The recent destructive tornado in Joplin prompted some questions if I was ok. The damage for what I call 'the kill zone' was very narrow and about 45 miles away. It was only 6 miles long and about 1 mile wide at the widest. The residents of Joplin lived 15 minutes of Hell with 15 minutes or warning. That was not enough time to even get out of the way. I was never threatened.
However, my family and I know Joplin well. It is one of two cities within 45 miles of us. Joplin is to the southwest of us. We know people who lost everything but the clothes on their backs. We know people who lost loved-ones. Businesses that we frequent are wiped off the map. 20th street is a horror to travel. Entire residential neighborhoods are gone. The St. John's hospital, with about 300 beds was moved off it's foundation It will be demolished and rebuilt. To date, 141 people died. 18,000 vehicles are destroyed. 5,000 employees have no job because the business building is GONE. It took me three tries to find one of the businesses that I went to help. It was a foreign auto repair business. It was within 1/8th mile of the destroyed Wal Mart. No wall was standing. I only found it by the type of cars on the lot.
If there is anything good to say about what happened to Joplin, it is this; I have never seen so many volunteers. On Memorial Day, I would take a wild guess that the city's population increased 50% when at least 15,000 people showed up to help clean debris from homes, help recover lost household items and give some comfort to the thousands that lost everything they owned.
I have only been three times to help at this point. I was supposed to join a chain saw gang again this week. We have been working the peripheral areas where people still have a house, but can't navigate a very messed up yard. We were asked to delay. There is too much help. Logistically, there are too many people wanting to come for the effort to be decently organized. Red Cross is overwhelmed. The temperatures have soared into the 90's and just getting water to the help becomes a problem.
This is like a town-sized funeral. When the initial visitation is over, people tend to go back to their lives and forget. But Joplin will need help for the next year or two, at least. When things quiet down, we will be there.
The work can be dangerous. It is all volunteer with no payment accept the appreciation people who have no means. We are clearing out yards cluttered with debris. We are helping them to access what is left of their homes. In some cases, we are clearing off so that repairs can be started. Those are the lucky ones, who still have homes to go to.
For the acres of carnage, you can estimate, about 10 city blocks about 6 miles long will be bulldozed in 8 block sections, hauled off and the building will start. I've never seen such destruction in a total of 15 minutes. |
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