KAUKAUNA (NBC 26) — Many people are talking about what happened to them on Tuesday night when an EF1 tornado hit their apartment complex. Now Roundhouse Manor is rebuilding.
- Dan Dettlaff stepped into the backyard just as the storm moved in.
- "When I opened my door, a big gust of wind pushed me back," said Dan.
- Kaukauna Mayor Anthony Penterman is helping those who are displaced.
- The mayor has met the DHS, Outagamie County officials, the Red Cross, and Roundhouse Manor representatives to create a plan.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
It’s been challenging at Roundhouse Manor since an EF1 tornado struck the apartment complex.
While the exterior may not show drastic changes, a lot of work is being done to clear debris since Tuesday night.
One resident, Dan Dettlaff, stepped into the backyard just as the storm moved in.
"You never expect it to happen to you, but it did," Dan said.
Dan recalls the moment when the tornado ripped through the valley and tore the roof off his home.
"When I opened my door, a big gust of wind pushed me back, and I went back towards the wall in the hallway." A downed tree missed him by mere inches. "If I had been out there 10 or 15 seconds later, I might not even be here," he said.
Despite the chaos, Dan and the other 53 residents walked away unharmed. Currently, Dan is staying at an assisted living facility in Appleton. "They put us up at the (Kaukauna) high school for one night, but now I'm staying at assisted living for now," he mentioned.
As the city works to pick up the pieces after the storm, Kaukauna Mayor Anthony Penterman has been proactive. He met with the DHS, Outagamie County officials, the Red Cross, and Roundhouse Manor representatives to plan for the displaced residents.
"We have about 12 residents at Brewster Village currently. They'll be able to stay there until Tuesday at the latest," the mayor explained, noting that more people might be accommodated in hotels if needed but a plan is in the works.
Relocating residents, many of whom are seniors or have limited mobility, is one challenge. Fixing the building is another. "It sounds like they're going to have to get a structural engineer in there to make sure it is sound," Mayor Penterman said. "We're hoping that potentially, we could allow them into a certain wing of the building, but that'll be a couple of weeks after the report is done."
It will be weeks until the undamaged sections of Roundhouse Manor can reopen, and likely much longer until the areas with significant damage, like Dan's, are habitable again.
Mayor Penterman says they are still waiting to find out if the city will get state funding for cleanup from the tornado damage.
