Small Town Strong: Unity in the Restoration of Ranch Oaks Beautiful to see

Posted on by Vaseline

MANHATTAN TOWNSHIP, IL — In many ways, the Ranch Oaks neighborhood is its own town. Its 77 homes are nestled on 60 acres of idyllic countryside, with canopies of 100-year-old oak trees lining the streets and shading the yards. Most of the homes were built 60 to 70 years ago, and many residents have lived there just as long.

His own little enclave on what started as ranch land is now a place where many have grown up and rarely leave – and when they do, they return to raise their families. A close-knit community, a mix of “lifers” and new residents – the oldest resident is 100 years old and has lived there for decades, while some of the newest residents have only been there for 5 years.

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It’s no surprise to lifelong resident Christine Bird that the neighborhood’s residents helped each other out after a tornado ripped through the streets on Monday, July 15. Ranch Oaks was hit by an EF-2 with 120 mph winds that ran from Channahon to Elwood, Manhattan, and all the way to Frankfort. Days later, Ranch Oaks is still reeling.

According to Bird, the tornado’s path was clear because of the damage it caused.

“It came in through the back of the neighborhood, bounced down Diane Way, down Creek Drive and then into the Round Barn,” she said.

Emergency services worked for days to remove fallen branches from yards and streets. One family lost their chicken coop and all their chickens, hit by a fallen branch. Roofs were pierced and cars crushed. Power was out for days, but was not fully restored until late Friday night.

The response from residents has been remarkable. Shocked, yet undeterred, they have rallied to clean up their beloved slice of heaven. Neighbors have been out from dawn to dusk, filling wheelbarrows with branches, sawing up large logs and hoisting up fallen limbs. With support from the Manhattan Fire Protection District, Manhattan Township, Will County Emergency Management Agency, Manhattan Police and donations from local businesses, the neighborhood is beginning to see the light at the end of the tornado’s dark funnel.

“They’re doing so much better than they were a few days ago,” said Jackie O’Hara, Fire and Life Safety Education for the Manhattan Fire Protection District. “Huge, 100-year-old oak trees snapping off like twigs. … What a community Manhattan is, it’s beautiful to see.

“So much good has happened, but also a lot of sadness.”

Manhattan Fire Protection District was on the scene at midnight Tuesday, just hours after the storm hit late Monday night. They have been there daily from sunrise until after sunset. Photos captured their reflective gear walking the streets at 1 a.m. Tuesday.

Thanks to Jackie O’Hara

As part of Manhattan Township, emergency services and police access fall under Will County, but Manhattan police have been on the scene, along with township, fire, and police crews, going door to door checking on residents and delivering water.

“We’re here, they’ve seen us, they know we’re here,” O’Hara said.

Will County EMA has made its light poles available, allowing crews and residents to work into the night.

“That neighborhood, it really takes care of itself,” said Lt. Ed Ludwig of Manhattan Fire Protection District. “We provide outside resources to them. All the neighbors help each other out.

“….Family, friends of people, volunteers, even complete strangers came by and started helping.”

The sheer dedication in the neighborhood is striking, Ludwig and O’Hara said.

“The damage is enormous,” O’Hara said. “It’s remarkable how powerful these storms really are.

“…Mostly all trees and branches, but some are so big that it’s a challenge to get them from the back of the yard to the front.”

Because there is still debris along the streets, volunteers are discouraged from entering Ranch Oaks at this time, O’Hara said. While the desire to help is appreciated, it is critical to keep the roads as clear as possible to allow essential traffic in and out.

“It’s a slow process, recovery,” O’Hara said.

With the help of other agencies, residents are working tirelessly to remove trees and debris from yards and roofs and place them on the road. Manhattan Township will clean it up later.

“It’s unbelievable,” Ludwig said. “They’re going all night long. They’re working all night long, until 10 o’clock every night.

“The goal is for everyone to do their part and collect all the tree debris along the side of the road, Manhattan Township will clean it up. … The really impressive thing is that everyone, no matter what role you have in the community, is pulling together and that’s fantastic. They’re really making great progress.”

Thanks to Manhattan Fire Protection District
Thanks to Manhattan Fire Protection District

Manhattan Public Works Department and Manhattan Road Commissioner Jim Baltas spent hours clearing debris from streets, including trees that blocked traffic on Route 52, Manhattan Mayor Mike Adrieansen said. Public Works spent days pulling and chipping trees, he added.

“I cannot stress enough how important our Public Works Department is and the role it plays in emergency response,” he said.

“It was amazing to see how the police, fire and EMA worked together with local residents to provide assistance to those in need. In Manhattan we have a strong sense of community and that really shows during emergencies.”

According to Bird, the rubble makes it difficult to get in and out of the neighborhood.

“The city has done a fantastic job of clearing the roads for a trail,” she said.

Thanks to Manhattan Fire Protection District
Thanks to Manhattan Fire Protection District

Except for a brief five-year hiatus in Manhattan, Bird has lived in Ranch Oaks for most of her 57 years. Her parents built a house there and moved there when she was 1, she said. She moved back for a short time later in life.

“I’m not the only one who moved back here,” she said. “There are a lot of people who grew up here, came back here to live and raise their families.”

The neighborhood has a strong identity of its own, she said.

“It doesn’t surprise me that people gather here because I’ve been here for so long,” she said.

A family who lost their chickens and coop in the storm still stepped up to help their neighbors, O’Hara said.

A family that lost their chickens and coop in a tornado on July 15 continues to help clean up in Ranch Oaks. Courtesy of Manhattan Fire Protection District

“We have our own little community group and everyone is so grateful, so thankful,” Bird said. “A couple had to work yesterday, they had severe damage to their tree. They came home and cried when they looked in their backyard and saw that it had been cleaned up.”

Students from Lincoln-Way District 210 helped, off-duty firefighters pitched in. Volunteers from 8 years old to a 95-year-old woman, rake in hand, ready to help.

“The sense of community and recovery is just so amazing to see,” O’Hara said. “Manhattan is a city like no other.”

Thanks to Manhattan Fire Protection District
Thanks to Manhattan Fire Protection District
Thanks to Manhattan Fire Protection District
Thanks to Manhattan Fire Protection District

The neighborhood has its own private sewer system, with a sewage treatment plant behind the neighborhood. This too was damaged by fallen trees, Ludwig said. The trees were cleared Thursday and with the power back on Friday night, it is up and running again.

According to Ludwig, this means that another piece of the restoration puzzle has fallen into place.

“First thing every morning,” he said, after the crews are gone. “At night, the light poles are on, I patrol through them all night long to make sure everything is OK.

“The fire department takes the lead in making sure people get what they need. We felt that was important: that we stay connected to the incident, even after the response.

“If there is a problem, we try to solve it.”

They are supported by donations from local businesses including 4 Gen Restaurants’ McDonald’s, Whitmore Ace Hardware and the Salvation Army.

Hundreds of meals from McDonald’s, pallets of water, snacks, hot meals, tarps and other supplies from the Salvation Army; water and safety equipment from Whitmore Ace Hardware.

“Over the past week, our firefighters and commands have had the privilege of meeting some truly remarkable and resilient individuals,” Manhattan Fire Protection District said Friday on social media. “It’s amazing to see a group of neighbors tackle massive fallen trees that have destroyed one yard, and then move on to help the next home.”

“What’s even more remarkable is the overwhelming support from our local businesses and Manhattan Township. Today, JB (Manhattan Township Road Commissioner) and his team personally delivered cases of water to every home. ACE Hardware donated water and safety equipment, the Manhattan Firefighters Union purchased chainsaws, and McDonald’s donated lunch once again. The Manhattan Police Department added extra patrols to keep the neighborhood safe, and our firefighters even jumped in to help with the cleanup!

“The progress made in Ranch Oaks is truly inspiring. Together we are stronger.”

Thanks to Manhattan Fire Protection District
Witmore Ace Hardware Manhattan donated supplies for rescue efforts. Thanks to Manhattan Fire Protection District
Thanks to Manhattan Fire Protection District

“There’s still a lot of work to be done,” Adrieansen said. “Houses need to be repaired, vehicles need to be replaced, and there’s going to be an incredible amount of debris to be cleared.

“…I wouldn’t wish this storm on anyone, but it was a good test of our emergency response and coordination of efforts. I’m proud of our response and proud of our community. We are strong and we will recover.”

Bird feels fortunate that her home was largely spared from damage, but she and her neighbors have stepped up to help those who were less fortunate.

“These are homes that were built largely in the ’60s and ’70s,” she said. “When you only have tree damage, you really see how sturdy your homes are.”

“Either the days are just really long, time stands still, like when the power goes out,” she said, “…or when you want to get everything done, you don’t know what day it is.”

Bird is grateful for the support and help from both her neighbors and others. The Manhattan Fire Protection District in particular has been a major help.

“You never imagine it actually happening, so you never wonder, ‘What would the fire department do?’ They’re so amazing,” she said.

“Their presence here – helping, assisting, coordinating with cleanup crews and joining them – it’s pretty amazing.”

No one was injured and the trees will grow again, although the ancient trees are a great loss.

“Piles and piles and piles of branches and cut wood on the side of the road,” she said. “It’s shocking.”

She remembers the view of the sunset she used to have.

“You now see the sky in the middle (on the horizon), whereas before you saw the sunset through the oak trees,” she said.

“Something you take for granted is no longer there.”

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