More details emerge in Shelby following tornado damage

SHELBY – As more details emerge about Sunday’s tornado in Shelby, the city continues to move forward with recovery.

According to the National Weather Service’s official damage survey released Monday, an F2 tornado (on the fujita tornado damage scale) was confirmed in Richland County. Maximum wind speeds were estimated at 120-125 miles per hour, and the tornado’s maximum width was half a mile wide.

The tornado traveled a 17-mile diagonal trek northeast across Richland County properties and townships, cutting across the south section of Shelby then moving northeast across several different townships.

“A long track tornado began about three miles southwest of Shelby around 4:42 p.m. then tracked northeast to about five miles north of Olivesburg,” the report read. “The most significant damage was located on the southeast and east side of Shelby from near the Chevy dealership along State Route 39 northeastward to State Route 96 where a home was significantly damaged.”

The Ohio Department of Transportation announced Monday afternoon that State Route 314 is now open. The road had been previously closed due to debris in the road from the tornado. Routes 39, 61 and 96 are all still closed at the time this story was published.

Shelby safety services estimated approximately 30 structures were damaged across the city of Shelby and Sharon and Jackson Townships.

Yet the community’s spirit and resolve remained unscathed.

“This is what we do,” said Shelby Police Chief Lance Combs. “For whatever reason Shelby seems to be a natural disaster magnet, so we’re kind of getting used to it.”

Shelby Mayor Steve Schag took a helicopter ride with the Ohio State Highway Patrol on Monday morning to follow the trail of debris left behind by the tornado.

Outside of the Shelby businesses on the south side of town, he witnessed many homes and farms outside of Shelby’s city limits flattened by the tornado, including evidence of the tornado skipping over certain properties.

“When you think of this event, please do not think just in terms of the city of Shelby, because our surrounding communities are hurting as well,” Schag said. “But our city has a history of picking ourselves up to move forward and recover, and that’s what we plan on doing.”

The first priority in recovery falls on the main business stretch on State Route 39/Mansfield Avenue in Shelby, which bore the brunt of damage within city limits. Shelby’s Director of Utilities John Ensman said an extensive amount of downed lines have prevented the reopening of State Route 39.

“Hopefully later this evening we have at least one lane open, with traffic signals established,” Ensman said on Monday afternoon. “And hopefully by tomorrow have all four lanes open on the Mansfield Avenue corridor.”

Ensman noted the city of Shelby lost approximately 60 percent of its power on Sunday. Within three hours 95 percent of power was restored, but power in the business district of Mansfield Avenue remains out. Ensman noted 15 other public power communities are assisting Shelby in the effort to restore power.

Restoring the lost structures in Shelby and the surrounding townships will take longer. However, Richland County Auditor Pat Dropsey announced on Monday that if you are the owner of a home or business damaged by the recent tornado, you may be eligible to receive a reduction on your Tax Year 2019 real estate bill next calendar year.

Dropsey confirmed state law authorizes County Auditors to reduce real estate values for properties that have been damaged or destroyed. A reduction in property value may result in lower real estate taxes for the property until it has been essentially restored to its prior condition or value.

Personal property such as furniture and other personal belongings that have been destroyed are not included.

“We would like to hear from citizens who have suffered structural damage to their property so that we may update our information and allow them to take advantage of statutory value relief,” Dropsey said.

The application deadline for Tax Year 2019 is Dec. 31, 2019. Applications for a property value reduction are available on the Richland County Auditor’s website. Property owners can contact the Richland County Auditors office at 419-774-5501 for any additional information.

The damages in Shelby have been mostly confined to structures and property, not human life. Christina Thompson, Media Relations and Communications Senior Consultant for OhioHealth Mansfield and Shelby Hospitals, said Shelby and Mansfield Hospitals received seven patients related to the storm. Five arrived in fair condition, one arrived in serious condition and one in critical condition.

“Zero fatalities is unbelievable,” said Shelby Fire Chief Mike Thompson.

“Where that storm hit, and where it went through – time of day, place, all those things – half a mile north we have residential neighborhoods including retirement communities that would have been devastated,” added Combs. “If there’s a silver lining, that’s it.”

Lara L. Kiefer, executive director of the American Red Cross Lake Erie/Heartland Chapter, said a disaster team of volunteers set up a shelter at Shelby High School on Sunday night, and have moved to a standby shelter for now. The Red Cross also worked with the Shelby YMCA to allow families access to bathrooms and showers, and is providing comfort kits to those individuals.

“In addition, our team is starting to provide disaster assistance to each family and we have deployed an ERV (Emergency Response Vehicle) to the area to help feed those in need and the first responders,” Kiefer said. “Please keep our volunteers and the community members in your prayers.”

Rick Evans of the Richland County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) said those who are interested in volunteering to help in Shelby and future disaster situations can register online at Ohio Responds.

One measure being taken for better preparedness in the future is the assessment of Shelby’s tornado sirens. Chief Combs stated he believes the city has a solid policy and procedure when activating the sirens, but lacks in equipment.

Combs explained the police department is responsible for manually activating the tornado sirens in Shelby, as one of the only communities in Richland County that handles its own sirens. Typically, the city does not activate the tornado sirens unless a tornado warning is issued specifically for northern Richland County.

“We use our sirens judiciously,” added Mayor Schag. “We do not set them off at every occasion of warning for fear of crying wolf.”

Combs said during Sunday’s weather event, the storm took them by surprise.

“In a very short time window, we got an alert late after we got a general warning for Richland County,” Combs said. “Our people checked the weather radar, it looked like everything was north of us. We were waiting to push that button, then we got a report of a funnel cloud heading towards State Route 39. We had approximately 3 to 5 minutes of notice once the sirens were activated.”

The most recent severe weather incident affecting Shelby was a straight-line winds incident in 2013, according to Richland County Commissioner and former Shelby mayor Marilyn John. She added the last tornado the city experienced was in 2007, right after the city was devastated by floods.

Combs added the purpose of tornado sirens is to alert people outside of their homes without any other notifications. Electronic notifications also supplement warning signals for imminent severe weather.

“We had people that were in the path of the storm that also had damage, they reported they were outside, heard the sirens, and had plenty of time to take shelter,” Combs said. “They lost a large portion of their home, but they were still safe.”

Shelby officials also made note of a huge outpouring of concern, as well as contributions of goods, time and services. Government officials including U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs, State Sen. Larry Obhof, and State Rep. Mark Romanchuk offered their respective support. Shelby’s Project Coordinator Joe Gies delivered pizza to line workers on duty.

“In times like these when the worst of things happen, you see the best of people come to the surface,” Schag said. “The city of Shelby has been through many events that have set us back. This is just the most recent of those incidents.

“We are in the process of picking up the pieces and moving forward.”