Lessons learned from tornadoes
Last week’s tornado outbreak is the worst that I can remember.
When we’ve had severe weather in the past, you might get one bad tornado in the state and a lot of smaller ones or straight-line wind damage.
However, April 27 was different. Every single storm on the radar screen that afternoon looked about the same. As local meteorologists would say, they are “textbook” examples of what a tornado looks like on radar.
While we were spared in Hartselle, our friends in the Hulaco and Trinity communities of Morgan County weren’t. Those areas saw a level of devastation that we haven’t seen in many years, if ever.
The closest I can remember was the 1998 F5 tornado in western Jefferson County. Ironically, this area is just north of the area hit by an EF-4 tornado that went through Tuscaloosa and north Birmingham last week.
I am thankful that Hartselle was spared of the devastation, but I definitely feel the effects of the storm. My cousin, Nicole, and her family pastor a church in Phil Campbell. They lost their home and the church building, but fortunately, they are OK.
I can’t imagine what it will be like for them to rebuild. It’s a process that will take many months and years.
Through this whole situation, there are a few lessons that I’ve learned.
1. It’s important to have a NOAA weather radio. The only way my cousins got the warning was to have a weather radio.
They immediately got in their safe place and they were OK. If they were relying on weather sirens, they might not have received the warning in time.
2. Smartphones shine during a blackout. While it was difficult to call or text on your cell phone, people were keeping up with what was going on through their mobile Facebook app or via Internet websites. In fact, our website saw a huge spike in visits during the blackout because people needed information about the blackout. The only way they were looking at the website was through a smartphone.
3. It’s important to not run low on fuel. For those who needed fuel on Thursday when the power was out, you either had to wait in long lines at a local gas station or drive to Athens or Birmingham to refuel. You might want to keep your fuel at no lower than a quarter of a tank in case an emergency happens again.
4. Always be prepared. That’s the motto of the Boy Scouts, but it’s something we should practice much more often than we do. Have an emergency kit with flashlights, batteries, lanterns, candles, non-perishable foods, bottled water, battery-powered radio, etc. We’re so dependent on electricity that if we lose it, we don’t know what to do.
5. The people of Alabama are loving and generous. The outpouring of support from Alabamians through this tragedy makes me feel great to live here.
Brent Maze is the managing editor of the Hartselle Enquirer.
