Where were you during the derecho (i.e., home, work, car, place of business)?
Building the new YMCA
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?
House had some damage but I live in a newer section of town and our trees are small compared to other places. Garage door, small section of roof, mostly yard items like sheds, above ground pool, etc...
Did your property sustain tree damage? Extent of tree damage?
No, we had only 1 tree, about 30’ tall that lost just the top of the tallest branch.
Was your workplace/school damaged? Extent of damage?
Yes, I think we sustained right around $1,000,000 in damage but it could have been worse if we were a little further along on the project when the storm hit.
Did you need to make a property insurance claim? If so, what was your experience with your insurance company?
Yes. It was ok but could have been better.
Did the derecho affect your employment in any way? Please describe.
No, we were back to work cleaning up the next day.
How was your mental/emotional health affected by the derecho?
It took a hit, seeing the town you have lived in your entire life get devastated in less than 60 minutes took a toll.
Are there any memories you would like to share?
I was lucky enough to have my fire department pager go off so I prepared my crews and got them to safety. The drive across town after the storm, I live off of Highway 100 and it took nearly 45 minutes because of all the downed trees and power lines. Cooking meals at Cedar Valley Outfitters on Grand Ave.
