'Constantly on our minds': City officials, victims reflect on Claremore tornado anniversary

It’s been one year since an EF3 tornado ripped through Rogers County. Parts of Claremore were unrecognizable. The tornado destroyed more than 800 buildings and displaced dozens of families.

The City's Progress

Over the past twelve months, city officials say Claremore has made significant progress. 

Nearly all major infrastructure has been repaired. Power lines and utility systems, once tangled in debris, were restored within 13 days. While some people have decided to leave town, others are still dealing with insurance and FEMA, and there are dozens of homes that have been rebuilt or repaired. City officials say emergency preparedness has also improved with updated evacuation plans now in place.

"It’s constantly on our mind, it always is, and we always have a plan, but when you go through something like that, now on days like today - and we know weather is coming in this week - we’re more conscientious of it. We’re more prepared," said Claremore City Manager John Feary.

A Family Rebuilds

Matt Payne’s new home stands just yards from where his old one was destroyed. He says his family only had five minutes to spare to take shelter before it hit. His family stayed in a hotel for the first month after, and then lived in an RV until moving into their new home. 

"Nobody really thinks they’re gonna have to deal with that in their lifetime... and when you do, it definitely opens your eyes to a lot of stuff," he said. 

A public remembrance event scheduled for this past week in Claremore was postponed due to weather. It will now be on June 16th.