CLEVELAND — As communities in Cuyahoga County continue to recover from Tuesday’s storms, local businesses and emergency services are working around the clock to restore normalcy.
Bill Pauley, owner of a bar in Parma Heights, has adapted to the challenging circumstances. His usual menu is unavailable, so he’s serving from what he calls his "tornado menu."
“We had a tornado. We were closed. We didn’t have any power,” Pauley said. “Every place has to have a gimmick.”
While part of his restaurant has power—enough to keep the coolers running—his main grill remains out of commission.
Despite the setbacks, Pauley is making the best of it, cooking on outdoor grills instead.
Though Pauley’s business has taken a financial hit, he commended the efforts of power companies who have been working tirelessly to restore electricity.
“Honestly, I think they’re doing phenomenal. I mean, you can only do what you can do,” he added.
Thousands of residents remain without power as public works teams focus on the most heavily damaged communities.
The Office of Emergency Management has been instrumental in coordinating the ongoing recovery efforts, providing the necessary tools and manpower.
Kevin Friis, Planning Manager at the Office of Emergency Management, said the teams are well-equipped for the challenges ahead.
He noted that temporary cell phone towers are being brought in, power companies are being assisted, food distribution is being organized, and debris is being cleared.
“I would love to say we could go faster,” Friis acknowledged. “But it’s a time-intensive process to recover from disaster.”
Despite the widespread power outages, no emergency declaration has been made yet, though officials say it may be imminent.
“With the cost of debris cleanup and power restoration, it’s looking like we’re trending towards a potential declaration,” Friis said.
The county would need to reach $5.9 million in relief costs to qualify for assistance. “I’m guessing we’re going to get there,” he added.
On Saturday, Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne called on Gov. Mike DeWine to declare a state of emergency.
“Our communities need additional resources and funding as they recover from last week’s storms and tornados. Waiving the threshold requirements will allow us to mobilize even more resources to support cities and communities in need,” Ronayne said.
David Merriman, Director of Health and Human Services for Cuyahoga County, reported a significant increase in calls for food assistance.
“We’ve had a significant increase in our number of calls relating to food assistance, and we are grateful for the public’s patience as we work through those calls,” Merriman said.
The Greater Cleveland Food Bank is setting up locations to distribute food over the weekend to those in need.
Pauley remains optimistic despite the challenges, expressing gratitude for the community’s support.
“It’s unbelievable with something like this how the community comes together,” he said.
