Brent Taylor, president/CEO of the $892 million Weokie CreditUnion, said the credit union's branch in Moore, Okla., sustained nodamage and its employees escaped harm by gathering in the branch'svault when a killer tornado at least half-mile wide with 200 mphwinds ripped through the Oklahoma City southern suburb Mondayafternoon

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Taylor also said an Oklahoma Educators Credit Union branch alsowas not destroyed. However, the Tinker Federal Credit Union Moorebranch was obliterated and its vault that protected TFCU employeesfrom harm was the only thing left standing in the violent storm'saftermath, he said.

John Cassidy, president/CEO of the Moore-based Credit UnionServices Center, said his facility was not damaged and itsemployees were not harmed. The center remains closed, however,because of no power.

The tornado stuck about a mile or so south of the center, saidJohn Cassidy, president/CEO of the Credit Union Services Centers,which manages Oklahoma's shared branching network. He said CUmembers can access cash at other nearby ATMs and branches that areoperating.

“Our employees took shelter in the branch. When the storm passedthe employees went home and closed that particular branch for theday,” Cassidy said in an interview Tuesday. “There were no injuriesand no property damage. Conceivably, when the power is back we canhopefully get our operations up and running. But given whathappened yesterday, it's an open question how quickly it's going totake to get the power up and running.”

Taylor said the Weokie CU branch was about a quarter mile fromthe tornado's path of destruction.

“The branch has minor debris on it and it's dirty, but there isno structural damage,” said Taylor in an interview Tuesday morning.“Our (employee) team is fine. They were in the vault and they arefine. At this point in time, we don't have access to the facilityor the area and there is no power, so it remains closed at thistime.”

There were about 10 employees working in the branch when thetornado approached.

“They followed our procedures related to storm events and theyrode out the tornado inside the vault,” he said.

Taylor also said he received reports from his branch employeesthat the Tinker FCU branch, which is less than a tenth of a milefrom the Weokie CU branch, was obliterated by the tornado. Taylorsaid Weokie employees witnessed the tornado's destruction afterthey walked out of the vault and closed the branch.

“The (Tinker FCU) branch was in the path of the (tornado's)destruction and all that was remaining was the vault,” Taylor said.The Tinker FCU branch is about 500 feet east from the Moore MedicalCenter that was also hit by the twister. Patients have beenevacuated.

TFCU posted a statement on its website that said the branchsustained “considerable damage” and that all of its employees atthe branch escaped into the vault. Employees were released from thevault with the assistance of first responders, according to thestatement.

The credit union said all personal safe deposit boxes aresecure. In addition to the Moore location, the Tinker FCU'sNortheast Oklahoma City branch also is closed until power can berestored. All other Tinker FCU locations are open.

“We were really fortunate. We don't have anybody from(Weokie CU) that we are aware of who lost family members or hadsignificant damage to their properties,” Taylor said. “We obviouslyhave people having trouble reaching their homes at this time andwill have some damage to correct, but we were spared the worst ofit. “

Michael Kloiber, president/CEO of the $3 billion Tinker FCU, andCindy White, president/CEO of the $106 million Oklahoma EducatorsCU, were unavailable for comment Tuesday morning.