After the Storm

My Experience as a Tornado Relief Volunteer

by Pamela S. Warren
dixiedreamer57@yahoo.com

“We know that nothing can ever separate us from You, that in all conflicts we may be more than conquerors, that all dark and hostile things shall be transformed and work for good to those who know the secret of Your love.” Excerpt from Pastoral Prayer by David Schwingle, 12 June, 2011.

On April 27, 2011, at 3:05 pm, the small town of Hackleburg, Alabama, was struck by a rare EF5 tornado. Moments later, it was hit by a second EF5 tornado. Most of the state had been under a tornado watch that day. At 3:05 pm in Hackleburg, people were going about their day-to-day activities. School had let out early, due to the threat of severe weather. At 3:05 pm in Hackleburg, no weather radio sounded an alert, no tornado siren was heard. There just wasn’t time. The only warning came from a fireman in a neighboring town, who had seen the tornado heading toward Hackleburg. He telephoned the fire station to give them warning. A lone fireman manually turned on the warning siren, just seconds before the tornado reached the unsuspecting town. There wasn’t time to take cover. No time to protect yourself. Scarce little time to even pray.

Less than 24 hours after the devastating tornado struck Hackleburg, my husband Terry (known throughout this article as T), started making plans to go help with the clean up efforts. His father lived in Guin, Alabama, when the first recorded EF5 struck that town on April 3, 1974.
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