Tornado cleanup efforts continue
Approximately 20 people with Highlands Disaster Response, the response team with Church of the Highlands, lend their hands in helping with ongoing cleanup efforts in the Equality area following the devastating long-term effects of the January 12 tornado. Photo by Christa Jennings
Once work was complete, before leaving the area Highlands Disaster Response used a chainsaw to leave their signature behind – three crosses carved into a stump. Photo by Christa Jennings
Volunteers with Highlands Disaster Response work to clear away downed trees that team members cut up during the workday. Photo by Christa Jennings
Ready to serve: Volunteers with Highlands Disaster Response arrive at County Road 304 in the Equality area to help with cleanup efforts from the January tornado. Photo submitted
By Christa Jennings
Senior Staff Writer
The Coosa County Long Term Recovery Committee, along with other agencies and individuals, is continuing in recovery and cleanup efforts from the January 12 tornado that impacted the Southern end of Coosa County.
While waiting for the ongoing process of case management, the committee remains dedicated to helping tornado survivors in the Equality and surrounding area with recovery efforts.
Through coordination efforts with the committee, the disaster response team for Church of the Highlands, called Highlands Disaster Response, visited Coosa County last Saturday to help with the cleanup process.
About 20 individuals from multiple church campuses across Birmingham, Montgomery and Tuscaloosa arrived in the county early Saturday morning and worked until early afternoon. Highlands Disaster Response’s efforts were focused on the County Road 304 area that was hit by the January tornado.
Dennis Harris, with local missions and outreach for the church, stated that the group of volunteers cleaned up downed trees, removed hazardous trees and also pulled remaining electrical lines from the side of a driveway.
“It was an honor to serve this family and help them with these needs as a simple demonstration that as a local church we care about people,” Harris stated. “This is just one way we work to demonstrate it.”
While on site the team also noticed a residence with a roof covered in older worn-out tarps from the January recovery efforts. The group mentioned the possibility of trying to find a sturdier tarp for long-term use at the residence until something more permanent can be done.
Coosa’s LTRC provided lunch for Highlands Disaster Response and voiced its appreciation for their dedicated work and volunteerism in helping Coosa residents in the ongoing recovery.
The LTRC is also hosting volunteer workdays next weekend, October 20-21, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for any group or individual that would like to volunteer to help tornado survivors. For more information contact the committee via email at CoosaLTR@gmail.com.
