““In Just a Few Seconds…”In Just a Few Seconds…”An Analysis of the Decisions Made In the Path of an F5 TornadoAn Analysis of the Decisions Made In the Path of an F5 Tornado

Event OverviewEvent Overview

Only F5 tornado in West MichiganOnly F5 tornado in West Michigan 17 killed, 340 Injured, $12 million 17 killed, 340 Injured, $12 million

damagedamage Worst Natural Disaster in Area HistoryWorst Natural Disaster in Area History Three other strong to violent Three other strong to violent

tornadoestornadoes

Good Friday,

March 30, 1956

Photos courtesy of Joan Mull and Robert Bianchi

There were ice and snow storms the last week of

March, 1956 and 5 inches of snow fell on

April 7, 1956

In between came the

worst tornado

outbreak in area history on April 3rd.

Spring in Michigan, 1956

Saturday, April 7, 1956

These April 3rd Front Page Headlines were a Clue

Plot of Tornado Paths during Outbreak of April 2-3, 1956

Tornado Outbreak on April 2-3, 1956 from Oklahoma to Mississippi and north to Wisconsin and Michigan

produced 40 fatalities and at least 17 tornadoes of F3 or

greater intensity. The Standale/Hudsonville tornado

was the strongest and deadliest.

F4 2 deaths 24 inj 200 yds wide

Worst damage in

Benzie County

F3 12 inj 150yds

wideBangor

to Lowell

Hudsonville/

Standale F5

F4 7 deaths, 50 inj Berlin,

WI

F2 2 deaths 7 inj Bancroft, WI F

2F1F

3F2

F2Tornadoes in Wisconsin earlier that afternoon killed nine people and

Michigan was put on alert. Schools let out early in

Holland and Civil Defense was notified by 3 pm.

2 3

4

5

6

7

8

9 10

11

12

1.Camp Gray

2.Oval Beach beach house

3.Saugatuck

Lighthouse

4.Denison Estate

5.James Boyce house

6.Gene Huyser house

7.Joseph Wolf

house

8.Rivulet Hurst Dairy

9.Oetman Farm

10.Heetderks Farm

11.Genzink house

12.Modder’s

Plumbing

1

Tornado #1:

Before and After photos of the James Boyce house near Gibson.

Three people escaped with minor injuries.

Photos courtesy Jim Boyce and the Saugatuck/Douglas

Historical Society

Aware of threat, talking about the unusual look to the sky.

Saw it coming ran for basement, did not have

enough time to get there.

Photos of the tornado as it was passing near Graafschap.

From West 32nd Street looking south

Credit: Jarvin Kleiman, courtesy of Dirk

Bloemendaal

Hudsonville: New Holland Street: First fatality was here. Only seconds to react. Did not get to basement. Victim was

on second floor.

Direction of

tornado

40th and Van Buren: 3 people killed here. 5 year old in

basement and two people in house with no basement.

Several people survived by taking shelter in a ditch. F5

damage was done here.

Direction of

tornado

Example of F5 damage: home completely swept away

36th and Port Sheldon: 8 people killed in this area. Two

elderly, died in their home. Two died in a car, trying to flee the storm, drove into it. Four died after leaving their

house to get to the neighbors, hit by flying debris.

28th and Baldwin: Another fatality in this area: 3 year old in basement, house collapsed into basement

Standale, Michigan: One fatality, an elderly, bed-ridden

woman on second floor of house.

Direction of

tornado

Standale Business District from the ground

It was after business hours and higher

ground allowed for earlier sighting the

tornado approaching.

Photo Credit: Ken Foster, Lou

Nichols

Nixon Avenue: NW Grand Rapids

Direction of

Tornado

Tornado moving through NW Grand

Rapids

Photo credit: Marvin Bueker, George Davis

Vinecroft Street: Two fatalities here

One fatality in a house. Family did not have time to get to the basement.

Second fatality in a car, trying to flee the tornado.

4 Mile Road, Comstock Park

The 17th and final fatality was here,

house collapsed, no

basement

Photos courtesy of Pat Ykema

Path of Destruction through Walker, Comstock Park and Belmont

Photos courtesy

Paul Kovalak

Photo Credit: Jack Erickson

And to Rockford…

A Closer LookA Closer Look

17 fatalities, over 300 injured17 fatalities, over 300 injured 5 killed in houses with a basement (did not get 5 killed in houses with a basement (did not get

there)there) 4 killed outside by flying debris4 killed outside by flying debris 3 killed in houses with no basement3 killed in houses with no basement 3 killed while fleeing in a car3 killed while fleeing in a car 2 killed in basement (both were small children)2 killed in basement (both were small children)

Recurring theme: lack of awareness, not enough time

to react, no plan.

Other issues: False optimism, belief that “it

can’t happen here”,

DiscussionDiscussion How to remedy against complacency?How to remedy against complacency? Must we wait for an historic event?Must we wait for an historic event? Eliminating threat versus minimizing Eliminating threat versus minimizing

threatthreat When is it safe to drive away?When is it safe to drive away?