Owensboro Remembers 2000 Tornado
By: David R. Heckard
Updated: January 4, 2013
OWENSBORO - Chad Bennefield and Dave Spencer have seen a lot in their days at 92.5 WBKR.
But the on-air personalities had never seen what was about to occur on January 3, 2000.
"What I remember most about that day was how warm it was - it was almost 80 degrees on January 3rd," Bennefield said. "I had worked that morning, took a big power nap - perfect day for napping. I was awakened by sirens and I thought - Oh, this is not going to be good."
Spencer echoed that feeling.
"You get up on January 3rd and its in the upper 70s - you're like, trouble," Spencer said.
Later that afternoon, there fears were confirmed.
The tornado came so close that the radio station shut down operations, and employees sought shelter.
"We went in the middle room and got down and the lights went out and I thought - well, this is it," Spencer said. "Let's see what happens."
The tornado missed their Frederica Street studios, but just barely - and damage did occur to their massive radio tower.
"As soon as it was over, we had to spring into action," Bennefield said. "We ran out to the our building outside where the generator sits. We were standing in lightning and rain and it was so dark and there was no power anywhere. I remembered sitting in the storm, trying to fire the generator up so we could actually go on the air to tell people what happened.
"We knew the general direction the tornado had come from and we know where it was going. At that time we went back on the air, it was still on the ground in Owensboro-Daviess County. We were telling people - hey guys there's a tornado on the ground."
The damage done by the tornado was incredible.
"It was unbelievable," Spencer said. "To go over to the westside, and see the destruction of homes that were just completely eradicated - unbelievable."
13 years later, the scars are almost gone from the Owensboro landscape, but the memories remain - and residents are aware of the dangers tornadoes can bring.
"These things really do hit towns," Bennefield said. "They really cause a lot of destruction and they're serious."
But the on-air personalities had never seen what was about to occur on January 3, 2000.
"What I remember most about that day was how warm it was - it was almost 80 degrees on January 3rd," Bennefield said. "I had worked that morning, took a big power nap - perfect day for napping. I was awakened by sirens and I thought - Oh, this is not going to be good."
Spencer echoed that feeling.
"You get up on January 3rd and its in the upper 70s - you're like, trouble," Spencer said.
Later that afternoon, there fears were confirmed.
The tornado came so close that the radio station shut down operations, and employees sought shelter.
"We went in the middle room and got down and the lights went out and I thought - well, this is it," Spencer said. "Let's see what happens."
The tornado missed their Frederica Street studios, but just barely - and damage did occur to their massive radio tower.
"As soon as it was over, we had to spring into action," Bennefield said. "We ran out to the our building outside where the generator sits. We were standing in lightning and rain and it was so dark and there was no power anywhere. I remembered sitting in the storm, trying to fire the generator up so we could actually go on the air to tell people what happened.
"We knew the general direction the tornado had come from and we know where it was going. At that time we went back on the air, it was still on the ground in Owensboro-Daviess County. We were telling people - hey guys there's a tornado on the ground."
The damage done by the tornado was incredible.
"It was unbelievable," Spencer said. "To go over to the westside, and see the destruction of homes that were just completely eradicated - unbelievable."
13 years later, the scars are almost gone from the Owensboro landscape, but the memories remain - and residents are aware of the dangers tornadoes can bring.
"These things really do hit towns," Bennefield said. "They really cause a lot of destruction and they're serious."
