NOTE—This story was written by RRN News Director Jack Hall, with photos and video clips taken by RRN Intern Braden Kerr. Some of the photos and videos are posted at the bottom of this page, and many more are posted on the Radio Results Network Facebook page. Our thanks to Police Chief Frank Claeys for spending this time with us.
LISTEN TO FULL INTERVIEW WITH GAYLORD POLICE CHIEF FRANK CLAEYS:
It’s been three weeks since an EF-3 tornado caused serious damage to homes and businesses in Gaylord.
And as the city continues to recover, Gaylord Police Chief Frank Claeys spent some time with us at the Radio Results Network Friday to reflect on that day.
“We went out and began searching, building to building, myself and the EMS director,” Claeys said. “Initially, we didn’t realize the magnitude of the event that we had. The magnitude of destruction and the possibility of serious injury and death was so high, that we did a lot of things, and EMS and fire were involved, and did a lot of things that normally, we wouldn’t do.”
Two people were killed and 44 injured. Dozens of homes were damaged or destroyed as the rare tornado blasted through that city, about 45 minutes south of the Mackinac Bridge.
“We were stepping over downed power lines without knowing whether they were live or not,” Claeys recalled. “And there were power lines that were sparking and arching around us, so we knew there was a possibility that those were live lines. We were searching in buildings where we knew there were gas leaks. But the damage was so severe, and the potential for severely-injured people was so high in those buildings, that the first responders really put their safety second, and the safety of the community first.”
The tornado hit the main business corridor just west of the downtown area, without causing any damage at all in the downtown. But up and down Highway M-32, just to the west of Interstate 75, is evident even three weeks later.
An oil change business took a direct hit from the tornado, and four employees had to take cover inside the underground well that is used to change a vehicle’s oil. Claeys says crews had to go in with heavy equipment and get those injured people from underneath all of that rubble.
Nearby, the Little Caesars pizza place was destroyed, as was the Jimmy John’s sub shop across the street, one block away. The Hobby Lobby store next to the sub shop also suffered damage, and debris from that side of M-32 was hurled across the street with such force that large pieces were driven into the side of the business a block away, across the street.
The Goodwill store, next to the pizza place, was also destroyed, and large piles of twisted debris are still wedged in there, three weeks later.
An RV business adjacent to I-75 was leveled, with several dozen large RV’s thrown around like toys. But a cluster of hotels on the other side of I-75, just a quarter mile away, received no damage at all.
It wasn’t only businesses that were destroyed. A trailer park, technically not in city limits on the far west side of the city, took heavy damage. That’s where the two fatalities from this storm occurred.
In a residential area just north of the downtown business district, along North Otsego Street and along Center Street, several homes are completely leveled, some are still leaning in the direction that the wind obviously came through at, while other homes in between and around them were either lightly damaged, or not damaged at all.
Claeys pointed to one home in particular on North Otsego, as he gave us a tour of the devastation.
“This was a home that was completely lifted up off of its foundation and the people were in this house when it happened,” Claeys said. “They were in the basement, and they said that you could see daylight all around the home. It lifted the home ten feet off if the foundation and dropped it over there. Completely devastating the back portion of it. Of course, the house is a complete loss.”
So, three weeks later?
“Tings have really stabilized very well,” the chief said. “The majority of our businesses have re-opened. A good portion of them still have some damage. We do still have some businesses that are closed currently. Obviously power and everything has been restored, telephone. Our roads are completely open.”
Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.) has asked President Biden to declare a federal disaster area and send FEMA money to Gaylord. Congressman Jack Bergman (R-Watersmeet) and U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) have pledged their support.
Claeys, however, says that is a long shot.
“There are certain financial thresholds that have to be met,” said Claeys, who is helping to provide the cost details to FEMA. “FEMA is very interested in government infrastructure damage. I do not think, unfortunately, that we’re going to rise to the level of receiving that FEMA-type funding. I am hopeful that we should receive some state emergency management-type funds.”
Meanwhile, Claeys said that people have pulled together to help those most severely effected to recover.
Two benefit concerts were held outside the local bowling alley on Saturday to raise money for the Otsego County Community Foundation. Another one is set for this Tuesday evening and more are planned for the summer. Congressional candidate Bob Lorinsor (D-Marquette) organized a benefit event at the local brew pub last week. The United Way of Otsego County and the Community Foundation are helping people, as are people in the faith-based community.
CLICK TO SEE VIDEO OF BUSINESS DAMAGE IN GAYLORD
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CLICK TO SEE VIDEO OF GAYLORD TORONADO HOME DAMAGE
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