‘It’s not safe’: 911 calls flood dispatch amid tornadoes

PORTAGE, Mich. (WOOD) — Thousands of 911 calls flooded Kalamazoo County’s central dispatch Tuesday as apparent tornadoes tore through West Michigan.

Dispatchers coordinated with first responders on the ground to triage the worst-hit areas and respond to the most emergent calls.

“We really need someone to come and get us from Chase Bank because it’s collapsing and it’s not safe,” said one caller on the phone with dispatch.

Another woman was heard asking for help after downed wires fell near her car.

“There’s a line down and there’s a tree down on my car. I have four kids in the car with me,” she said.

Just as it seemed the worst was over, sirens rang out again as emergency management services alerted the area of a second apparent tornado.

“I’m en route,” said one officer who was dispatched near Portage. “I got around the tree, but we’ve got active trees down all over.”

The FedEx facility on Portage Road, which was built two years ago, sustained significant damage to its roof, rendering the facility useless.

One FedEx employee told dispatch, “(We’re at the) FedEx facility. Our building has been hit by a tornado. Yes. There’s probably 30 to 40 people here. It’s pouring now.”

The National Weather Service has confirmed an EF2 tornado tore through the Portage area Tuesday night.

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