Portage to mark 1 year since tornado with ceremony, focus on recovery
PORTAGE, Mich. (WOOD) — The city of Portage will hold a public ceremony Wednesday to mark one year since a tornado ripped through the community, causing widespread destruction.
The gathering begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Celery Flats Pavilion. City leaders will speak, volunteers and recovery partners will be recognized and a moment of reflection will be held. Tree seedlings will be given away to symbolize renewal.
Mayor Patricia Randall recalled the tornado's arrival on what had started as a beautiful day. Seconds after receiving a warning call from her father, sirens sounded. She lives close to where the EF2 tornado touched down and described the rapid response that followed.
'Very grateful': Couple recounts moments sheltering from 2024 Portage tornado
'I felt that we received a lot of support from the city of Kalamazoo and the county of Kalamazoo because 90% of the damage was done in our community,' Randall said. 'That's a good feeling to be a part of a neighborhood network.'
City Hall became a hub for volunteer coordination. The state has since provided $3 million in disaster relief, including $1 million directed toward businesses. Portage's request for a major disaster declaration was denied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency
The tornado brought down 48,000 trees, blocking roads and damaging homes and businesses. Randall said while much of the cleanup is done, ecological recovery is far from over.
The historic nature of the May 7, 2024, tornado outbreak
'We're doing everything we can. Forty-eight thousand trees are a significant part of our canopy. We are a tree city. We value trees and all of the good that they bring to the environment and to our quality of life. So this will be a long journey,' she said.
Fire risk from dead trees and efforts to restore habitats remain ongoing concerns. The city is now exploring the hire of a part-time emergency manager, since Randall said about a quarter of the municipal budget is set aside for crisis response.
Wednesday's event is free and open to the public, rain or shine.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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