Crimson Red Sports

Our electricity came back on around noon today. It sure is a good feeling, amazing how much we rely on electric power. We had a 5 KW generator, a gas stove and gas water heater so it wasn't so bad, food stayed cold and we could run a few lights. All in all we were very fortunate, the Arab tornado was on the order of the Tuscaloosa tornado but it stayed in less populated areas. I think KupKake has already posted that the Hallmark family killed on Frontier Rd lived next door to my farm. I have never seen a tornado cause the absolutely total wide-spread devastation of this one, but I haven't seen Tuscaloosa or Cullman. Anyway glad to be back on the Forum.   

Glad you guys are safe.

glad ya'll are ok KoKo     8)

I swore after Katrina that I would never complain about my
electric bill again .
buying gas for a generator for 2 weeks will make you do that .

Welcome back and Gods Blessings on you. RTR!

Glad you are ok and got some juice. APCO is making good progress in Tuscaloosa as well that being in the areas with just tree damage.

Man, isn't that the truth! Close to 10 gallons per day @ $4 per gal.

Our power came back on while I was at church today.  Being in church was so restorative for me and I feel blessed beyond words. 

 Our church has a meeting tomorrow for ways to help in the relief effort although the priest and church members have been working with EMA since the storms. My priest's words were "We don't help just Catholics.  We help EVERYBODY (his emphasis)" in need.

I suspect there are very few Catholics in this group.  However, If anyone is interested in contributing, the Catholic Diocese of Birmingham (which covers all the area devastated including Tuscaloosa) is having a tornado relief special collection next Sunday.  All money will stay in Alabama and be used only for Alabama victims.  If you wish to contribute, all you have to do is go to your local Catholic church or church office with a check written to the name of that church and a designation that the check is for tornado relief.  I'm sure they will accept your check during the week but the churches are having a special extra collection on Sunday, May 8.  The priests and groups within the church already are hard at work helping relief victims and coordinating with EMA.  Any contributions will be greatly appreciated.

Our church is in Ohatchee helping out. The reports from yesterday was heart breaking but they continue to forge ahead. RTR!

Glad you guys are fine and have electricity again.  Tuscaloosa pictures are about the worst I've ever seen.  Downtown Cullman is almost destroyed, along with much of the historic residential.

I'm posting an aerial video of the Cullman damage if you want to look at it.  Everything looks pretty good until the helicopter gets to the courthouse.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR83MBQNGqw

Glad to here that you and yours are OK, KoKo, and that y'all have power now. I have heard about the damage up in your neck of the woods. We are all praying for y'all up there.

Very glad that you and Kupkake are fine.  I was very concerned about y'all until I spoke with Kupkake on the phone yesterday.  As I told her, if there is anything that you need, ANYTHING at all, please call me.  I'm not that far away and will gladly do what I can...

Thank You so much, Nalt.  I so appreciate your call more than words can express.

 #+...I'm glad yall have the power back on!...now if Ala Power/REA can get more help from neighboring counties, states......

I'm staying Huntsville proper with a friend.  He regained power about 11:30 tonight.

As for my house out in Harvest, the tornado path out there went about 1000ft south of me.  I stayed in town Wednesday afternoon because I saw it on the way to my house as I was getting out of work.  That night when I tried to get home I couldn't find any path to take to actually get me to my house.  I ended up parking my car on the side of road and walking the last 1/2-3/4 mile stepping over tons of dead power lines across the road on the way.

As I was driving out of the area on Thursday, some of the damage just down the road made me feel sick to my stomach.  I haven't been back out there since then.

Hannibal-

So glad to know you are safe and your house is okay too.  AND glad none of those lines you stepped over had any way to be live.  I totally understand your feelings about what you saw.  These are not memories we will forget.  I haven't had the nerve to look at the pictures I took with my camera yet.  I'm just not ready to revisit the destruction.

This applies mostly to walking through wet grass or puddles, but you do not have to step directly on a live power line. They will jump and get you.

I worked Monday, Tuesday, and WEdnesday cutting trees off of people's houses in the Arab area,  mostly in/around the Ruth community.  I am still absolutely amazed that the death toll wasn't much, MUCH higher.  Glad that everyone here is fine.  I do have two co-workers that had damage, one lost his roof and the other lost his house (that he and his family were huddled together inside of).

Did you guys have the same security/locks problem in the main building as they did over in the annex.  I know the PO we work for couldn't get to the 2nd floor of their building on Wednesday.

We praise God for the protection on these neighbors. RTR!

Don't know.  My boss called me in on Wednesday but I told him that I would be working in Arab doing clean-up that day so I didn't actually come back to work until yesterday.  By then all problems were resolved.

NALT, Thank you for your work in Arab and the Ruth community! Goodness knows there is so much to be done there. I agree it is amazing more people weren't killed.

The work I did in the Arab area was very rewarding for me personally.  I was very happy that I was able to contribute as much as I did, just wish I could have done more. 

Even still though, I was quite frustrated on Tuesday.  I was sent to the Ruth volunteer fire department to help with the work.  There were 5 or 6 women working to beat the band serving food to people that needed something to eat.  There was probably 3 times that many men (volunteer fire fighters, National Guard troops, and just guys that came to hang out) that was there doing very little or nothing at all.  Several of them were talking when they weren't eating and eating when they weren't talking.  Myself and a guy from Medina, TN finally left and struck out on our own to find people that needed help.  I wound up working with him through Wednesday afternoon.