A total of approximately 5,500 home and auto claims have been reported across nine states from the string of storms (date range April 26-28) as for 4:00pm CT on April 30, 2024: 

To provide the best possible service and response to customers who have damage from the tornado, the following are in place: 

• Catastrophe claims adjusters and support members are deploying and arriving on-site. Catastrophe claim teams will be actively making contact and providing initial claim handling efforts for our impacted customers with a focus on the most severe losses. Catastrophe Customer Care sites are being planned in the most impacted communities to support claim handling efforts for local residents, additional details will be shared as available.
• The 1-800-SFCLAIM line is activated and available for customers to begin the claim reporting process, should they be unable to reach their local State Farm agent. 
• State Farm policyholders who have damage can submit and manage their claim through various channels. This includes calling or emailing their State Farm agent, calling 1-800-SFCLAIM, submitting a claim through our mobile app or through our website at statefarm.com/claims. Customers may also text the word “CLAIM” to 62789 to receive a link to file a claim.

Making temporary repairs to damaged property:

When it is safe to do so, people with repairable/limited property damage should have reasonable temporary repairs made to prevent further damage to their property. Depending on your coverage, these repairs may be reimbursed. Save receipts if you purchase items such as tarps and plywood or other supplies to make repairs.   

“Current State Farm driving data and claims experience show a considerable decline in miles driven and fewer accidents,” said Phillip Hawkins, Sr. Vice President, State Farm. “As a result, we’re looking for ways to continue supporting our Oklahoma customers while we monitor and adjust to trends.”

In addition to the auto rate reduction, the discount for participating in Drive Safe & Save™ is increasing to 10%, and empowers drivers to save more on their auto premiums through driving behaviors.

Rate changes in Oklahoma are subject to regulatory approval. Customer rate reductions will vary based on their individual renewals Customers are encouraged to visit with their State Farm agent about individual policies, coverage and any opportunities for discounts, including Drive Safe & Save.

The effective date for new and renewal business is May 27. 

“State Farm is very pleased to be able to offer another auto rate decrease in State,” said State Farm Vice President Brian Maxwell. “Improving expenses and losses were important factors, among many, that supported our decision to make this rate change."

Overall changes in premiums for individual motorists will vary. Rates depend on a customer’s policy and chosen coverage. Customers can contact their local State Farm agent to discuss their individual situation. Additional opportunities for discounts may apply.

A rate decrease combined with discounts offers exceptional long-term value to State Farm customers.

She and her family had gathered to celebrate a birthday with a pool party. Jennifer, a self-proclaimed helicopter mom, was nervous about keeping track of her 5-year-old autistic son during the party. Besides being autistic, he is legally blind and in need of constant attention. To ease her mind, she invited her sister to attend and help manage her son and 2-year-old daughter, Reagan.

During the poolside fun, Jennifer stepped away to take her son to the bathroom. She asked a family member to change Reagan’s clothes. The family member thought Reagan had followed Jennifer into the house. Everyone appeared to be safe and accounted for.

They weren’t.

Jennifer remembers the next few moments in a blur.

Reagan at the bottom of the pool, tucked into a fetal position. Chaos and screaming. Someone doing CPR. Her daughter’s eyes rolled back in her head. Blue lips, not breathing. Fearing the worst when Reagan didn’t respond. The blaring siren of the ambulance. A doctor at the hospital telling them Reagan was under water for 2 to 4 minutes and would likely have brain damage if she regained consciousness. Her tiny daughter lying in a hospital bed on life support.

“You can be right there and not know someone is drowning,” Jennifer says. “There’s a misunderstanding about drowning that you would hear something, and you don’t. They can’t scream; they’re gasping for breath.”

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 300 children drown in swimming pools every year. And for every child who drowns, another five receive emergency care for nonfatal submersion injuries.

Fortunately, Reagan was in the nonfatal category. She recovered and has some eyesight and hearing issues. But she has no memory of the near-drowning.

The experience changed Jennifer. “It was a mother’s worst nightmare,” she says. “Even now I can tell the story, but I don’t like to think about it.”

But she does. Jennifer chose to share her story with other parents so they would not have to experience the same horrible situation. She is a water safety champion, speaking to numerous groups about the Water Watcher program and being an active member of Safe Kids Coalition, supported by a grant from State Farm^®.

When sharing her story with a group, Jennifer struggles with the memories from that day. “I understand that I can’t keep my children safe in all situations. All I can do is my best. And my best consists of educating myself and others in regards to safety procedures, preventative measures and praying. Lots of praying,” Jennifer says.

The Water Watchers program advocates tags to be worn by the designated adult watching children in and around the pool or water. It also advocates other safety measures such as fences, alarms, life jackets and swim lessons.

“In my mind, the only way I can understand something unfathomable is to do something good with it,” she says. “I never thought it could happen to me. I learned the hard way it can happen and it only takes a few seconds.”

“The company’s financial strength is allowing us to pass along rate savings to our Oklahoma customers," said State Farm Senior Vice President Phillip Hawkins. “We continually evaluate how we can best serve our customers and are very pleased to be able to offer this rate decrease in Oklahoma.”

Overall changes in premiums for individual motorists will vary depending on the specific details of an individual customer’s policy and chosen coverages. The average Oklahoma customer savings will be approximately $23 per year. The effective date for new and renewal business is May 21, 2018. Oklahoma customers with questions can contact their local State Farm agent to discuss their individual situation.

In addition to this rate reduction, State Farm agents are able to review with new and existing customers the many opportunities for additional discounts that may apply to an individual’s unique circumstances. A rate decrease combined with discounts offers an exceptional long-term value to State Farm customers.

If weather conditions are likely to produce hail you can take steps around the home like moving cars, boats, RVs, lawn and patio furniture into a covered area.

Personal safety is a number one priority and if you are indoors when a hailstorm hits, stay there. Hail can shatter windows so close drapes, blinds or window shades in an attempt to reduce the amount of broken glass that might blow inside. Stay away from skylights and doors.

Life for baby Mariam, is about to take a drastic turn.

The boy with the cape:

As a child, Jared Shoemaker of Tulsa, Oklahoma was known for helping others. Dubbed the “protector,” it was common to see the brown-eyed boy dressed as a superhero swooping in to save the day.

“Jared was strong, always lending a hand,” smiled his mother Linda. “In fact, when he learned a bully had been taking his younger brother’s lunch money, Jared chose to confront the culprit face to face."

All it took was one intense stare down from Jared, eye to eye with the bully...

The lunch money never wound up in the wrong pocket again.

A decision to serve

“As Jared got older, serving and protecting remained a top priority,” said his father Ken. A State Farm agent with a knack for helping others, Ken thought his son might follow in his footsteps.

“I wanted him to go into business, but Jared always wanted to be a Marine,” he smiled.

Jared joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2002, and in 2006 left for his first tour to Fallujah, Iraq.

“Our phone calls were scarce and when we did talk, Jared would tell us he was okay and things were fine,” Ken explained. “To be honest, he made it seem like an uneventful tour.”

Even his letters were basic. But between these lines of ink…a different story was unfolding.

Meeting Mariam:

While serving in Iraq, Jared and fellow service members encountered a frantic woman clutching a baby to her chest. It was clear, the child needed help.

Jared learned the baby named Mariam, had a rare medical condition where her bladder was growing on the outside of her body. Without medical care, she wouldn’t survive, but the decision to help was dangerous. With tensions high in Iraq, Jared and his platoon were frequently under enemy fire. So they created a plan to protect Mariam, her family and themselves.

Hope in the Night:

When the sun set, and the streets were clear, Jared and fellow Marines would visit the baby’s home in secret. But the troops knew these trips in the night were a temporary fix. Mariam needed more care.

Through a series of carefully coordinated efforts - plans were made to fly the baby girl to the United States for surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

A Precious Sacrifice:

That fall, Mariam’s life was saved. But Jared Shoemaker never knew that. Neither did his fellow Marines.

About a month prior to Mariam’s surgery, the men were on a routine patrol when they came in contact with an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). The bomb went off with a blast so forceful, everything changed in an instant.

On September 4, 2006, Jared Shoemaker lost his life.

He was 29 years old. Two other Marines passed away that day. Only one survived. 

The Protector’s Story: Revealed

Ken and Linda never knew their son had been working behind the scenes to save Mariam’s life, until one of Jared’s commanding officers visited their home.

“After Jared’s passing, he told us what had really been going on,” Linda explained. “It meant so much to hear this…it was very healing for me.”

“It shows our troops are there to make peace,” added her husband Ken. “You truly see the best of the best in these young men. They volunteer to serve and sacrifice. We owe them a lot.”

To this day, the Shoemakers have not met Mariam. A few weeks after her surgery, she and her family returned to Iraq. And yet, Mariam continues to hold a special place in the Shoemakers’ hearts.

Recently the Shoemakers attended a reunion with about 300 Marines, many of whom served with Jared. There, they learned one of the Marines would be heading back to the Middle East.

“He plans to put out some feelers - and see if he might be able to locate her,” smiled Ken.

The Shoemakers continue to pray for the child they never met. They pray for her safety, for her health and happiness.

And they hope one day, their paths will cross. “We would love it if we were able to meet her,” said Ken.

A Lasting Legacy:

In his short life, the boy with the cape, the ‘protector’ who loved superheroes…grew up to do more than save the day. Jared Shoemaker helped save lives.

Photo Credit Stephen Pingry/Tulsa World

“These men and women have a special call to duty, and should be honored,” said Ken. “Jared was there to help, and to protect the citizens of Iraq.”

And through his selfless acts of courage and kindness, Jared’s legacy will continue to live on in the hearts of those who knew...

This protector, turned hero.

Bloomington, Illinois (October 21, 2016) – State Farm is introducing a new coverage endorsement in several states to help fill insurance gaps for its policyholders who use their personal cars to provide rides for a Transportation Network Company (TNC), like Uber and Lyft. The TNC industry is rapidly changing the livery/taxi industry by using the latest mobile technology to facilitate rides for hire. With these new transportation services in the marketplace, drivers are exposed to new risks.

Insurance provided by TNCs may be limited in scope and coverage. Personal auto policies generally do not extend coverage to the use of personal cars as taxis or livery vehicles, including their use in TNC services.

To adapt to changing customer needs, beginning Monday, October 21, 2016, State Farm will offer a Transportation Network Company Driver Coverage endorsement in Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington and West Virginia.

The effective date for new and renewal for all states except GA: October 21, 2016. The effective date for new and renewal for GA: November 21, 2016

Ten jurisdictions obtained the endorsement earlier this year: Alabama, California, Colorado, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Tennessee and Wisconsin .

"Adapting and innovating to our customers' changing needs is critical," said Vicki Harper, State Farm Public Affairs Specialist. "This new product is an example of our commitment to our customers and provides them coverage, and peace of mind, when they use their personal cars to provide TNC services."

TNCs may provide high liability coverage limits while a paying passenger occupies the driver's vehicle or when the driver has been connected with a passenger and is on the way to pick that person up. But TNCs tend to provide a much lower limit of liability coverage when drivers are just available for hire and may not provide the drivers with any medical payments, comprehensive, or collision coverages at all. The TNCs may not be providing coverage for injuries to the driver or coverage for any damage to the driver's personal car.

The new, optional State Farm TNC Driver Coverage endorsement enables a policyholder to have his/her personal auto policy fill in the coverage gaps left by TNC-provided insurance. This cost-effective endorsement provides the driver with the full liability coverage limits carried on his/her auto policy during the period of time when the driver is available for hire, and provides the driver with all other coverages applicable to his/her auto policy during all periods of TNC driving.

Customers in these states who drive for a TNC should contact their local State Farm agent to learn more about the new State Farm TNC Driver Coverage endorsement.

When she couldn't reach him, Julie loaded the car with supplies and headed south. When she arrived in Mississippi, she found the family home destroyed. Fortunately, her father was safe.

The next day, Shiyou-Woodard was deployed to New Orleans with a disaster medical assistance team. “I spent the next few months witnessing suffering and devastation I had only seen in movies,” she recalled.

“At the time, I was principal planner with a local planning commission. Part of my job was to find ways to strengthen our communities before disasters. I saw first-hand what we were doing was not working.”

Right after Hurricane Ivan in 2004, a group of Alabama and Mississippi Gulf Coast residents experienced the same frustration. They started looking for ways to avoid this damage in the future. Their efforts and passion helped form Smart Home America. The organization has since grown and now help groups throughout the country find solutions to strengthen their own communities.

In 2014, Shiyou-Woodard became the president and CEO of Smart Home. With her personal and professional experience, it was a role she embraced to grow the organization.

A perfect example is the Smart Home partnership with the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS). The FORTIFIED Home™ program strengthens homes from severe storms. Using these construction standards and methods goes beyond emergency preparedness and disaster preparedness. Knowing your home has been FORTIFIED against disaster provides peace of mind.

“When you build FORTIFIED and a hurricane hits, you are more likely to come home after evacuating and sleep in your own bed. You are able to start recovery much sooner,” Shiyou-Woodard explains.

FORTIFIED looks at a home as a system of systems, not individual components. The standards are applicable to both new and existing construction. A fortified evaluator directs the improvements, based on your specific circumstances. Steps involved might be:

• installation of a secondary water barrier,
• ring shank nails or spray foam to strengthen roof connections,
• opening protection (shutters, panels or fabric) and
• metal straps and bolts to connect the roof to walls and walls to the foundation.

The evaluator also certifies efforts for insurance discounts available to FORTIFIED homeowners.

Seeing the coastal success, Tulsa Partners in Oklahoma, has also embraced the program. The nonprofit is committed to creating a disaster resistant and sustainable community. It collaborated with Habitat for Humanity and State Farm to build FORTIFIED homes in the Tulsa area.

“We were very excited to partner with Habitat for a 24-hour FORTIFIED build in August this year,” said Partners Executive Director Tim Lovell. “The FORTIFIED Home Bronze Level addresses the roof system. Specifically, the upgrades reduce wind and water entering the attic through the roof covering and vents.”

Eleven years after Katrina, coastal Alabama is a model for stronger communities. Currently they lead the nation with more than 2,000 FORTIFIED designations. What’s the next mission for Smart Home America?

“We continue to educate about the importance of building better, being properly insured and how to build FORTIFIED,” said Shiyou-Woodard. “Our new Don’t Goof When You Re-Roof initiative and Insurance Shopper’s Guide will help homeowners make informed decisions and be better protected. Outside of Alabama and Mississippi, we’re drawing from our experience and supporting similar groups. Tulsa Partners are leading efforts in Oklahoma to promote IBHS’ newest program, FORTIFIED Home High Wind and Hail.”

Want to get FORTIFIED? The first step is the application. Upon receipt and processing, applicants are provided a list of IBHS Certified FORTIFIED Home™ Evaluators working in their area.

There’s the Emily who loves theater, dancing, and performing the National Anthem at professional sporting events.

Then there’s the Emily who is fascinated by atmospheric physics, like the omega equation that determines buoyancy and lift in the atmosphere.

Some might call that a split personality, but as the first female meteorologist to work at KFOR-4 in Oklahoma City, and WCYB-TV in Bristol Tennessee/Virginia, Sutton prefers to describe herself as someone who just refused to choose.

Fusing fascinations

“As a little girl, I always enjoyed the fine arts. But I was also fascinated with weather and science,” said Sutton. “Tornados, in particular, were both fascinating and terrifying.”

While at the University of Missouri to obtain a journalism degree, Sutton’s life was changed in 2004 when she joined the school’s storm chase team and witnessed her first tornado.

“It was a weak tornado in a farm field in Oklahoma,” she said. “I was thrilled by the experience. One month later our team watched five tornados tear across Kansas. That was it. The next day I added meteorology to my field of study. ”

ATMOS 100: Intro to Meteorology

Meteorology is standing in front of a green screen on TV, pointing at a smiley sun face and scary clouds with lightning coming out of them, right?

Not quite.

Meteorology is the scientific study of the atmosphere. Meteorologists use scientific principles to observe, explain, and forecast our weather. They often focus on atmospheric research or operational weather forecasting. Research meteorologists can cover several sub disciplines of meteorology including: air quality, atmospheric physics, and climate change.

Breaking Barriers

Sutton immediately noticed something unusual about her calculus, physics, and other science classes. There were hardly any women. A worldwide study done by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found girls generally outperform boys in science – except in the United States. The gap is thought to be due to gender roles being formed and reinforced early in life, and the incentives different countries offer for pursuing math and science degrees.                                         

Photos by Leia Smethurst Photography

In the past, the meteorology field has been a career path dominated by males. As the first female meteorologist in her two previous positions, Sutton learned quickly that she is seen differently than the others on her team.

“From the start of my career, I noticed that some viewers were obsessed with little things like my clothes and the length of my hair,” she said. “I had to focus on lowering the pitch of my voice so I sounded more calm and professional.”

On The Bright Side

These are barriers that many female newswomen and meteorologists face. But Sutton has also found that there are advantages to being a female in her field.

“I love teaching kids about the nerdy science parts of weather and how it impacts us,” Sutton says.

One of Sutton’s best pieces of advice is aimed towards girls who are forced to choose between fine arts and literature or math and science.

“Why can’t we have both?” she says. “Girls need to explore options and try different things. Don’t let anyone tell you that you must choose between one or the other. You may end up excelling in theater and calculus.”

Click here to watch Emily share her experience with a close call tornado.

Emily Sutton and several other female meteorologists shared their experiences and perspectives at the 2016 National Tornado Summit in March. The summit site shared this about Sutton’s session:

“Being a meteorologist and predicting potentially deadly weather isn’t a job for the faint of heart and some would argue it’s even more difficult for those that are female. Get the forecast wrong, and you’re liable to be labeled just a weather girl, but over the decade’s women are increasingly taking on the role of meteorologists and making strides in the fields of science and meteorology.”

State Farm is proud to be a sponsor of the 2016 National Tornado Summit and encourages both girls and boys to follow their dreams.

Jennifer Patterson knows what it’s like to lose something special. When she was five-years-old, her playhouse was destroyed by a tornado. The remains were found in the neighbor’s yard, scattered like matchsticks.

Growing up in tornado alley, you learn at an early age to plan and drill – especially for Oklahoma tornados.

March 25, 2015 was just another day at work for Jennifer, the executive director of nonprofit Aim High Academy. She didn’t anticipate anything unusual, just the daily ritual of running a nonprofit in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The day was filled with helping young girls prepare for a state gymnastics competition. They had trained all season, and the gym was packed with more than 60 girls polishing off preparations to their routines.

Aim High Academy is a faith-based nonprofit that uses gymnastics to give children hope and confidence to succeed in life. Established in 2007 by Patterson, the organization teaches more than 250 children each week, and sponsors a competitive gymnastics team of 40 girls who take part in competitions across the country.

Patterson knew the Tulsa area was under a weather watch, but that’s nothing unusual for Oklahoma. “It was a typical spring day for us,” she remembers.

While sitting in her office, she heard the weather radio alarm activate. The alert did not include the Tulsa area, but it heightened awareness and reminded her to review disaster plans with Aim High’s staff. She quietly made the rounds, making sure each staff person remembered what to do and where to go if the weather deteriorated.

“I was keeping my eyes on the clouds and they began to turn green,” she said. One of the parents shared weather reports of possible rotations to our west.”

Suddenly she had an urge: “Get them to the basement now.” As she turned to take action, the weather radio activated again and the preparation began to pay off. Instructors quickly and efficiently moved all students to the basement of the gym.

As they gathered in the cold dampness, the lights flickered, then went out. Children began to panic. One of the instructors pulled out a guitar and started playing music to soothe them. The wind and noise increased outside, and the group began to pray in the darkness.

Several instructors waited upstairs to help members of the neighborhood get safely below ground. Being able to step into a basement is a rarity in the state. In fact, because of Oklahoma’s soft, red clay, the Aim High gymnasium was one of less than one percent of structures in the state with a basement.

The roof began to peel away and disappear, while loud creaks, cracks and bangs sounded. A rushing wind left a vivid memory for Jennifer. “I felt as if my insides were lifting up, and then there was silence,” she said. “All that was left was the sound of crying children and running water.”

When Jennifer finally climbed the stairs and opened the basement door, a wall of water gushed in from broken pipes and torrential rain. The sight of clouds and lightning was unnerving, especially when she had expected to see a roof overhead. Large portions of the building had collapsed around them.

She stood in shock looking at the sight around her, silently thanking God for the safety he had provided for the many children below. A calm came over Jennifer and she descended back to the basement with a smile and reassurances for the young gymnasts.

When rescue crews arrived and saw the destruction, they feared the worst. “Then everybody realized what a miracle it was,” Tulsa Fire Department Captain Toby Houck told a FOX 23 television news reporter.

They found everyone safe and unharmed in the basement. Water had risen to most of the girls’ knees. Firefighters quickly shed their own coats, wrapped them around the children and carried them one-by-one to safety.

“The compassion and tenderness the firefighters showed our students was overwhelming,” Jennifer said. “For a child that had just experienced the trauma of a disaster, having a firefighter angel carry them to safety and the arms of their parents was very comforting.”

Not one person out of the more than 60 who weathered the storm in the collapsed gymnasium sustained injuries.

That tenderness played itself out again in June when State Farm provided a disaster recovery grant to Aim High Academy. Tulsa firefighters were reunited for the first time with the children they had saved. Unscripted and without warning, the little gymnasts rushed across a room at a hotel ballroom and took turns embracing and thanking those who had saved them. News media, legislators and other public figures attending the event were visibly moved, several brought to tears.

While she’s back to her daily workday ritual, Jennifer remains vigilant. She believes in miracles and in being prepared. Besides staying on top of the best exit and safe routes, she keeps a storm kit on hand. It contains essentials that could be useful during and after a disaster.

Armed with her resources and faith, Jennifer is ready to do cartwheels around any challenge – just like her talented young performers do every time they take to the floor.

Sabrina Mabry had hit rock bottom. She was tired of living a life addicted to drugs and making unhealthy decisions. She was on her way back to jail. Again.

She had nowhere to turn. No one to help. No hope.

For some women in Oklahoma, this is a common story.

Oklahoma has the dubious distinction of a female incarceration rate nearly twice the national average. Tulsa County is the largest contributor to the statistic. Nearly 3,000 women are in Oklahoma prisons with an estimated 7,000 children impacted. More than 75 percent of the arrests are for non-violent offenses.

According to the George Kaiser Family Foundation, the path for many of these women to incarceration begins early, with physical and sexual abuse, a chaotic home environment and poverty. These challenges lead to problems in school, followed by substance abuse and addiction. To top it off, children with incarcerated parents in turn have a significant risk of being incarcerated themselves. Without some type of intervention, the heartbreaking cycle seems unstoppable.

Going back to jail became a yearly occurrence for Sabrina. “I finally came to the point where I realized that I needed something different in my life. I craved structure and stability, but the only place that gave me that was prison. I was looking for a hope that I didn’t think existed.”

Enter hope in the form of the Women in Recovery program.

With a focus on improving the lives of at-risk women and children, the George Kaiser Family Foundation prioritized an innovative community response to address the unprecedented rate of female incarceration in Oklahoma. The Foundation partnered with non-profit Family Children’s Services and developed Women in Recovery. The program gives women an alternative to the destructive lifestyles they have become addicted to. It rehabilitates non-violent female offenders with children, and includes substance abuse treatment, trauma therapy, safe housing, parenting classes, employment and vocational training, and health and dental care.

Women in Recovery trains women for the workforce and offers employment through partnerships with several Tulsa businesses and non-profits. As Sabrina worked her way through the program, she started to gain confidence, and eventually landed a job as a quality control technician for a company that manufactures complex metal components for the airline industry. She loves the stability and structure that the work offers.

But on this day, Mabry is busy pulling weeds and picking up trash in a north Tulsa neighborhood for the non-profit Rebuilding Together Tulsa. Part of the Women in Recovery program is giving back through volunteerism. Rebuilding Together teaches basic construction skills to the participants so they can in turn help others. State Farm gives a grant to Rebuilding Together Tulsa for their outstanding work offering employable skills training to women in the program.

Dianne Hughes, the program director of self-sufficiency for Women in Recovery, says that partnerships with businesses and non-profits that hire participants offer another step toward self-sufficiency. “A Rebuilding Together Tulsa representative meets with the women every month to discuss the difference between basic tools and how to use them. In turn, our participants volunteer for events like Rebuilding so we can give back to the community as well.”

Sabrina is a new person these days. She is sober, and has been part of the Women in Recovery program for 11 months. Thanks to her participation, she is employed and looking for her own house. She volunteers her time to help others on a regular basis.

But more than any of those things, if you look closely, you can see a smile on her face and hope in her eyes.

Everyone in Tulsa Knows Debra

The amazing smell washes over you when you open the door. You try to fight it, but your mouth can’t help but water as you scan the trays of glazed donuts, long johns, cinnamon rolls, fritters, and bear claws.

It’s not a fair fight.

The manager at the counter of Cherry Street Daylight Donuts smiles and greets everyone. And they smile back at her. Almost everyone in Tulsa, OK knows Debra Dickens Holmes.

Debra does tax preparation, teaches child passenger safety and defensive driving courses, and owns a donut shop.

Oh yeah, and she’s a cop. A cop with a donut shop.

“I know what everyone thinks,” Debra says as she laughs. “But for me, this is about developing relationships with people, celebrating birthdays with the kids, and being a part of a big, happy family.”

Public Servant and Public Service

A Tulsa Police Officer for 28 years, Debra’s well known around town. A member of the Safe Kids Coalition in Tulsa, Debra has installed thousands of car seats. One event she coordinates in a Tulsa minority community even includes a car seat giveaway combined with a massive Easter egg hunt.

Among numerous other activities, Debra also coordinates a statewide awards event for Oklahoma law enforcement efforts in traffic safety called the Buckledown Awards. State Farm supports many of these events and organizations through Good Neighbor Citizenship grants and local volunteers.

“When I was a new police officer, I realized very quickly I could enforce the law all day by writing tickets,” Debra says. “But I wanted to be involved in preventing those things from happening in the first place.”

And that’s how the donut shop happened.

A Cop Buys a Donut Shop

While spending her Saturdays teaching defensive driving courses, Debra would stop to buy donuts for her class.

She got to know the owners of the donut shop and was made aware of their plans to sell the business. “I fell in love with the people there and thought this would be a great way to make people happy.”

In the fall of 2014 Debra bought Cherry Street Daylight Donuts and began making Tulsans happy.

On any given day, her uncles, mother, son and other family members are greeting customers along with Debra, sharing some sugary sweet happiness.

“As my career as a policeman winds down, I wanted to continue to touch people in a positive way. The donut shop helps me connect with the community and impact people’s lives.”­

Sadly, his small town community has faced tornadoes of historic proportions – two of those storms among the strongest ever recorded. His city, home to beautiful neighborhoods and thriving economic development, has earned the unfortunate distinction as the frequent target of killer tornadoes.

“By 2013 we were beginning to ask some questions of each other,” said Terry Cavnar, State Farm Agent and Moore City Council Member. “We can no longer ignore this. We can’t say this isn’t going to happen again because it continues to happen. So, we began to look at the options.”

In the past 15 years, the city of Moore has fallen victim to tornadoes on three separate occasions. In 1999, an EF-5 tornado swept through the community causing $1.2 billion in damage, and taking 40 lives. In 2003, an EF-4 devastated the town. Most recently in 2013, Moore faced a second EF-5, killing 24 and causing $2 billion in damage.

After each storm, Drake and other city officials were left to wonder what – if anything – they could do to better prepare their community for these catastrophic storms. After the 2013 storm, they decided to take action.

A Time To Act

The search for answers led to the formation of a special committee made up of council members, builders and citizens to re-examine building codes and ensure all new construction was best equipped to deal with extreme weather.

The committee called on Chris Ramseyer, Associate Professor-Civil Engineering at the University of Oklahoma to help in the planning effort. Even before the 2013 storm, Ramseyer had been studying the performances of residential structures in high-wind events and was very familiar with the city’s plight.

“I was here the next morning,” Ramseyer said of his hours following the 2013 tornado. Amongst the utter devastation, Ramseyer found what he was looking for. “We had a house with a slab essentially wiped clean. It was EF5 damage,” he said. But just seventy feet away, a home stood largely intact. The two homes were too close to have provided for much difference in wind speed, Ramseyer concluded that the structure must have saved the second home.

The committee developed their plan of attack and agreed all future homes needed to be practical, affordable and repeatable on a large scale.

“Chris looked at it from both structural integrity and also cost. The impact it would have on the cost of residential construction,” said Drake. “And I think the homebuilders bought into that, and they had confidence in him.”

Building Better AND Stronger

The result was to refine the building technique, rather than adding new materials. The new approach called for a change in the basic house framing, pushing builders and contractors to expand upon their normal approach. Longtime Moore builder, Tom Pollard notes,“ it’s not even a big cost issue, it’s just an educational process.”

“The biggest difference is in the framing,” said Cavnar. “With some more tie-ins, especially between the walls and the roofing, strengthening in your openings, framed openings, windows and doors.”

In addition to the added protection, there was more good news: The cost.

“Our research shows that you can do it for a cost of roughly a dollar a square foot,” said Ramseyer.

Drake and the committee are enthusiastic about this new approach as a means to protect, preserve and prepare the homes of Moore.

“We were ecstatic,” said Terry Cavnar. “We could do something that would withstand an F3 tornado, 135 miles an hour, for a minimal amount of cost. We were thrilled.”

And while the success of these measures will ultimately be born out in the coming tornado seasons, for now this process stands out as a great example of what can be accomplished when a community works together.

“This has been one of the easiest code changes I’ve been involved in,” said Drake. “I didn’t think that would be the case when we started this process, but it was.”