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Because there was a bunch of tornadoes in our town today.
I have never been more terrified in my life...not even during Hurricane Andrew.
At 12:30 CST, came an announcement at work telling everyone that a tornado warning had been issued and THIS IS NOT A DRILL GET TO THE SAFE ZONE NOW. Since the department where hubby and I both work IS the safe zone, people started congregating almost immediately. Our calls were transferred to the other sites (thanks, guys) and we waited. I moved across the conference room to hubby's desk and sat down, just to be near him. After about five minutes, there was another, more frightening announcement...GET UNDER SOMETHING RIGHT NOW! We crowded under hubby's desk. Everyone else hit the deck beneath desks, tables, counter tops, anything. Someone hollered, "Get under something now! We've seen a tornado outside!"
Then the power went out.
All we could hear was the rain pounding on the roof, thunder and the wind. The wind was terrible.
I was so scared, I started crying. I told hubby I loved him...just in case. He told me he loved me too...he was a rock, so calm.
A half an hour later, things quieted down a bit and people started coming out from under things.
Those who had cell phones with service got reports from outside...we heard there had been one, two, four. We heard that one had hit the parking lot, then we heard one hit the VA hospital a half a mile away.
It was horrible, people were scared because we were not allowed to leave. Those who had children at home were worried and scared.
At 1:25 we were told the county was still under a tornado warning until 2PM and another cell of bad weather was coming through. After that cell passed, decisions would be made.
Many of us had already made the decision that we were going home.
So, at 2, management told everyone to go home since there was no power and no phones.
The exit was orderly, but the traffic jam in the parking lot reminded me of leaving a Miami Dolphins football game. We waited for about twenty minutes before we got into our car then it took us about a half an hour to get home. (We only live about five miles from work--so this was a LONG ASS time.) Our car had bits of insulation clinging to it...and we also saw bits of siding, insulation and debris in the parking lot. The traffic lights along Memorial Blvd. were not working and most of the businesses did not seem to have power. We were sort of dreading getting home and not having power ourselves...but luckily, we did and do. (Obviously.)
We called our families to check if they were all okay (they were) and to let them know we were okay too.
We turned on the TV, saw the damage and just held each other.
I haven't heard from a couple of folks and I'm worried. My hairdresser (and friend) has her shop on Broad Street which is where a lot of damage is...I've left a message on her cell but haven't heard back yet. A friend from work.
There are a couple of videos on YouTube.
Please send good thoughts to the folks of my town. We really need them now.
edited to add: The VA hospital did not get damaged. There were four tornadoes sighted. My hairdresser is okay, I'll be seeing her today. I have heard from two of my friends from work. Both are okay--one lives in the hardest hit community but her house was spared.
I have never been more terrified in my life...not even during Hurricane Andrew.
At 12:30 CST, came an announcement at work telling everyone that a tornado warning had been issued and THIS IS NOT A DRILL GET TO THE SAFE ZONE NOW. Since the department where hubby and I both work IS the safe zone, people started congregating almost immediately. Our calls were transferred to the other sites (thanks, guys) and we waited. I moved across the conference room to hubby's desk and sat down, just to be near him. After about five minutes, there was another, more frightening announcement...GET UNDER SOMETHING RIGHT NOW! We crowded under hubby's desk. Everyone else hit the deck beneath desks, tables, counter tops, anything. Someone hollered, "Get under something now! We've seen a tornado outside!"
Then the power went out.
All we could hear was the rain pounding on the roof, thunder and the wind. The wind was terrible.
I was so scared, I started crying. I told hubby I loved him...just in case. He told me he loved me too...he was a rock, so calm.
A half an hour later, things quieted down a bit and people started coming out from under things.
Those who had cell phones with service got reports from outside...we heard there had been one, two, four. We heard that one had hit the parking lot, then we heard one hit the VA hospital a half a mile away.
It was horrible, people were scared because we were not allowed to leave. Those who had children at home were worried and scared.
At 1:25 we were told the county was still under a tornado warning until 2PM and another cell of bad weather was coming through. After that cell passed, decisions would be made.
Many of us had already made the decision that we were going home.
So, at 2, management told everyone to go home since there was no power and no phones.
The exit was orderly, but the traffic jam in the parking lot reminded me of leaving a Miami Dolphins football game. We waited for about twenty minutes before we got into our car then it took us about a half an hour to get home. (We only live about five miles from work--so this was a LONG ASS time.) Our car had bits of insulation clinging to it...and we also saw bits of siding, insulation and debris in the parking lot. The traffic lights along Memorial Blvd. were not working and most of the businesses did not seem to have power. We were sort of dreading getting home and not having power ourselves...but luckily, we did and do. (Obviously.)
We called our families to check if they were all okay (they were) and to let them know we were okay too.
We turned on the TV, saw the damage and just held each other.
I haven't heard from a couple of folks and I'm worried. My hairdresser (and friend) has her shop on Broad Street which is where a lot of damage is...I've left a message on her cell but haven't heard back yet. A friend from work.
There are a couple of videos on YouTube.
Please send good thoughts to the folks of my town. We really need them now.
edited to add: The VA hospital did not get damaged. There were four tornadoes sighted. My hairdresser is okay, I'll be seeing her today. I have heard from two of my friends from work. Both are okay--one lives in the hardest hit community but her house was spared.
