For Immediate
Release: September 16, 2005
Sen. Kenneth Corn
Senator Corn Wants Emergency Evacuation Plans Reviewed
In the wake of the Hurricane Katrina disaster, State
Senator Kenneth
Corn said he will ask Oklahoma’s Civil Emergency Management
to examine emergency evacuation plans for population centers around
the state to ensure that Oklahomans will not be left behind should
a disaster occur in this state.
“We have to ensure that what happened to the people of the
gulf coast region doesn’t happen to Oklahoma families,”
Corn, (D-Poteau) said. “That begins with reviewing emergency
evacuation plans of all the major cities in Oklahoma as well as
other smaller towns that could be at risk of a terrorist attack
or natural disaster.”
Corn said if the agency finds that Oklahoma cities and towns do
not currently have emergency evacuation plans he is prepared to
author legislation that will require those plans to be developed
and submitted to the Oklahoma Emergency Management Agency.
“Right now I am researching what communities in Oklahoma
already have emergency evacuation plans in place and what cities
do not,” Corn said. “For those communities who do
not have these plans in place already, I will strongly encourage
them to do so as soon as possible.”
Corn said he will be looking at towns like Ponca City and Ardmore-both
of which have refineries and could be a potential target for terrorist
attacks. He also wants to study closely, emergency evacuation
plans in Oklahoma towns that house military installations such
as Oklahoma City, Enid, Lawton, Altus and McAlester.
“Over the last four years our country has been brought to
its knees by both terrorist attacks and natural disasters,”
Corn said. “Oklahomans know all to well about both those
subjects. I am confident that through cooperation with local and
state officials we can ensure that no Oklahoman will be left behind
should a tragedy strike on Oklahoma soil.”
