TRAVERSE CITY -- Close to a million people are returning to what is left of their homes after storms flooded Tennessee, Kentucky, and Mississippi. The death toll is up to 30 and officials fear it could rise.

Traverse City Fire Chief, Jim Tuller, was in Nelson County, Kentucky visiting family when the storms hit. That's about two hours from Nashville, Tennessee where the worst storm damage is. He says it started raining last Friday night and didn't stop for two and a half days.

Chief Tuller says, "We saw some homes surrounded by water, folks had already unloaded belongings into pickups to higher ground."

Even thought he was on vacation, Chief Tuller talked with other emergency officials in Kentucky to find out how they handle disasters like this.

Coming up on 7&4 News at 6 and 11 we'll show you pictures and amateur video he took while in Kentucky and tell you what advice he is bringing home to keep Northern Michigan safe.