GOSHEN — Cleanup in Goshen is underway after the EF2 tornado that ripped through the Clermont County community last week.
Crews from Beavercreek, Springboro and Lebanon are on hand to help.
>> Related: Tornado damages 200 structures and disrupts power in Goshen
The cleanup means a little more to the crew from Beavercreek, as Wednesday marks the third day Clayton Campbell and the rest of the Beavercreek crew have been clearing tree debris. They know how it feels for people affected.
>> Photos: Area communities continuing to help clean up tornado aftermath in Goshen
“It kind of brought back memories of Beavercreek a few years ago with our tornado,” Campbell said. “When it was our tornado it was mind blowing. We didn’t think we were ever going to get done.”
One of the differences he’s seen is that there is a lot more tree debris. However, there are still homes that are tarped. Some still have no roof.
“We had a lot of neighborhoods like that in Beavercreek. But it was not just Beavercreek, it was Dayton and other communities,” Campbell said.
Now though, crews from Beavercreek are on the other side of the disaster.
“It’s good to payback, it is. It’s just really good feeling to payback. They came from all over to help us. Now here we are helping them,” Campbell said.
The plan for now is for them to stay for the remainder of this week.
“We’ll stay as long as we can to help out because those boys didn’t leave us. They stuck until Beavercreek was done,” Campbell said.
Even with everything that’s been done over the last week, there is still plenty of work to do. The damage to buildings, and debris piles, they’re collecting other things such as metal that will be hauled away.
Wednesday afternoon, Gov. Mike DeWine issued a state of emergency declaration for Clermont and Brown counties.
National Weather Service survey teams determined that an EF2 hit Goshen, an EF1 touched down near Loveland and an EF1 hit Lake Lorelei in Brown County on July 6. Goshen Twp. officials declared a state of emergency after officials said the storm caused significant damage to the electric system and an estimated 200 buildings in the area.
The governor said by declaring a state of emergency, the state will ensure both counties receive resources they need to rebuild. The Ohio Department of Transportation has been asked to provide assistance.
“We’re blessed that no one was killed, but it brings home to us how fragile life is, and how in one minute, the world can fundamentally change,” the governor said in a tweet.