Shawnee, Oklahoma, April 22, 2023 – We are most grateful for the fact that there was no loss of life or limb as residents of Shawnee and nearby areas were affected by tornadoes that impacted Pottawatomie County and the western half of the City of Shawnee (National Weather Service Info). For the long road of recovery now ahead of us, some of the following resources may be of assistance:

Supplies

Two supply distribution sites are open in Shawnee for residents impacted by the storms. Residents can pick up shelf-stable food, water, baby wipes, pet food, tarps, garbage bags, cleanup kits, hygiene kits, and other miscellaneous items at the following locations:
  -  Life.Church at 5113 N. Harrison, Shawnee
  -  Northridge Church of Christ 1001 E. MacArthur, Shawnee

Volunteer Assistance
Community Renewal of Pottawatomie County has a volunteer reception center at the Oklahoma Baptist University’s Green Campus, at 1900 W. MacArthur Street, Shawnee. Those wishing to volunteer or needing assistance with volunteer services can find more info online at communityrenewal.org.
Samaritan’s Purse is on the ground in Shawnee ready to provide debris/tree cleanup and roof tarping. Residents can call (405) 827-2548 for assistance.  Find more information online or sign up to volunteer at samaritanspurse.org.
Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief has chainsaw teams in Cole and Shawnee to assist residents. Residents can call (800) 690-9198 for assistance or make an online request at okdisasterhelp.org/request-assistance.
The Salvation Army has four canteens and support vehicles serving more than 1,000 meals in Shawnee and Bethel Acres. Check the Salvation Army's Facebook page for updates.
The Mennonite Disaster Services are providing tree removal and mobile home demo in Cole. They plan to work move to Shawnee next.
A list of additional resources has been compiled by United Way of Pottawatomie County at www.unitedwaypottco.org/disaster-relief/.

Electric Power Restoration
OG&E customers please check outagemap.oge.com for your estimated time of restoration.

Health Care
The Oklahoma State Department of Health and Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps are providing Tetanus shots with two mobile strike teams in Pottawatomie County.

Mental Health Care
Crisis Care Ministries reminds disaster survivors to reach out for assistance to the mental health crisis line at 988. Central Oklahoma Mental Health Services, Red Rock, Hope Community Services, and North Care are the mental health services for the impacted counties.

Assistance with Insurance
The Oklahoma Insurance Department is available to help with any insurance issues. A unit has been deployed to Shawnee to help with claims. Call (800) 522-0071 or visit www.oid.ok.gov/after for assistance.

Assistance with Legal Matters
Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma’s Disaster Hotline is open at (888) 602-8494. Residents impacted by the storms can call or visit oklahomadisasterlegalhelp.org. They can help with legal issues including landlord/tenant issues, domestic violence issues, issues with contractors, etc. Oklahoma Indian Legal Services is available to support tribal members.

Emergency Price Stabilization Act in Effect
The State’s price gouging statute is in effect for Cleveland, Lincoln, McClain, Oklahoma, and Pottawatomie counties. The Emergency Price Stabilization Act prohibits an increase of more than 10% for the price of goods and services after a declared emergency. The statute triggers automatically after the Governor issues a state of emergency. The law allows the attorney general to pursue charges against individuals or businesses that engage in price gouging.  Attorney General Gentner Drummond warned that anyone who violates the Act is subject to facing legal consequences. For more information or to report a complaint, individuals can contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit toll free at (833) 681-1895.

Residents are asked to report damage
The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management continues to ask residents impacted by the recent storms to report damages to their property at damage.ok.gov. Reporting damage helps local and state emergency managers better coordinate response and recovery efforts. Residents can report damage to homes, businesses or agriculture through the online survey.

State of Oklahoma  Resource List
The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management has compiled a list of the partners dedicated to the safety and the protection of Oklahoma citizens during a disaster. Please check oklahoma.gov/oem/programs-and-services/individual-assistance.html.

Dial 211
For Oklahoma residents seeking non-emergency disaster or health and human service information, please contact your local 2-1-1. Services are available 24 hours a day by dialing 211 from your home or cellular telephone. Please only call 911 for emergencies.