Wednesday, May 29th, 2019

Governor declares a state of emergency

Twister Devastates

By William Kincaid
Photo by Dan Melograna/The Daily Standard

Gov. Mike DeWine gestures as he talks with reporters during a news conference Tuesday after surveying the tornado damage in Celina with mayor Jeffrey Hazel, left, Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey and first lady Fran Dewine.

CELINA - Gov. Mike DeWine visited Celina Tuesday to assess the damage wrought by an EF3 tornado that swept through the northwestern part of the city and to let people know he's aware of their suffering.
He also said he'll look into the possibility of securing federal funding for the storm-ravaged area.
"We're going to do everything we can. I've already talked to Vice President (Mike) Pence today who called me. He said, 'Look, we're here to help,' " DeWine told reporters at an afternoon news conference on the lawn of Little Flower Learning Center on Touvelle Street, not far from the tornado's path of destruction. "We have to do initial assessments that are done locally."
Later in the day, DeWine declared a state of emergency in Mercer County as well as Greene and Montgomery counties, which also experienced serious damage during Monday night's severe weather.
The declaration allows state agencies to provide resources and support beyond their normal authority, under the direction of the Ohio Emergency Management Agency, according to a news release.
Moreover, the Department of Administrative Services will suspend state purchasing requirements to support recovery efforts and obtain needed resources such as water and generators more quickly and efficiently, the release noted.
The state also helped coordinate efforts among the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Mercer County Sheriff's Office and local law enforcement.
"As people start putting their lives back together, then we're going to see what federal assistance might be available," the Republican governor said.
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said in a news release that his office remains ready to help with recovery efforts and is working with local communities and state officials to see how it can assist in the rebuilding process.
"If Governor DeWine decides to seek a national emergency declaration, Senator Portman and I will be working with the President to get these communities the assistance and support they need as fast as possible," Brown said.
Celina was the first stop on DeWine's tour through storm-ravaged areas of the state. In Celina, he was accompanied by his wife, Fran; Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey; Celina Mayor Jeff Hazel; Ohio Auditor Keith Faber; state Sen. Matt Huffman, R-Lima; and state Rep. Susan Manchester, R-Waynesfield, among others.
The confirmed EF3 tornado packing 150-mph winds leveled homes, toppled power lines and picked up and spat out vehicles.
"We had the opportunity to fly over on a helicopter and take a look at the damage, and it's devastating when you see it from the air, and it's devastating when you actually go out and see the damage that's been done to homes," DeWine said.
But after talking with people who lost everything, DeWine said he was really able to understand what a tornado can do. He said he had talked with a couple who didn't have a basement, so they took cover in a bathtub - doing exactly the right thing.
"The husband jumped on top of the family, and it really saved their lives," he said.
Then he spoke to a wife who had persuaded her husband to take shelter in the basement, DeWine pointed out. Seconds later, the couple's home was basically gone, he said.
"I wanted to come here today just to express to people our sympathy," DeWine said. "We can't pretend to understand what they've been through, but we wanted to let them know that we care very, very much."
Secondly, he wanted to speak with Hazel and Grey.
"Cleanup efforts are certainly ongoing right now. It's amazing to see what this community does. When things get their worst, that's when the best comes out in them," Hazel said, adding he was pleased that DeWine had come to see the damage firsthand.
Hazel said 40 homes had either been destroyed or damaged in Celina.
"The kids that are out there helping to pick up and clean up, we're seeing tremendous strides," Hazel continued. "The city is currently out there hauling away the debris in the streets. We're trying to help them in every way that we can as well."
Grey said about 15 homes outside Celina were damaged during the storm.
"Not near the devastation that we have in Celina," he said. "This is a great community. It will recover. What the community gets to see now is everybody coming together in the community."
Grey said he was so proud to see local agencies including local fire departments and emergency medical services, local law enforcement, highway patrol and sheriff's office, pulling together to get people the help they needed.
DeWine extolled the resiliency of the community, pointing to the multitudes that could be seen at every house that had been hit by the storm.
"And it's not just the family, but they've got a whole bunch of neighbors, a whole bunch of friends who have come in and sometimes total strangers who have come in, and they're already hauling the (damaged) stuff out to the street," DeWine said.
The community is coming together in a time of great tragedy, DeWine continued, adding that Mercer County has always been a county of families and people helping people.

Find links to all other tornado coverage on this page including stories, map, albums and video.
Additional online stories on this date
Twister Devastates
CELINA - As residents in northwestern Celina cleared away broken glass, busted doors, roof shingles and other debris blasted about their properties during the previous night's tornado, city crews on Tuesday were busy hauling that wreckage away and re-establishing power. [More]
CELINA - The twister that tore up northwestern Celina on Monday night was at least an EF3 tornado, packing top wind speeds of 150 mph, according to the National Weather Service of Wilmington. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
CELINA - Mercer County community members stepped up to aid neighbors affected by Monday night's tornado.
The Celina-Mercer County Chamber of Commer
The Ohio Department of Insurance shared a disaster-recovery toolkit with Ohioans on Tuesday afternoon in response to the tornadoes that struck parts western Ohio, including Celina.
Residents go to work clearing away debris
CELINA - Residents came together on Tuesday to begin picking up debris and rebuilding in the wake of Monday night's EF3 tornado.
Volunteers' cars e
CELINA - State Auditor and Celina resident Keith Faber praised the various volunteers and community members working to pick up the pieces after a confirmed EF3 tornado barreled through neighborhoods late Monday night, killing one person.
ST. MARYS - Council members are considering an ordinance to rezone 1.605 acres of land for residential construction, an issue that had split the city's planning committee 3-2.
St. Henry
ST. HENRY - One of the village's two tornado sirens didn't work during Monday night's storm, preventing some residents from hearing the alert, council members learned at Tuesday's meeting.
NEW BREMEN - A contingent of village residents again attended Tuesday's council meeting to hear more about the site for a planned electrical substation.
Division III Regional Semifinal Preview
Call it an omen of good luck or just the way the games pan out, but Coldwater is facing the same regional foe it did during a run to the 2014 state championship.
Wildcats peaking at the right time
Coaches like to talk about having their teams peak during the postseason.
For Minster baseball coach Mike Wiss, his team is completely different from a month ago when the Wildcats were barely above .500.
Grand Lake Mariners General Manager John Dorner made a series of announcements this week related to organizational needs and future happenings with the season on deck.