After a tornado touched down in southeast Wichita and Andover on April 29, first responders were quick to action in the aftermath. … Given the massive scale of damage, multiple units from around the area responded – including staff from Derby Fire and Rescue. Chief John Turner noted a crew of six were among the initial response team from Derby, with two more helping in the second shift on April 30. Once Derby Fire personnel were alerted to the tornado April 29, they made their way to Andover, first stopping in eastern Sedgwick County to help clear roads for other emergency vehicles. The Derby crew arrived in Andover before 10 p.m. and helped with planning along with serving on the rescue squads tasked with helping individuals who were trapped, marking buildings as searched, controlling utilities, etc. Having responded to several regional severe weather events – including the 1991 Andover tornado – Turner posited that the early warning system may have helped prevent outcomes of a similar scale this time.
Source: Derby Informer | Area
