Indiana guide · Updated 2026-11-06
Emergency Shower Trailers After an Indiana Tornado: Lessons from Sullivan, 2023
The Sullivan EF-3 by the numbers, and how shelters and crews plan showers after a storm.
Key points
- NWS Indianapolis rated the Sullivan tornado EF-3, about 155 mph, with a 13.21-mile path in Indiana; 3 people died and 8 were injured.
- Shelters and recovery crews need showers fast, often where water and power are down.
- Ask about water tanks and generators in the first call.
On the night of March 31, 2023, storms produced 10 tornadoes in the NWS Indianapolis area. The worst struck the southern side of Sullivan: the office rated it EF-3 with peak winds near 155 mph, a 13.21-mile path in Indiana up to 660 yards wide, 3 deaths, and 8 injuries. Events like that leave families in shelters and bring utility, cleanup, and volunteer crews for weeks.
What the first call should cover
- Where the unit goes and whether the road in is open to a truck and trailer.
- Water: a working hydrant or line, or a Water Tank. Power: shore power or a generator.
- Who will use it: shelter residents need an ADA stall; crews need volume at shift change.
Watch the right forecast office
Indiana is split among several NWS offices: Indianapolis for central Indiana, Northern Indiana (based in Syracuse) for the Fort Wayne and South Bend areas, and neighboring offices such as Louisville and Paducah near the Ohio River. Rather than guess, use the point forecast on each of our town pages; it names the responsible office.
Sources
- NWS Indianapolis: March 31, 2023 severe weather and tornadoes: The storms produced 10 tornadoes in the office's area. The Sullivan tornado was rated EF-3, with peak winds near 155 mph, a 13.21-mile path in Indiana up to 660 yards wide, 3 deaths and 8 injuries.
- National Weather Service: Indianapolis, IN: Forecasts, warnings, and climate summaries for central Indiana.
- National Weather Service: Northern Indiana (Syracuse, IN): Forecasts and warnings for northern Indiana, including Fort Wayne and South Bend.
- National Weather Service: Louisville, KY: Neighboring office across the Ohio River; its home page carries a decision-support program for the State of Indiana.
- National Weather Service: Paducah, KY: Neighboring office to the southwest; its home page links the Evansville, IN radar.
- 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design: Section 213.2, Exception 3: where single-user portable toilet or bathing units are clustered, the accessible share is set at 5 percent of the units in each cluster, marked with the International Symbol of Accessibility.
Links checked 2026-11-06. Figures quoted above appear on the linked pages.
