STORM moves forward with long-term tornado recovery

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Harrisburg STORM has announced they currently have seven trained case management teams working in areas of the city that were affected by the Feb. 29 tornado. Team members are carrying credentials identifying themselves as STORM case managers.

Sharon Behnke-Fleege, of STORM, said the teams are working from a list of families and addresses that were compiled by the Saline County Emergency Management Agency, utility companies and various other agencies. The list has been prioritized according to needs, with immediate needs at the top of the list.

At a STORM meeting Monday afternoon, several case managers said their biggest difficulty so far has been finding displaced families. Many people on the list are staying with friends or family, sometimes making it difficult to track them down.

The workers are hoping to compile information about what needs are going unmet for people who were affected by the tornado in order to determine what services STORM can provide for them.

The case management teams are currently in their third week of work.

The teams are composed of volunteers, several of whom have regular full-time jobs and are doing their STORM case management work part-time.

STORM took over long-term recovery efforts in Harrisburg after Operation Blessing moved out of the area in mid-March. The group is working to isolate unmeet needs in the community to determine how to move forward with recovery efforts.

Those needing assistance from the group may contact Harrisburg STORM at 294-9400.