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This Just In ...

Kevin Fischer is a veteran broadcaster, the recipient of over 150 major journalism awards from the Milwaukee Press Club, the Wisconsin Associated Press, the Northwest Broadcast News Association, the Wisconsin Bar Association, and others. He has been seen and heard on Milwaukee TV and radio stations for over three decades. A longtime aide to state Senate Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature, Kevin can be seen offering his views on the news on the public affairs program, "InterCHANGE," on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10, and heard filling in on Newstalk 1130 WISN. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, and their lovely baby daughter, Kyla Audrey, in Franklin.

Franklin's recent tornado history


There is none.

The Wisconsin Division of Emergency Management reports that between 1982 and 2008, there were 4 tornado events in Milwaukee County. Thankfully, there were no fatalities. Sixteen people were injured.

Rusty Kapela of the National Weather Service in Sullivan provided me the following details on those four tornadoes:


Aug 17, 1985     F1  ...moved ESE out of Waukesha County into far northwest corner of Milwaukee County.  About 3 homes were damaged along with some power-poles/lines in Milwaukee County.

May 24, 1989    F0  ...just a brief spin-up in far northwest corner of Milwaukee County...path less than 1/10 mile.  I was unable to find out how much damage occurred with this weak tornado since a line of storms also moved through the county with damaging straight-line winds.  About $1M in damage reported....but I suspect mostly due to the thunderstorm winds and not the tornado since the path length of the tornado was so short.

Mar 8, 2000      F1 ...spun up at Mitchell Field and moved northeast into St. Francis    $4.6 M estimated damage, path length of 1.7 miles

July 2000           F1 ...5.4 miles southwest of Mitchell Field spin-up location (near I-94 and Ryan Rd intersection)...and it moved   ESE into northern Racine County.  Several homes damaged, and some power-poles/lines...totaling about $1.5M (estimated) in damage.


Tonight, the Franklin Common Council could vote to spend $150,000 on tornado warning sirens. I hope the Council, at the very least, puts off a decision until it hears from more than just one vendor. Ideally, the expensive and unnecessary sirens should be voted down.

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