Volks Folks

Ret.Bugtech · « **on:** April 28, 2011, 05:20:22 PM »

Has anybody talked to Herb Keedy, Kyle, Fielding, Russ, ? I tried to call Herb all day. I don't have ph. # for the rest.

casper · « **Reply #1 on:** April 28, 2011, 05:39:29 PM »

I spoke with Russ late last night; they are both OK. He can receive texts on his phone, but can't reply for some reason; they had/have no power.

Mike has Kyle's cell number if you want to call him and get it.

Zen · « **Reply #2 on:** April 28, 2011, 05:40:24 PM »

I talked to Kyle and he had talked to Herb earlier today. I think he has a tree down across one of his outbuildings, but He and Dee are fine.

Zen · « **Reply #3 on:** April 28, 2011, 06:14:37 PM »

Kyle was on his way home from a trip to TX. yesterday. He was in Cartersville the last time I talked to him about an hour ago. I took my small generator, a rope and come-along over this morning. Took a while to get around all the destruction. Kim and Matt had two trees hit their house, one hit mainly on the front porch, but a limb went through the roof of their bedroom. The other tree is in Drakes bedroom. They were all in the house when they hit. (see picture below)

That whole area looks like a fleet of flying fortress bombed it. There's a half mile wide path of destruction and mayhem from the Food Lion to miles past Kyle's place. It will take that area months, maybe years to recover.

Zen · « **Reply #4 on:** April 28, 2011, 06:56:56 PM »

Just got off the phone with Fielding. They are OK, and no damage to speak of. He said they were about a mile and half away from the tornado, but it was still close enough to hear it. He said that one of Hanna's friends died in the storm.

Ret.Bugtech · « **Reply #5 on:** April 28, 2011, 07:53:03 PM »

Thank goodness . I was really worried . I'm sorry about Hanna's friend.

Russ · « **Reply #6 on:** April 28, 2011, 10:52:32 PM »

I posted in the other thread. We are ok.

volksnick · « **Reply #7 on:** April 29, 2011, 12:17:04 AM »

Megan and I are fine. We had our power flicker but we had no problems. We watched the news and texted our friends who were bunkered down. Sorry to hear about all the losses.

We were driving back from Atlanta this afternoon and traffic was backed up from the Ringgold exit all the way back to the first Dalton exit. We got off at Tunnel Hill/Varnell exit and made our way over to Hwy 2 and passed the road closed signs on Cherokee Valley Rd. There was no where else to go but where the cops told us to turn, so we were directed through the edge of Ringgold and onto Ooltewah-Ringgold Rd. HOLY CRAP!!! There wasn't a house along through there that didn't see a good deal of damage. I had never seen that kind of damage in person before. It was really crazy... Seeing the entrance to Cherokee Valley Rd and then everything just West of there made me think about Kyle and his family. They looked like they were in the middle of it all.

Zen · « **Reply #8 on:** April 29, 2011, 06:21:53 AM »

I found out last night that there were two tornados in that area. The biggest one hit Ringgold, went over the first ridge and up Cherokee Valley. The one that hit Kyle's place was a slightly smaller one that stared right about his place and went up Salem Valley to Apison.

I've been down Ooltewah-Ringgold Road hundreds of times . . . until yesterday, I didn't know how close it ran to the Ringgold High football field. There was always a big stand of hardwood trees blocking the view. Not any more. Now it looks like a toothpick factory exploded.

And about the interstate being stopped . . . it is 100% due to rubbernecking at the Ringgold-LaFayette exit. Yesterday morning going to Kyle's I got on 75 at Battlefield Parkway and eased down toward Ringgold at about an average of 5 MPH. All THREE LANES WERE CLEAR at the Ringgold-LaFayette exit (the one with all the damage) but everyone was stopping to look. I actually saw one IDIOT in the center lane STOP and hang out his window to snap some pictures. Once we got past the exit, traffic instantly went back to 70+ mph. But I noticed the Northbound side was suffering the same fate, just in the other direction. Last night as soon as the sun went down, taffic returned to normal.

Russ · « **Reply #9 on:** April 30, 2011, 12:21:29 AM »

NWS confirms the tornado was an EF4 with winds in the 175mph range. Seeing the destruction, it's miraculous the loss of life was not any greater than what it is.

Police have the city locked down, nobody's getting in right now while search and rescue efforts are underway. I can still get to work, I was there today helping with whatever needs doing. We are on generator right now at both business office and central office, so essential services are still running. Georgia Power began work downtown. They have about 40 power poles on Nashville St alone to set.

Every business down Alabama Highway has been hit. We just had one piece of roofing come loose. Outside, there is a column with a piece of ceiling tile embedded in it. I have no idea how our office is still standing.

While it's bad downtown, it's even worse in Cherokee Valley. The entire area is wiped clean. My coworkers managed to get some video as they surveyed yesterday.

If you've never been down Cherokee Valley before, it used to be full of trees and houses. Out of the 8 deaths in Ringgold, 7 were in Cherokee Valley and 4 were one whole family. This is very close to the area Kyle and Betty and Matt and Kim live.

certdubtech · « **Reply #10 on:** April 30, 2011, 12:48:59 PM »

That video was unreal. I still can't see how so many people did survive that.

98GTI · « **Reply #11 on:** May 02, 2011, 10:16:32 AM »

I stopped by and checked on Herb and Dee. They are ok. A tree fell catching the corner of his shop and squashing his 64 beetle.

Ret.Bugtech · « **Reply #12 on:** May 02, 2011, 12:55:47 PM »

Quote from: 98GTI on May 02, 2011, 10:16:32 AM

I stopped by and checked on Herb and Dee. They are ok. A tree fell catching the corner of his shop and squashing his 64 beetle.

Which way did you go. I though the roads were all pluged up.

98GTI · « **Reply #13 on:** May 02, 2011, 03:39:28 PM »

I took south lee to pine, which was one lane.

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