TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa city officials have provided updates and resources amid the ongoing winter weather in the Tulsa area.
As of Tuesday evening, the City said the winter weather is impacting Tulsa’s roadways and street crews are continuing with plowing operations as snow continues to fall.
On Tuesday evening and overnight, crews will switch to group snow plowing. Early morning operations on Wednesday will focus on salt application, the City said.
Drivers are advised to stay off the roads as first responders have been working multiple accidents.
“Due to hazardous road conditions and the amount of accidents the City’s public safety departments responded to today, travel is ill-advised,” the City of Tulsa said.
The City said road conditions are deceiving as moderate amounts of ice are enough to cause vehicles to slide, even at slow speeds.
Tulsa Police said with the worsening conditions and number of crashes, they are unable to respond to non-injury collisions.
Tulsa Police shared the following list of the information you should exchange if you are involved in a collision:
- Name, address, and phone numbers of all drivers.
- Driver license information.
- The tag year, state, and number of each vehicle involved.
- Insurance verification information.
- The year, make, and model of each vehicle involved.
- The name, address, and phone number of the registered owner of each vehicle involved.
To make an online traffic report, click here.
The City of Tulsa said if you must be out and find yourself in a traffic accident, please use the following guidelines:
- Fender bender, no injuries - Be aware of your surroundings; pull over somewhere safe and don’t stop in the middle of a slick road or highway; exchange information; safely leave the scene; make reports online when you’re somewhere safe.
- Inoperable/stuck vehicle - Call Tulsa Police Non-Emergency at (918) 596-9222
- Injury crash/life-threatening emergency - Call 911
As of 7:30 p.m., EMSA said they have responded to seven cold exposure calls and taken three patients to local hospitals. Crews have also responded to 39 traffic accidents and taken 16 patients to local hospitals, which is three times more than normal.
The Tulsa Fire Department reported that since 6:00 a.m. they have responded to more than a dozen car accidents, seven heat-and-cold exposure incidents caused by extreme temperatures and three carbon monoxide calls caused by improper heating methods.
TFD’s Incident Management Team has made 12 referrals for unsheltered people in need of assistance and transported approximately eight people to shelters with TFD transport units.
Due to the road conditions, all bus services have been suspended through Wednesday. For the latest updates on bus services, click here. Denver Avenue Station will also be closed and will not serve as a warming station during this time.
Trash pickup was canceled for Tuesday. Residents are asked to keep their trash carts at the curb until they can be safely picked up. Recycling has been canceled for the rest of this week. All scheduled bulky waste pickups will be postponed through Thursday.
All Tulsa Park Recreation Centers will be closed through Wednesday. The Tulsa Zoo will be closed through Thursday. The Tulsa Performing Arts Center, BOK Event Center and Convention Center will be closed through Wednesday.
Tulsa Animal Services is working with the shelters that allow pets to ensure they have necessary resources. The City also reminded residents that pets need to be brought inside when temperatures drop below 25 degrees. If you see someone leave their dog out for long periods of time in this weather, call 918-596-8001.
The Tulsa Animal Services shelter at 3031 North Erie Avenue will be closed through Wednesday for public adoptions. Lost pet adoptions and return-to-owner services will remain unaffected, the City said.
All Tulsa Health Department locations are closed on Wednesday.
The City said cashier stations on the main floor at City Hall and at the Permit Center on the fourth floor will be closed through Wednesday.
The Clerk’s Office will be closed on Wednesday.
The regular meeting for the Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission (TMPAC) is canceled on Wednesday.
Tulsa Municipal Court will close again on Wednesday. Cases scheduled for Feb. 18 and Feb. 19 will be automatically rescheduled for April 3.
Inspections from the City’s Development Services department will be canceled through Wednesday and resume when neighborhood street conditions improve.
The City of Tulsa said they will be doing emergency gas meter inspections (pending weather severity). To schedule an inspection for critical utility repairs, contact Stephen Scott at (918) 519-8769 for Plumbing and Mechanical, Curtis Blevins at (918) 857-4004 for Building, or Steve Malugani at (918) 519-8746 for Electrical.
While in-person services are closed, most City business can be conducted online or over the phone:
- Pay an online utility bill
- Pay a traffic ticket online
- Use the online Permit Portal
- File a 311 request or question
- Call 311 during business hours, or (918) 596-2100
- Visit www.tulsa311.com or use the 311 app
- Email tulsa311@cityoftulsa.org
Outreach teams from A Way Home for Tulsa agencies are continuing to make sure those experiencing homelessness know they have safe and warm spaces available to them, the City said.
Multiple warming stations are open as well as emergency shelters. For a list of warming shelters in the Tulsa area, click here.
For information about warming shelters and other information, click here. If you see someone that may be in need, call 918-596-9222 or fill out a form by clicking here.
To see a list needed donation items for area shelters and how you can report someone in need of shelter, click here.
If you see a car that has been abandoned and needs to be checked out, call 918-596-9222. If you see a car that has marking tape on it, TPD said they have already checked it and you do not need to call.EMSA encourages people to stay indoors, if possible. If you have to leave your home, EMSA said to make sure you are dressed for the cold weather by wearing a heavy coat, hat, gloves, layers and warm boots or shoes with traction.
The temperatures put people at a greater risk for cold exposures issues such as hypothermia and frostbite.
Hypothermia is a medical emergency that happens when the body loses heat faster than it can produce heat which causes a dangerously low body temperature.
Warning signs of hypothermia include slurred speech, shallow breathing, weak pulse, lack of coordination, drowsiness and confusion.
Frostbite can happen when a person is not wearing clothing suitable for sub-freezing temperatures. Fingers, toes, facial features and ears are the most likely places where frostbite will occur on the body.
Signs of frostbite include numbness, cold skin and prickling feeling, skin that looks different than normal, hard or waxy looking skin and muscle stiffness.
For the latest forecast, click here.
For a look at traffic, click here.
For a list of school closings, click here.
For a statewide list of warming centers and shelters, click here.