More Stories

When the tornado hit, I had no clue anything had happened. Although Prattville is my home, I am currently in Tuscaloosa attending the University of Alabama. When the storm hit I was watching the Daytona 500 with my roommates and saw one of the little state maps in the corner of the screen pointing out the Tornado warnings around the state. My roommate pointed out that Autauga County was highlighted to which I responded “Its probably out in Autaugaville and not much of a tornado, that’s what always happens.” After that I did not give it another thought until about 3:15 when a close friend from Millbrook called to see if my family was ok. This caught me off guard as I was completely oblivious to the fact that a tornado had hit my home. At this point everything became a blur as I tried calling family all over Prattville or even in Birmingham and got no answer. After what seemed like hours, I heard from my parents a little under an hour after the storm hit. My family was lucky in that we had no damage from the storm, but I could not reach my parents because they were out checking on our neighbors. My father went into a house that he believed was in danger of collapsing to go help our neighbor Ms. Mary who was stuck inside. I was crushed after hearing what had happened and devastated when I started hearing stories from friends and seeing the pictures, especially since I could not return home to help due to a number of tests that week. The first chance I had to come home was late on the Friday after the storm. I was amazed at what I saw that night I came home, with all of the destruction that had happened to my neighbors, my friends, and my family. The only comfort I found was that everyone was physically ok. I felt physically sick as I drove to my house and saw the carnage of this disaster. The next morning I woke up to help my parents clean up the mess around our house. Early that morning we were greeted by a number of National Guardsmen asking what they could do to help, which we declined for there were others with greater needs than our own. As I left to go to a friends house across town to pick up some things to help clean up I was shocked to see the sheer volume of people wearing gloves, carrying rakes, and walking from house to house. I watched as two entire busloads of people got off and immediately went to help out. Sunday I was once again saw the same thing as I was working at my home. Seeing the people of Prattville come out like this to help their neighbors that suffered through this disaster reminded my of why I love Prattville and its people. The people of Prattville saw a disaster and quickly rallied to help their neighbors. I want to thank all of the people who came out and sacrificed their time to help their neighbors. The people of Prattville, through their compassion have shown the entire nation why Prattville is “The Preferred Community”.

Kyle Shirley, Janice St.

Another Story

When the tornado swept through Prattville on Sunday, February 17, 2008, I was trying to herd my family into the hall bathroom.  As the sounds of glass breaking and tree limbs smashing into our house, I heard the most indescribable haunting sounds emanating from the storm.  Later that afternoon I was describing the ordeal my family had just witnessed to a close friend from LaGrange, Georgia.  I explained to him that I had heard the voice of an angry God coming from inside the twister.  That night as I lay in the bed in our darkened house, I was thanking God for the fact that no one was killed in the storm even though a large number of houses were destroyed.  Then, I received an inner message, a locution if you will, that clearly was an instruction from God.  He said, “That was not my voice you heard but the voice of the evil one.  It was my hand that saved you and the people of Prattville.  I would not destroy my People whom I love.”  This was not a spoken voice but and inner communication.  This sends shivers through my body and soul when I relive that night of prayer.  I hope that everyone that reads this message will get assurance that God looks after those who believe in Him and he will continue to take care of us until he calls us home.

Anthony Yarbrough

First Tornado Story

The hours and days after a tornado struck Prattville on Feb. 17 made me proud to call the Fountain City my transplanted hometown. Seeing friends and strangers alike unite in the aftermath also made me proud, and as the recovery continues there is a strong spirit of community and vision for the future that is reassuring even in the shadow of such a devastating natural disaster. There are many stories of how God blessed this community and specific individuals by not taking lives even amidst a swath of damage a dozen homes wide through Overlook and other neighborhoods, but among the most miraculous is the story of a family driving in a silver Grand Am on Shelia Boulevard as the tornado struck. Their car was tossed and beaten by debris, and all the windows were blown out causing only minor injuries to the mother, father and small child. Just moments before that family turned on Shelia Boulevard, and as the rains intensified, a young Prattville resident who is a husband and father and active in his community, left from visiting friends on Jenny Drive going to his house across the neighborhood on Sweet Ridge Road. His two minute drive in heavy rain ended in his driveway with him stepping out of his vehicle to see the tornado approaching from behind the Church of the Living Waters. He rushed inside and he and his family took shelter, fearing the tornado was on a collision course with his house. At that same time, that silver Grand Am was on Shelia Boulevard just past Tara Drive heading toward U.S. 31 when they drove straight into the twister. Within seconds it was over, and on Sweet Ridge Road, John Burton stepped outside and surveyed the damage. He saw rooftops missing on Shelia Boulevard, and realizing his home had been spared, he rushed out to find Shelia Boulevard littered with debris and power lines, homes destroyed and people emerging stunned. He also found that family in the Grand Am, and he helped pull them
from their car and to the open refuge of a family who took them into their badly damaged home until efforts could be organized to get them medical attention. Thankfully, their injuries seemed minor. And even minor, their injuries were the most severe we encountered on Shelia Boulevard as a handful of neighbors from streets not as badly affected began going door to door checking on residents, helping them emerge from their damaged homes, turning off broken natural gas and water pipes, and clearing debris for emergency responders. John Burton is the Prattville resident who left his home immediately after the tornado and rushed into uncertain risks to help people in need. As best as I can determine, he was probably the first responder onto Shelia Boulevard and helped pull that family from their demolished Grand Am. There are lots of individual stories about people just like John Burton who responded out of a concern for others, but I wanted to single out John Burton for his selfless attitude, for his commitment to serving in Christ’s example, and for his contributions to his fellow man in a time of such great need.

Tony Harris, Jenny Drive.

 This story can be found on the Tornado Stories page. Other stories as they come up will be posted on that page. You can also add your story as a comment on that page.

Professional Help

In a post last week I shared some information about helping people cope mentally and emotionally with what has happened to our district. I would like to also provide you with contact information of those who can help if you or someone you love is having problems. The first is Dr. Bill Morgan with the Autauga County Baptist Association at 334-365-7802. The second is Dr. Wayne Perry with the Samaritan Counseling Center at 334-262-7787.

Please, if you know someone that is having problems after this disaster, help them get help. As friends, family, and neighbors we must be there for one another during this time.

The Heart of a Child

As I have pointed out, during this difficult time we must come together and look out for the needs of others. I have advocated for telling your story of what has happened to help one another heal during this time. This story was passed onto me and this is one of the most heart-warming things I have come across in a long time.

Mackenzie is a 2nd Grader at Forest Avenue Magnet School in Montgomery, where they have been collecting money for Prattville. Last week Mackenzie lost her 2nd tooth. With Mackenzie’s family, the tooth fairy has always brought $20 for your first tooth and $1 for any other teeth. After she lost her tooth she came home and handed her mom a note and asked her mom to put the note by her tooth for the tooth fairy.  She also told her mom that Friday is the last day to donate money.The note she left said:

Dear Tooth Fairy,

I know after your first tooth you only bring one dollar but because of what happened in Prattville do you think you could leave a little more?

Love,

Mackenzie

Mackenzie has it right. The person who passed this story to me put it best when they said that what Mackenzie said sums up the love and concern for Prattville. With that frame of mind, we can help each other through this tragedy and guide our neighbors and our families towards the light at the end of the tunnel.

Letter to The Editor

Dear Editor;

 

On behalf of the people who live in Municipal District 5, allow me to thank all the agencies and the hundreds of volunteers who have provided aid and comfort to us during our time of need. On the afternoon of Sunday, Feb. 17, 2008, our lives and the lives of our friends and neighbors changed dramatically. As a result of the tornado, many of us lost our homes and/or possessions, but through the grace of GOD, our lives were spared.

 

I have spoken in length to Dr. Bill Morgan and others who are leading in the relief effort. I am told that one of the best things that we can do now is to “tell our story” to someone who will listen. In this spirit and to help us help one another through the healing process, I am opening my Web site for those affected by this devastating storm. There have been so many wonderful stories about the goodness that came from the tornado.  Please share your story with us.

 

E-mail, call in, or write your story down and send it to me. I will see that your story is placed on the Web site so others can read and receive the medicine of “telling, listening to and sharing your stories.” Together, we will make it through this tragedy and be much stronger for the experience.

 

Some examples of stories that have already been shared with me are as follows:

 

My friend Jim (who lives of Tara Drive) while looking over the rubble where his home once stood, said “Mike, my wife has been after me for months to remodel. Maybe, this is a good start.” He found comfort in humor and sharing his feelings.

 

Bill (who lives on Sheila Blvd.) after being blown through his house and finding himself in his back yard, dusted himself off and went about checking on friends and family with no regard for himself or the fact that he was bleeding from the cuts and abrasions.

 

These are just two examples of the triumphs that have come from the horrible experience of Sunday afternoon. Please share your story with us. Let us help one another heal.

 

Web site  www.mikerenegar.com

e-mail     mike.renegar@prattville.com

     or       mrenegar@knology.net

phone    334-315-1358 or 334-365-2057

 

In HIS service and yours;

Mike Renegar

City Councilman, District 5

This letter ran this morning in the Montgomery Advertiser and will hopefully be running in the Prattville Progress this weekend.

Weather Radio

I would like to take this opportunity to suggest purchasing a weather radio. Through new technology you are able to program the radio to only alert you to warnings for your surrounding area. This technology runs off of the National Weather Service’s SAME number system. The numbers for Alabama can be found at http://www.weather.gov/nwr/CntyCov/nwrAL.htm

To save you some time I have made a list of the numbers for the surrounding counties.

The frequency to set you radio on for our area is 162.400.

Autauga County- 00-10-01

Dallas- 00-10-47

Elmore- 00-10-51

Lowndes- 00-10-85

Montgomery- 00-11-01

Disaster Relief Information

This information was given to me by Dr. Bill Morgan and I wanted to share it with the people affected by this storm. 

Disaster Relief Information Sheet 

You have experienced a traumatic event which has caused you to experience unusually strong reactions and have the potential of interfering with your ability to function. Even though the event may be over, you may now be experiencing or may later experience some strong emotional or physical reactions.  It is very common, in fact quite normal, for people to experience emotional aftershocks when they have passed through a horrible event. Sometimes the emotional aftershocks (or stress reactions) appear immediately after the traumatic event. Sometimes they may appear a few hours or a few days later. And in some cases, weeks or months may pass before the stress reactions appear. The signs and symptoms of a stress reaction may last a few days, a few weeks, or a few months and occasionally longer depending on the severity of the traumatic event. With understanding and the support of loved ones the stress reactions usually pass more quickly.  Occasionally, the traumatic event is so painful that professional assistance from a counselor may be necessary. This does not imply craziness or weakness.  It simply indicates that the particular event was just too powerful for the person to manage by themselves.  

Here are some common signs and signals of a stress reaction:

  Physical              Thinking                Emotional          Behavioral

chills	confusion	fear	withdrawal
thirst	nightmares	guilt	antisocial acts
fatigue	uncertainty	grief	inability to rest
nausea	hypervigilance	panic	pacing
fainting	suspiciousness	denial	erratic movements
twitches	intrusive images	anxiety	change in social activity
dizziness	blaming	agitation	change in speech patterns
weakness	poor problem solving	irritability	appetite change
chest pain	poor abstract thinking	depression	hyper alert to environment
headaches	poor attention	intense anger	increased alcohol consumption
elevated BP	memory loss	emotional shock	change in usual communication
rapid heart rate	disorientation	emotional outbursts	etc…
muscle tremors	difficulty identifying objects or people	feeling over-whelmed
shock symptoms	heightened alertness	loss of emotional control
grinding teeth	lowered alertness	etc….
visual difficulties	etc….
profuse sweating
difficulty breathing
etc….

 

THINGS TO TRY:                                         

‚              Periods of appropriate physical exercise alternated with relaxation will alleviate some of the physical reactions.

‚              Structure your time – keep busy.

‚              You’re normal and having normal reactions – don’t label yourself crazy.

‚              Talk to people – talk is the most healing medicine.

‚              Be aware of numbing the pain with overuse of drugs or alcohol , you don’t need to complicate this with a substance abuse problem.

‚              Reach out – people really care about you.

‚              Maintain as normal a schedule as possible.

‚              Spend time with others.

‚              Help your co-workers as much as possible by sharing feelings and checking out how they are doing.

‚              Give yourself permission to feel rotten and share your feelings with others.

‚              Keep a journal, write your way through those sleepless hours.

‚              Do things that feel good to you.

‚              Realize those around you are under stress also.

‚              Don’t make any big life changes.

‚              Do make as many daily decisions as possible which will give you a feeling of control over your life.

‚              Get plenty of rest even if it is difficult to sleep.

‚              Reoccurring thoughts, dreams or flashbacks are normal – don’t try to fight them, they will decrease over time.

‚              Eat well-balanced and regular meals (even if you don’t feel like it).                          

 

FOR FAMILY MEMBERS & FRIENDS:

‚              Listen carefully.

‚              Spend time with the traumatized person.

‚              Offer your assistance and a listening ear if they have not asked for help.

‚              Reassure them that they are safe.

‚             Help with everyday tasks like cleaning, cooking, caring for family especially children.

‚             Give them some private time.

‚             Don’t take their anger or other feelings personally.

‚             Don’t tell them that they are “lucky it wasn’t worse” – traumatized people are not consoled by such statements. Instead, tell them that you

are sorry the event occurred and you want to understand and assist them.                                                  

FOR CHILDREN:

‚                  Encourage children to talk & listen to their concerns without belittling them.

‚                   Calmly provide factual information about the disaster & share plans for insuring their ongoing safety. Remember children vary in the

amount of information they need and can use.

‚                 Involve children in up dating your family disaster plan and disaster supplies kit.

‚                 Practice your plan.

‚                 Involve children by giving them specific tasks to let them know they can help restore family & community life.

‚                 Spend extra time with your children.

‚                  Re-establish daily routines for work, school, play, meals and rest

Copyright 1996International Critical Incident Stress Foundation Inc.         www.icisf.org