Find out what's happening in Manhattanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Emergency crews have worked for days to clear downed tree limbs from yards and streets. One family lost its chicken coop and all of its chickens, hit by a fallen limb. Roofs were pierced, and cars crushed. Power was knocked out for days, finally fully restored late Friday evening.

Residents’ response has been remarkable. Shocked, yet undaunted, they’ve rallied together to clean up their beloved slice of heaven. Neighbors are out dawn until dusk, filling wheelbarrows with tree limbs, sawing apart large trunks, lifting fallen limbs. With support from Manhattan Fire Protection District, Manhattan Township, Will County Emergency Management Agency, Manhattan Police, and donations from local businesses, the subdivision is starting to see the light at the end of the tornado’s dark funnel.

“They’re doing so much better than they were a couple of days ago,” said Jackie O’Hara, Fire and Life Safety Education for the Manhattan Fire Protection District. “Huge, 100-year-old oak trees that are snapped like twigs. … What a community Manhattan is, it’s a beautiful thing to see.

“There’s so much good that happened, but a lot of sadness.”

Manhattan Fire Protection District was on scene by midnight Tuesday, just hours after the storm hit late Monday night. They’ve been there daily from sunrise until after dark. Photos captured their reflective gear as they walk the street at 1 a.m. Tuesday.

As part of Manhattan Township, its emergency services and police access falls under Will County, yet Manhattan police have been at the scene. They, along with crews from the township, fire and police departments, have gone door-to-door, checking in on residents, delivering water.

“We are there, they have seen us, they know that we’re there,” O’Hara said.

Will County EMA has donated use of its light towers, enabling crews and residents to work into the night.

“That neighborhood, it really is taking care of itself,” said Manhattan Fire Protection District Lt. Ed Ludwig. “We are supplying outside resources to them. All the neighbors are helping each other out.

“…. Family friends of people, volunteers—even some complete strangers came in, started helping out.”

The sheer dedication in the neighborhood is striking, Ludwig and O’Hara said.

“The damage is extensive,” O’Hara said. “It’s remarkable to see how strong these storms really are.

“… Mostly all trees and branches, but some of them are so big, it’s challenging to get them from the back of the yard to the front.”

As debris still lines the streets, volunteers are discouraged from entering Ranch Oaks at this time, O’Hara said. While the desire to help is appreciated, it’s critical to keep the roads as clear as possible to allow essential traffic in and out.

“It’s a slow process—recovery,” O’Hara said.

With assistance from other agencies, residents work tirelessly to pull trees and debris from yards and roofs to the roadway, where Manhattan Township will later pick it up.

“It’s been incredible,” Ludwig said. “They go throughout the night. They work throughout, til 10 p.m. every night.

“The goal is everyone pitches in and gets all of the tree debris close to the side of the roadway, Manhattan Township will go in and pull it out of there. … The most impressive thing—no matter what role you had in the community, everyone is working together out there, and it’s fantastic. They’re really making great progress.”

“I cannot emphasize enough about the importance of our Public Works department and the role they play in emergency response,” he said.

“It was great to see the police, fire, and EMA working together with local residents to provide assistance to those in need. In Manhattan, we have a strong sense of community, and it really shows during emergency situations.”

Bird said it’s been difficult to get in and out of the neighborhood due to debris.

“The Township has done an amazing job, just helping clear the roads for a path,” she said.

Other than a brief five years she moved into Manhattan proper, Bird has lived in Ranch Oaks most of her 57 years of life. Her parents built a home there, and moved there when she was 1 year old, she said. After a brief stint away later in life, she moved back.

“I’m not the only one who moved back here,” she said. “There are a lot of people who grew up here, came back here to live and raise their family.”

The neighborhood has its own strong sense of identity, she said.

“It doesn’t surprise me to see people come together, because I’ve been here so long,” she said.

A family who lost their chickens and coop in the storm still rallied for their neighbors, O’Hara said.

“We have our own little neighborhood group, and everyone has been so grateful, so thankful,” Bird said. “A couple had to work yesterday, they had severe tree damage. They came home and cried when they looked in their backyard and saw it cleaned up.”

Lincoln-Way District 210 students have helped, off-duty firefighters have pitched in. Volunteers as young as 8 years old, to a 95-year-old woman, rake in hand, ready to help.

“The sense of community and recovery is just so amazing to see,” O’Hara said. “Manhattan is a town like no other.”

The subdivision runs on its own private sewer system, with a sewer plant in the back of the subdivision. It, too, suffered damage by fallen trees, Ludwig said. The trees were cleared Thursday, and with power restored late Friday, it is again up and running.

It’s another piece of the restoration puzzle put in place, Ludwig said.

Click Here: brisbane lions jersey

“Every morning right away,” he said, of when crews are out. “Light towers are on at night, I patrol through it throughout the night, to make sure everything’s going okay.

“The fire department is taking the lead out there, to make sure people have what they need. We felt that was important—that we stay connected to the incident, even after the response.

“If there’s a problem, we’re trying to fix it.”

They’re supported by donations from neighborhood businesses, including 4 Gen Restaurants’ McDonald’s location, Whitmore Ace Hardware and the Salvation Army.

Hundreds of meals from McDonald’s, pallets of water, snacks, hot meals, tarps and other supplies from the Salvation Army; water and safety supplies from Whitmore Ace Hardware.

“Over the past week, our firefighters and command staff have had the privilege of meeting some truly remarkable and resilient individuals,” Manhattan Fire Protection District said on social media Friday. “It’s amazing to witness a group of neighbors tackle huge downed trees that have decimated a yard, then move on to help the next house.

“What’s even more remarkable is the overwhelming support from our local businesses and Manhattan Township. Today, JB (Manhattan Township Road Commissioner) and his crew hand-delivered cases of water to every home. ACE Hardware donated water and safety supplies, the Manhattan Firefighters Union purchased chainsaws, and McDonald’s once again donated lunch. Manhattan Police added extra patrol to keep the subdivision safe, and our firefighters even jumped in to assist with the cleanup!

“The progress made in Ranch Oaks is truly inspiring. Together, we are stronger.”

“There is still a lot of work to be done,” Adrieansen said. “Homes need to be repaired, vehicles need to be replaced, and there will be incredible amounts of debris to remove.

“… I would never wish this storm on anybody, but it was a good test of or emergency response and coordination of efforts. I am proud of our response and proud of our community. We are strong and we will recover.”

Bird feels fortunate—her home was mostly spared from damage. But she’s joined her neighbors to help those who weren’t quite so lucky.

“These are houses that were built mostly in the ’60s and ’70s,” she said. “When your only damage is mostly due to the trees, it really shows you how sturdy your houses are.”

“Either the days are just really long, time doesn’t move, like when your power’s out,” she said, “… or when you’re trying to get it all done, you don’t know what day it is.”

Bird is grateful for the support and aid from both her neighbors and others. The Manhattan Fire Protection District, specifically, has been a significant help.

“You never imagine it will happen, so you never really think ‘what would the fire department do?’ They’ve been so wonderful,” she said.

“Their presence here—helping, assisting, coordinating with cleanup crews and joining them—it’s pretty amazing.”

No one was injured, and trees will grow back—though the century-old ones are a loss deeply felt.

“Piles and piles and piles of branches and cut wood at the side of the road,” she said. “It’s shocking.”

She recalls the view of the sunset she used to have.

“You see sky in the middle (of the horizon) now, where you used to see the sunset through the oak trees,” she said.

“Something you take for granted, is no longer there.”

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.