Long haul to the way things were
Jonesboro officers spot spinning clouds before reports roll in on injuries, debris
The calls to the Jonesboro E-911 center on Saturday afternoon began with police officers noticing cloud rotation in the sky, but they quickly shifted to something else.
“We do have a tornado on the ground and it’s picking up the debris,” the hurried voice of a Jonesboro officer can be heard telling the dispatch office. Reports of people trapped in vehicles, downed power lines, road debris and damaged buildings soon followed as an EF3-rated tornado began its path through the northeast Arkansas city.
“We are dealing with multiple injuries, dispatch,” an officer can be heard saying in audio logs acquired by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Recovery has started in Jonesboro after a tornado tore through parts of town, and some city officials said normalcy remains months away.
As homeowners and business owners pick up debris, poor weather and the coronavirus pandemic have further complicated state emergency officials’ abilities to properly survey the damage.
The Mall at Turtle Creek, Camfil, Jonesboro Municipal Airport, retailers and residential neighborhoods were directly hit by the tornado that carried wind speeds of up to 165 mph.
At least 22 people were injured and at least 458 homes were damaged, including 149 that were mostly or completely destroyed, according to Marvin Day, the county judge of
Craighead County. On Sunday, Gov. Asa Hutchinson declared the county a disaster area. The declaration opens the door for local governments to request state funds.
Jeff Presley, director of the Jonesboro E-911 center, said recovery might take months.
“Right now we are focused on power, gas and water,” he said. “We got power crews driving around the city replacing power poles and traffic signals. There are going to be crews around for a long time.”
Presley said the Bridger Place subdivision and the homes behind the mall on Galaxy Drive were some of the hardest-hit areas. He said Saturday and Sunday were dedicated to search and rescue and that the cleanup period didn’t begin until Monday.
“We were truly blessed there were no fatalities,” he said. “We got lucky nobody was out and that this tornado hit during the daytime.”
Clay Steelman, a program manager for the Christian humanitarian aid organization Samaritan’s Purse, said he along with several others have been assisting Jonesboro residents.
“We have seen a lot of neighbors helping neighbors here so we are mostly doing things other residents can’t, like tarping the roofs and chain-sawing,” he said.
Steelman said his organization has seen many natural disasters, but he mentioned this incident was unique. He said it was incredible that a storm strong enough to damage 458 homes injured only 22 people.
“I was talking to a family who was hiding under their stairs at the time and they said they could feel their faces tighten from all pressure,” he said. “I heard from a couple who were hiding in the space between the garage and the house and every part of the house except that part had the roof ripped off of it.”
Melody Daniel, spokeswoman for the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management, said the agency is unsure about the exact damage in the city of more than 75,000 because it’s waiting for the weather to clear up to conduct an aerial assessment. Daniel said the agency will survey damage from the air because the coronavirus has changed the way the department handles damage assessments.
“Normally we go out with groups of people to assess damage,” she said. “We don’t want people to be stacked up on top of each other during covid-19. It’s fifty-fifty to see if using telecommunication and aerial flights will be faster than group assessments.”
Homeowners should document damage and report it to their insurance companies and the Craighead County emergency department, Daniel said.
The state Insurance Department on Tuesday issued a 60-day moratorium to prevent insurers from canceling the policies of Craighead County residents affected by Saturday’s tornado for nonpayment.
The American Red Cross of Northeast Arkansas has set up a hotline to assist affected residents as well, according to a news release. Residents who have a proof of identity and residency can call 417- (417) 447-7180 for assistance, according to the Red Cross.
City officials said they have been impressed with the immediate response from the community.
“We are a great team and the community has really come together,” Jonesboro Police Chief Rick Elliott said.
Daniel said the coronavirus might have been a blessing in disguise for Jonesboro. In addition to emptying normally bustling areas like the mall, Daniel said the virus had already activated the state emergency operation center before the tornado hit.
“We were already battle ready,” she said.
Daniel said the county emergency department was able to quickly alert state officials to the situation, establish two shelters and implement a curfew.
Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin on Tuesday extended the nighttime curfew that has been in place since Saturday. Until further notice, only motorists going to and from work will be allowed on city streets from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
“Our police force is taxed enough under the current circumstances,” Perrin said in a Tuesday news release. “This will allow law-abiding citizens to be at home and ensure no looting or vandalism is occurring while we clean up our city.”
Perrin also said unlicensed home repair workers have been escorted out of town by the police, and he warned residents to be careful about hiring.
“We are dealing with two crises at once,” Perrin said. “Our citizens are tired, they’re hurting, and the last thing they need is to deal with a scam artist while they try to recover from this storm.”
Presley, the E-911 director, said the city is working alongside the Police Department to make sure contractors are vetted before entering damaged areas. He said contractors wanting to do business in Jonesboro must obtain a privilege license from City Hall before doing any work within the city. Verified contractors will be issued a tag, according to Presley.
“Only vehicles with the yellow placard will be allowed into the damaged areas of the city,” he said.
Elliott said the Police Department has implemented its “hazard plan” meaning the entire department is working on two 12-hour shifts. He said this means officers can still patrol while other units focus on the devastated areas of the city.
Checkpoints have been set up at the damaged areas to prevent looting and to deny scammers entry, Elliott said.
“They have been victimized once, we don’t want them victimized again,” he said.
The police chief said construction repairs within the city will take awhile, but power is expected to be mostly restored by today.