Posted on 03/06/2020 11:32:29 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
President Trump on Friday visited a Tennessee town devastated by a tornado to console victims, and pledged “whatever they need” in federal aid.
In Cookeville, Mr. Trump stood amid the rubble of homes and sheared-off trees on a street where eight people were killed. A total of 18 people were killed in the Putnam County community when an EF-4 tornado packing winds of nearly 200 mph struck, leaving a path of destruction 50 miles long.
“I love them very much, that’s why I’m here,” Mr. Trump said. “I was going to [visit] yesterday, but they asked me for one more day because they were looking for bodies, believe it or not, up until now. It’s tough. One family got entirely wiped out.”
He spoke of an 8-year-old boy who was sucked out of his home by the twister and landed, alive, more than two blocks away. The rest of his family died.
“They found him walking on the street,” the president said. “His parents were killed, and his sister.”
Later, Mr. Trump prayed at the Church of Christ Cookeville with family members and first responders.
“We are with you all the way,” the president said. “When you have those who lost somebody, that’s a very tough situation.”
He said it was “inspiring” to see neighbors and others from around the state donating supplies and food for the victims.
“It’s a case study of what should be done and how it can be done,” Mr. Trump said. “It’s Tennessee. It is indeed the Volunteer State.”
Statewide, the storms killed 25 people and injured hundreds. Thousands lost their homes and businesses.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
TN is safe for Trump in November! Go Volunteers!
The devastation is some of the worst I’ve ever seen. The Flood 10 yrs ago was nearly as bad. This got rich, middle class and poor alike. Some places have kindling where homes stood. People died as families or couples.
This scares me as we are 2 seniors in hearing aids, which you can’t sleep in. Even with alarm monitor you don’ always hear it.
No reason to be scared. Callous as it sounds, some things you’re just not going to be able to get away from, so worrying about it is pointless. AND, the odds of one of these things hitting you is very very low.
As a Californian I really don’t know these things, but couldn’t people just sleep in the basement during tornado season? Don’t a lot of homes have finished basements for this? (My uncle in KS had a house like that.)
Not all homes here have basements.
In that case, a sound based alarm isn’t going to be enough for people have trouble hearing. You’re going to need flashing lights and vibration as well, I should think, or even a trained pet dog that can tug on you when it’s time to shelter. It seems worth the expense and effort. This is scary, and recurring.
This is where I live. It was taken from my front yard. Most tornadoes bounce right over us from one hill behind us, across us, and over the hill in the picture. We have seen quite a few. It seems like the older generation knew where to build houses to protect them from storms.
This looks like the area around Pulaski TN.
Beautiful country!
I got an ITouch Watch and that has a vibration alarm (I wear hearing aids too) and you can set it to trigger when a bulletin comes on.
I’m between Knoxville and Chattanooga in Athens (Battle of Athens) in the foothills of the Smoky’s. A lot of beautiful rolling hills farmland around here. It’s a day trip for us to go to Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Maggie Valley, and other attractions. Tornadoes are a fact of life though.
Most homes in TN are on slabs without basements.
WOW, what a beautiful sight to wake up to each day.
what town are you nearby?
Beautiful. God bless Tennessee.
I’m pretty much halfway between Chattanooga and Knoxville in a little town called Riceville. The small city closest to me is Athens, as in The Battle of Athens. Very deep red conservative country.
We like it. We have lived here on this farm for 35 years and my grandmother was born only a couple of miles from where I live now.
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