Sunday, April 09, 2000
Disaster team helped, then quietly left
The Tornado: One Year Later
They came, they saw, they helped tremendously, then they kind of disappeared. Many tornado victims never got their name, which is Advanced Training Institute's Air Land Emergency Resource Team (ALERT).
“It's amazing, you could really see the hand of God,” said Joanne Cunningham, whose home on Marlette Drive in Sycamore Township sustained $18,000 in damage. “I was impressed by that ministry that came in from Michigan, and didn't get a chance to thank them.”
She wasn't alone.
The 5-year-old institute is a Christian-based school that trains students in emergency services and wears distinctive blue military-style uniforms. It was here for several weeks, removing trees and other debris, including eight from Mrs. Cunningham's yard. Two were big pine trees.
“It's always encouraging to hear that,” operations officer Russell Moulton said from the organization's headquarters in Watersmeet, Mich. “We do get response back in different ways, they'd mail out cards, say thank you, but because we work through the townships, we oftentimes get away without saying goodbye to the people.”
On April 29, the organization will return to Manchester, Ohio, for followup to its Ohio River flood recovery assistance in 1997.
“People want to support us, so we're always...,” Mr. Moulton said, pausing. “It's hard to put in words.”
TORNADO: Powerful storm taught powerful lessons
A dog survives, a family feels blessed
Crisis response: 'I'm the person who saved my family'
Sense of humor turns overwhelmed to upbeat
Day of thanksgiving for those who helped
Disaster team helped, then quietly left
Lessons in the whirlwind
Memories of kindness ease memories of fear
More and better sirens expand storms warnings
Painting portrays sunflower rebirth
The graveyard of the trees
The roof went straight up, the house flew away
Tree a reminder of a boss who cared
Tornado of '99 archive
