“Once we heard the tornado warning sirens, we ran into the basement of our apartment building. We expected to hear more of a train sound since that is what most people describe when a tornado touches down. All we heard was tons of wind, so when we finally came out of the basement we were surprised that the tornado had hit so close to us.” -Laura

For young people in Nebraska, tornadoes are part of growing up. You can say they are the hurricanes of the prairie states. Last week, tornadoes caused damage all across Nebraska. 

Laura Larsen, a recent graduate of the University of Kearney, described what it was like to go through the storm.  Laura was lucky that she and her friends came out the storm safe and that their apartment had minimal damage.  That wasn't the case for an apartment building just down the block from her.  The roof was torn off and trees knocked down power lines.  Many students who are here for summer classes and work must now stay with friends until the damage can be repaired.

Kearney and Aurora Hit Hard

Kearney and Aurora, two cities in Nebraska, were both hit hard by last week's tornadoes.  Omaha, our state's most populated city, also had damage.  Fields flooded, which means farmers may have to replant a damaged crop at great cost and, since it is already late to plant corn, potentially lower their yields. Roofs of businesses, houses and apartment complexes were tore off.  Power lines are still down.  Center pivots for irrigating fields are now upside down and twisted into piles of metal.  Semi-trailer trucks were overturned and trains were derailed.

As I drove around Kearney and Aurora to see the damage first hand, I had to navigate all the tree limbs that were strewn throughout the streets.  But I also saw in addition to all the damage a strong sense of community spirit. Neighbors were helping each other cut down trees and pick up large pieces of trash.  There was also the unique spirit of comradery by a group of young people helping each other grill the extra meat and drink the extra beer that would go to waste since the power was still out and refrigerators were not working.

Steve Leach of Leach Insurance told me that about 60 pivots are down in Aurora, each costing roughly $60,000.  There are also grain bins that have been damaged and other farming equipment.  While many farmers have insurance, no one really has insurance for clean up, which during a tornado can be very expensive and very time consuming. 

That's where theKiewit Companyand Nebraska labor unions came in—employees with Kiewit and members of unions are currently in Aurora building a new ethanol plant. They have the needed equipment that can clean up the large pieces of debris and cut the tree limbs into manageable pieces for the city to discard. 

Instead of just worrying about the cleanup of their construction site, they took the equipment into town and started to help families.  Aurora is a small town of about 4,200. The help the folks provided the residents was a perfect example of that sense of community and willingness to work together to overcome adversity that many people carry here in Nebraska.

The Red Cross and National Guard Respond

Help did not end, however, at the neighbor-to-neighbor level.  TheRed Crossupgraded the damaged areas from a Level One to a Level Three disaster which qualifies the affected areas for federal funds and for nationally trained volunteers to come in and help with the clean-up and rebuilding efforts.  The Red Cross is always the first place people go in times of emergencies like tornados, and our local Red Cross is no different.  

The evening the tornado hit they were already setting up shelters for families.  In the morning, they sent assessment crews to check on people and begin the documentation process of all the damage.  Many volunteers didn't sleep that night and worked all the next day.  It didn't even cross their mind to stop working. 

The resiliency of the volunteers and of so many Nebraskans came through strong.

The Red Cross was not alone in the assessment and clean-up efforts.  TheNebraska National Guardwas called to be on standby in case they were needed.  I talked to a young National Guard member, Megan Haack.  While they haven't yet needed her unit, which is the 1074th Transportation Unit Detachment 3, they are still on call in case the damage that was done by the tornado is too much for other units to handle. 

Getting the call to serve for Megan is one she welcomes.  Even though her own apartment was safe in the storm, the outside of her apartment is a different story.  A tree has been uprooted and lots of clean-up is needed.  But her connection to this larger tragedy goes beyond her own immediate needs. She and her fellow Guardsmen are ready, in fact it's the very reason they signed up for the National Guard, to serve our nation.  Helping people is in Megan's blood. 

Be Ready

Once you see a storm up close, it reminds you to get prepared.  The Red Cross's online pamphlets on how to survive in a various disasters, whether it is atornado,fireor other type of emergency are invaluable sources of information.  Laura and her friends did the right thing by going to the basement.  If they didn't have time to make it to the basement, the next best thing would have been for Laura to get into a bathroom or closet.

In addition to the pamphlets, The Red Cross has an amazing resource that every young person and young family in Nebraska should know about. Be Red Cross Readyis an educational video online that goes through how you can be prepared for a disaster and gives printable lists to help create emergency kits and plans.

The Red Cross can only provide resources like Be Red Cross Ready because of the funding they receive fromindividualsand the funding they get from our government through federal agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security. 

Laura and her friends didn't need the Red Cross emergency services after the tornado, but residents all over Nebraska did this past week.  As the storm hit and the emergency services kicked into gear, it reminds me how critical it is use our electoral power to elect candidates who support proven programs like The Red Cross and the National Guard. 

So, when you are attending a town hall or a live blog this election season, ask the candidates where they stand on emergency preparedness funding for local communities, funding for our National Guard and for national organizations like The Red Cross.  And if you want to take a step even further, think about becoming atrained Red Cross volunteeror a member of theNational Guard.  They need your trained extra hands, and you never know when one of your friends, neighbors or nation will need you.