BETHEL, Mich. (AP) — In a world of red tape and delays, the Amish community of southern Michigan offered a stunning contrast this week.
After a tornado tore through Branch County on Wednesday, ripping shingles off homes and flattening barns, the Amish response was immediate and efficient—rebuilding began almost before the storm clouds cleared.
Repaired before the assessment team arrived
When Dustin Norman from the National Weather Service (NWS) arrived in Bethel, Michigan to assess the damage a few days later, he was surprised by what he saw—or more accurately, what he didn’t see.
“New shingles were already on a house. A barn was reframed. Major repairs had already happened,” Norman said Tuesday. “It looked like nothing had happened. Honestly, I completely respect how quickly they get stuff done.”
The tornado that struck the region reached peak winds of 100 mph (160 kph), enough to qualify as an EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale. Yet the evidence of that destruction was nearly gone by the time the NWS team set foot in the area.
Same story in Indiana
Roughly 90 miles south in Adams County, Indiana, the scene was much the same. Tornadoes had touched down there too, but again, by the time federal meteorologists arrived, the Amish had already cleaned up, rebuilt, and moved on.
There were no contractors pacing around with clipboards. No arguments with insurance companies over payout amounts. No “under review” signs taped to splintered fences.
Just men in straw hats and suspenders, working shoulder to shoulder.
“Once something gets damaged, they just fix it”
The Amish response isn’t a fluke—it’s tradition.
“They don’t wait,” Norman said. “Once something gets damaged, they just fix it.”
It’s a culture steeped in self-reliance and community cohesion. Most Amish communities don’t rely on public utilities, social media, or government relief. When disaster strikes, neighbors turn to neighbors. Crews form organically. Supplies are shared. The goal is clear: restore function, not wait for permission.
The Amish ethos is rooted in a separation from modern society, yet their disaster response often outpaces that of even the most organized municipal recovery efforts.
A glimpse into a different kind of resilience
While meteorologists were still calculating wind speeds and storm paths, the Amish were clearing debris and driving nails.
“They make our job a bit harder, in a good way,” Norman joked. “It’s hard to assess damage when they’ve already fixed everything.”
About 61% of the North American Amish population lives in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana, according to Elizabethtown College. Michigan has a smaller but deeply rooted Amish presence, particularly in rural areas like Bethel.
While they may shun much of modern technology, their approach to crisis management remains remarkably efficient—and quietly inspiring.
As one Branch County resident put it: “You won’t see them on the news. But they’re the first ones to show up and the last ones to stop working.”
