Tornado Wreaks Havoc in AFB Housing

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Tornado Wreaks Havoc in AFB Housing
September 01, 2008
Air Force Print News|by Lois Walsh

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - As Hurricane Gustav made its trek across the Gulf of Mexico, residents on base here had a rude awakening.

Air traffic controllers saw 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. The controllers watched as the first funnel touched down on the runway and then 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 received 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.


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