Posted on 05/05/2007 12:04:35 AM PDT by silentknight
Damage being reported for over 100 miles. Reports of dozens of injuries and missing people. Damage to numerous towns from one large tornado or a series of large tornadoes. Tornado tracked from south of Greensburg, Kansas and is still going as of 2 a.m. this morning near Claffin, Kansas.
Reports of dozens of homes destroyed. Many people still trapped.
Red Cross is opening a number of shelters.
Ambulances being called in from over 100 miles away.
Reports of fatalities.
NWS reports the tornado was over one mile wide. Numerous reports of damage swaths of 1/2 mile to one mile wide.
While I don’t have the benefit of seeing your face or hearing your voice, and I’m well aware of that, I must view your comments as cruel.
Lori,
I guess you missed it all, didn’t you?
The NATIONAL GUARD is having NO PROBLEMS supplying what’s needed in Iraq.
This is why I despise liberals. You politicize everything.
Very Cruel. LOL There have been interviews with the people IN Greensburg that are saying there are indeed Humvees and your governor is a liar.
The Dims are going to lose this one because the good people of Kansas can’t be manipulated to lie for them on camera.
And Dear Lori. Your have been outed. You may have succeeded in lying and twisting things around with Katrina, but it won’t happen this time sweetie.
Lori-the-fast-and-loose-with-the-facts joined May 9, 2007
And Paul_Bettes joined 5/5. The libs surely swooped in here quickly enough to twist the truth and try to put their slant on it, didn’t they?
How have I been outed? I live one mile from Greensburg, Kansas. The National Guard equipment is old, old, old. I have never posted anything with regard to Hurricane Katrina. I am spending more time than usual on the computer because I can get online but I cannot yet get televison until someone stronger than I am works on our aerial and antenna. No, we don’t get cable in the country. I will still tell you I haven’t seen a Humvee ANYWHERE. My point is the same: the National Guard should have what it needs!
I lived through a tornado and that makes me a liberal? I don’t think so. It would be hard for you to find anyone on earth more conservative than I am on the issue of abortion. My nieces and nephews are home-schooled so I feel as if my family’s credentials are fairly solid. I have yet to see a Humvee in Greensburg or Kiowa County and I am not going to retract that remark.
Yes, I joined Free Republic today because, when I googled Greensburg Tornado, the third link referenced was this site, believe it or not. I did not go into town today because we’ve been able to get to my brother and sister-in-law’s house and work there all along. Why? Because it sits about 1.5 blocks beyond the city limit. I missed the President but that’s okay. My priorities do not involve him right now. My priorities won’t include Britney Spears or Donald Rumsfeld, either, if they show up.
If this truly was the case and the MSM could score points it would already be national news. The fact that there are no stories showing old old old equipment is pretty telling.
I’ve read your comments and have a few questions. I’ve seen the rescue operations on TV and I’ve seen HumVees there. Besides, they are just large jeeps, and trucks, even ones that you mistakenly date from the Korean War (and I know they don’t) would be far more useful. Do you agree with the statements made by Gov Sebelius (and repeated by Harry Reid) that the National Guard is somehow handicapped by the fact that some of it’s equipment is in Iraq? According to the commanding general of the KNG, at least 80% of the Guard is still in KS. Sebelius’ comments were disgraceful political propaganda exploiting the death and destruction in Greensburg to score a cheap, dishonest, political point.
I don’t care if you think I’m a liberal, or a short skinny green skinned frog. I was in that guard unit at one time and we had OLD equipment then. In fact I was in the active duty Air Force during desert storm, and the plane I was assigned to (63-7885 for your information) was several years older than me. I am NOT saying we shouldn’t be supporting our troops, what I am saying is that we shouldn’t be spreading ourselves so thin that we can’t deal with our OWN problems. Yes I joined on 5/5 because I found this discussion about my home town. Am I twisting the truth? Not intentionaly, if I have misrepresented something, or stated something incorrectly I appologize. But what I know from my own experience and observations, and opinions, I will state.
I see that the guard does have some humvees now, but I also know when I stopped by the Pratt unit last spring, some of the mechanichs there were bitching about trying to get some of the old trucks (a 1974 m-109 van in this case) running. I’m not in that unit any more, and have been out of active duty since 1992, but it doesn’t matter. All branches of the service be it active, guard, or reserve has more than it’s share of old, outdated, and worn out equipment. Look at the old kc-135 aircraft that the Air Force here in Wichita are flying.
Lori, you mom didn’t happen to be the high school art teacher did she? Not sure if you’re the Lori I’m thinking of or not.
I had my 20 year reunion last summer, and have some good pictures as reminders of how Greensburg looked. We are good old country people, get out of our way, let us do what we need to do, and let the people trying to politicize this mess go hang themselves. Old country song “a country boy can survive” is running through my mind now. going to have to go hunt down my tape of it.
I wasn’t there when the governor spoke nor did I see her remarks on television. I could research this here on the internet and probably will. Did the governor say the Kiowa County operation was hurt or did she say that the Kansas National Guard was short on men, money, equipment or some combination of those three?
Greensburg doesn’t really have a large number of Guardsmen here. I don’t know how many people a unit includes so it is hard for me to tell how many are here. But it is really easy to see them, and each other. There is very little obstructing a person’s view for . . . well . . . miles.
I want to say this again: I found Free Republic because it came up when I googled Greensburg Tornado. I imagine that’s because of the excellent pictures and weather maps.
I am a former speech and English teacher and coach of the debate and forensic teams. I live one mile west of town in an old Sears Roebuck house. We lost trees we couldn’t afford to loose, as we had so few to begin with, and much of the roof, as well as other exterior damage. We weren’t wiped out because the funnel was moving at such an odd angle, more north than east. Our parents live twelve miles south and had some lesser exterior damage, but still have a house. Thank you for your concern.
As a former member of the Kansas Army National Guard and the United States Army Reserve in the 1970s, I know that the Guard units are often equipped based upon their last mobilization and subsequent to active duty units.
For example, while the end of the Vietnam War was winding down, my unit (overall) had been activated to Fort Carson to replace a deployed unit. They returned with some upgraded equipment to replace equipment that was WWII vintage. The portion that was attached to the 5th Mech. unit and sent to southeast Asia, could bring little back in the way of major equipment.
Units not facing activation were not equipped with new equipment until all needs for ready reserve units were met.
The role of the Guard in stopping looters is not critically effected by what vintage of rifle they carry. Tents, though warn and old, still work for shelter.
The Governor got lazy in the spoken word and set people to thinking that somehow newer equipment might be a mollifier to a large scale disaster and it really is not.
When a tornado hits, so much is completely wiped out of reach for every person effected that no Guard activation, no FEMA team, no help from neighboring fire and police or charity can begin to fill the void without the element of time impacting the distress.
While a news and opinion forum sensitive to politicians' every statement and always ready to lambast them for it, it sometimes seems we are not focused on the true, underlying, human cost. That is unfortunate for our hearts are with you as well as our donations.
I was in Indiana yesterday and hear a Greensburg here is collecting resources to help their fellow Greensburg, Kansas countrymen.
Our prayers are with you.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
You have done an excellent job of explaining the process by which National Guard units are supplied and equipped. Believe me, this was new information as far as I am concerned. I appreciate your overall tone so much because after I got back from a funeral in Bucklin, Kansas, I came home, sat down, and then heard a very upsetting noise. My kitchen window fell out and onto the ground. Why? I don’t know but it really raised my blood pressure for a few minutes.
I have now been to National Review’s online place and read an article by David Broyles. It appears that Gov. Kathleen S. used the word ‘hampered’ when referring to the National Guard’s readiness. I would not have used that word, myself. I think the arrival of the Guardsmen was timely; I probably expected better equipment because so many of us have tractors, pickups, chains, chainsaws, front loaders, rear loaders, etc. of our own. I will admit that my expectations may have been too high because I’ve now read your helpful and informative comments. Thanks, again, for those comments.
I still can’t get the Hutchinson News delivered. The carrier says there are too many nails and small bits of metal in the road. I’ll be better informed in a few days, I believe.
ah, you live out where jayneville was (121 or so years ago.)
I graduated in ‘86, and a lot of the teachers that were there then have long since retired. I’ve heard they’re still going to have graduation anyway (possibly at the football field), shows our towns’ spirit. I bet by the end of summer, a lot of houses will be repaired and possibly some new ones built.
I’m pleased by how helpful people are being to the residents of Greensburg. I didn’t expect to see donation cans in the local walmart, or for the LPGA tour winner to donate 100k. We didn’t beg for help, we just set about getting done what needs to be done. I plan on being back in town this weekend to help my dad clean up what’s left of his house (a large pile of rubble). His old winch truck is still running. The storm broke all the windows out, but it runs, and he’s offered his help pulling large pieces of debris. I don’t know how much of his cutting/welding equipment survived, but there are quite a few people around town that have (had at least) that type of equipment too. I live in Wichita now, but I will always be FROM Greensburg.
Sir, if you come this weekend, prepare yourself. There really is nothing left but the elevators. The thing that makes it so much like the Twilight Zone is, unsurprisingly, the trees. They are eerie, spooky. Flat tires are a big problem but that is getting better each day. You won’t have to bring a lot of water . . . this time. I am told, I believe reliably, that after 21 days the Red Cross will pull out. You may very well need to bring water the next time you come.
Sir, where is your father staying?
Dad is staying in Pratt with his brother and sister-in-law right now, and isn’t even sure if he’s going to move back to Greensburg. Since mom passed away in January there isn’t much for him there anymore. I’ll be talking to him and my sister in an hour or so to see if we’re going to Greensburg this weekend or not (since Sunday is Mothers Day. His house was on South Spruce, and from the shots I’ve seen, it looks like everything from Spruce to Sycamore is just GONE. The far West, and far East parts of town is where the houses did survive. You’d probably be surprised at the change in 21 days, or whenever the Red Cross does pull out.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.