Hit by tornado
- Thread starter Rob1276
- Start date
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There is NOTHING wrong with this. Nothing. You are a paid professional. You get paid, and I'm sure your customers are glad of that. We need professionals.
Volunteers can be a Bless Their Hearts situation. Some, not all, are clueless, and get in the way. If you can't do heavy work, a nice thing is to bring food and water to the workers. Have baby wipes along. We cheered up when a lady drove around in her car with hotdogs in some kind of heater in the trunk of her car. I could smell the hot dogs quite a ways away, it was a nice change from the smell of mud and mold. They were the best tasting hot dogs!
Little things like that help, if you can't do heavy work. Be sure to go through the official channels, if there are some. In our county, that was telling the cop at the intersection we had come with our shovels, and then signing in and out at the Incident Command center which was at a Grange Hall. Signing out is just as important. They have to keep track of folks.
Take food and water along so you aren't a burden. Remember, there probably are not toilet facilities, except at the command center. Go before you go out to your task.
Little things count. My friend was taking laundry in and doing it. I helped move some horses out of the way of the flood, and then volunteered to pick up and haul debris to the dump afterwards. We traveled a couple days the next year to help at the other end of the county.
You tornado folks have a tough road ahead, and I wish you well. Take care of yourselves, please.
Nah, I think I'll keep it. Good reminder for me not to be so quick to judge. Thanks, man. You're a good man, and I fully accept my membership into the Ahole club, and shall wear my badge with appropriate shame, and take a good look at it before I hit "submit reply."
Thanks, Rob. You're a good man too, and I could tell you've been deeply effected by all this. I can't imagine what you've been through, carrying injured and dying people out of buildings..... I can't even imagine. Thanks so much for your understanding.
owbguy
ArboristSite Operative
repped for taking responsibility. I'm neither agreeing nor disagreeing with any of what was said. Its just very refreshing when someone accepts responsibility when it isn't good.
To the rest of you good folks suffering or helping, God bless you!
Rio_Grande
ArboristSite Operative
Another side of this, as a former firefighter, EMT and still public servant, I work in a diffrent venue than where I live. That said, one of thes tornados took out 1 home within 1/4 mile of my home and I have heard as many as 35 within 7 miles of me. Once mine were accounted for I offered assistance, i have heavy equiptment, saws, laborers and time to donate but was told it was not needed that they had all the help they could use. I have seen photos of the area and I doubt this is true but going through the chain of command that is what I got. Unfortunately my equiptment sits idle. We are willing but aparently not needed.
Thanks to all of you who are doing their part. Wish we were among you...
Thanks to all of you who are doing their part. Wish we were among you...
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Rio, we had the same thing here when ours went through. There was a huge liability issue that couldn't seem to get worked out. There were a bunch of us ready to go when the original ones wore out, lucky for us that didn't happen and we weren't needed. I did drop my dump trailer off and it was well used. I also had my backhoe ready in town to go when needed but after seeing all the wires and crap that was underground I went and picked it back up. Figured I didn't need to go making matters worse by hitting something. I keep saying I am going to take the chainsaw course and update a few of my safety courses so next time I am more qualified to help but haven't done it yet.
frostedunit
ArboristSite Lurker
First off, THANK YOU for what you do Rob.
I work for a cable/power sub out of Walton/Owenton and we've been out the last 2 days working where your pics were taken. This is by far the worst storm damage repair we have had, maybe because it hit so close to home.
Don't let the guys on here talking #### get you down. They probably would have been the same dumbasses circling 25/75 yesterday when the power company was trying to set poles and string new lines.
Keep your head up and yourself safe. It has to get better from here!
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I work for a cable/power sub out of Walton/Owenton and we've been out the last 2 days working where your pics were taken. This is by far the worst storm damage repair we have had, maybe because it hit so close to home.
Don't let the guys on here talking #### get you down. They probably would have been the same dumbasses circling 25/75 yesterday when the power company was trying to set poles and string new lines.
Keep your head up and yourself safe. It has to get better from here!
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk
Man I gotta say I have something in me that says go help but I just have all of these excuses, I love the USA and how every state has pride and some and or most of its people that do stand up and do something. I gotta work on being ready I have priorities screwed up, I sold my old diesel last fall and have yet to buy another truck, thats gonna have to change. These storms were killers and that is hard for me to comprehend from a distance I just hope the rest of the tornado season is not deadly. I am not much of a prayer but man I sure hope the scumbags stealing get some hometown justice and the good people who see fit to volunteer or work there go home knowing they made a difference in someones life.
We got hit also. So far they are calling it an F3. Unlike last year just a few miles south from this one, we are very blessed with no loss of life. The damage is still overwhelming and it still has not hit home for a lot of the victims ... yet.
Looks like I got my summer planned out helping these folk out again.
Looks like I got my summer planned out helping these folk out again.
Preston
Addicted to ArboristSite
Reading this brings something to mind. When the hurricane Katrina hit NO, a number of folks here were leaving here going that way to make money. The government was throwing it around and they were glad to take. It's hard and expensive to pack up and travel to cut trees off folks homes. I'll tell ya straight out, I don't have the money for that. We don't take vacations because of it. But when the tornadoes hit here the people coming out to help looked like a stirred up ant hill. The problem again was money. The county didn't have any and the state is slow. So what help we got we did on our own. As y'all know streets are impassable, till the chainsaw cuts it's way in. And they did, with volunteers on the triggers. Most of what was spent here was out of the volunteers pockets, as it should be. Public servants as such draw a salary or hourly wage, volunteers are on their own. We had to sign in so the folks in charge knew who was supposed to be there, but after 3 weeks so much of the stuff was cleaned up. Yes I wish I could just pack up and go, but that's just not the way things are. I can make day trips, but 300 or 400 miles drives just can't do.
Prays go out to all the folks in pain. I watch the reports on TV and can't hold the tears back knowing the emotions those folks are feeling. :msp_sad:
Islero
ArboristSite Operative
Hat Off To Unclemoustache
unclemoustache, you're okay!! You're big enough of a man to not only acknowledge that you're wrong in judging others, but to apologize for being wrong. Thank you!! Rep for you!!
unclemoustache, you're okay!! You're big enough of a man to not only acknowledge that you're wrong in judging others, but to apologize for being wrong. Thank you!! Rep for you!!
Rob1276
ArboristSite Member
I may have met you and not knew it I was in a ambulance driving around giving food to line workers are with Bowlen cause I gave some to a few if them guys we took the stretcher out and loaded it up with food and water and walked up and down the roads You guys are fast I swear the red cross could learn a few things from you guys
I was out today cutting some wood but not much I cleaned debris up. FYI not recommended but will work in a pinch a chainsaw will cut sheet metal thinner gauge of course. I took a old chain that I planned to use cutting close to the ground and put it on backwards and it slices like butter. It loud as everything you have ever heard but does the Job
We got hit again, Harrison and Ooltewah TN with an EF3 ... No deaths yet.
Looks like I won't be riding my bike again this summer. Rather help my fellow person in need than ride. We got a tight group that works well together. All volunteer and need based.
The opportunists are circling like buzzards seeking money and it sickens me.
I'm not talking about legit arborist, they have their place with their equipment and will not begrudge them a living.
I'm talking about bubba with a pickup, no insurance on the truck, let alone the business preying on victims. "can I have the scrap metal if I cut yer wood?" Looters should be shot in the kneecaps.
Looks like I won't be riding my bike again this summer. Rather help my fellow person in need than ride. We got a tight group that works well together. All volunteer and need based.
The opportunists are circling like buzzards seeking money and it sickens me.
I'm not talking about legit arborist, they have their place with their equipment and will not begrudge them a living.
I'm talking about bubba with a pickup, no insurance on the truck, let alone the business preying on victims. "can I have the scrap metal if I cut yer wood?" Looters should be shot in the kneecaps.
Last edited:
Rob1276
ArboristSite Member
This is probably my last post here on this site I got a infraction and I pretty much said how I felt about that so I'm figuring it won't be long before I'm
Gone but at any rate I have learned a little from here it was a hoot reading some things here a lot of good ideas and advice. It's been a pleasure
Gone but at any rate I have learned a little from here it was a hoot reading some things here a lot of good ideas and advice. It's been a pleasure
frostedunit
ArboristSite Lurker
Sorry to see ya go Rob. If you ever run across a Bowlin guy in a small Ford bucket with an orange hardhat on, stop and say hi!
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frostedunit
ArboristSite Lurker
Yeah you guys can't seem to catch a break this week.
We haven't had too many fly-by-night tree companies yet, but ours hit mostly farm areas where the HO knows how to use a saw.
I did about stab a roofer today, driving down the street and sticking flyers in mailboxes to houses with entire walls missing.
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tbow388
Off The Air BEEEEEEEEP
Close call
Glad you made it through okay.
I know the tornado feeling. Small one hit my house about 15 tears ago. Scared the pee outa me once I saw the oak trees missing and no where to be found.
3 years ago i missed one at work by a block. Tore up the building across the street. (I can crawl under my desk)
That being said, a half mile was pretty dang close!!!!!!
Last year when the tornados hit smithville Mississippi I lost a 20 year customer. I didnt do any clean up help (didnt even have a running saw back then) and I really regret it. I am going to try and hook up with a SBC disaster relief group.
My hats off to any one that is able to and goes out to help!!!!!!
My prayers to the families effected.
Glad you made it through okay.
I know the tornado feeling. Small one hit my house about 15 tears ago. Scared the pee outa me once I saw the oak trees missing and no where to be found.
3 years ago i missed one at work by a block. Tore up the building across the street. (I can crawl under my desk)
That being said, a half mile was pretty dang close!!!!!!
Last year when the tornados hit smithville Mississippi I lost a 20 year customer. I didnt do any clean up help (didnt even have a running saw back then) and I really regret it. I am going to try and hook up with a SBC disaster relief group.
My hats off to any one that is able to and goes out to help!!!!!!
My prayers to the families effected.
