The City of OKC sends this information as posted below:
OKC Streets
Public Works crews are salting along OKC snow routes in 12-hour shifts around the clock until street conditions improve.
The City has 30 trucks affixed with salt spreaders. Public Works crews pretreated snow routes with a beet solution earlier this week.
People should avoid driving during hazardous conditions. If you must drive, you should have someone to call if you are stranded. If you get stranded, try to move your car off the road so other vehicles can safely pass.
- Stay on snow routes – Stay home if you can. If you must drive, stay on the City’s snow routes. Visit okc.gov/prepare to see the regional snow route map.
- Give plow/salt trucks space – Keep about 200 feet between your vehicle and salt/plow trucks.
- Accident tracker – Residents can view accidents on OKC roads by logging on to the City’s accident tracker at okc.gov.
Please note that neighborhood streets are not part of the snow routes and will not be treated.
Solid waste services
- Trash and recycling collections for Thursday, Feb. 20, and Friday, Feb. 21, will run as scheduled.
- Due to anticipated road conditions, crews will have a delayed start Thursday morning, which may result in trash and recycling carts being collected slightly later in the day than normal.
- The remainder of bulky waste/big junk collections scheduled for this week will take place on Thursday and Friday, and potentially Saturday if necessary.
- Trash and recycling collections scheduled for Feb. 18 were postponed and will be collected on Saturday, Feb. 22.
- Carts reported as missed on Monday, Feb. 17, will be collected as soon as possible this week.
- All customers should place their carts at the curb by 6 a.m. on their designated or rescheduled collection day. Carts reported as missed should be left at the curb until collected.
People who are unhoused
Key to Home Partnership outreach teams and service providers fanned out in the community warning people experiencing homelessness about the freezing temperatures moving into Oklahoma City.
EMBARK buses will transport people experiencing homelessness to a shelter free of charge. People who are homeless with pets are welcome to stay at the Homeless Alliance or City Care.
Overnight shelters need financial contributions and donations of hand warmers and shelf-stable food. People can drop items off at one of the shelters listed below.
Cash contributions, which can be made on each nonprofit’s website, help pay for things like blankets, food and staffing.
Overnight shelters
Homeless Alliance, 1601 NW 4th St.
- Day Shelter: 1729 NW 3rd St.
City Care, 532 N Villa Ave.
City Rescue Mission, 800 W California Ave.
Salvation Army, 1001 N Penn Ave.
Overnight youth shelters
Sisu Youth, 2129 NW 30th St.
Pivot, 201 NE 50th St.
If you see someone experiencing homelessness, call 211 to connect them to services. To contact an outreach team, call the Action Center at (405) 297-2535.
If there is an emergency, call 911.
OKC Police
OKC Police are not responding to non-injury accidents. If you are in a non-injury accident, exchange insurance information with the driver of the other vehicle.
OKC Fire
Winter brings more home fires than any other season. Half of all heating fires occur in December, January and February. Stay fire-smart while staying warm this winter! With the winter weather looking like it will last for a few days, we wanted to share a few safety tips.
- Heating Safety
- Keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from anything flammable (curtains, furniture, bedding).
- Never use ovens or stoves to heat your home.
- Turn off space heaters when leaving the room or going to bed.
- If using a fireplace, use a sturdy screen to prevent sparks from flying out and burn dry seasoned wood for fuel.
- Generator & Carbon Monoxide Safety
- Never run generators indoors or in enclosed spaces like garages; keep them at least 20 feet away from your home.
- Install carbon monoxide (CO) detectors and test them regularly.
- If you experience dizziness, nausea, or headaches, get fresh air and call 911 immediately—CO poisoning can be deadly.
- Electrical & Fire Prevention
- Do not overload circuits with heating devices.
- Check extension cords for fraying or damage before use.
- Keep candles away from flammable objects and never leave them unattended. Use flashlights during power outages instead.
- Emergency Preparedness
- Keep fire extinguishers in your home and know how to use them.
- Ensure smoke alarms are working and have fresh batteries.
- Prepare an emergency kit with flashlights, batteries, blankets, food, and water.
- Have an evacuation plan, including two escape routes from your home.
- Additional Winter Storm Fire Safety Tips
- Test your smoke alarms monthly and ensure carbon monoxide alarms are installed and working.
- Be prepared for power outages with flashlights, battery-powered lighting, and fresh batteries. Never use candles.
- Stay away from downed wires and report them to authorities.
- If your heat goes out, bundle up and use blankets.
Oklahoma City Municipal Court
Municipal Court will be in session Thursday, Feb. 20. However, they are granting liberal continuances to defendants who request them. The public counter will be open for those who want to pay their fines in person. Payments can also be made by calling (405) 297-3898 or logging on to okc.gov.
OKC Animal Welfare
The OKC Animal Shelter will be open Thursday, Feb. 20.
OKC Animal Welfare reminds residents that if it is too cold for you, it’s probably too cold for your pet. Keep your animals inside. Dog owners must protect their dogs from the elements when the temperature dips below 32 degrees.
OKC Parks
OKC Parks recreation centers, community centers, performing arts centers, senior centers and gyms will be closed Thursday, Feb. 20. Pete White Health & Wellness Center will not provide meal service.
All outdoor parks will be open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Martin Park Nature Center and Will Rogers Gardens will keep their regular winter hours.
All five municipal golf courses will be closed Thursday, Feb. 20, though individual clubhouses and restaurants closings vary by course.
EMBARK
EMBARK will continue to implement the following Winter Weather Service Detours and stop closures to ensure safer travel.
Service levels through Thursday, Feb. 20:
- OKC Fixed Route & RAPID NW: Level 2 Winter Weather Detours
- OKC Streetcar: Regular schedule
When temperatures drop below 32 degrees, EMBARK offers free transit services to the overnight shelters. For those needing public transportation to other destinations, see bus routes here: https://go.embarkok.com/.
Our winter weather page will share information on the status of EMBARK’s senior transportation and mobility management programs. We will continue to monitor road conditions and resume regular service as soon as it is safe to do so. Call (405) 235-RIDE for the latest updates before traveling.
OKC Will Rogers International Airport
During inclement weather, travelers should contact their airline to check on the status of their flight before leaving for the airport.
OKC Zoo closed
The OKC Zoo and Botanical Garden will be closed on Thursday, Feb. 20.
EMSA
EMSA medics are responding to a significant increase in the number of traffic accidents, slips and falls and cold exposure calls in the Oklahoma City area.
Oklahoma Natural Gas
Oklahoma Natural Gas continues to monitor the weather and deliver safe, reliable natural gas to its customers’ homes and businesses. A full list of tips to save energy and stay warm is found at oklahomanaturalgas.com/winterstormkingston.
The accumulation of snow and ice increases the potential for damage to natural gas meters. When removing ice and snow from meters, vents or flues, use a broom instead of a shovel to keep your natural gas service running safely.
If you smell natural gas:
- Leave the area immediately.
- Do not use electrical equipment.
- Call 911 and Oklahoma Natural Gas at 800-458-4251.
OG&E
While OG&E does not anticipate broad impacts to the electrical grid, we are prepared to restore power safely and quickly if needed. We know how important it is to keep your homes and businesses powered and encourage you and your family to have a plan to stay safe and warm.
Our power plants are running 24/7 to generate electricity for the grid. We completed our winter preparations last fall and have fuel in storage and identified fuel sources to ensure we can continue to run our power plants.
Keep these tips in mind for your safety:
- Stay weather aware
- Be mindful of road conditions – don’t travel unless you must
- Check on family, friends, and pets
- Sign up for myOGEalerts to report and monitor outages or download the OG&E app ( iOS and Android)
If needed, find a list of warming stations at OGE.com/WarmingStations.
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