Tree limbs covered yards and neighborhood streets. Some homes experienced major damage to roofs and siding.
Impacted homes and neighborhoods were located in areas such as Middle-Urbana Road and Mechanicsburg Road, the Springfield Country Club and homes nearby were also impacted as well as those in German Twp.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
Many county residents reported on social media that they did not hear emergency sirens signaling to the storm Wednesday evening. Instead, they heard that severe weather was approaching the area either via local news channels or alerts sent to their phones.
The Clark County EMA on Thursday released a statement saying the agency is “not responsible” for setting off tornado sirens.
Sirens exist in multiple locations in the county, with one in South Charleston, several north of Springfield and four in the Enon area.
“We’re aware that sirens in certain areas of our community did not go off and we’re working with local jurisdictions to investigate the matter,” the EMA stated in a social media post.
The EMA said that sirens are “meant to notify those outdoors; not inside a house or other structure,” and it recommends that residents always have an alternative method of receiving weather alerts: NOAA weather radio, weather apps and Hyper Reach notifications can be helpful.
Township and municipality work crews throughout the county were out Wednesday evening and Thursday to clean up debris left by fallen trees.
Nicole Elliott of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office said the hardest hit area in the county out of Wednesday’s storm appears to be the German Twp..
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
Residents and cleaning crews in areas such as German Twp. and Middle-Urbana road cleaned up debris and cut trees that had been uprooted by strong winds and in some cases had fallen on neighboring homes.
One home on Middle-Urbana Road saw significant roof damage after a tree fell on it Wednesday evening. The owner Jim Williams and his family were home at the time of impact. His wife Brigitte and their two children were all safe.
The family was lucky, Williams said. The large tree in their front yard was uprooted and appeared to have fallen on another tree in its path, blunting the impact.
“I wasn’t expecting it. You hear those warnings,” Williams said, regarding the severity of the storm and the damage to his home.
Brigitte Williams added: “You say ‘well, I guess I should go to the basement,’ but you never think it is going to happen.”
In German Twp., the majority of damage occurred to trees in some neighborhoods, especially along Delrey Road.
Noah Jordan was in his family’s home on Stoney Creek Street when the storm hit. He remembers seeing movement in the tree line near the house Wednesday evening. That was quickly followed by pouring rain and strong winds.
He and his girlfriend went into the basement and noted hearing wind through the walls, likening the sound to a freight train. After the storm, he noted that the house suffered little damage, mainly to the siding and garage, but that tree branches were everywhere.
Jordan and his family were cleaning up branches Thursday morning. A group of Northwestern football players were dispersed throughout the neighborhood, help with cleanup.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office also responded to numerous reports of downed wires in German and Springfield Twps.
The city of Springfield urged its residents to reach out to city departments for some forms of storm damage assistance. Springfield officials stated on Thursday that residents who experienced storm damage could seek guidance from the Building Regulations Division of the City’s Community Development Department.
Officials added that all companies doing work inside the city limits have to be registered with the city. Minor damage can be repaired without a permit, but major damage will require a permit and inspection. The process for addressing major damage has built-in mechanisms for avoiding scams, including contractor registration, officials added.
