City creating emergency operations center for storm

Oct. 27--TUPELO -- The city of Tupelo is setting up an emergency operations center at Fire Station No. 1 to oversee the recovery effort after straight-line winds Saturday afternoon tore through the city and the region.

Mayor Jason Shelton signed a proclamation Saturday night declaring Tupelo a disaster area. Shelton issued the proclamation not long after he was released from North Mississippi Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries suffered during the storm. A tree fell on the mayor's home, pinning him for almost an hour.

Shelton did not attend a briefing by city leaders this morning at City Hall to address the city's response.

"He's recuperating this morning," said city attorney Ben Logan during the briefing. "No serious injuries, just kinda banged up."

In the declaration, Shelton designated Logan to administer the disaster relief effort and Capt. Jason Cross of the Tupelo Fire Department to serve as the disaster response and management plan officer.

Fire Station No. 1 will serve as the central disaster response site, Logan said. A phone number the public can call to report any storm-related issues will be created later today or Monday. Until then, any non-emergency calls related to the storm cleanup can be made to the fire station, (662) 841-6439.

"If you have any information -- a street sign down, a tree down that's in the public right of way, we need that information," Logan said. "We're collecting that information so we can pinpoint things and direct our efforts. We'll need everybody's help getting that information."

Logan said during the briefing that the storm produced winds recorded about 70 miles per hour at Tupelo Regional Airport when it hit the city about 12:30 p.m.

"The damage was widespread," Logan said. "It was not concentrated."

Logan said Tupelo Water & Light reported 30 lights poles were still down and an estimated 100 customers were without power as of 8 a.m. today. He also said Tombigbee Electric Power Association, which also serves some Tupelo residents, reported that an estimated 6,500 customers in Lee County and nearby counties were without power this morning.

The city is seeking state and federation disaster declarations, Logan said. "Any kind of weather event or emergency, it's a strain on a local government," he said.

Logan said the storm recovery will not jeopardize President Trump's visit Friday to Tupelo.

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