Radio station connects Joplin tornado victims after other communications were cut off

May 25, 2011|by Jay Scherder, KY3 News | jscherder@ky3.com

JOPLIN, Mo. -- While telephone service is slowing being restored, people are using that opportunity to call in to the Zimmer Radio Group. People have also been stopping by the stations, all waiting their turn to get out a message. Some are looking for loved ones; some are letting people know where they can get food or water. Many call the people who have been working the clock heroes. Those people, however, say they are just doing their job.

"I have never in my life seen a tornado with such destruction and power,” said Rob Meyer, program director at KIX 102.5.

Rob Meyer was one of the unfortunate ones. He lost most of his home to the tornado in Joplin. But, instead of lying down, he rose up, reaching out to the community when they needed him most.

"It really doesn't feel like work when you feel like you're doing some good,” said Meyer.

Meyer and his fellow coworkers at Zimmer Radio have been on the air nonstop since the storm warnings came out on Sunday.

"It was immediately that KIX was on the air and they were giving out names of people that were at nursing homes or were missing and we're looking for family,” said tornado victim Mary Ellen Greer.

Some of the DJs have hardly taken a break.

"He was on the air 14, 15 hours maybe, before he took his first break,” said Meyer.

Telephone lines were down. Cell phones didn't work. There was no way for people to know whether their neighborhood had been destroyed or where their loved ones were.

"It was really hard telling some of these people that area was hit extremely hard,” said Meyer.

"People were calling in and saying, "Hey, we have food here.’ ‘Such and such is missing,’” said Greer.

While there were stories of sadness, there were also stories of hope.

"The feeling we got internally when we matched up some of those families and getting the thank yous -- it was just incredible,” said Meyer.

“The more I listened, I'm thinking what these guys are doing is fantastic,” said Greer.

A community that has taken such a hard hit has a group of people by their side, over the airwaves.

"It's unreal. It's unreal. It makes you proud to be a Joplinite. We have good folks here,” said Greer.

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