Posted by DJ on May 07, 1999 at 00:58:29:
Just wanted to give ya'll an update on the tornado that ripped thru Wichita and Haysville Monday night.
I have a friend at one of the local fire departments here. Today, he put me in one of the department's vehicles and drove me through the ENTIRE LENGTH of the destruction caused here in Kansas. We were able to go anywhere we wanted without having to be challenged by police, National Guard, etc. I'm here to tell you, the pictures on the TV do the devastation absolutely no justice!!
There IS some good news that somehow came out of it all. Coming from someone who has seen the extent of the damage first hand, and this may sound strange, but it is ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE that we only lost five lives in this mess.
It was nine o-clock on a Monday night. A time when the majority of the folks around here would be realaxing in their homes. County officials said "There were 8,480 homes, businesses, apartment buildings and other structures damaged in Sedgwick County; 1,109 destroyed." How more lives were not lost, I have NO CLUE! It's absolutely amazing!
The general love and support that this community, and this country, has shared since this terrible act of Mother Nature amazes me. Power crews, insurance agents, police, fire departments, plummers, carpenters, and friends have come from hundreds and hundreds of miles around to help the folks in this area in their time of need. All doing whatever they can to try and help put people's devastated live's back together.
You know what? Kinda reminds me of this site...