Tornado Destroys Greensburg, Southern Star Responds

May 8, 2007, Greensburg, KS
Last Thursday, Greensburg, Kansas, was a typical small town in America’s heartland:  close neighbors looking out for one another, folks waiving to strangers as they pass, family-owned shops where local gossip fills the aisles, and town volunteers marking the days before summer festivals begin. Last Friday, all that changed.  The town – 95% of it - vanished in the path of an F5 tornado.  Twenty minutes after the tornado sirens went off, almost nothing remained standing.  So far, rescuers believe nine people lost their lives.  All residents lost their homes.

Southern Star’s history is intertwined with Greensburg.  In fact, it was the location of a “company town” that supported a compressor station there years ago.  While no employees remain in Greensburg, several retirees and their spouses lived or still live there and employees have relatives there.  According to reports so far, none of Southern Star’s retirees or employees’ family members were physically injured.  

Residents are returning to Greensburg to begin rebuilding.  Southern Star initiated its aid with a targeted $2000 donation to the American Red Cross.  The Company has asked employees to consider making donations as well.  Employee donations will be matched by the Company when matching grant forms are returned to Human Resources.  

Southern Star crews from Alva, Lyons, Ulysses, and Wichita are awaiting word from the Kansas Division of Emergency Management to begin cleanup efforts in Greensburg.  Our crews will initially focus their efforts on assisting retirees, spouses of retirees, and relatives of employees.  Warren Etheridge, Manager, Pipeline Compliance, Owensboro, is coordinating Southern Star’s efforts with KDEM.