Oklahoma Strong: State Pushes Forward as Storm Travels East
Oklahoma Governor considering safe rooms in buildings across the state.
June 2, 2013— -- While the East Coast prepares for hail, damaging winds, and flooding from the storm that ripped through Oklahoma on Friday, the state works to rebuild and recover following the twisters that left a path of destruction in their wake.
Best practices are being considered after Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin raised the importance of improving residents' education and awareness regarding safe rooms and as well as the value in taking shelter in a storm at a press conference today at Canadian Valley Technology Center in El Reno, Okla.
"I think we probably need to do a better job educating citizens in our state," Fallin said. "It's also important not to get out. If you're not out on the road, don't try to outrun these things. You never know where a storm may twist and turn."
"I am certainly going to be encouraging schools, colleges, and career technology centers to look at secured, safe rooms in their buildings," she said. "They do work. We just need to encourage people to do more of that in our state."
PHOTOS: Twisters Hit OKC Area Again
The death toll from Friday's storms rose to 13, including four children. Among the fatalities from the deadly twisters was well-known meteorologist and storm chaser Tim Samaras, according to family members.
Samaras, 55, who founded TWISTEX (Tactical Weather Instrumented Sampling in Tornadoes EXperiment) and appeared on the show "Storm Chasers," dedicated three decades of his life to studying tornadoes.
"Out of all storm chasers he doesn't take chances, he's the one that puts the probes in the path of the tornado to learn more about them. He is not, you know, a young gun running around making bad decisions person so I am so sad and shocked, it is such a loss for the community," ABC News weather anchor Ginger Zee said of Samaras.
Samaras' son Paul and along with storm chase partner Carl Young were also killed in Friday's storms near El Reno, Okla.
Storm Chasers Tim Samaras, Paul Samaras and Carl Young Killed in Oklahoma Tornadoes
Samaras' brother, Jim Samaras posted a statement on Tim Samaras' Facebook early Sunday morning:
"It truly is sad that we lost my great brother Tim and his great son, Paul. Our hearts also go out to the Carl Young family as well as they are feeling the same feelings we are today," the statement said. "They all unfortunately passed away but doing what they LOVED. Chasing Tornado's. I look at it that he is in the 'big tornado in the sky...'"
The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., issued a statement expressing condolences over Tim Samaras' death.
"Samaras was a respected tornado researcher and friend ... who brought to the field a unique portfolio of expertise in engineering, science, writing and videography," the center's statement said.
The Storm Prediction Center said it believed the deaths were the first time scientific researchers were killed while chasing tornadoes, The Associated Press reported.
Left in the Dark
To aid recovery efforts, Oklahoma Gas and Electric has worked hard to get customers in the Oklahoma City back up and running. Friday night's tornadoes left tens of thousands without power. With approximately 48,000 in the dark in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area alone, questions loom as to how soon residents will have their lights back on.
"The flooding though that we've had has really hindered our access to get in and determine what kind of damage we have," Kathleen O'Shea of OG&E told ABC News Radio.
