Tuscaloosa Tornado
Tuscaloosa was flattened back in April by a Category-4 tornado, about three-quarters of a mile wide. One report I looked at showed over thirty fatalities with over six hundred injuries. Block after block of homes are vacant, in various states of destroyed. In some areas where the cleanup has progressed at a quicker pace, there's nothing left but gray concrete slabs, torn up green grass and red Alabama clay.
On University Avenue what is left of a 1950's-era Firehouse stands, surrounded by nothing. A friend in the Tuscaloosa Fire Department said that it was 'built like a bomb shelter'. Indeed. He told me of how the Firefighters in the building “got in their hitch” - Tuscaloosa slang for putting on their structural gear - threw mattresses into the bathtubs and covered up to ride it out. The twister went right by them, screaming like someone just stabbed the devil. When it was all over, they got up, and got to work.
Across the street a Baptist Church is missing a roof.
Here and there a house remains, structurally sound amid the devastation. Homeowners cling to the roofs, replace windows, clear brush and the remains of once-mighty trees. A commercial dumpster sits in the living room of one home.
I drove through the neighborhoods for a couple of hours, trying to get a sense of the destruction. It seems limitless. Around every corner is another home wrapped in blue tarp. I felt guilty taking photos of their loss...it was like going to a funeral and sketching the deceased.
Back at my hotel I spoke to a man named John, who is a Park Ranger, here in Alabama to help with disaster recovery. He manages a small crew that operate backhoes, skid loaders, buckets. In one day they cleared forty-two dump truck loads in blistering heat and oppressive humidity. In one day. They're only one crew and they're working 12-hour days, seven days a week. It's been months, but still the damage is everywhere. I was acutely aware of the hot tub we were sitting in.
Going to be a long recovery here in Tuscaloosa.
Pics are up on Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcpenguin/sets/72157627147162793/
On University Avenue what is left of a 1950's-era Firehouse stands, surrounded by nothing. A friend in the Tuscaloosa Fire Department said that it was 'built like a bomb shelter'. Indeed. He told me of how the Firefighters in the building “got in their hitch” - Tuscaloosa slang for putting on their structural gear - threw mattresses into the bathtubs and covered up to ride it out. The twister went right by them, screaming like someone just stabbed the devil. When it was all over, they got up, and got to work.
Across the street a Baptist Church is missing a roof.
Here and there a house remains, structurally sound amid the devastation. Homeowners cling to the roofs, replace windows, clear brush and the remains of once-mighty trees. A commercial dumpster sits in the living room of one home.
I drove through the neighborhoods for a couple of hours, trying to get a sense of the destruction. It seems limitless. Around every corner is another home wrapped in blue tarp. I felt guilty taking photos of their loss...it was like going to a funeral and sketching the deceased.
Back at my hotel I spoke to a man named John, who is a Park Ranger, here in Alabama to help with disaster recovery. He manages a small crew that operate backhoes, skid loaders, buckets. In one day they cleared forty-two dump truck loads in blistering heat and oppressive humidity. In one day. They're only one crew and they're working 12-hour days, seven days a week. It's been months, but still the damage is everywhere. I was acutely aware of the hot tub we were sitting in.
Going to be a long recovery here in Tuscaloosa.
Pics are up on Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcpenguin/sets/72157627147162793/