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By Gary Dotterer
Northeast Technology Center
The recent winter storm left
many counties in NE Oklahoma blanketed with a solid sheet of ice
and caused many residents to be without electricity and water for
a substantial amount of time. This storm will be remembered for quite
some time by the residents of Oklahoma and especially those that
remained without electricity for many days.
Dell Heavener, Northeast Technology
Center Superintendent, recently spoke about the shelter at NTC.
"I received a phone call on Sunday night from
the Delaware County Assistant Director of the Emergency Management
Service about opening NTC as a shelter to help those individuals
in need. I made several calls to some of our employees about
opening our facility and we were unable to get to the campus
because the roads were blocked by trees," said Mr. Heavener.
"The next day I spoke with Senator Charles
Wyrick, who met me at the campus around 10:30 in the morning,
followed by Dave Kinderick, Delaware County Commissioner, Jack
Stonecipher, mayor of the Town of Kansas, and Dave Spencer, Fire
Chief of the Kansas Fire Department to formulate a plan of action," Dell
continued. Under the supervision of Chief Spencer the group organized
a 24-hour shelter where individuals could receive a meal, a cot
to sleep on, medical services, blankets and water.
Through word of mouth from the Kansas Fire Department
and Delaware County Sheriff's Department, people began to arrive
at the shelter where they were greeted by volunteers and were
given a safe and warm place to stay.
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Dell Heavener Jr. Superintendent of Northeast Technology
Center (far left) talking to Salvation Army volunteer and members
from the Kansas Fire Department as they assist individuals
during the recent icestorm.
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Jack Kiper of the Salvation Army arrived Monday with
a mobile meal truck and, with the help of Cookson Hill Christian School
volunteers, the Salvation Army, and others, was able to serve three
meals a day to more than 1,200 persons for nine days straight.
According to Dr. Patty Tipton, Assistant
Superintendent of the Kansas Campus, "The Salvation Army needed
more space to prepare meals and a place to clean up after the meals.
The NTC kitchen was opened and used to store items and assist the
efforts." Dr. Tipton also
added, "Much of the food we were going to use during the next
week of school would have gone bad if unused so we donated the perishable
items for some of the meals."
According to Chief Spencer, "I
was so proud of my men, they were out clearing roads on Saturday,
Sunday and part of Monday without any rest and then they came in
and assisted those in need by carrying water and food."
NTC was the headquarters for the Southern Baptist Convention which
coordinated a disaster relief team comprised of 12 individuals that
were sent out to remove limbs that had fallen so power could be restored
to homes. The volunteers from Texas arrived in Oklahoma and were sent
out to homes where trees that had fallen and knocked out power were
cleared away.
The elderly or other individuals who were unable to clear limbs around
their homes could fill out a request for assistance.
According to Mr. Heavener and Dr. Tipton the shelter could not have
been successful without all those who were willing to volunteer their
time.
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