Oklahoma is Assisting Low-Income Families with Propane Bills - KTEN.com - No One Gets You Closer

Oklahoma is Assisting Low-Income Families with Propane Bills

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By Cathy Evans, Reporter / Meteorologist - bio | email

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ATOKA -- Since the temperatures have been so cold and propane has been very expensive recently, the Governor of Oklahoma is giving additional funding to help low-income families stay warm this winter.

"It's been really tough because we use propane in several different areas of the facility, some for heating, some for fork lifts and some for batch oven for our powder coat painting," explains Keith Cochran, the General Manager for Diamond Attachments in Atoka.

His business is one of many feeling the burden of the propane shortage in Oklahoma.

Of course they are not the only ones, low income families are being hit the most.

"It's going to hurt a lot people that don't really have the money to be able to fill up a tank and especially with the colder weather we have coming in and their usage is up," says Cochran.

So this year the state of Oklahoma is giving assistance out one month early.

"This year due to the bad weather and the high cost of propane and energy in general the Governor made a declaration and moved it up to February," says Freda House with the Department of Human Services for Atoka, Bryan, and Coal counties.

House says many people need it right now.

"When you are having to make a choice between being warm or eating or taking medicine its not a good place to be in and so that's one of the reasons for this program," says House.

Eligibility for the program is based off a household's income and your need must be immediate.

"If they have propane they have to be out or going to be out within 72 hours to be eligible for this program," says House.

The state plans to  operate the program until money runs out.

To submit an application in Oklahoma you need to visit your local Department of Human Services.