05/12/2022

To help with emergency communications support following an outbreak of
tornadoes that hit this past week, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency of
Management and Homeland Security requested support from the Oklahoma Amateur
Radio Emergency Service¿ (ARES¿).

During the first week of May, 12 tornadoes touched down in the central and
eastern parts of Oklahoma. The tornado that struck Seminole, Oklahoma, on
Wednesday, May 4, left EF2 damage, according to the National Weather Service.
That tornado was a mile wide, and its path totaled 31 miles.

The request for amateur radio emergency communications support from the
Oklahoma ARES was made on Thursday, May 5, 2022. ARES was activated on Saturday
May 7, 2022. Seven amateur radio operators were active, providing voice
communications between chainsaw and debris removal teams from their base at
Seminole State College's volunteer center.

ARRL Oklahoma Section Emergency Coordinator Mark Conklin, N7XYO, said the
clean-up crews worked quickly, and ARES was needed for 8 hours until cellular
and wired communications were restored.

There were no deaths or injuries during the tornado outbreak, but clean up
continues.

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