LOUISVILLE, Ky. — When the call came in early Saturday morning on May 17, the firefighters at Anchorage Middletown Fire & EMS Station 33 quickly got ready, and headed south.

What You Need To Know

  • A deadly EF4 tornado hit south central Kentucky last weekend

  • Fire departments from across Jefferson County and the state send crews to assist with the reponse

  • It included 8 fire fighters from Anchorage Middletown Fire & EMS

  • Beyond first responders, SOS International assisted by provided emergency medical supplies

The department in Jefferson County would send eight first responders to London, Kentucky, to assist with the initial response to the overnight EF4 tornado. Across three counties, the storm would take the lives of 19 people, 17 of which died in London. The storm’s strong winds caused significant damage.

“For the most part we’re kind of going in blind, we’re ready for almost anything that we can run into, at least to get started,” Anchorage Middletown firefighter Adam Douglass said. “So our job was to go in and make sure there wasn’t anybody left behind, anyone unaccounted for, do our rounds, see if anyone needed assistance with anything.”

The department’s rescue team would end up spending hours in a mobile home park and neighborhood south of the London-Corbin Airport Saturday. Douglass added departments from across Jefferson County and the state all played a part in helping the community of London.

Buildings at the London-Corbin Airport were flattened by the severe weather on Friday, May 16, 2025. (Spectrcum News 1/Destinee Flowers)

“Almost everybody from this county had someone go and put in some time and, you know, we were just a small piece of that,” he said.

But it was far from just firefighters who showed up to help. Denise Sears, president and CEO of SOS International, drove a carload of medical supplies to aid in relief efforts.

Nearly a week later, SOS International is filling a new request from leaders in the impacted area. This time to replace more non-immediate items. Things like trauma kits, wheelchairs and walkers that will be needed in the next emergency.

Plastic totes at SOS International filled with medical supplies (Spectrum News 1/Mason Brighton)

“While we can take a break, you know, after an event and catch our breath, we really then instantly have to get back into preparedness mode, right? Are we ready for the next event?“ Sears said.

Over the last several years, Kentucky has faced deadly tornadoes, winter storms and historic floods that have impacted nearly every corner of the Commonwealth.

Over the last several years, Kentucky has faced deadly tornadoes, winter storms, and historic floods that have impacted nearly every corner of the Commonwealth.