Lois M. Hunter (Br U)

Parsons, Kansas

October 12, 2000

I have no idea if this will be of any interest to the members, but am sending it anyway.

It is what happened to me, 82 years old, live alone and a little crippled, when an F(3) Tornado hit our small town, April 19, 2000.

The meaning isn’t always clear, and the typing is poor, but it is an experience different than most people have.

There are quite a few blocks in the business district that are just now, Oct 12, beginning to be worked on. Our downtown fire department building, the police building were moved back into last week. But the ambulance building has been changed to a different location.

I mentioned that in the second block west of me a lot of damage to houses – they have removed all but one house in the whole block. It was that close!

The Amish people, who have been here working from the first, called my next door neighbor yesterday to tell her they would be there. The glass for her storm windows just came in, after almost 6 months.

4-23-00

I am writing this to everyone – as there is too much to tell over and over.

Parsons was VERY fortunate to have only four or five very minor injuries, no major ones, considering the terrible amount of damage that was done. I’m sure all of you have seen a lot in the paper, so will just tell you about me.

About 8:30 Wednesday, April 19, the TB siren went off. The weathermen had told, at the regular news time, about the storms in our area. I jumped up and started to get ready, and our town ones went.

I had mentally planned, for years, what I would do "in case." So grabbed two pillows, some water to drink, a robe and flashlight, a phone (which wouldn’t work) and even a book to read, in case it was a long stay. And climbed into the attic stairs. It is in the middle of the house with sturdy walls on the two sides. I was for the first time thankful that I had had to put my T. J. cat to sleep two weeks before. I doubt if I could have gotten hold of him, after he had gotten sick he hid out.

Sat there and listened to the wind blow out the three bedroom windows, upstairs, and whip and lash the venetian blinds. And of course Praying.

When the sirens quit blowing and the wind did too, I got out to see my damage. I haven’t been able to see the front of the house, but think the roof may be the only thing there, and not but a little. The west all in the front bedroom may have some, but no windows broken, thank goodness, as that is where I had to sleep. The east side didn’t even blow off a hanging birdfeeder or blow over three others. South side a different story. First, two big windows out of the storage building.

The big mess was across the alley. A pre-fab small building was hauled in a number of years ago, and it was in pieces all over my east lot, the back yard and I think one piece in my back bedroom. Then Florence’s lot on the West – the porch roof had hit my west backyard fence and two gates, leaving a big pile of broken wood and some furniture and shingles even – even a 1’ x 2’ piece in my bedroom. The wind had broke out the lower windows, storm window and screen, leaving the wind to blow a gale through, and scatter two sheets of broken glass and dirt on the floor by my bed. It broke storm windows out of two other windows next to it. Think an aluminum awning saved the two other above the broken one.

On the two single windows to the south, three of the storm windows were gone and the top of the southwest was all gone. More glass on the floor and some on my bed. The wind blowing in there, too, and the temperature got down to 38 and no higher than 46. (Continued next page)

Tornado!!! (Continued)

Just heard that there is quite a bit of damage on the siding on the west side. It is aluminum and been on for about 50 years. Cost all of $1,500 for the same on the roof; they didn’t want to do it but Dad insisted.

Forgot, the other bad door is the back one. The screen also had a thermal glass, and it shattered into millions of tiny pieces. The small 15" square back window, covered with hardware cloth to keep people from breaking it and reaching in to unlock the door, also shattered. Those pieces were all over the floor and are very hard to sweep up.

Also, Just found out today that the wall where the washer and dryer are, the north wall, of the room we added (next to the back door) has been moved away from the main house. A strip of light, almost 1 inch wide, can be seen from inside. No damage in the basement, thank goodness, just put all that new big electric water tank in, and other equipment, last November.

Well, when the storm was over, no electricity – so no heat, no lights, no refrigeration. No TV. No cell-phone, no cordless ones. But, the ATT here has its own generator, so we did have that. But, of course, that phone was only in three places in the house – widely separated, and the closest one was on the bed, next to the broken window and all the glass on the floor, Oh, and a door shut to keep out the cold air – and some distance so could barely hear the bell. And I got a lot of phone calls, with people worried when I didn’t answer.

Had the bright idea, when my neighbor lady came over, to have her take up a strip of plastic from the living room floor, and put it over the glass, from the bathroom door to my bed, and the phone. Then the next morning I had other people bring in the others and lay over the glass in front of the other, south window, so I could get to my clothes. They just fit.

The wind was coming thru the windows – blowing hard – so I had to shut that bedroom door, to the bathroom, and the front bedroom door to the living room. And slept in the front bedroom, what little I did. As stove up as I am, the bed was very hard to get into, and quite uncomfortable. AND COLD. Especially when you are used to an electric blanket!

Was lucky enough to get a neighbor to board up the two open windows, and I culd get back into my own bed – wearing my heavy winter coat, and a couple of pair of P. J. I slept pretty good for the next two nights. Had about lost my mind not having a T.V., which I watch a LOT. But had a man bring me a portable radio, and that helped. Was awful getting out of bed and getting dressed in that COLD room. Oh, think it was Saturday morning that I did nothing but answer the door, get back to get dressed and someone would knock (bell wouldn’t ring, electric). About 10:30, when my friend came in the door to bring me my breakfast, a kitchen light came on – THE ELECTRICITY WAS BACK. I had opened and shut the refrigerator door only once a day to get out some milk, but keep the box cold. It did pretty good. Managed food pretty good with help. Thank goodness our water plant (almost new) wasn’t near. Well, that electricity was wonderful but now I wanted my T.V. (cable) and it was Wednesday noon before they got around to me. Happy Wednesday 26. One reason I need the T.V. was that I couldn’t get out. My car had all four big windows and one small one out, and glass over every-thing. Boy, glad the windshield and back were okay. As I can’t get out of most cars, too low, I didn’t dare try. So, I did not step foot off my porch for 9 days. But, was I lucky – I called the Insurance people the first day and they were here about the car quickly. Found a glass company that I didn’t have any idea would do car windows, who ordered the glass that day, took the car the next and I got it home Wednesday evening. I got to drive the 10th day.

Got to see the other side of my house – damage to the roof, siding, same on the shop building, not too bad. I have a carpenter friend who lives in Galesburg (about 15 miles) and he is coming to do all he can. Again – how lucky can I be? Within two blocks of me houses are ruined, three blocks and a house turned over and trapped 2 men for 2 hours, small injury. We have thousands of people in here from hundreds and hundreds of miles away helping. The downtown damage is terrible - about 50 businesses gone, many not to be replaced. About 700 some buildings altogether, some less than mine. Total damage between 7 and 8 million. I’m still here, THANK THE LORD!