952 customers without power and 9,877 in
Muskogee, city with a high population of Muscogee Creek and Cherokee
citizens.
Trees are the main source of downed powerlines in the Bullhollow area. The
layers of ice are causing trees to literally break in half from the weight.
"It sounded like world war out there with all the trees falling. I am not
kidding. Trees falling and crashing, trees on the lines, branches are
everywhere," said Smith. "Trees are doubled over so it is like trying to go
thru a
tunnel around here."
Ice and freezing conditions are being blamed for up to 23 deaths across
Oklahoma, authorities said today. Including two victims who were found dead
today
inside their icy homes in the Delaware Cherokee Counties.
"We've got elderly in the communities like this that need to be checked on
daily," said Smith. "It is really worrisome to think about these elders."
One is an elderly man with emphysema who only has a woodstove to keep warm.
"He can't even see to put wood in his stove," said Smith.
The small fire department of the town of Kansas has a big job trying to help
miles of rural communities like Bullhollow, especially without supplies from
other emergency services. According to Chief David Spencer, he had been
trying for three days to get water. He got the shipment of supplies he
needed
during the interviews for this story.
"Charlie Wyrick, our State Representative came in here and got the ball
rolling," said Spencer. "If it wasn't for him I don't know where we would be
right now. Nobody wanted to help. I couldn't get nothing. Red cross would
bring
the food, as far as people needing water at home they could not get it."
"Oh thank God! I've been calling all over the place," Smith told Native
Times when she got the news. "Isn't that wonderful."
Spencer was preparing a package for a family of seven who were without food.
"I'm fixing them up right now. We got peanut butter, juice and water," he
said.
But there are thousands of residents in the area that need reached and only
a small fire department to help them. Many roads to the rural houses are
covered with downed trees and are impassible for people to get out and get
help.
Many residents are in need of generators and chainsaws. And the weather
isn't
letting up. Ray Sondag, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in
Tulsa, said Wednesday's high in northeast Oklahoma should reach 29 degrees,
with a low at 20. On Thursday, the high will hit 38 degrees with mostly
sunny
skies. The low will dip to 16 degrees.
Friday's high will reach freezing. Saturday's high will reach 38 degrees,
with a slight chance of rain, with a possibility of snow or sleet as the low
drops to 30 degrees.
Sunday's high will reach 39 degrees with a chance of sleet or rain.
If any Native Times readers has equipment and wants to help this area, they
can call Adalene Smith and she will direct you to help her little community.
Her number is 918-868-3669.
"I just gotta keep praying for my people and hope nothing bad will happen,"
Smith said.
[If you or a relative have a story related to the storm, please call the
Native Times at 918-438-6548]