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Officials report debris cleared, volunteer support and next steps in tornado recovery
Summary
City staff reported rapid emergency response to the April 23 EF‑4 tornado, said crews and volunteers have hauled more than 4,900 tons of structural debris (not counting trees/slabs), and described ongoing work on tree chipping, slab removal options and resident assistance resources.
Brooke, identified by the commission as the presenter on tornado recovery, told the commission the city mounted a rapid response after an EF‑4 tornado struck on April 23 and that fire, police, public utilities and public works crews were on scene within minutes.
Brooke said coordinated efforts with municipal crews, Oklahoma Department of Transportation, county crews, Vance Air Force Base and many volunteer organizations resulted in more than 4,900 tons of structural debris taken to landfill ("that's not counting trees and that's not counting slabs") and that, as of June 1, most structural debris had been cleared. She said tree chipping is ongoing and heavy rain had slowed progress on chipping; the next phase will focus on foundations and slabs, and city staff are exploring private-contractor options and a potential private donor to help break up and haul slabs.
Brooke described a forward staging area established at YMCA‑owned property used by the city and partner organizations for distribution of food, clothing, recovery information and lost-and-found services. She thanked partner relief groups — United Way, Red Cross, Samaritan's Purse, Salvation Army — and cited Lowe's and other local businesses for critical donations of equipment and supplies. Brooke said Garfield County provided a 'MUD' (mobile unit for disasters) trailer with tools and supplies to support recovery teams.
Cheryl and other staff described community outreach events, a rebuild-and-recover resource fair, and distribution of code-and-permitting information in a disaster-recovery packet to help homeowners with rebuilding, permitting, contractor selection and available assistance programs; staff said the Small Business Administration and the Garfield County Register of Deeds were helping with records and financial-assistance information. Brooke and other staff said the city will continue to coordinate volunteers and partners as the recovery moves from debris removal to rebuilding.
No formal votes were taken; the commission received the update and asked clarifying questions about staging, lost-and-found items and next steps.
