Prairie Power

I found (of course, it was not actually lost) the only Wind Farm in Kansas on a trip out to a county fair in Howard, Kansas (pop. about 150) where FEMA was exhibiting building mitigation techniques. This is a huge farm, with huge wind mills, but only an electric company from Missouri currently buys the power. The "whoosh" from the blades was quite impressive. Notice those little dots on the ground...those are cows.

Back in the stomping grounds....

During my work for FEMA in Kansas for a month (sorry I didn't mention that before-the reason why and how I got to Greensburg), I also went out to Eastern Kansas where the state experienced a 500 year flood. All of Western Kansas was under a declared disaster in January from the massive snow storms...the middle of the state from Oklahoma all the way to Kansas City...was in a disaster declaration beginning May 4...and the rest of the state went under a declaration from the flooding in June. A LOT of cleanup.

Where Did Greensburg Go?

The forces of nature ruled back in May when one of the most powerful weather forces known, an EF5 Tornado, struck Greensburg, Kansas. The town was almost totally demolished in seconds as the storm, which was headed away from the town, suddenly turned due north. I visited the town on June 23. It had rained on June 22, and the similarities between Greensburg and Pass Christian, Ms after Katrina (the wet rich dirt, almost no buildings standing, etc. were striking.