Communities Continue Cleanup Post Sand Springs Tornado

The EF-2 tornado that tore through Tulsa County last week damaged nearly 200 homes and businesses. The Tulsa Area Emergency Management Agency said 60 of those were destroyed.

The River Oaks Mobile Home Park was one of the hardest hit areas; all but four of the 56 homes destroyed once stood in the park.

3/26/2015 Related Story: Tour of Sand Springs Mobile Home Park Shows Massive Tornado Damage

Nearly a week later, the clean-up process is far from over.

For the past six days, Brenda Simpson has been staying at the Foundation Church's makeshift Red Cross shelter in Sapulpa, but she's ok with that.

“I'm one of the lucky ones," she said.

Simpson said, while her home held strong, she still has no utilities.

"The tornado went right over my husband's head and the mobile home behind us has never been seen since," she said.

Her property was just one of the many impacted by the storm.

While high winds, rain and hail were seen in several places, the brunt of the damage was in Sand Springs, the city of Tulsa and Tulsa County.

Tulsa's Emergency Management said about 105 properties in Tulsa had some type of damage, ranging from minor to major to destroyed.

In Tulsa County – which includes the River Oaks Mobile Home Park - 100 properties were impacted and over half were destroyed.

The tornado hit too close, and almost tragically, for Kimberly Boyd and her family.

"We're just thankful we're all alive," she said. "My 7 year old panicked and ran outside, my husband ran after him - he already had our 2 year old in his hands - ran after him and grabbed him out of mid-air. The tornado already had him and was bouncing him between our two trucks."

She lived next door to her parents. Her home was damaged and her parents' house was destroyed.

"Actually this is their frame. This is what's left of their house," Boyd said.

Considering the mass amounts of loss, several people said the outpouring of community support has made things better.

The Red Cross has been providing emergency services at the Broadway Church in Sand Springs.

They've already helped more than 250 families, but Wednesday emergency services will move to the Case Community Center located at 1050 West Wekiwa Road in Sand Springs.