Needs mounting as fire toll grows

With fire-squelching rains hopefully headed for western Oklahoma tonight and over the weekend, some attention is now being directed towards helping ranchers and ordinary citizens impacted by the devastating wildfires.
Hay and feed are already coming into the area, but those who can’t provide that type of aid can still help with a very common commodity – money.
“Please keep in mind that monetary donations are the best way to help people affected by the wildfires,” says an advisory notice distributed by State Veterinarian Dr. Rod Hall through local vets. “Hay is very useful right now, but in a short time fencing material will be needed to rebuild or repair fences.”
Another group that will be needing donations is local fire departments, whose resources have been stretched to the limits, and some of which have had firefighting equipment destroyed. 
“Most of the departments operate on a limited budget and need funds for fuel and repair of vehicles and equipment,” said Dr. Hall’s release.
Whatever the group, all donations need to be made through reputable sources, said Dr. Alvin Baumwart, a Clinton veterinarian. Three agencies listed in Dr. Hall’s literature as reliable funnels for donations to agricultural producers are the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Foundation, the Oklahoma Farmers and Ranchers Foundation, and the Oklahoma Farmers Union Foundation.
“As veterinarians, we want to disseminate this information,” said Dr. Baumwart. “What I’m finding today is there’s a control center in Vici (one of the hardest hit towns in neighboring Dewey County) to help these producers.”
Local agencies helping in that effort are the Town of Vici, the Vici Chamber of Commerce, and Vici High School.
The town’s telephone number is 580-995-4435.
City Clerk Kari Lipham said Thursday afternoon that she and chamber representative Tammy Kemp “are helping to organize and keep things rolling on a fairly calm basis.” She said they’ve been feeding firefighters every morning, noon and night, as well as taking donations of household items and toiletries and disseminating them to people who were living in the 32 homes around Vici that have been destroyed.
“We haven’t moved on to replacing furniture and larger items yet,” she said.
Ms. Kemp is running the chamber side of the operation which is providing food and clothing to those who need it and overseeing production of meals for the firefighters.
Donations may be made to the Town of Vici or the Chamber of Commerce with checks marked “Wildfires” in the memo line.
The town’s phone number is 580-995-4435. The high school, which is also heavily involved in the relief effort, may be contacted at 580-995-4251.
Ms. Lipham said all the residential losses have been outside the city limits – that the firefighters have been successful in keeping the flames outside the town itself.
An attempt to reach Dr. Jess Pollock, veterinarian at the county seat, Taloga, was unsuccessful Thursday. Besides trying to tend to animals for his neighbors, he reportedly lost two-thirds of his own herd to the fires, so it was not surprising that his phone was not answered the one time the Daily News tried calling him. 
Dr. Baumwart said the needs are great, some in ways people might not think about.
For instance, he said there are many orphaned calves because they can’t nurse. That’s because the udders of the mother cows have been burned.
Addresses for the three relief agencies listed in Dr. Hall’s release are as follows:
• Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Foundation – P.O. Box 82395, Oklahoma City, OK 73148. The release said checks should be made payable to Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Foundation with “Fire Relief” listed in the memo line. Online donations may be made at www.okcattlemen.org.
• Oklahoma Farmers and Ranchers Foundation – 2501 N. Stiles, Oklahoma City, OK 73105. Checks should be made to that foundation. To donate online, the address is www.okfarmingandranching.org.
• Oklahoma Farmers Union Foundation – Wildfire Relief, P.O. Box 24000, Oklahoma City, OK 73124. Again, checks should be made to the foundation and marked “Wildfire Relief.” No online listing was given.
For farmers and ranchers requesting indemnity for losses, Dr. Hall’s release suggested they contact their county’s Farm Service Agency (FSA).
It said they will need to properly document their livestock losses, including the number and kind lost.
Documentation may include the following:
• Photos or video records, dated if possible.
• Proof that the livestock deaths resulted from an adverse event in the calendar year for which benefits are being requested.
• Records of various types, including: Veterinarian, bank or other loan documents, rendering truck receipts or certificates, Federal Emergency Management Agency records, National Guard records, written contracts, production records, tax records, insurance documentation, etc.
The release said if adequate verifiable proof of death is not available, FSA will accept reliable records with verifiable beginning and ending inventories.
County Extension offices may be able to help too, and it was suggested that the appropriate FSA office be notified as soon as possible.
The release listed rules for burying dead livestock, including the requirement for construction of a pit and checking to make sure no oil or gas pipelines or underground utilities run through the area. Also, burial pits should not be within 300 feet of wells, state waters, neighboring residences, public areas or property lines.
Carcasses should be covered with a minimum 2½ feet of topsoil and checked periodically to ensure that wild animals are not digging and dragging the remains away.