Anne-Marie Lerch , HI Tech Hui , Honolulu , HI
This was a spot we ’ d visited every year for years . Our good friend has an art gallery we visit in that area . We ’ re very familiar with Lahaina , and we have clients with businesses there .
Initially , when we heard there was a fire , we didn ’ t know how bad it was . But as the news progressed , we began realizing how awful it was . We started texting back and forth with friends , and that ’ s when they told us how dire it was .
We had a friend riding on a Harley in town , and he only escaped by driving up the sidewalk . He said his back felt like it was literally on fire .
One of our employees had cousins visiting from New York , and they were on the street when the fire broke out . While they were driving their rental car , people were knocking on the window asking for rides . They eventually had to abandon the rental car before it caught on fire and then walk through the ocean to get past the fire to get to their hotel .
It ’ s all burned down . So we weren ’ t directly affected , but many of our employees and our clients were . We never would have thought it would happen so close to home .
John Motazedi , SNC Squared , Joplin , MO
The tornado happened around 5:30 p . m . on a Sunday , and literally from the time the tornado sirens went off , we had about 15 or 17 minutes ’ notice . This one just felt different than the others . The sky was darker and greener . It was just weird , and ultimately it was all over in minutes .
We ’ d lost power , and I told my wife , Renee , “ We ’ re going to run to the office really quickly because I ’ ve got those magnetic locks , so we need to lock the doors .”
The office was maybe half a mile south of the tornado ’ s path . We didn ’ t really know what was going on . As soon as we turned the corner , it looked like a war zone . I could see the hospital , and all the curtains were streaming out the windows from where the wind was going through . Cars , trees , telephone poles on the street — it was a mess , to say the least . We helped take some injured people to the hospital .
Ultimately , I got to the office later in the day ; it was getting dark . There were no landmarks you could recognize . All the trees were down , the telephone poles were down , the signs were down , the buildings were gone . All the street markings were gone .
I ’ m walking , trying to figure out where I am , thinking , “ My office should be around here somewhere .”
And as I looked more carefully , I saw the outline of a parking lot , and I realized I ’ d been standing in my office ’ s parking lot . I hadn ’ t recognized it simply because there was nothing there to recognize .
Everything was gone .
How They Responded
Mikol Westling , Maui Tech Solutions , Kahului , HI
We were extremely fortunate in that we didn ’ t lose our business or our homes .
Our first order of business was to identify those who were affected , triple-check that all client backups had been completed , and start implementing the BCDR plans we had in place for our customers .
When we began getting calls from customers , friends , and family who ’ d been evacuated and were looking for a place to camp , we opened our doors to them . We set up a small command station with additional power outlets , charging stations , cables , and an additional access point so people could recharge , connect , and let loved ones know they ’ re safe .
By wtp22-Own Work , CC By SA 4.0
By US Civil Air Patrol
Photo Courtesy Of iStock
Photo Courtesy Of iStock