Where were you during the derecho (i.e., home, work, car, place of business)?
Work
What is your address, name of business, or location in Marion where you were during the Derecho?
Philip's Diamond Shop
Was your home residence (house, apartment, garage, shed, fence) damaged? Extent of damage? Were you required to live somewhere else following the derecho due to home damage?
We had 3-5 trees on the house/garage. One giant oak on the mower shed. No electric or no water for 5 days because we are on a well. It was like camping. Part of the time we drove back and forth to Tipton for provisions, showers and rest.
Did your property sustain tree damage? Extent of tree damage?
We live in a wooded area. All the trees were damaged in some way, broken, uprooted or down. Fifty-five 3/4 ton pick up loads of tree debris, 15 pick loads of firewood and we have more trees to remove. We just wanted to be able to mow the yard.
Was your workplace/school damaged? Extent of damage?
Some damage not as bad as most people.
How many days were you without electricity?
Five days
How many days were you without internet services?
10?
Were you or any loved ones injured during the derecho?
Not during the actual storm but my husband broke a disc in his back during the clean up. Ambulance ride to the hospital.
Did you need to apply for FEMA help after the derecho? If so, what was your experience with this process?
We didn't.
Did you need to make a property insurance claim? If so, what was your experience with your insurance company?
We did. Our experience was very positive. They covered everything they could and thought of things we didn't so we could be paid.
Did you have access to enough food for your household following the derecho? Did you have the need to use local food pantries to supplement your household’s food supply?
We were fine for food. We drove into Philips for water and charged our cellphones. Philips was on a generator. On day three, we drove to Tipton for food, ice for the coolers and gas for the chainsaws. There we took showers and either stayed over or drove back and forth. My mother lives in Tipton.
Did the derecho affect your employment in any way? Please describe.
We were closed for a couple of days but I didn't work for the following seven days because we were working on our property.
How was your mental/emotional health affected by the derecho?
My husband was in flight mode, he wanted to leave, I was in preparation/survival mode. Which was interesting. He was home when the storm came through and was hearing the trees crashing around him and on the house. We both had a bit of PTS. Actually cleaning the damaged help. All we did for days was cut, pull, drag and pile trees. It was the only thing to think about and was therapeutic.
What resources were helpful (in any way) after the derecho?
We didn't use any.
Are there any memories you would like to share?
That's a tough one! The whole thing left a huge impression on me /us. We aren't over it yet. We are still astonished by the tree loss and damage everywhere.
