In the week and a half since the deadly tornadoes of April 9th, I’ve heard from people in the path of the tornado who say that they wouldn’t have survived without heeding the warning and advice of Meteorologists. While the damage and fatalities are hard to resolve in our minds, the key thing to remember is most people survived this tornado. And most people will see their lives return to normal after putting the pieces back together or rebuilding.
But you may be surprised to think about the long-lasting effects this will have on the local forecasters whose job it was to protect these communities from harm.
Living through a disaster of this magnitude can be extremely hard to deal with for Meteorologists. Some who have covered significant tornado events have fallen into depression with feelings of helplessness. In a Joplin Globe article, a Meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Springfield, Missouri said the 2011 tornado that tore up Joplin was like “a fist coming out of the sky.” But Mother Nature’s fist also hits square in the gut of Meteorologists.
My friend and colleague Andy Boxell, who works as a Meteorologist with the National Weather Service recalled the feelings he had after the first reports came in from Joplin. “There is undoubtedly that pit in the stomach feeling. At the same time, the storm is still ongoing, and so while it’s really, really hard to hear about everything, we almost have to disconnect for a moment and focus on the science and radar.” As survey teams assessed the damage in the days after, the emotional toll rose.
For this recent killer tornado in Northern Illinois, local Meteorologists in Rockford recall their feelings after seeing the destruction first hand. For the three broadcasters I talked to, all were born and raised in the area. Morgan Kolkmeyer of WREX-TV assumed the hardest part of that day would be covering the event. Instead, it was the days, minutes, hours, and days afterward. “My heart breaks for these people. I have known these towns, these buildings, these homes, and these fields for years. Destruction was done on roads I’ve driven a hundred times, near places I’ve visited over and over, through areas where I grew up.” Candice King of WTVO-TV was awestruck driving down Irene Road. “I came across a farmstead that was completely destroyed. In my mind I thought, ‘This is something you see out in Oklahoma, not in Illinois.'”
The sight of the damage and the struggles survivors are going through are hard to deal with. Mark Henderson of WIFR-TV says there are still sleepless nights. “Seeing the damage daily is still really difficult. It’s really hard to wrap my arms around the fact that people lost their lives during this storm.”
But now that the days have turned into weeks and the feeling of helplessness has turned into reflection. Kolkmeyer looks back on the times she chased and photographed tornadoes. “I have always understood how much damage and destruction comes from these events, but it’s a much tougher pill to swallow when the damage is done to places surrounding your hometown.” Henderson says the generosity and support of nearby communities has helped him deal with the tragedy. But most important is the “outreach from colleagues, friends, and complete strangers” who have helped him understand the value, impact, and importance of Broadcast Meteorologists.
This isn’t about covering up someone’s programming with weather information, it’s about saving and protecting lives.
Author’s Note: Like my colleagues, I was born and raised in Northern Illinois. Fairdale is a community I know. When I first saw the pictures I was like ‘No, that’s not happening. That can’t be happening.’ But it was. And unfortunately it will happen again. It could be Rockford, Freeport, Dixon, Davenport, or even Chicago. We need to continue education and it needs to occur on all levels: from young to the young at heart. We also need to focus on is all of the good that will come from this. I think back to 9/11 and the patriotism that followed. Case in point, my good friend Marsha Chosnyk owns the “MC Tap” in Monroe Center, the next town over from Fairdale. She helped coordinate relief efforts and opened up a “base camp” in the days after the event. Friends who have no connection to Fairdale or the rural areas of DeKalb and Ogle County volunteered to help. There are hundreds of these stories! My old TV station coordinated a relief effort that raised tens of thousands of dollars. This tornado will not define the story of Northern Illinois. What will is the community spirit that has risen from the rubble.
My thoughts are with the families and friends of the two women who died in this storm. I will always wish I could’ve done more. -Meteorologist Eric Sorensen
Gary Dobbs, who worked for Huntsville, Alabama’s ABC affiliate recalls surviving a killer tornado on May 1, 2011. This audio from an interview with American Public Media’s Marketplace in 2011.
Correction: An earlier version of this story said the tornado occurred on April 8th.