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Devastating Tornado Damage in Tuscaloosa

I saw what remains of the Rosedale Projects today, and the cliche' "It looks like a warzone" definitely applies. I also visited a friend who lives in the Highlands neighborhood, where many enormous trees are uprooted and homes have been fairly badly damaged. I can report that stores at the mall are open for business. The 15th and McFarland intersection seems to be working again.
 
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Just made it back to my old neighborhood and most of it is gone. I talked to my old neighbors and unfortunately the gougers are out. A man cut a tree off their house and charged 3000k and left. No tarping or anything. Remind folks you know that if a person is paid to get a tree off a house they have to cover it with a tarp by law. Just pass it on to anyone you know that may have damage. Thanks!
 
bamacon said:
Just made it back to my old neighborhood and most of it is gone. I talked to my old neighbors and unfortunately the gougers are out. A man cut a tree off their house and charged 3000k and left. No tarping or anything. Remind folks you know that if a person is paid to get a tree off a house they have to cover it with a tarp by law. Just pass it on to anyone you know that may have damage. Thanks!
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Thats pitiful. Its almost as bad as looting, IMO. There are also apparently folks that like to go door to door claiming to be FEMA reps. For an initial fee they'll get the ball rolling on FEMA assistants for the storm victims. Of course, real FEMA workers don't charge anything at all for their service. Once the frauds get the money they disappear.. :mad:
 
Spread the word to all you know:

Do NOT hire anyone to do anything for you without identification and references. If they haven't worked for someone you know, don't hire them. Do NOT hire the crooks who swoop in from out of state to take advantage of your misery. After Katrina we had a company out of Florida come through to do the bleach/drying work on our wall studs. We overpaid and they didn't do the job correctly. We never saw that money again and had to end up paying a reputable LOCAL company to do it over before we could put up our new drywall.

There really is no rush in your recovery. Insurance companies and FEMA take TIME. You don't need to pay someone hundreds and hundreds of dollars to do something volunteers will either do for free or a local company won't gouge you for. I KNOW it's hard, but be vigilant and be patient. Now is not the time to panic - if you do, you WILL be taken advantage of.
 
SavannahDare said:
Spread the word to all you know:

Do NOT hire anyone to do anything for you without identification and references. If they haven't worked for someone you know, don't hire them. Do NOT hire the crooks who swoop in from out of state to take advantage of your misery. After Katrina we had a company out of Florida come through to do the bleach/drying work on our wall studs. We overpaid and they didn't do the job correctly. We never saw that money again and had to end up paying a reputable LOCAL company to do it over before we could put up our new drywall.

There really is no rush in your recovery. Insurance companies and FEMA take TIME. You don't need to pay someone hundreds and hundreds of dollars to do something volunteers will either do for free or a local company won't gouge you for. I KNOW it's hard, but be vigilant and be patient. Now is not the time to panic - if you do, you WILL be taken advantage of.
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Doc, that's the problem. The folks are still in absolute shock. People can just "be there" to help. They are so vulnerable right now. I was trying to help them finish the tarping and another contractor from MS gave me a tarp and tacks to finish. They were irate when I told them what happened. They said it gave all contractors a bad name. I told them I would make sure their name got out as one of the good ones. Anco out of Corinth, MS. If anybody needs a number to refer I'll give them the info via PM.
 
bamacon said:
Doc, that's the problem. The folks are still in absolute shock. People can just "be there" to help. They are so vulnerable right now. I was trying to help them finish the tarping and another contractor from MS gave me a tarp and tacks to finish. They were irate when I told them what happened. They said it gave all contractors a bad name. I told them I would make sure their name got out as one of the good ones. Anco out of Corinth, MS. If anybody needs a number to refer I'll give them the info via PM.
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I know. I have felt exactly the way y'all are feeling right now. And it cost me.

If folks can try to pace themselves, the "good" companies will rise to the top; their names will get around.

It is hard right now. People want everything done as quickly as possible. It's human nature to solve problems. Even when the problem seems insurmountable, people want to get it fixed as soon as possible, and that's how these scheisters take advantage of these victims.

You're doing the right thing. Try to help your family and friends as best you can. Try to help them slow down and think clearly.

It's hard, but the payoff in the end (meaning money saved and not feeling further like a victim) is more than worth it.

I'm praying for all of you.
 
I don't post here often, mostly just a lurker. Mainly just wanted to let you guys know that you all are in many people's thoughts and prayers, and that I wish the best for you and your families.
 
I was in Smithville, MS today assisting and handing out drinks for workers and residents. I saw some people from Tuscaloosa County over there helping out. Had a Bama hat on and got a couple of "Roll Tide" shout outs. I ran into a TV station crew who were in T-Town and B'ham yesterday. They said with all due respect to everyone in Alabama, Smithville was a lot worse than T-Town. I have talked to folks in Hackleburg also and that place is bad. We all need to pray and help out where we can. If you get done in Tuscaloosa in the days to come, and you want to help others, come to Smithvile, Hackleburg and other areas up here in NW Alabama and NE Miss...they will need help for a long time to come.
 
SavannahDare said:
Spread the word to all you know:

Do NOT hire anyone to do anything for you without identification and references. If they haven't worked for someone you know, don't hire them. Do NOT hire the crooks who swoop in from out of state to take advantage of your misery. After Katrina we had a company out of Florida come through to do the bleach/drying work on our wall studs. We overpaid and they didn't do the job correctly. We never saw that money again and had to end up paying a reputable LOCAL company to do it over before we could put up our new drywall.

There really is no rush in your recovery. Insurance companies and FEMA take TIME. You don't need to pay someone hundreds and hundreds of dollars to do something volunteers will either do for free or a local company won't gouge you for. I KNOW it's hard, but be vigilant and be patient. Now is not the time to panic - if you do, you WILL be taken advantage of.
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There was a tree down in the Forest Lake area that we (volunteers) were cutting down. We had three leaders, essentially, who had experience with this and since the tree was not on the house, we got to work. After we had done 90% of the heavy lifting, a tree company came up and said that they had been hired and that we needed to vacate. It was sad that we had plenty of people to finish it and would have, and the tree company got paid needlessly.


On another note, there is a story out about four looters that were arrested while posing as relief workers. Watch out for your neighbors!
Four looting suspects arrested in Pleasant Grove posing as relief workers | al.com
 
Tide Rev said:
I was in Smithville, MS today assisting and handing out drinks for workers and residents. I saw some people from Tuscaloosa County over there helping out. Had a Bama hat on and got a couple of "Roll Tide" shout outs. I ran into a TV station crew who were in T-Town and B'ham yesterday. They said with all due respect to everyone in Alabama, Smithville was a lot worse than T-Town. I have talked to folks in Hackleburg also and that place is bad. We all need to pray and help out where we can. If you get done in Tuscaloosa in the days to come, and you want to help others, come to Smithvile, Hackleburg and other areas up here in NW Alabama and NE Miss...they will need help for a long time to come.
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I know alot of stuff out of Smithville, MS. has been found in Alabama. Let them know if you can alot of pics and other stuff like paperwork posted on facebook for people to claim.
 
bamacon said:
Just made it back to my old neighborhood and most of it is gone. I talked to my old neighbors and unfortunately the gougers are out. A man cut a tree off their house and charged 3000k and left. No tarping or anything. Remind folks you know that if a person is paid to get a tree off a house they have to cover it with a tarp by law. Just pass it on to anyone you know that may have damage. Thanks!
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This is infuriating. They should report this thief! There's a special place for people who would take advantage of the downtrodden...
 
RollTide2U said:
This is infuriating. They should report this thief! There's a special place for people who would take advantage of the downtrodden...
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As sick as those folks are..It's happened in every US Natural Disaster I can remember..The gougers won't give their real identification..It's next to impossible to prosecute when you have no idea who they are..
 
bamacon said:
Doc, that's the problem. The folks are still in absolute shock. People can just "be there" to help. They are so vulnerable right now. I was trying to help them finish the tarping and another contractor from MS gave me a tarp and tacks to finish. They were irate when I told them what happened. They said it gave all contractors a bad name. I told them I would make sure their name got out as one of the good ones. Anco out of Corinth, MS. If anybody needs a number to refer I'll give them the info via PM.
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Hey, glad to see my hometown helping out!
 
SD's right, FEMA will never charge.

FEMA will take time because this disaster area covers roughly the north half of the state and portions of several others.

FEMA is better than their record suggests, you've just got to trust them. Furthermore, Alabama EMA is better than what you hear, they have experienced & handled many of the worst natural disasters of all time. Alabama's EMA is at the top, I promise you that.

When dealing with FEMA, remember, PAPERWORK PAPERWORK PAPERWORK.

It's all in the paperwork.

To apply for assistance:

Apply by Phone:
Call (800) 621-3362.
Call TTY (800) 462-7585 for people with speech or hearing disabilities.

or direct them here:

DisasterAssistance.gov - Home

You'll get no less than 75% value from FEMA & more than likely 100% from all levels of government by the time it's all said and done.

Just remember. Fill out all your paperwork.
 
We have/had a house in Tuscaloosa that used to be my grandparents' house...and where my dad grew up. It was destroyed by the tornado and was pretty much dead center of the path. The house was directly across the street from University Place school...in Forest Lake. Thankfully no one was there when it hit. Crazy thing is that my wife and I are trying to sell our home. Had it sold already we would have moved down to that house in Tuscaloosa to save up enough money to buy another place here in Birmingham. I would have been in the house when the tornado hit...and the thought of it gives me chills. The many, many people who have helped us down there gathering our belongings and helping to move debris have been amazing. It is a very humbling thing to have complete strangers help you pick up what remains of your house and belongings.

That said...we did have someone try to steal our copper from our A/C unit...in broad daylight. Thankfully someone saw him and told the police. He was later escorted off by 2 officers and 3 Nation Guardsmen...at gunpoint.

I walked around the entire area of Forest Lake and it is like other people said...a war zone. The biggest thing will be for people to continue to support all of the areas affected in the months to come. There is so much need for the next 6-12 months and I hope the generosity continues.

Remember that the Lord separates the sheep from the goats based on how they reacted to their neighbors when their neighbors were in need. God bless.
 
RedStar said:
To get a clearer picture of exactly what this system did. Here is the wiki fact sheet for the outbreak.

List of tornadoes in the April 25

Unreal.
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That one doesn't mention what appears to have been a tornado to hit Pell City about 6:15 Wed morning. In a 2x6 block area just off downtown it dropped probalby 30 trees on houses. Our building had the roof sucked off. A few miles away, the industrial park had 2-3 buildings demolished.
 
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