By Peighton Yoakam, WATERLOO, Ne.- When a powerful storm ripped through Waterloo earlier last month, residents like Walt Getze were left stunned by the damage.
“Oh, God. The tree was down,” he recalled. “It was just like a tornado going through.”
The storm toppled trees, damaged fences and gardens, and left many neighborhoods cleaning up for days. For Getze, the hardest adjustment was in his daily routine.
“The morning, just getting used to seeing the tree down and pulling back branches so I can get the dogs out so they can go potty,” he said.
While his yard lost shade and several plants, he’s grateful no one was hurt.
“The tree shade is gone, but that’s the way it is. Nobody got hurt, and the house didn’t get hurt, so except for the fence.”
Neighbors and Firefighters Step In
Even in the middle of chaos, Waterloo’s strong sense of community was clear. Neighbors checked on one another, moved cars out of danger, and shared updates with landlords and cleanup crews.
The local fire department faced its own challenges.
“The biggest challenge we faced was mitigating the incident where the tree fell on the truck at Two Rivers State Park,” Waterloo Fire Captain, Paul Stewart says. Mutual aid partners from Omaha, Valley, and Yutan fire departments joined forces with Nebraska Game and Parks, Douglas County Sheriff, AARow Towing, and UNMC to clear hazards and keep residents safe.
Power Restoration a Top Priority
With widespread outages across town, restoring electricity quickly became the most urgent task.
“Power was the biggest outage, and fixing service interruptions was up to OPPD,” Stewart noted.
The cleanup stretched over days, with tree specialists and utility crews working long hours. Residents adapted, clearing paths just enough for pets, while waiting for professional crews to remove larger fallen trees.
New Equipment, Stronger Preparedness
The storm has already reshaped Waterloo’s emergency response planning. The Waterloo Fire Department confirmed it will soon add Partech Hydrafusions, specialized equipment capable of lifting large objects like downed trees.
“We will be the only agency in the area that has them,” the department stated, expecting the tools to be in service by December.
Looking Ahead with Hope
Despite the challenges, residents remain optimistic.
“We’re a small town, and we go through storms together,” Getze said. “We look out for each other… all we can do is take each day at a time. The future looks good.”
Fire officials echoed that message, urging residents to stay vigilant: avoid downed power lines, steer clear of flooded areas, and check on vulnerable neighbors. “Our biggest priority is public safety,” they said.
In Waterloo, recovery may take time—but resilience, teamwork, and preparation ensure the community is ready for the storms ahead.
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