PLEASANT HILL, Iowa — A typical day for Pleasant Hill Police Ofc. Mason Roberts is actually a typical night.
That’s because Roberts works the graveyard shift, which, of course, doesn’t usually involve an actual graveyard. But last Friday, it did.
Around 9 p.m., an EF-2 tornado tore through the west side of town. Roberts and several other officers were called to help in the aftermath.
“We knew it was going to be pretty bad and people needed help," Roberts told Local 5. "I mean, roofs were gone, people had to be evacuated from houses."
According to NWS Des Moines, the storm had estimated peak winds of 125 mph and traveled around 7.44 miles through the city, destroying homes and uprooting residents in a nearby mobile home park.
Until the sun came up Saturday morning, they continued their response, taking calls and helping residents as the scope of the damage became clear.
“Daylight comes and we started driving around more. That’s when it really sets in like, oh my gosh, like, this was bad… this was not just some storm," Roberts said.
Dozens across the city came out of their homes, rallying together to pick up the pieces.
Ofc. Roberts joined in on those efforts. As he was speaking with residents near the Oakwood Cemetery, a man approached him with an urgent concern: a baby owl that had been nesting in a large oak tree was hurt.
“I'm like, I know this isn't my job, this isn't our scope ... but I'm like, he needs our help," Roberts said.
He quickly jumped into action, calling animal control and taking care of the injured animal until help arrived.
Thankfully, the owl is doing well, recovering from an injured wing at the Iowa Bird Rehabilitation Center.
Whether it's neighbors helping each other, volunteer groups traveling across state lines to help clean up, the city of Pleasant Hill has seen a lot of compassion since the storm.
Ofc. Roberts went above and beyond his job duties that night and in the days that followed. Having grown up in the area, he says that sense of purpose means the world.
“It doesn't matter if you've got first scales or feathers, like, we're gonna help you," Roberts told Local 5. "If you're an animal, if you're a person, I'm gonna be there for you because that's what being a cop is."
Leaders with the city of Pleasant Hill will be sharing more resources with those who have loved ones in the cemetery in the coming days.
Donations to the "Disaster Recovery Fund," organized by the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, will go towards the clean up efforts.
Pleasant Hill police ask you move any vehicles parked along the side of streets as tree debris removal continues in the following areas:
- East Oakwood
- Oakwood cemetery
- Schaffer Blvd
- East 44th
- Park View Drive
- Kimberly Lane
- Dee Drove
- Doanes Park
- Linden Blvd
- Pine Valley Blvd
- Birch Blvd
- Beech Blvd
- Cypress Blvd
- Catalpa Drive
- Orchard Drive
- Pleasant Hill Elementary
Parking bans lift at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1.
Call 211 for assistance or to volunteer your help in the cleanup efforts.