The recent tornado that stretched from Greensburg to Plevna went right through the middle of our farm, missing our house and the farm shop by about a mile. The destruction of neighbors’ homes and loss of livestock is incredibly sad, but our entire community has rejoiced that no human lives were lost. Things can be replaced. People can’t.
Many Kansans have unfortunately experienced storms that have left a lasting terror. In almost every conversation about the most recent tornado, locals have reference having that sick-to-stomach feeling of dread because they saw the tornado headed toward Greensburg and feared the worst again. I moved to Pratt about three years after the Greensburg tornados; I have seen pictures and heard many first-hand accounts, but I don’t think I will ever understand the trauma people in Greensburg and surrounding communities felt through those horrific nights.
Some people enjoy the thrill of storms. Storm-chasing vehicles are commonly seen in our area each year during storm outbreaks. I always thought of these people as hardcore “weather nerds” but last year’s “Twister” sequel showed another type of chaser. There is no doubt storms inspire awe with their massive ominous clouds, powerful winds or raging lightning. I just struggle to see the appeal for people to travel to Kansas to watch storms destroy our communities as a sort of adventure.
About a year ago the emergency management team in Pratt County started live broadcasting during storms on Facebook from their command center. The response in our community has been pretty incredible because in that short time it has built a huge local following. It is like being a fly on the wall, seeing the weather maps, hearing reports from the storm spotter on the radio and knowing the most up-to-date information about what is happening in the county. People know when to take cover and that is saving lives.
Not a lot of good comes out of the destruction of tornados except maybe the reminder of good people in our community. When we came up from the basement after the tornado, text messages poured in from friends and neighbors checking on our safety. We jumped in the truck to go find out if any neighbors needed help and if any of our damage needed immediate attention.
Driving around felt strangely like a warped block party. There were people keeping traffic away from downed power lines, checking for injured people and animals and getting supplies needed for people with the worst damage. Our local emergency management, storm spotters, first responders, law enforcement and utility workers all deserve gratitude for the way that they selflessly serve and protect people during tornadoes and other storms.
In the days following the storm, the power of community has been on display in our neighborhood and across the footprint of the tornado. Families connected through 4-H, church or other community organizations taking animals to their homes to be cared for, sorting through rubble looking for important family mementos; local businesses donating supplies and showing up with heavy equipment to move tree limbs and debris; utility crews from across the state working to get power lines back up.
Severe weather and tornados are an unavoidable part of living in Kansas. Most people know what it is like to experience loss and know it could happen to them next. This reality of disasters and loss has made the people in our communities compassionate, giving and resilient. When bad things in Kansas, you can be sure of one good thing: friends and neighbors will be there to help.
“Insight” is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state’s largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.
