ATHENS / LIMESTONE – Even before the storms came through, the emergency response teams were rolling. The weather forecasts proved to be correct; there was a major storm headed into North Alabama. This time, it was Athens’ turn.
Starting in the late afternoon, and rolling until the wee hours of the morning, several tornadoes plowed into the area. A few dozen people in the path of the storm were injured and sent to area hospitals.
Billy Barb Trailer Park
Two people, who reports say turned down the offer of going below-ground into a shelter, perished in their mobile home at the Billy Barb Trailer Park on U.S. 72, a few miles west of Athens. They have been identified as 60-year old Dorothy Jean Hollis and her son, Carlton Earl Hollis, 34. Another Alabamian was killed in the tornadoes. His name, John Servati, 21. He was a Junior at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, where he was a member of the Swim Team. According to reports, Servati was killed when a basement wall collapsed on top of him. He and another student were taking refuge in that underground space.
And, according to weather reports, it might not be over for North Alabama. The National Weather Service says conditions are rife for more severe weather this afternoon and tonight. Residents are cautioned to stay on their toes. Governor Robert Bentley, in a media session this afternoon, warned Alabamians that the threat of severe weather is not over. Conditions are favorable for yet another round of severe weather.
Governor Bentley this morning declared the impacted area a State of Emergency and mobilized State resources to aid in whatever way necessary. “We stood up the Emergency Operations Center and have decided to elevate the status to a Level 1, which will also include our Federal partners. FEMA can then provide supplemental assistance to aid in public health and safety. We have 3 confirmed fatalities in Alabama; 2 in Limestone and 1 in Tuscaloosa County. There are 19 counties affected.” Bentley noted that the emergency safe-rooms, built since the 2010 tornadoes have bee a big success in last night’s tornadoes.
Alabama State Senator Bill Holtzclaw
Alabama District 2 Senator Bill Holtzclaw, told the Quad-Cities Daily that resources are mobilized to provide recovery and health welfare services to the area. Blue Springs Elementary School, the impacted area command post has received 5-thousand meals to feed the impacted families and emergency workers. He said that emergency services were prepared as well as anybody could expect, “Hopefully this next round of storms will be easier on us. But we’re ready for just about anything the weather can throw at us.” Holtzclaw said that folks wanting to volunteer to help their neighbors can call the United Way at 256 233-2323.
Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks
Mayor Ronnie Marks told the Quad-Cities Daily that ain the immediate aftermath of the tornadoes, there were over 16-thousand electricity customers without power. Over a hundred utility poles in the Athens area had been taken out. By late morning, the number of homes without power had been cut in half. The problem, he said, is that many of the lines that were down are the big ones. Marks noted that the general public which naturally would want to see some of the devastation could pose a big problem for first responders and utility crews. “Please stay off the roads. Please let us do our work. We know it’s devestated, but the sightseers now are creating some serious traffic problems. Please stay at home. Be patient. Give us time to work. We have crews called in from Florence, from Decatur, from Scottsboro and our guys. They’re working around the clock.” He paused for a moment, then added, “And just hope and pray that we don’t get hit by another round this afternoon.” He said that in the weather briefing he had just come from, the forecast was not encouraging, “There’s a critical risk, not so much for tornadoes, but there’s a cold front moving in with up to golf-ball-size and baseball-size hail. And if that occurs with that cold front, we’ve got the potential for some real serious problems.” We asked him for advice to people living in mobile homes. He emphasized, “Please get out! Please seek safety!”
The Quad-Cities Daily toured much of the impacted areas, including the trailer park where the 2 fatalities occurred. Here’s the Photo Gallery:
Photos by Sheri Wiggins and Steve Wiggins
