Back in early March of 2012, I was a just a few weeks from moving back to Knoxville, having spent my last year in Kentucky living up a holler just off U.S. 60 between Morehead and Olive Hill. A friend was teasing me for making preparations in case a tornado hit, and the watch we were under became a warning. I’ve had tornados bounce in my general direction before, and I am, to say the least, not a fan.
Meterologists had been forecasting the possibility all day. I’d been sent home from work. Before dinner, a warning was up. By the time Jeopardy came on the news was a popping up: a mile wide tornado (later determined to be an F3) has pretty much destroyed the town of West Liberty. That particular funnel cloud was one of 70 from a March 2-3 outbreak. It was on the ground for an hour and a half and travelled 86 miles. The storms ravaged 11 states, killing 41 people (22 in Kentucky) and injuring hundreds of others. It was just 30 miles from me as the crow flies. It was heartbreaking.
There is a certain guilt that comes from being on the lucky side of a near hit in a natural disaster, along with the thankfulness for being spared and the sorrow for those afflicted. I’m accustomed to dealing with the nearby destruction from tornados and ice storms. But, I never expected in my life to be watching aghast as the remnants of a hurricane tore the hell out of everything right next door.
The French Broad River at Cruz Landing on Sunday, September 29, 2024. (Photo by Beth Kinnane)
Knoxville/Knox County: we got lucky. Don’t be mad that the worst possible results didn’t happen here when school got called off. Or you missed a shift at work because your employer, wisely, decided to err on the side of caution. For the most part, we got through it fairly unscathed, with the inconvenience of power outages and some downed trees.
In the coming days we do have some folks downstream of Douglas Dam on the French Broad River who may be needing some assistance. I went as far as was safe along Kodak Road Saturday afternoon, and the river looked a lot more like Fort Loudoun Lake. I am also cringing at the thought of what all is currently in and will be washed into the Douglas Reservoir. I’ve seen aerial photographs and videos of acres of debris collecting in coves plus everything that’s travelling on down through the spillways.
I reached out to TVA to find out what the plans are re: the considerable amount of garbage bobbing around in the lake. Scott Brooks with TVA’s media relations responded: “We are still managing a tremendous amount of water coming from the mountains, most of it through Douglas Reservoir and Dam. So, the simple answer is our dams have gates that are used to pass debris along with water downstream. In some cases, we will work with local authorities to remove debris if it becomes a hazard. When water levels recede, our natural resources team supports communities and lake users’ associations through shoreline cleanups. We are aware that we aren’t talking about a normal amount of debris. Our first priority is to bring the reservoir back to seasonal levels and go from there.”
Getting it back to seasonal levels is part of having the reservoir ready to handle excessive rainfall, again. But, word to the wise, Tennessee waterways will be full of floating debris and extra pollutants. Go boating with extreme caution if at all. And don’t let your dogs or livestock drink the water. Outside the human loss, this is an environmental nightmare.
Flooding in Asheville, NC, photo by KnoxTnToday contributor Thomas Mabry.
I am not going to review the damage that this storm has done. Unthinkable, unimaginable, devastating and life-altering in all the wrong ways should cover it. What I am going to do is provide a list of the places that are helping, what you can donate and where. I can assure you this will not be a comprehensive list, and please feel free to email me by clicking my name at the end of the story with additional information.
Before I do that, though, a few pointers. First of all, TEMA put out a release requesting people not show up. Well, too late for that. I cannot speak for them, but I know, with rescue and recovery efforts still ongoing, they don’t need hordes of people clogging the few passable roads or otherwise being in the way. If you are wanting to be boots on the ground helping with clean up, sign on with an established, experienced disaster relief group. If taking gathered donations, yield to authorities, get in, drop off, get out. Be a help, not a hindrance.
Remember that, by and large, some folks don’t even have homes to return to, and if they do, they don’t have power or water, which means no refrigeration and no means to cook. Non-perishable food items need to be edible as is. Canned food with pop tops are the best option. Send manual can openers with any traditional cans. Individually wrapped snacks and food items, etc. are the way to go. Also, resist the urge to do a massive closet cleanout and send piles of unorganized clothes. Excessive and inappropriate clothing donations are a burden to relief efforts. Send packs of socks, though.
Have a heart for some of these smaller towns that are not getting the coverage that some areas are getting. In Cocke County, particularly, Del Rio, centered on the French Broad River, is devasted. Also, I hold a special place in my heart for the white-water rafting community of Hartford, a considerable force in Cocke County’s economy.
The primary needs at any donation drive are going to be the following:
- Water, water, water and, again, water: bottles, gallons, jugs
- Electrolyte drinks like Gatorade and Pedialyte
- Non-perishable, ready to eat food items
- Personal & feminine hygiene products including WetWipes or similar
- Diapers and other baby supplies including food & formula
- Manual can openers
- Batteries, head lamps, flashlights/battery operated lamps
- Pain relievers like acetaminophen & ibuprofen
- Five-gallon buckets, rakes, mops, shovels
- Disinfectants and other household cleaning products
- Paper towels, paper plates, plastic utensils
Here’s a collection of places in Knoxville and Knox County having donation drives:
YMCA of East Tennessee is accepting supply donations at all local YMCA locations. They are in coordination with the Unicoi County Family YMCA. The YMCA is collecting water, flashlights, batteries, and portable phone chargers. Donations should be brought to your local YMCA no later than Wednesday, Oct. 2.
Truan Equipment Company at 4909 Ball Road, 37931, will accept donations through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Essential items such as bottled water, canned food and hygiene products are in high demand.
The Knoxville Moose Lodge 1560, 5909 Ward Road, 37918, is gathering non-perishable food, diapers, batteries of all sizes, flashlights, animal supplies, sanitary items and toiletries.
Happy Paws Kitten Rescue is accepting donations of canned and dry food for both dogs and cats, as well as litter. Donations can be dropped off at Pet Supermarket, 9294 Kingston Pike, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily until October 3.
Donate items or money to Yassin’s Falafel House; see information here.
Please visit utextension.tennessee.edu/
I’m sure many of these folks would love a hot meal. So keep your eyes open for restaurants/food trucks heading into these areas and make donations directly to them to help cover those costs. Help keep me updated and let’s help our neighbors. Show off that Volunteer Spirit.
Beth Kinnane writes a history feature for KnoxTNToday.com. It’s published each Tuesday and is one of our best-read features.