Tornado wreaks havoc in housing

  • Published
  • By Lois Walsh
  • 96th ABW Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  As Hurricane Gustav made its trek across the Gulf of Mexico, residents on base had a rude awakening. 

Air traffic controllers spotted the first of three funnel clouds emerge from the storm's feeder bands that raked Northwest Florida. Rain and winds gusting to more than 40 miles per hour pelted the area starting in the early morning hours. At approximately 9:45 a.m. controllers watched as the first funnel touch down on the runway and skirted through base housing, causing damage along the way. 

In the tornado's path was the Child Development Center, which lost some of its flashing and caused minor damage to the playground. The CDC was closed due to the Labor Day holiday. The storm continued south through base housing, uprooting trees in its path, before exiting over Choctawhatchee Bay. 

Airman 1st Class Devin Hennessy, 46th Operations Support Squadron, was at work as an air traffic controller. He was watching the storms on the radar but wasn't prepared for the news that one of the trees fell on his house. When he arrived home, he found his family shaken, but safe. The tree caused extensive damage to the corner of the house and broke the windshield of his car, which was parked on the street. 

Patricia Hennessy and her two-year-old daughter, Madison, were watching the weather when the Command Post emergency notification broke into the programming, warning of the approaching tornado. Mrs. Hennessy grabbed her daughter and puppy and took refuge in the hallway. 

"I grew up in Iowa and know the drill," she said. "It was frightening but no one was hurt and I thank God for that." 

The Hennessys' are also thankful for her husband's supervisor who already arranged a room for the family in temporary lodging and her neighbors who immediately checked on the family. One of them, Airman1st Class Caleb Sikes, had his own troubles; a second tree was sitting on his car, obscuring it from sight. Airman Sikes, who is assigned to Hurlburt Field's Maintenance Operations Squadron, said his wife and young son were also uninjured. 

"I heard the wind blowing, and I honestly thought it was a plane going by," Airman Sikes said. "We took cover, and it was over in just a few seconds." 

Both families said that base officials were making sure they were safe and their needs were met. A crew from the 796th Civil Engineer Squadron was on hand to remove the trees as soon as the all clear sounded. 

"Everyone's on top of it," Airman Sikes said.