Wood County tornado update from Commissioner Tim Brown

This in via email from Wood County Commissioner Tim Brown:

As most of you know a devastating tornado hit northern Wood County in Lake Township late Saturday night. Within a very short period of time our county Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was activated and the Commissioners signed a declaration of emergency. Some of you getting this have been involved from the very beginning as response to this disaster was being coordinated both in the EOC and the command center established at Nagle trucking in Lake Township. After spending the first several hours in the EOC, Commissioner Carter and I made our first trip to Lake Township at about 4a.m. The Lake Township Building looked as if it had been bombed - completely destroyed and over half of their emergency vehicle fleet was crushed and mangled. At daybreak we began our survey of the entire area and I can tell you I have never witnessed such horrific destruction of homes and property. But most overwhelming of all was the vast and swift response of emergency responders to this crisis – they were from all over Wood County and northwest Ohio to work as a team and help, to transport the injured and to begin the search for survivors. Later in the day the Governor spent several hours surveying the damage and meeting with us and Lake Township officials and pledged the states resources to help. As I am sure you are aware by now, there have been many people injured and hospitalized with 7 confirmed killed in this storm. I’d ask that you please keep them all in your thoughts and prayers!

Since this tragedy began I have been asked by more people than I can count – how can I help – the phone calls and emails have been overwhelming, so I figured this would be the best way to reach the most people possible in getting the word out. Please direct your friends and family to the Toledo office of the American Red Cross. They are coordinating some of the response and accepting donations to assist in many aspects of this crisis. Their office can be reached at 419-329-2900. Additionally our Emergency Management Agency office can be reached at 419-354-9269.

God bless you all for your offers to help and for your expressions of concern to the people of Lake Township – they need our help and working together we WILL get through this!