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Above: Contractor crews with Western Farmers Electric Cooperative work on the tornado damage immediately after an EF5 hit Moore. Right: OEC Lineman Gary Jones and his wife Jamie Jones stand by their damaged home in Moore. Gary was out in the field conducting restoration repairs when the tornado hit his neighborhood. Photos by James Pratt


which seemed like an eternity as Lee and his family struggled to breathe. “It seemed like an hour, but I think it only lasted about 90 seconds,” Lee recalled.


Once the storm passed, he emerged into a world of change. Twisted cars—his and his neighbors—were stacked in a row between what once was his house and his shop. A boat lay on top of what was his neighbor’s home. Dead horses were scattered in the street. His glass of tea still sat on the windowsill next to his storm shelter, though the rest of the house attached to the sill was gone. “Everywhere I looked was wiped out,” Lee said. “I saw my neighbor emerge from the rubble and asked him if they were okay. Soon a group of four policemen came running our way. I recognized one of them and gave him a big bear hug.”


Puglsey emerged next door to see his cars, shop, and home completely


destroyed. A prized Ford Mustang sat on top of the remains of his house, nestled next to an old boat.


“My new boat was thrown 200 yards away,” he said.


Automobile engines were strung across his acreage like mushrooms sprouting after a spring rain. Jones and the other OEC linemen rolled into the area in their line trucks right after the storm passed.


“I knew my house was hit. It was still standing, but just barely. Once I confirmed everyone was okay, I had to get to work. Our job is to secure live electrical lines, assess the damage, and then start rebuilding the electrical system so our neighbors have power,” he said.


Recovery and Rebuilding Luckily everyone in the neighborhood survived with only a few injuries. Police and firemen checked each home for survivors and marked the homes and vehicles once confirmed clear. While downtown Moore garnered much attention, the residents of Penn and 149th Street set about recovering the pieces of their lives, helping neighbors and clearing the rubble and debris. While everyone else was working to recover their own property, linemen like Jones were working feverishly to restore power to the thousands left in the dark. “These are my neighbors. I have been their lineman for 30 years,” Jones explained. “My job was to get their power back on. I was off the day after the tornado to secure my own property, and have worked every day since.” In fact, Jones worked 170 hours in just two weeks to be exact. “I don’t like to ask for help, but it was really nice when my co-workers


showed up on a Saturday to help me with my place, even after they had worked so many hours themselves.”


Cruz is the owner of Environmental Cleanup Inc. He sent some of his crew with heavy equipment to clean up his acreage, and then sent them over to help his neighbors with their property.


“This is just stuff,” Cruz said, whistling while he worked. “We can rebuild all this and buy new stuff. I am just happy my family is safe and everyone I know around here is safe.”


Jim Fox, an OEC member, lost 16 head of cattle, and the remainder of his herd was spread across two miles of farmland. On the afternoon the EF5 hit, Fox was unloading 60 head of calves in his pasture, unaware of the weather. A family member called and warned him to take his crew and seek shelter underground. Friends and neighbors helped Fox and his family to secure their belongings and round up the lost cattle.


“I have been an OEC member for a long time,” Fox said. “These guys are hard workers and really treat us right. I usually get power restored a day or more quicker than my neighbor, who is not an OEC member.” Just like the larger downtown Moore community, the neighbors at Penn and 149th Street watch out for each other, help each other out, and work together when disaster strikes.


Electric co-op linemen are among the first responders who pave the way for the rebuilding process. On Friday, May 24, just four days after an EF5 wiped through the community of Moore, nearly all electric consumer-members affected by the storm had their power safely restored. OEC reported a total of 200 to 250 homes in its service territory that were destroyed and 40 to 60 homes significantly damaged. One of the principles a cooperative is built upon is “Cooperation Among Cooperatives.” This principle came to life in the aftermath of the storm, when OEC received mutual aid from Alfalfa Electric Cooperative, Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative, Cotton Electric Cooperative, Cimarron Electric Cooperative, Kay Electric Cooperative, Rural Electric Cooperative, and Tri- County Electric Cooperative. Cooperatives like OEC are committed to the communities they serve. More often than not, their employees live in the same neighborhoods, on the same streets, and often work in the same area for many years.


“I have covered the area of north Norman, Moore, Midwest City, Oklahoma City and Yukon for 30 years as a district lineman,” Jones said. “These are my neighbors. These are my people.”


If viewing our digital edition, click here to view compelling and interactive panorama views from the Moore tornado. Access our digital edition at www. ok-living.coop or find our FREE app at the Apple Newsstand, Google Play or Amazon.


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