Resilient Oklahoma & Rebuild Moore

In the weeks after a series of destructive and deadly tornadoes swept through central Oklahoma, Architecture for Humanity has been assisting communities, meeting rebuilding authorities, and assessing still-emerging needs and long term priorities for the stricken towns.

Background & Current Status

Between May 18 and June 2, a series of tornadoes touched down in the Oklahoma City metro area, killing more than 50, injuring hundreds and damaging or destroying over 10,000 homes. The most well known area hit was the city of Moore, but several other Oklahoma City suburbs were hit hard as well.

As of this posting, the affected area is continuing with debris removal, mostly from residential neighborhoods. Contractors and city crews will continue debris removal through July and into August. Much of this work has been supported by federal and state emergency funding.

In Person, On the Ground

Veteran Architecture for Humanity volunteer Tommy Stewart, AIA, AICP, LEED, has been on the ground since immediately following the storms, meeting with organizations and individuals involved with the ongoing recovery efforts and assisting with post disaster damage assessments for homeowners.

Tommy has also been liaising with the Long Term Recovery Committee For the May 18-June 2, 2013, Disaster, which is made up of organizations including FEMA, the AARP, City and State officials, various church organizations and nonprofit disaster recovery organizations. The committee acknowledges that its members are still involved with immediate family and individual needs, and that the conversion to long term reconstruction is still weeks away.

Diedre Edrey, Director of the Marketing and Economic Development Department of Moore, tells us that they too have been consumed with the day to day needs of their community, and are just now beginning to think about long term recovery. The city has nevertheless identified several public facilities that will not be covered by insurance, FEMA, or other public funds.

These unaided facilities stand out as candidates for support. Some coordination and discussion remains to determine the city’s specific long-term redevelopment priorities, and how we can most effectively engage them.

Recovery on track

As with any major disaster, a period of several weeks to several months must be committed to the initial recovery phase -clearing debris, ensuring personal safety and comfort, identifying temporary school facilities, and assessing long term needs and priorities.

The pace of recovery in Oklahoma may be aggravating, but is consistent with post-disaster efforts of similar size and severity.

Since the onset of Spring tornadoes in central Oklahoma, Architecture for Humanity has been surveying and investigating the area's disaster recovery efforts in preparation for long-term reconstruction, and assessing unmet needs of the community.

Veteran Architecture for Humanity volunteer Tommy Stewart, AIA AICP LEED, has been on the ground these past weeks meeting with, surveying for and aiding Moore and the surrounding area through the first period of recovery - and preparing with them for the long-term reconstruction to come.

Through these efforts, we've gained knowledge on Moore's and the surrounding affected area's desire and preparedness to Build Back Better.

As of this posting, the affected area is still focused on the relief; few considerations have been made for the long term. At its current rate, debris removal will continue for three to four weeks as a coordinated effort, and from there proceed on an as-needed basis.

Among the committees tracking rebuilding efforts is the Long Term Recovery Committee for the May 18-June 2, 2013, Disaster. This group is made up of various organizations that represent the affected areas, including FEMA, the AARP, City and State officials, as well as various church organizations and nonprofit disaster recovery organizations.

A representative of the Marketing and Economic Development Department of Moore noted to us that they too have been consumed with the day-to-day needs of their community, and are just now beginning to think about long-term recovery.

The City of Moore has nevertheless identified several public facilities that will not be covered by insurance, FEMA, or other public funds.(See the statistics from FEMA mark the differences between damage and support following the May 20th disaster, as they lie across three counties: Northwest Cleveland County (NCC), McClain County (McCC), and Oklahoma County (OC).) We'll continue to attend recovery meetings and offer assistance as the community makes the transition from relief to reconstruction.

Uninsured Families Suffering Damages:

• NCC – 2958
• McCC – 15
• OC – 2637

Total Family and Household support awarded by FEMA to date:

• NCC – $17,371,157
• McCC – $54,123
• OC – $3,145,139

FEMA Verified Losses, (Individuals and Families, no commercial or institutional included):

• NCC – $114,130,718
• McCC – $5,100,000
• OC – $6,911,316

Background

The weather six weeks ago initiated what would become a series of devastating and deadly storms raking across the Oklahoma plains. On May 20th, 2013, central Oklahoma, notably Newcastle and Moore, was hit by an EF-5 tornado, killing 24, injuring 377, and affecting about 33,000 in some capacity. In addition to life lost, an estimated 13,000 structures (mostly residential) were destroyed.

The tornado touched down for about 40 minutes, cutting a 17-mile path from Newcastle to Moore, with wind speeds reaching 210 miles per hour, producing a funnel cloud that was 1.3 miles in diameter. Although Oklahoma is familiar with tornados, there has been minimal improvement in providing purpose built storm shelters to homes or community buildings, including three schools that the tornado demolished.

On May 31st two weeks after the storm in Moore, an EF5 tornado struck El Reno, Oklahoma about 25 miles west of Oklahoma City. That tornado is believed to be the widest on record in the US at 2.6 miles in diameter. Eighteen people lost their lives in that event; 115 individuals were injured.

Then on June 2nd storm chasers Tim Samaras, his son Paul and colleague Carl Young, who through the years had shared dramatic videos with television viewers and weather researchers, died when an EF3 tornado with winds reaching 165 mph turned on them. They were among 13 people who died in the storm striking Oklahoma City and its suburbs.