Silence to Roar - Looking back in history
On March 3, 1966, an F5 devastating Tornado hit South Jackson’s Candlestick Park Shopping Center. Before it exited our state, it left 57 dead and more than 200 people injured before ending in Tuscaloosa, Al. This is one of the five strongest tornadoes in Mississippi, on record! Thankfully meteorologists have the ability to judge the possible strength and when to take shelter.
At the time of the tornado I was staying, around the clock, at Lackey Memorial Hospital, Forest, MS, with my late husband, Billy Gordy. He was critically injured from a propane heater explosion in the old Ringgold School Gym a few weeks prior. (The tank had been refilled after someone left it turned on and he not knowing, struck a match.) I had not left his room in 19 days because of his critical injury.
Lackey Hospital was a ship-to -area for storm injured people to be transferred for treatment. Most of the severely injured were covered in red mud except mouth, nose, ears where mud had been dug out. I saw several of the patients,who worked at Sunbeam, that I didn’t recognize. The patients were transported to Lackey in school buses and private vehicles. The halls had many injured patients on mattresses and on the floors. A man across the hall was covered in mud, no identification and dying. Lackey employees were so few in number, that I was asked to sit with him until next of kin was located. I did for some time, going from his room and my husband’s. There is really no way to say how many volunteers were working to assist!
I truly learned how the importance of sheltering in place is when the warnings are given!! We purchased a in-ground storm shelter that would hold around 6 people comfortably and used it quite often.
Listen and follow instructions, is my advice.
Stay safe and have a God Blessed Week!
