BROKEN BOW–The Broken Bow Tree Dump will remain open–free of charge–to residents this week as they continue clean-up efforts following the severe thunderstorms and straight-line winds on Saturday, July 16.
Broken Bow Mayor Rod Sonnichsen said between the hours of 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday, local patrons brought in 416 loads of tree limbs to the Broken Bow Tree Dump (located on south 13th Ave). Sore and sunburned, Sonnichsen said city crews wanted to help community members as much as possible by opening the tree dump for free. The tree dump will remain open for the rest of the week from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. free of charge (it will also be open during the lunch hour).
“Seeing thousands of people coming together just to try to recover from such a mess and if you had a tree, you had problems,” Sonnichsen said.
Custer County Emergency Manager Mark Rempe told KCNI/KBBN the storm was primarily a “wind-driven” event consisting of 90+ MPH straight-line winds resulting in severe damage to trees.
Sonnichsen said crews from the street department worked past midnight to make sure streets were clear of storm debris.
“There’s a lot of people that don’t have the capabilities, they can’t haul, they have no chainsaws, and they need that recovery too. In a combined effort a lot of good people doing a lot of hard work,” Sonnichsen said.
Click below for the full interview with Mayor Rod Sonnichsen:
Traffic lined south 13th as vehicles made their way to the tree dump on Sunday, equating to a new load every 59 seconds. Despite the heat, Sonnichsen said morale was good from the staff, volunteers, residents, and his wife who kept tally.
“My hat’s off to those that helped the neighbors that can’t,” he said.
Sonnichsen said most of the tree limbs will likely be burned eventually. He said the storm could have been worse but says it is great to see neighbors helping each other.
“It is kind of a heartbreaking thing especially when you see a tree laying on your house or on your vehicle. We will have worse storms in the future; we’ve had worse in the past. Don’t give up on it—this is a quick fix. Well, not really quick but it could have been a whole lot worse,” Sonnichsen continued. “I know there is some damage to some of the businesses and residences but to a point where nobody got hurt and we can only pray for that.”
