Tornado hits R.A.F. Alabama.

David Layne · 24-10-2007, 11:27 AM

On Monday afternoon a tornado struck our community.

The National Weather Service reported that the tornado, an EF1 twister with wind speeds between 86 mph and 109 mph, touched down south of Memory Lane and lifted three-quarters of a mile north near Roy E. Ray Airport. No injuries were reported.

My wife and I had just got home from work on what had been a stormy day when we heard it coming. We took shelter in our designated safe haven which is a toilet located under the stairs. No sooner had we taken shelter than it was over, 30 seconds at the most.

We emerged to discover that our property had sustained considerable damage. Many of our lovely trees were down and others were left reminiscent of those pictures one sees of the Somme.

Our house had a tree limb that impaled itself through the roof and came jutting out about 3 feet into our bedroom. We have broken windows and all the white fascia has been torn away from the building itself.

And so the clean up begins. I spent yesterday picking up and today will be a chainsaw day. We have patched the roof and now await the insurance adjusters arrival and the ensuing battle that will produce.

We are thankful that our structural damage was minor and grateful that nobody in our community lost life or limb. I have been through blizzards and hurricanes but this is the first tornado that I have experienced, hopefully it will be the last!

Amazingly through the whole thing we did not experience a loss of electrical power and so I have been able to monitor this and other sites that I frequent, if that had happened I would be mortified!

Anyway enough dilly dallying, there is work to be done!

Kyt · 24-10-2007, 12:07 PM

I'm so relieved to hear that you and the family are safe, and uninjured, David. It's also a relief that there wasn't too much damage.

I have say that I am amazed at your calm tone, like we'd be saying that we had a bit of drizzle this morning!! I would probably be shrieking about now.

Take care, and be careful during the clear-up. Would hate to read that you'd managed to chop off a leg with the chainsaw

marcus69x · 24-10-2007, 12:32 PM

Like above, I'm glad y'all ok david, but am sorry to hear about the damage to your home. Good luck with the insurance too. Let's hope they don't try to swindle you out of a claim due to an 'Act of God'.

marcus

David Layne · 24-10-2007, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marcus69x

Like above, I'm glad y'all ok david, but am sorry to hear about the damage to your home. Good luck with the insurance too. Let's hope they don't try to swindle you out of a claim due to an 'Act of God'.

marcus

Thanks for your kind thoughts the pair of you.

There will not be a problem with the insurance due to an "Act of God" I will be covered for that. More of a problem is to whether I will have damage beyond my deductible which is rather high.

In this part of the world home owners insurance is high, I pay about $2500.00 a year for home insurance and carry a 2500.00 deductible to bring the premium down somewhat. So regardless I will have to stump up $2500.00.

Kyt · 24-10-2007, 12:52 PM

Oh dear. The deductible (or excess as it's called here) is always a killer. My only experience of it is for car insurance, and everytime I looked for a new policy, trying to work out costs and benefits of cheaper companies normally came down to the horrendous excess from some companies.

Kitty · 24-10-2007, 02:14 PM

Glad you are all Ok David. Am so sorry bout the trees. the house will be easily repaired but they will take time to come back. take care and don't hurt yourslef with that chainsaw.

spidge · 24-10-2007, 02:17 PM

As long as you and your wife are safe is really all that matters today. Tomorrow the insurance companies win..........They always win in the end!

They brought in Home and Contents insurance here with $200 excess. Immediately stopped 40% of claims for the rake, the shovel, the axe, the wheelbarrow.

Now not worth the claims.

CTNana · 24-10-2007, 02:32 PM

David, how dreadful, glad to hear you are both okay. After 1987 I can only begin to understand how awful it was. You do sound remarkably calm.

Insurance companies? - we hadn't claimed in 30+ years when our dishwasher flooded and completely destroyed the kitchen base units, kitchen floor, hall and family bathroom carpets. The kitchen units were no longer available so we couldn't simply replace them but the insurance company were only prepared to pay for the lower units and two rows of tiles. It cost us a fortune! Yes heads they win and tails we lose.
CTNana