The Dayton Daily News asked leaders in the affected communities for progress reports one month after 15 tornadoes struck southwest Ohio on May 27, including what has changed in the weeks since then and what the biggest remaining needs and concerns are going forward.
What has changed in recovery efforts in the month since the tornadoes struck?
The city is wrapping up the debris removal phase of recovery, and FEMA has located a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in the city at the high school.
What do you want to tell residents?
“I want to tell residents I am so proud of our community and its resiliency, and that we will re-build and come back stronger than ever!” said Trotwood City Manager Quincy Pope.
What do you need most right now?
What we need most is transitional housing for residents displaced as a result of the storm.
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What are you worried about now?
Making sure every resident receives the help and care they need to make a full recovery.
What are you hopeful about now?
The city is hopeful for a fast recovery and our residents coming back home.
How much has your city spent so far on storm costs?
We estimate roughly $1.4 million, but this number will change as we continue to conduct assessments.
How many residential/business properties were damaged?
There were a total of 419 housing structures damaged and roughly 850 multi-family units damaged in the storm. In terms of businesses, 22 sustained some sort of damage from the storm.
Do you have an estimate now of how many people are affected?
We estimate several thousand people were affected.
Any dollar amount estimates on damage?
We do not have a dollar estimate on damage, but we estimate it is in the millions of dollars.
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