Swamped.
That’s how Bonnie Pepera, manager of Ortonville based Metropolitan Tree, Inc., described the response from area residents after the June 7 storm ripped through Oakland County.
‘We started receiving calls right after the storm,? she said. ‘And the calls continued through the week. Our first call was an emergency when a tree fell right through a mobile home. The family was next door and was not injured when the tree fell. Business has picked up’we are all working many hours cutting downed trees, but the other side is the emotional factor. The human response when they have a yard that’s all messed up with branches and their trees are down. It’s tough for a lot of people right now.?
Heather Orow, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in White Lake Township, reported that the storm was not a tornado, but a squall line of thunderstorms. The winds, which left much of the area without power, were estimated to range from 70-80 mph, based on tree damage, with isolated areas that could have seen 90 mph.
According to reports, the NWS received the first calls of damage reports from Ortonville just before 5 p.m., including downed trees and power outages.
John Hagar, owner of Bullfrogs Bar and Grill, 2225 Ortonville Road, closed at about 4:30 p.m. following Sunday’s storm.
‘The electrical power did not return until about 7 p.m. Wednesday,? said Hagar. ‘We now estimate losses of more than $30,000, taking into account food that had to be disposed of and loss of business. The next time there’s a power outage we’ll have a generator to keep us open.?
Hagar, who has owned Bullfrogs for the past 10 years, said power goes out too often to be without a generator.
Bueche’s Food World in Groveland Township was also without power for four days following the storm. The store finally reopened on Friday, but not until the perishable foods in the store were removed.
‘The store does not have a generator system,? said Joe Dore, manager. ‘It’s costly to add an electrical system after a store this size is already built.?
‘There are losses from the storm, the insurance will cover some of this. The state inspector came in and was pleased with the sanitation during the outage. We’re back up and running now and we appreciate the patience of our customers.?