The Preferred Community
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The Preferred Community |
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Go to the Tornado Pictures (Feb 08) An F3 Tornado Damages Neighborhoods in Prattville 18 Feb 08 Just after the storm! Page #2 Once things started to settle down some on our corner and the police had arrived to do what I had been trying to do, I was able to move up the street and start helping my neighbors. I had gone back up to where I was earlier and this time it looked as though the damage was much worse than my mind had previously registered. There were cars laying all over the place, some I recognized and some I didn't. There was trash all over the place. We were all very careful not to get near any of the downed lines and to watch our step because there were nails, wood shards, and glass all over the place. The beautiful mature trees that lined the street were thrown down all over the place. People who live in this neighborhood were desperately trying to secure their property and survey the damage to their homes. We could hear the sirens of the Police, Fire Department, and the Ambulance Service coming, but it seemed to take them a long time to arrive, probably due to the fact that they couldn't get in because people who had no business being there had all the streets blocked!. I just couldn't believe how many people drove their cars in as far as they could, even onto people's lawns, and left them parked and in the way of emergency crews who were trying to get in. All they were trying to do was get a look at the damage. I saw numerous people with video cameras who claimed to be going into the area to check on relatives. If you were concerned about a family member who might have been seriously hurt or even killed, would you think to grab your camera along with your camera bag before you headed out to find them? Not likely! Please note, all of the pictures featured in our photo gallery of the tornado damage were taken long after the initial strike and not during the rescue phase! We waited until officials cleared the area of hazards before we took any pictures! Most were taken on Monday! After witnessing first hand the onslaught of mindless sightseers, I have personally vowed to never be one of these people who get in the way and cause more problems in situations like this one. It's just plain stupid and dangerous! Once the police started securing the area, managing check points, and turning traffic around to send them out of the area, things settled down some and the fire department and the rescue squad were able to get in and do their jobs! My hat is off to all of those Emergency Officials who responded to our neighborhood. I watched (from my own street corner) how they methodically worked from one house to the next, making sure that injuries were taken care of properly and that any hazards were taken care of. They checked on each and every resident to make sure that everyone was alright, then moved on to the next home or what was left of it. I was very impressed with their professional efforts on this day. Of course we lost power the moment the tornado hit and I didn't think we'd have any power, cable, phones, or internet restored for up to a week, maybe longer. I secured the use of a generator from a neighbor and friend of mine and set it up for the long haul, getting plenty of gas to keep it running. I watched as the Alabama Power Crews surveyed the damage and set about removing the damages lines, poles, and transformers. On Monday, they were already installing replacement poles and stringing new lines in the area. Charter Cable, Knology, AT&T, and several other service companies were also in the area working to restore our connectivity to the world. There were no less than 50 bucket trucks running all at once in the immediate area. On Tuesday night, I came home to discover that I not only had power, but I had cable, and internet as well. I salute all of those who worked day and night to provide us with power and the ability to communicate again and who continue to work hard in the damaged areas to restore them as well. To all of the volunteers who provided medical attention, food, water, shelter, assistance, animal care, security, cleanup, and encouragement to those who needed a helping hand, there is a special place in heaven for each and every one of you! I witnessed one of the most violent storms Mother Nature can muster against us. I also witnessed the caring and sharing of a community. I watched as companies worked together and continue to do so in helping us return our lives to normal. I've watched human curiosity and how it makes people do things that aren't always logical or safe. I've watched our Police, Fire, Rescue, and Medical people go way beyond the call of duty in helping my neighbors and I when we needed them most. I've watched the actions of our elected officials and how they responded to our needs. I've watched neighbors come together who hardly spoke to each other prior to this devastating event. There are those who lost everything they owned last Sunday! Priceless, precious articles and heirlooms that were handed down through the generations that can never be replaced. Some people lost all their material things that they worked their whole lives to gain. I can't imagine what that would feel like, although I was only a hundred yards or so from where it happened, I still can't imagine how it would make me feel. There is one thing that we didn't lose in Prattville last Sunday afternoon. Something that is more precious than any earthly possession. Not one life was lost in all the damage that this F3 tornado caused! I don't know if that can be attributed to our passed experiences with bad weather that prepared us or the weather forecasters that we watch or listen to every morning and night on our TVs and radios. I don't know if it was the warning sirens or if it was a combination of all of these, but one thing we can all be thankful for, is that no one lost their life. God was definitely watching over us all when this thing hit and tore up our neighborhood. Most material things can be replaced. We can rebuild, we can regain. We can go on and get back to a normal life, but life is the one thing we can't get back and the fact that we didn't lose not one person shows that we are truly blessed! Page #2
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