Sixty-eight people were treated for injuries after a tornado now rated EF3 tore a 12-mile path through Wisconsin's Fox Valley, and the health hazards that outlast the storm are only starting.
Governor Tony Evers signed Executive Order #300 on Tuesday declaring a state of emergency. The order names one consequence that most storm coverage skips past: disruptions to public water systems. A boil water advisory remains in effect for the Village of Fox Crossing east of the Fox River and for City of Menasha residents served by the Fox Crossing utility.
That advisory, not the property damage, is the immediate household health issue. Water systems that lose pressure can draw in contaminants, and the people most likely to become ill from that are the ones least able to tolerate it.
What the National Weather Service Confirmed
The National Weather Service in Green Bay upgraded the storm from a preliminary EF2 to a preliminary EF3 on Tuesday. Peak winds reached 140 miles per hour.
The tornado touched down north of Wisconsin Avenue in Appleton, tracked 12.1 miles, reached 1,500 yards wide and lasted 26 minutes before breaking up over Lake Winnebago at 12:22 p.m. on July 27. The heaviest damage occurred near Highway 10 in Menasha, where businesses were destroyed, and a house was leveled.
No deaths have been reported. Neenah, Menasha and Grand Chute declared local states of emergency, and the Winnebago County Emergency Operations Center was activated. Menasha and Fox Crossing imposed a curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Wisconsin Public Service restored power to roughly 12,000 customers by Tuesday, with contract crews called in for the hardest-hit areas.
"This declaration allows the City to take the necessary actions," Neenah Council President Dan Steiner said of that city's emergency order, according to WBAY.
What the Boil Water Advisory Actually Requires
The Fox Crossing Utilities East system lost pressure during the storm. Under the advisory, all public water used for drinking, cooking or washing eating utensils must be brought to a rolling boil for at least one minute. Ice and any beverages made with unboiled water should be thrown out.
Not everything requires boiled water. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services lists bathing and showering as acceptable, with an exception for infants. Automatic dishwashers with a sanitizing or heated dry cycle are acceptable, as are laundry and watering plants. Residents on private wells are not covered by the advisory.
Officials have asked residents to conserve water so storage facilities can refill, which is what shortens the advisory. A chlorine smell is expected because the system underwent emergency chlorination.
The state health department advises residents to contact a doctor if they or family members develop diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting or fever that could be related to the water. It identifies older adults, infants, small children and people with weakened immune systems as more likely to become ill from germs in drinking water.
The Injuries That Come After the Storm
Emergency physicians who work disasters describe a predictable second wave. The first wave is flying debris and structural collapse during the tornado itself. The second is people cleaning up.
Federal guidance is specific about what causes it. The CDC's post-tornado safety guidance warns that fuel-burning equipment, including generators, pressure washers, charcoal grills and camp stoves, produces carbon monoxide that cannot be seen or smelled and can cause sudden illness and death indoors. It advises keeping such equipment outside and at least 20 feet from any window, door or vent, and using a battery-operated carbon monoxide detector whenever a generator runs.
With thousands of customers losing power in late July heat, generator use across the Fox Cities is widespread right now, which makes that the single most preventable serious hazard of this recovery.
Chainsaws are the other. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's tornado response guidance tells anyone working in debris to wear boots and gloves, watch for nails and broken glass, take precautions with generators and chainsaws, and guard against heat illness and dehydration. Homeowners cutting storm-damaged trees for the first time are operating unfamiliar equipment on limbs under tension, often in heat, often exhausted.
Damaged buildings carry their own risk. Federal guidance is to stay out until local authorities determine a structure is safe, and to leave immediately if shifting or unusual noises are heard.
Who Is Carrying the Heaviest Burden
Risk in this recovery is not evenly spread. Residents of damaged apartment buildings without power have lost air conditioning during a period of high heat, and WBAY reported that some Menasha residents who rely on motorized wheelchairs were affected by the outage. People who depend on electricity for oxygen concentrators, refrigerated medications such as insulin, or powered mobility devices face medical consequences from an outage that is merely inconvenient for others.
Households on the boil water advisory that include infants, older adults, or immunocompromised members need to be the strictest about it. Older adults doing their own cleanup face the highest combined risk of heat illness, falls and cardiac events.
There is a downstream effect as well. The Community Blood Center in the region declared blood supply at crisis levels this week, with several types below a two-day supply. Trauma volume and disrupted donation drives compound each other after events like this.
What Happens Next
The National Weather Service rating remains preliminary and may be revised as damage surveys are completed. Winnebago County officials have said a National Guard assistance request for cleanup was expected to follow the state emergency declaration, though the county told FOX 11 on Tuesday evening that aid from neighboring Fond du Lac and Waupaca counties had delayed that request.
The boil water advisory continues until the utility completes testing and lifts it. Residents should watch the Village of Fox Crossing updates rather than assume it has ended, and should not rely on social media for that determination. Officials have asked the public to hold off on physical donations while distribution is organized.
The confirmed facts are that 68 people were treated, no deaths have been reported, a preliminary EF3 struck three communities, and public water was compromised. The people most affected are households on the Fox Crossing east system and anyone medically dependent on electricity. The most reasonable actions are boiling water for one minute, keeping generators well outside and away from openings, and treating chainsaw work with more caution than it seems to require. The central uncertainty is how long water service and power restoration will take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened? A tornado now preliminarily rated EF3, with peak winds of 140 mph, struck Appleton, Neenah and Menasha on July 27. Sixty-eight people were treated for injuries and no deaths have been reported.
Who is under the boil water advisory? Residents on public water in Fox Crossing east of the Fox River, and City of Menasha residents served by the Fox Crossing utility. Private well users are not included.
How long do I boil the water? A rolling boil for at least one minute for drinking, cooking and washing eating utensils. Discard ice and beverages made with unboiled water.
Can I shower during the advisory? The state health department lists bathing and showering as acceptable, with an exception for infants.
What symptoms should I watch for? Diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting or fever. Older adults, infants, small children and immunocompromised people should contact a doctor for guidance.
What is the most dangerous part of cleanup? Carbon monoxide from generators used too close to a home, and chainsaw injuries. Keep fuel-burning equipment outdoors and at least 20 feet from windows, doors and vents.
When can I re-enter a damaged building? Not until local authorities say it is safe. Leave immediately if you hear shifting or unusual noises.
