04/24/2026
Fire Chief’s Soap Box: I have been a first responder and a storm spotter for 39 years and this evening, 04/23/26, was the first time I saw the high number of people parked at intersections, road side or even in the road watching the storms and trying to take pictures of the tornado. This makes it difficult of volunteers to get to the station to respond to emergency calls or emergency units to get to the scene. Kildare FD was paged out to two different calls this evening, I personally live on a dirt road and drive mostly on that road to get to the station. I passed ten separate vehicles parked looking at the storm in the three and half miles to get to the station. When I crossed Hwy. 77, the number of cars lining the edge of the highway the mile and a half to the over pass was astronomical and looking to the north was just as bad. These storms cycle and can jump several miles in mere minutes and if these people happened to be in the way, the traffic congestion could cause issues with their lives. Stay home and watch your televisions.
