Tornado damage expected to exceed $10 million

  • Published
  • By Amy Welch
  • Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. (AFPN) --  Despite no reports of injuries or aircraft damage, a tornado inflicted millions of dollars worth of damage, base officials here said.

“We are still assessing damages,” said Stephen Mallott, base civil engineer with the 72nd Air Base Wing. “But we expect the total damages will exceed $10 million.”

The tornado’s winds ranged from 150 to 260 mph. Getting the base back to pre-storm conditions may take months, but immediate repairs to the perimeter fence and restoring power have been accomplished, Mallott said.

“Anything that needs immediate repair, we’re going to try to address that as quickly as possible,” he said. “The main thing was getting that (base perimeter) fence up and the second thing was getting power restored and that’s been accomplished.”

The list of destruction includes building windows, airfield lighting, a well house and an ammunition bunker.

“One of the guard shacks is a total loss,” Tom Griffith, DynPar chief engineer, said. “The biggest concern for security forces was how to maintain security on that part of the base without the (perimeter) fence there,” said Griffith. “It was physically gone or flattened down.”

People from the maintenance directorate put light carts around the perimeter of the base to help security patrol the area at night, Griffith said.

“More than 3,500 people turned out to clear the runways of debris,” said Lt. Col. John Scorsone, 72nd OSS commander.

Tinker losses, though significant, left many feeling lucky.

“From a base facility standpoint, the damage is minimal compared to what it could have been,” said Pete Girillo, 72nd ABW fire chief. “If this thing had gone 500 yards north, it would have hit the Navy (facilities) and would have come across and taken out part of (Airborne Warning and Control System area) and a fire station.”