Recovery from Point Place tornado expected to take a long time

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - It’s a storm that will take a long time to recover from according to officials, and many Point Place residents will most likely never forget it.

Donald Watras says he and his friends were out at Cullen Park when the tornado touched down, causing him to go into a state of shock.

“I could barely breathe, and when the cop came up to my door, I pushed over, I rolled the window down and he says, ‘I have emergency crews coming, but it’s going to be a while,’” said Watras. “I was scared for my life.”

“We thought he was a goner,” said Watras’ friend Steve.

Watras says he was taken to the hospital and admitted for four days.

According to crews with Toledo Fire and Rescue, they’re not aware of any 911 calls made during the height of the storm for injuries related to the tornado. They say they’re starting to hear of some reports of possible injuries, but nothing considered traumatic.

Recovery from the large-scale devastation will take a while according to officials, but Lucas County Commissioner Lisa Sobecki says financial help should be on the way.

“Jobs and Family Services had been out giving aid to folks, $750 for single-person homes or up to $1500 for a family, but that’s just, you know, not a lot of dollars to help folks. We’re just asking that they up that percentage amount and also reimburse the county in regard to those PRC dollars,” said Sobecki.

If you’re wondering what you can do, Sobecki says she is encouraging residents to contact local officials and Governor Mike DeWine about much-needed assistance in Point Place.

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