[KYHAM] 30th Anniversary of 4/3/74

[Ron Dodson]

30 yrs ago today, I was in the eighth grade and remember well the 
hail so large our bus had to stop until it passed.  I lost a 
fellow Payneville Elementary classmate, Peggy Williams in that 
tornado.  Her mom had taken her to Brandenburg just a little 
while before the tornado struck. Another classmate's sister's 
whole family (save the baby) was also killed that day when their 
house disintegrated. This baby, raised by his grandparents, was 
in a classroom of high school students that I would address as 
the Meade County EMA Director many years later in preparation for 
a composition assignment for his class on the aftermath of 1974. 
   In all, Brandenburg, my county seat lost 31 people that day 
and two more died in the next few days afterward. April 3, 1974 
is a lot of what drives me onward in my job as an EMA Director 
and as your SEC. This and a few other events witnessed in my 
developing years, made me determined to try to make a difference 
somehow.

No one can deny the importance played by storm spotters in the 
field to prevent such tragedy. Efforts like the one in the recent 
western Kentucky earthquake exercise also stress ways in which 
we, as amateurs, CAN make a difference if we will only chose to 
do so.  Yesterday I attended the signing of the partnership 
agreement between the KyEM and FLASH, the Federal Alliance for 
Safe Homes at our state capitol.  While there I was again asked 
to convey the deep appreciation of the KyEM staff for all of the 
support and fine work done by our amateur radio operators who 
took part in the exercise.  Much was learned from the experience 
and much good will come from it down the road.  Once again, we Ky 
amateurs have made a difference because we got up and took the 
time to do it.  Just think of how much more could be accomplished 
for the future good of all if even more would make the choice to 
just get up and do something for the good of ourselves and our 
fellow citizens.

73,
Ron Dodson, KA4MAP
Ky SEC

Pat Spencer, KD4PWL wrote:

>     The following was issued from Louisville NWS office.  This 
> demonstrates why our efforts in the Skywarn program are important to our 
> communities.  Some of us have personal memories of this day, including 
> myself.  As a 5 year-old I was looking out the basement door of my 
> grandparent's house in Frankfort at the top 2/3rds of an F4 tornado as 
> it tore through the Terra Linda subdividion and Jett.
>     Weather information is almost taken for granted today.  In the 70's 
> it was much different.  In my case, if my parents hadn't had the habit 
> of listening to WHAS in Louisville we would have not had any inkling a 
> system of this severity was approaching Frankfort.
>     Just want to say thanks to all of you who serve as spotters, and 
> take the time to help warn your communities, giving them time to seek 
> shelter preventing injuries and deaths.  Our ability to provide 
> communications is an asset.  Thanks for the hard work.
> 
> Take care, 73,
> Pat, KD4PWL
> 
> 
> PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
> NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
> 220 PM EST FRI APR 2 2004
> 
> ...PRESS RELEASE FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KENTUCKY...
> 
> 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF GREATEST OUTBREAK OF TORNADOES ON RECORD
> 
> APRIL 3RD WILL MARK THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GREATEST OUTBREAK OF 
> TORNADOES ON RECORD IN THE UNITED STATES. SOME 28 TORNADOES IMPACTED
> KENTUCKY, THE WORST STORM DISASTER IN THE STATE'S HISTORY. THESE 
> TORNADOES KILLED 77 PEOPLE, INJURED 1377 AND CAUSED OVER $100
> MILLION IN DAMAGE. LOSSES WERE SUSTAINED BY 6,625 FAMILIES. THE 
> TORNADOES AFFECTED 39 COUNTIES.
> 
> THE FIRST STORM WAS THE MOST SEVERE. IT TOUCHED DOWN 5 MILES SOUTHWEST 
> OF HARDINSBURG AT 340 PM CDT AND 30 MINUTES LATER SLAMMED
> INTO BRANDENBURG. THIS TORNADO, THE ONLY F5 TORNADO ON RECORD IN 
> KENTUCKY, THEN TORE THROUGH BRANDENBURG, KILLING 31, INCLUDING A
> NUMBER OF CHILDREN APPARENTLY PLAYING OUTSIDE AFTER SCHOOL.
> 
> WITHIN AN HOUR OF THE BRANDENBURG DEATH AND DESTRUCTION, FIVE OTHER 
> TORNADOES TOUCHED DOWN AT LOCATIONS RANGING FROM LOUISVILLE AND
> BOONE COUNTY IN THE NORTH TO SIMPSON COUNTY NEAR THE TENNESSEE BORDER. 
> THE PATTERN OF RAPID DEVELOPMENT FARTHER SOUTH AND EAST,
> WITH INDIVIDUAL TORNADOES MOVING RAPIDLY NORTHEAST, CONTINUED INTO THE 
> EVENING.
> 
> THE LOUISVILLE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN AT 437 PM CDT A QUARTER MILE NORTH 
> OF STANDIFORD FIELD. IT WAS WITNESSED BY EMPLOYEES AT THE
> NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE. THIS STORM WAS ON OR CLOSE TO 
> THE GROUND AS IT TRAVELED THROUGH 10 MILES OF RESIDENTIAL
> PROPERTY. IN THE EASTERN 3 TO 4 MILES OF THE METROPOLITAN AREA, THE 
> MAXIMUM F4 INTENSITY WAS REACHED. THREE DEATHS WERE ATTRIBUTED
> DIRECTLY TO THE TORNADO, WITH THREE OTHERS REPORTED KILLED BY HEART 
> ATTACKS. A TOTAL OF 225 INJURIES WERE REPORTED IN LOUISVILLE AND
> JEFFERSON COUNTY.
> 
> PULASKI COUNTY, IN SOUTH-CENTRAL KENTUCKY, WAS STRUCK BY THREE SEPARATE 
> TORNADOES DURING THE EVENING. THE FIRST TOUCHED DOWN NEAR
> MT. VICTORY AT 755 PM CDT AND MOVING INTO ROCKCASTLE COUNTY, KILLING 6 
> AND INJURING 30 IN PULASKI COUNTY. ONE DEATH AND 10 INJURIES WERE
> REPORTED IN ROCKCASTLE COUNTY. A SECOND TORNADO MOVED INTO SOUTHERN 
> PULASKI COUNTY SHORTLY AFTER 9 PM AFTER KILLING 2 AND INJURING 16 IN
> EASTERN WAYNE COUNTY. THE THIRD PULASKI COUNTY WAS APPARENTLY KENTUCKY'S 
> FINAL TORNADO OF THE OUTBREAK BETWEEN 1130 PM AND
> MIDNIGHT, AS THE STORM MOVED FROM PINEY GROVE CHURCH NEAR THE RUSSELL 
> COUNTY LINE THROUGH NANCY AND BOBTOWN TO LEVEL GREEN IN
> ROCKCASTLE COUNTY.
> 
> KILLER STORMS ALSO WERE REPORTED IN BOYLE, CLINTON, FRANKLIN, HARDIN, 
> MADISON, NELSON, SIMPSON AND WARREN COUNTIES.
> 
> ALL TOLD IN THE OUTBREAK IN THE EASTERN UNITED STATES, 148 TORNADOES 
> WERE REPORTED AND THERE WERE 330 DEATHS.
> 
> FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT NORM REITMEYER AT (502) 969-8842 
> EXT. 726.  
> 
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