Gov. Jim Pillen paid Washington County a visit Sunday morning to spread a message of community and hope following Friday afternoon's tornadoes.
Residents affected by the tornado, emergency management personnel, fire and rescue volunteers and county representatives met at the Lakeland subdivision Sunday to hear from the governor and next steps to take following the destructive tornado.
"Mother nature sobers us and humbles us, right?" he said. "The good news is it's extraordinary that everybody's here. I think the question I've been asked for over three years when moments like this happen... 'What's the one thing you love the most about Nebraska?' The answer 100% is, 'It's the people, and we the people just step up and help our neighbors be neighbors.'"
With the "massiveness" of the tornado, Pillen said he is grateful no deaths or serious injuries were reported.
One message Pillen said he wants to share with Nebraskans is to ask for help.
"In fact, it's really, really important to ask for help so we're able to document all the cases, because we have a critical mass," he said. "I got a call from the president of the United States yesterday wanting to help, but we have to document to get to that level so we can get federal assistance so we can help everybody that's been impacted by this cell."
Washington County Board of Supervisors Chairman Steve Dethlefs said those who need assistance can field their questions to County Board members, Emergency Manager Dan Douglas, the Roads Department and law enforcement.
"Everybody in the room knows somebody it touched," Dethlefs said. "It's gratifying when you kind of travel around and you pull up by a house that's been destroyed and there's 20, 30, 40 vehicles there and a bunch of people pulling together to try to make it right. Right won't happen for a while, it's going to take a lot of hard work."
The county's website is washingtoncountyne.gov.
Erv Portis, assistant director for Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), said his team is working to expedite a preliminary damage assessment with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
"So we can identify that damage and move declarations forward so we can get federal funds as quickly as we can," he said.
Sen. Ben Hansen also made an appearance Sunday morning, and said he was grateful to see people in the county come together.
"Just to see how we're doing as a people, but also to see what the state can do for us, as well — I think that's a partnership we all value," he said. "Sometimes we don't recognize or see it until something like this happens."
