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The Day After the Storms
Reported by Team 7
Web produced by Christiana Ciolac

	Woody's car towing business was completely destroyed in Monday's tornado. Video

Residents of Livingston and Oakland counties are beginning to clean up after tornadoes and severe storms passed through the area Monday.

Hartland Township Worst Hit

There is a lot of damage to clean up. Dozens of trees are downed everywhere in the area. The roof of a house was torn off when the tornado came through. Ironically, the roof was just replaced last Thursday.

"Pretty cut and dry on this one. It's going to have to be torn down completly and rebuilt," roofer Dave Law said.

Fred Bosko lived in the house for 14 years and he wants to stay. Now, the man who helped add his new roof will be helping to rebuild the house.

The clean-up in the neighborhood began early in the morning with wood chippers grinding hundreds of fallen branches. People are picking through pieces of debris and adding up the costs.

"It blew it right out. The back door sucked through the opening and flipped it around inside the shed," Dan Birchmeier said. Dan estimates the damage to his shed at about $4,000.

	Damage to the clubhouse

The cost of Monday's twister still is not known at the Majestic Golf Course next door. Dozens of cars were damaged and a hole tore through the clubhouse.

The golfers are already back on the course today.

"There is some significant damage to our clubhouse. It's not structurally bad, but it did move some things around Monday. We hope to have everything back together in another week," Bill Fountain of the Majestic Golf Course said.

Insurance adjusters are in the area. It will probably take awhile to come up with a total cost for the damage from this tornado.

High-tech Device Saved Lives?

	Golfers believe GPS saved their lives by warning them of a tornado nearby.

The GPS is getting credit for saving the lives of people out on the Majestic Golf Course.

The Global Positioning System is installed on all golf carts at the golf course. The mini-monitors can show you exactly where you are on the golf course and even update you on the latest sports scores.

"Sometimes when Michigan and Michigan State are playing a football game, we'll post the scores. It goes to all the carts," Bill Fountain of the Majestic Golf Course said.

While sports scores didn't make headlines Monday, a tornado sighting did. Within minutes of learning about a tornado nearby, the golf course used its Global Positioning System to warn golfers. The warning gave more than 100 golfers precious seconds to run to safety.

"As soon as we heard there was a problem, we put that on the GPS that informs everybody there was a serious situation, and everybody went accordingly and got off the golf course," Fountain said.

All it said was there is a tornado coming and it is two minutes away. Get off the golf course.

What to do in a Tornado

If at home:

• Go at once to the basement, storm cellar, or the lowest level of the building. If there is no basement, go to an inner hallway or a smaller inner room without windows, such as a bathroom or closet.
• Stay away from corners because they tend to attract debris. Get under a piece of sturdy furniture such as a workbench or heavy table or desk and hold on to it. Use arms to protect head and neck.

If in a mobile home, get out and find shelter elsewhere.

If at work or school:

• Go to the basement or to an inside hallway at the lowest level. Avoid places with wide-span roofs such as auditoriums, cafeterias, large hallways, or shopping malls.
• Get under a piece of sturdy furniture such as a workbench or heavy table or desk and hold on to it. Use arms to protect head and neck.

If outdoors:

• If possible, get inside a building. If shelter is not available or there is no time to get indoors, lie in a ditch or low-lying area or crouch near a strong building.
• Be aware of the potential for flooding. Use arms to protect head and neck.

If in a car:

• Never try to outdrive a tornado in a car or truck. Tornadoes can change direction quickly and can lift up a car or truck and toss it through the air.
• Get out of the car immediately and take shelter in a nearby building. If there is no time to get indoors, get out of the car and lie in a ditch or low-lying area away from the vehicle.
• Be aware of the potential for flooding.
• For more tornado safety information, click here.

How You Can Help the Tornado Victims

For more information, contact the Livingston County Red Cross at:

American Red Cross of Livingston County
Attn: Disaster Services
415 N. Barnard Street
Howell, MI 48843
517-546-0326

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