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Fox Cities Shift to Long-Term Recovery After EF3 Tornado

Officials are moving from mass emergency response to targeted debris removal and neighborhood-focused aid to speed rebuilding.

Overview

  • The National Weather Service rated the July 27 tornado an EF3 with roughly 140 mph winds and a 12-mile path through the Appleton and Menasha areas and no deaths were reported.
  • Local leaders announced a formal shift to longer-term recovery and closed a central supply site so resources can be moved closer to the hardest-hit neighborhoods.
  • All curbside household garbage placed out in Menasha and Fox Crossing has been collected and crews began curbside pickup of storm-damaged building materials starting Monday.
  • Volunteer operations are being reconfigured from large-scale staging to specialized, door-to-door and neighborhood assignments while 25 additional Wisconsin National Guard members support traffic and recovery and a nightly curfew and burn ban remain in effect.
  • Churches, contractors and nonprofit partners are providing meals and cleanup crews but officials say monetary donations through vetted groups and retailer round-up programs are the most effective way to help as many residents face long-term rebuilding needs.