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Local & Regional
7:45 pm
Tue May 21, 2013

Relief Efforts Continue in Moore

Moore Police struggle to find addresses in the areas blasted by the tornado. Moore Police Department’s Sergeant Jeremy Lewis says it is difficult locating streets or reference markers because it has all been destroyed.

“A lot of our shelters are registered, but even with that we can’t located the addresses. We don’t even know what block we’re on, so it’s difficult,” says Lewis. “There are no streets anymore. Even guys that have worked here 20 years are having trouble finding any kind of reference point to know what street we’re at.”

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Local & Regional
7:40 pm
Tue May 21, 2013

TPS Emergency Management: Student Safety Is Primary Concern

Safety in schools during a natural disaster is a top priority, and numerous school facilities were damaged or destroyed during the recent tornado in Moore. Officials in Tulsa Public Schools understand the concern over safety.

“We have constant conversations with the principals, we do training for staff on different kinds of disasters,” says Tulsa Public Schools Emergency Manager Bob Roberts.

Roberts says TPS will use any information about what happened in Moore to inform its own emergency plans.

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Local & Regional
3:36 pm
Tue May 21, 2013

No New Funds Needed For Tornado Recovery

Credit Joe Wertz / StateImpact Oklahoma
Stella Howard hugs her daughter Dawnelaina amid the remains of Stella’s Moore home.

Top lawmakers and officials say the federal government has plenty of money on hand to pay for recovery efforts in the devastating tornado that struck Oklahoma.

The government has more than $11 billion in its main disaster relief fund. Recovery costs in Moore, Okla., are expected to be a relatively small fraction of that amount. The devastating 2011 tornado that wiped out much of Joplin, Mo., use up about $750 million in federal disaster aid.

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Local & Regional
2:03 pm
Tue May 21, 2013

OK Pop Museum Request Delayed

Credit File Photo-OKPOP
OK Pop Decision Delayed

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma Historical Society is asking state lawmakers to postpone consideration of a museum funding bill so they can concentrate on tornado relief.

Bob Blackburn, executive director of the Historical Society, said Tuesday that a funding bill for the Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture should be temporarily set aside following the devastation and loss of life in Moore and other parts of central Oklahoma in Monday's tornados.

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Local & Regional
1:54 pm
Tue May 21, 2013

Tornado Injuries Mount

Credit BBC
Moore Tornado Devastation

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Hospital officials say they've treated hundreds of patients, including dozens of children, since a tornado hit an Oklahoma City suburb.

About 60 patients remained hospitalized Tuesday following Monday's tornado.

Norman Regional Hospital spokeswoman Melissa Herron says 20 of the more than 100 patients her hospital treated remain hospitalized.

Spokeswoman Brooke Cayot (KAY'-ot) says about 20 of the 90 patients seen at Integris Southwest Medical Center also remain in the hospital.

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