This goes without saying – I’m a wimp . . in so many areas. The tornado sirens always make me cry. Vince said “Why are you crying?” I guess it’s because when those sirens start sounding, I know someone is in serious danger and that makes me sad.
Wednesday is the day I usually go to Nevada to stitch with my friend, Debbie. Over the weekend, Vince told me there was a chance of bad weather Wednesday so we should change the day we get together this week. I contacted Debbie and we agreed to meet on Tuesday. We did .. yesterday was great!
The tornado sirens here started sounding here about 8:15 this morning and they went on and and on. There were several tornadoes reported but I haven’t heard about any damages here. It always seems like they’re sounding much longer than they are. It’s such an ominous sound. I’m thankful for the sirens, thankful for the basement and safe room but I so wish tornadoes would not happen. I had already checked to be sure everything we could need was in the shelter. We both put on heavy shoes, grabbed our flashlights and were each holding a dog so we could quickly get into the safe room if we needed to. I looked at my phone and saw this from a neighbor.
I said to Vince . . “Is there something I should know? Something must have happened in Nevada. My friend is praying for Chad and his family.” I called him and he didn’t say “Hello”. The first thing he said was “We’re safe, Mom!” Instant relief! Then I called Debbie and she said they were safe.
There seems to be damage here and there and it was pretty much in all directions from Chad’s home but Addie was already at school, Nicole and Chad were already at work.
This is a gas station that’s on the west side of town. I pass it on my way to Nevada. Just yesterday Debbie and I were talking about it. When Chad brought my grandpa’s old truck home, he passed by with it on a trailer. Several days later, he drove it to this station to get it inspected and the man said “I saw you pass by with that on a trailer Sunday!” Every time I pass by there I think about that, and that makes me think of my grandpa and my uncle, who restored the old pickup and then gave it to Chad.
I don’t know if all the schools here in our town have storm shelters or if it’s just the newer schools. Heck, I don’t know — all the schools may be newer but I heard on the news that some students were still on the buses when the sirens began so they went to the nearest school, not necessarily where they were headed to drop off students, got the students all safely in shelters, and then after the all clear was given, they loaded them back up and took them to their own schools. I’m sure there were some scared children and some worried parents.
I’m so very thankful Chad and his family are ok and thankful it wasn’t any worse for Nevada but very sorry for those who have damages.
Dottie says
So glad Chad, Nicole and Addie are ok…..tornadoes are so very, very scary.
Liz says
Keep us updated about the storms. And, I think that it is common practice that the school buses go to the nearest school when there is a weather emergency.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Probably. When we lived here before, most of the schools did not have tornado shelters. They were added after the May, 2011 tornado so this was the first time I had ever heard it happening. It is a good idea.
Helen Burdette says
You and your family have been on my mind all day. Those storms are heading our way late tonight but our weather man says they shouldn’t be quite so severe where we live.
Thankfully your family Is safe.
Helen-from Northeast Ohio
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Stay safe! There are some bad ones out there now. I think we all fear the after dark storms. Check in when you can so we know you’re safe.
Helen Burdette says
Good Thursday morning, Judy. Checking in to let you know we are safe from the storms overnight.
Helen, your long-distance friend from NE Ohio
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Great! I wondered about you! Glad to hear you made it. Are y’all supposed to have more bad weather later in the week?
Nelle Coursey says
I am so glad you are all ok. I saw on the weather report that we are all going to have this for the next few days. Praying that no one is hurt or dies in all this. This time of year is scary!!
judy.blog@gmail.com says
You stay safe! I just checked and we have a chance of tornadoes again Thursday, then two nights below 30 degrees and then MAYBE we can get on with Spring!
Denyse Loughlin says
I wondered all day abt your son & his family; so glad they’re safe (your friend, also). I was born & raised in MO & grew up being terrified of storms–I was 5 yrs old when that horrible tornado hit Ruskin Heights in the south part of KC. We lived maybe 5 miles from there, police driving up & down the streets w/bull horns telling us to take cover (no sirens back then) & I remember running to our neighbors’ basement. It was so scary; I don’t think I’ll ever forget it. I love Spring but have to admit I dread the bad weather April & May can bring.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I understand! It had to have been awful to experience that as a child. When we lived in Nevada, the police would drive slowly down the roads with their sirens on when there were tornadoes. I guess that’s something that started before the tornado sirens and they kept doing it. I had never heard that they did that before so thanks for shedding a bit of light on that mystery. The tornado sirens don’t wake me up. I was hoping the dogs would hear them and wake up but they didn’t wake up this morning. Thankfully Vince heard them.
When we lived in Owensboro, KY, there were several tornadoes there and that was my first experience with them. It seems odd sitting here tonight listening to the news about tornadoes in that area after they already hit Nevada this morning – two cities/towns where we lived.
Liz says
Nowadays, the tornado sirens are useful for those people who are outside. With the way homes are made and with air conditioning and other noises in the house, it is almost impossible to hear the sirens. I have sirens nearby and I usually don’t hear them unless I go outside to check the sky.
Because of this, it is important to have the weather radios or the alerts on your phone set to go off when there is severe weather. Here in the OKC area, the tv stations are on weather mode during the severe storms and the local radio stations (AM & FM) switch to the tv coverage. Some of the stations will warn of a tornado before the NWS does.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
We hear them just fine upstairs but if I’m sleeping, even the phone doesn’t wake me. In the basement, if the windows are open (which they usually are NOT), we hear them but otherwise, we do not. Our weather radio is upstairs too and Vince will hear that during the night. This week, my phone had gone off for a tornado watch but never went off for the warning. We don’t have our TV hooked up to anything currently so we’re pretty much 100% depending on the weather radio. It was going off yesterday and had I not been in the basement, I would have heard it. For us, usually buy the time weather looks bad enough for there to be a dangerous storm, we’re already in the basement since I’m such a weather chicken.
Danna Uyehara says
So thankful that you are all safe; when I heard Nevada had been hit I prayed even harder. Thanks for letting us know so quickly.
Sue Edberg says
So glad that you and Chad’s family are all safe. Please stay that way. I have never been near a tornado and hope to stay that way. I am such a wimp that even today (I’m 76) I can’t watch the movie The Wizard of Oz because the tornado scares me so much.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
It’s different for everyone I suppose. For me, it’s one of those things that I feel like I’m more afraid of them after having seen what they can do but having lived where they were prevalent in KY for 9 years and now in MO for at total of 9 years, I feel like it’s just part of life. So, I guess I’m braver about them til the sirens go off and then I’m not so brave at all.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Thank you. Prayers are always appreciated!
Donita says
So thankful to hear Chad’s and Debbie are okay. My friend teaches at Jaspar and she said they walked into the classroom and it was announced to take shelter. She said they spent about 50 minutes in the school tornado shelter. A rough start to a morning for the students and staff. I’m sure Addie will tell you all about it the next time she sees you.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I talked to Chad today and he said she had called him to come get her at school. I asked if she was scared and he said no . . some of her friends’ parents and picked them up and she wanted to go home too. He told her she was safer at school than home alone and she stayed there. I can only imagine the chaos that created in schools – first thing in the morning.