OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) – Gov. Kevin Stitt sent additional support personnel to help New Mexico and Texas amid devastating, deadly floods that have beleaguered both Southwest states.
Stitt and the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) deployed a 10-person support team on Monday to assist with incident management and operations assistance at the New Mexico State Emergency Operations Center. Team personnel include OEM, Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security, Oklahoma City Fire Department and Tulsa Police Department officials, according to personnel from Stitt’s office.
“Oklahomans know what it means to stand beside our fellow Americans in times of need,” Stitt said. “We will continue to serve our neighbors with strength and compassion, because that’s who we are. My prayers are with families who continue to recover from these tragic events, as well as the responders from Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and dozens of other states who are heeding the call to help.”
Floodwaters swept across areas in Texas and New Mexico after the Guadalupe River rose to catastrophic levels following a major storm on July 4th.
At least 132 people died in Texas and at least three died in New Mexico because of flash floods that overwhelmed large sections of each state.
More than 38,000 home located in the Texas flood plain were damaged, and over 200 homes were damaged in New Mexico.
Stitt previously sent two additional Type III swift water rescue teams comprised of Oklahoma Task Force 1 (OKTF-1) members from the Tulsa and Oklahoma City areas deployed to Texas. Those teams joined two OKTF-1 teams and Human Remains Detection K-9s that were already working in the worst flood areas.
The teams were deployed following Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) requests from the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the Texas Division of Emergency Management. EMAC, a national mutual aid system, enables states to send personnel, equipment and commodities to assist disaster relief efforts in other states.
“Oklahoma is here to help Texas and New Mexico,” said OEM Director Annie Mack Vest. “Other states came to our aid in Oklahoma last spring when tornadoes struck multiple communities including Sulphur and Barnsdall, and we are proud to have so many responders and emergency management personnel ready to do the same for our neighboring states.” OEM continues to monitor additional requests from the affected areas. Further support may be deployed if needed.
