Tornado survivor

[bamamate]

This was next door to where I was serving on Saturday in Vilonia, AR doing tornado cleanup . The slab is where the house used to be and they had a pile of things that had been found. In the middle of the pile is a cruiser that survived. Saw another one in a field but it looked to be totaled.

 

[Ed Up]

I drove to Little Rock last week. Couldn't believe the damage we saw just from I40. Folks in that area sure need some help. Bet your seeing and hearing some really sad stories.

 

[JoeTx]

My heart goes out, I can't even imagine having to start over like that, or worse loosing someone, such total destruction, that area has been hit hard all year.

 

[SergeantChuck]

This was next door to where I was serving on Saturday in Vilonia, AR doing tornado cleanup . The slab is where the house used to be and they had a pile of things that had been found. In the middle of the pile is a cruiser that survived. Saw another one in a field but it looked to be totaled.

My wife went out there with 30 or so people from here gym two weekends ago doing the same thing. She mentioned seeing a few bike that had survived. There were a lot more that didn't.

Bet your seeing and hearing some really sad stories.

I think the most disturbing thing is the stories of when this happened to the same exact same town 3 years ago. A burn ban has been placed which will not allow them to burn debris. Wood debris. We are not talking plastics and such. This same thing happened 3 years ago and some of the debris on the ground now is leftover from three years ago. The survivors are pretty upset about this. They have huge piles of trash and can't burn it. A private dump is charge over $100 a load. The pulbic dumb is much cheaper but can't handle the flow.

Granted, I feel bad for the families that lost loved ones. That is more important but these survivors need to be taken care of. There are more disturbing stories than this and they are not related to fatalities.

Three people I associate with daily at the plant live in that town. They are very frustrated.

On a positive note. The Arkansas everyday average joe is making a difference. Very giving people and tons of donations coming. You can't turn on the radio and not hear about a benifit to help the tornado victims. Make me proud to live here and I've only been here a year.

 

[bamamate]

Talking with a homeowner Saturday, asked him if he was going to rebuild. Said he didn’t know. After Katrina, the gov went through a massive project of remapping flood zones. His place is now in a flood zone so he would have to elevate the house 3 or 4 feet if he rebuilt. He has lived there 35 years and never had a water problem. No creeks nearby. Best I could tell the back of the property was slightly lower than surrounding elevations is why it is now in a flood plain.

From what I’ve heard FEMA put in the burn ban. While FEMA does help I’ve heard lots of complaints that since FEMA moved in, recovery has dramatically slowed down.

Talking to another homeowner. Had a large wood pile in front yard. Couldn’t push it all the way to the road because power company was still rebuilding lines/poles. County came by and would only pick up the wood within 10ft of the road and they wouldn’t be making a second trip. Guy was thinking about pushing the pile into the road so they would have to come again. He has another large pile in the back yard which he can’t burn.

As for volunteers…….met people from all over Arkansas, Oklahoma, TN, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, etc. I think the Yankees might have been using it as an excuse to be someplace warm

 

[davidc83]

Hey, it is warm up here. Fema did the same thing all across the country after Katrina. In Henryville In, numerous homeowners couldn't rebuild after the Tornado of 2012, unless they elevate their homes greater than 5 feet, even in areas never flooded, just because of a creek going thru the east end of town. Ridiculous how things slow down when the government gets involved. I would burn the debris and fight the fine (or pay it). I still have deadfalls from the remnants of Hurricane Ike, I burn them when the conditions are just right and I don't go get any dang burn permit from the county....

 

[SergeantChuck]

Talking with a homeowner Saturday, asked him if he was going to rebuild. Said he didn’t know. After Katrina, the gov went through a massive project of remapping flood zones. His place is now in a flood zone so he would have to elevate the house 3 or 4 feet if he rebuilt. He has lived there 35 years and never had a water problem. No creeks nearby. Best I could tell the back of the property was slightly lower than surrounding elevations is why it is now in a flood plain.

From what I’ve heard FEMA put in the burn ban. While FEMA does help I’ve heard lots of complaints that since FEMA moved in, recovery has dramatically slowed down.

Talking to another homeowner. Had a large wood pile in front yard. Couldn’t push it all the way to the road because power company was still rebuilding lines/poles. County came by and would only pick up the wood within 10ft of the road and they wouldn’t be making a second trip. Guy was thinking about pushing the pile into the road so they would have to come again. He has another large pile in the back yard which he can’t burn.

As for volunteers…….met people from all over Arkansas, Oklahoma, TN, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, etc. I think the Yankees might have been using it as an excuse to be someplace warm

That is the stuff I was talking about. Crazy. I feel bad for these people and then add this type of crap.

 

[davidc83]

Alabama fans love their team, but Mother Nature must not be a 'bama fan. 2 recent years, major tornados in that area. My best wishes to those folks who are going thru a rough time now.