Just letting everyone know we are OK

jason.tammy · Apr 28, 2011

Cullman, like a lot of other areas, was hit very hard yesterday. We had a lightening strike at the house, which took out a good deal of equipment. The house is still standing, we are fine, so I call it a good day.

We are hoping that you are all safe and well.

Jason, Tammy and Willie

spscrazy · Apr 28, 2011

glad to hear you are all ok my daughters co worker lives in cullman & after work yesterday they wouldn't let her go home so she stayed in B'ham with my daughter they were in the basement when the F 4 or F5 tornado hit about 3 miles from them we lost 4 neighbors maybe 5 to 10 minutes from here from a tornado it was a very very scary day & I am thankful that all my love ones are safe & stunned at the loss of lives from these storms

steve&mari · Apr 28, 2011

Glad you n the family are OK. Hope the recovery is fast for everyone in these terrible storms paths. We are praying for all the ones whose been in them. Maris folks live in MS and were in them also and are OK. But block away is gone.

God Bless
Big Steve

H@rry · Apr 28, 2011

We're fine. Nothing damaged here except a few small branches and sticks in the back yard but all around the neighborhood there are big limbs down and trees uprooted. I think all this is from straightline (is that a word?) winds though. Our power went out @ 5:17 pm yesterday and we've been on generator power ever since. My son and his father-in-law got all the gas cans we could find and they headed south to find gas. They went all the way to B'ham before they found a place with gas that didn't have a line all the way out to I-65.

Huntsville Utilities is saying 5 to 7 days before power is restored to all areas. We don't think it will take quite that long but nothing to do but wait. The tanks are doing fine with just the return pumps and a few powerheads running. I got 15 hours and 42 minutes on a tank of gas in the generator last night. We just got cable Internet back on about 3:30 or so. Now that we have the fridge, computers, and tv wired in it might not go as long tonight. I figure it will take at least one more gas run before we get power.

Nancy and Marcel came by this morning. They lost almost everything in the tank at the shop. The tanks at home are on generator power. They were heading to WalMart in Athens hoping to find some gas.

Nancy said she got a text message from Johnny Newby at CRA. He lost his house, shop, warehouse, and two vehicles. She didn't know where he was sending the text from.

I just now tried to call Tomoko and got an instant busy signal so I guess their phones are still out. I know Madison was hit harder than we were.

Stay tuned.

jason.tammy · Apr 29, 2011

We went to Lokust Fork where Tammy works and got gas yesterday.I have a large generator which runs a little over 24hrs. on a tank.We also went to pick up one of my sisters.We are looking @ 7 to 9 days before power is restored.Our trip took us through about 10 different tornado paths and also down town Cullman.This reminds me of Hurricane Ivin when I lived in Pensacola Fl.There is alot of destruction every where.I saw the tornado form over the lake before it touched down in town.Lightning has taken out most of my pumps,reactors,T.V ect.I hope our insurance covers all our loss.I know we have a deductable but I know we have made it with out a problem.I am alternating lights on tanks.I can tell they have been stressed but I am hopefull most will survive.We may not be able to do the up coming swaps due to color loss but may attend for fun.Our land line just came back on and the cell phones are working for now.
Jason

reefkoi · Apr 29, 2011

wOW what a mess, I'm glad to hear most of you have generators, its such a waste until you need them then its worth every penny! Mine is natural gas powered which is nice when gas is hard to find but I sometimes wonder if something hits this hard does natural gas stop flowing? I suppose if the gas lines were damaged somehow.....
I hope you guys have seen the worst and the town gets back together fast! Looking forward to seeing you at the next swap in TN

Chris

H@rry · Apr 29, 2011

Thanx Chris;

If I ever begrudged a penny spent on the generator I apologize today. Without it I don't know what I would have left when the power is restored. Home Depot and Lowe's sold out of generators as soon as they opened yesterday (so I heard, I haven't been there).

It is quite surprising walking around the neighborhood that I only hear one other generator running. That will probably change pretty quick when the next shipment comes in.

I would think natural gas would be a pretty reliable source of energy. It would be nice to have the house wired with a "switch box" (I know you have one Jason) so we don't have to tap dance over all the power cords on the floor. :confuse:

All in all, we're very thankful. Some people in the area have lost everything they own. Some others have lost their lives. We're only inconvenienced. We are indeed most richly blessed. Thank you Father!

jason.tammy · Apr 29, 2011

Well thankx to the lighting stike we are having to use some of the cord methods.I have lost lots of pumps and circits so I have had to run a couple of cords where needed.The only problem with natural gas would be if there is a leak in your area it is shut off to all.We have that happening around here so I would not have any power if I was on natural gas today.

jascymcl · Apr 29, 2011

I know what It feels like, I have lived through a couple hurricane including the monster hurricane goerge.Sorry to here you guy were hit by them storms ,but happy to know you are ok.

jason.tammy · Apr 29, 2011

As far as I know no one we know got hurt.Thank God.

Dasani · Apr 29, 2011

Glad to know you are ok. Our neighborhood was destroyed.
Here is a thread with tons of pics..
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=270475&pid=3351990&st=0&#entry3351990

As for the tanks, my dad's 75g is gone except for 2 clowns and about 5 corals. I managed to save about half of my 20g. We set up a makeshift tank at my grandparents.

jason.tammy · Apr 30, 2011

Aarron,I wish you guys would have called or brought some stuff over here.We have our generator and exstra tanks.We would have been happy to help.Fot those who dont know.Coral Reef Aquatics is gone.I have heard John and Henry are ok but the house and store were destroyed.All our thoughts and prayers go out to them.
Jason,Tammy&Willie

H@rry · Apr 30, 2011

BTW, how is Willie taking all this stuff? :tire:

Dasani · Apr 30, 2011

I wish we could have got there Jason.

We weren't sure if the roads were clear or not and we really didn't have enough gas to make a trip out there and back to Russelville to my grandparents.
I guess we'll just start back fresh whenever we get all this storm stuff situated.

Tomoko Schum · Apr 30, 2011

Hi y'all,

Reilly and I are fine. My tanks are running off of Reilly's bass boat (marine batteries) via a power inverter. We have no power and no phone, but we have gas - gas cook top works and our hot water heater is on gas as well. I am writting this using my computer at Starbuck's wifi in Athens. Hopefully power will come back on on Monday or Tuesday.

H@rry · Apr 30, 2011

Good to hear from you. I told M@ry Ruth that you probably confiscated Reilly's boat batteries for the tank. Glad you folks are OK!

jason.tammy · Apr 30, 2011

Willie is fine with it all.We got the generator back up to full power so no more cords.He has two girl dogs visiting him as my sister is here to help out around here.We just done laundry and made a cloths line.We exspect it will be next weekend before power is back on here.We can not fully estimate the damages from the lightning untill we have power in the whole house.I know most all electronics are gone as are most of my power heads,pumps ect.I scrambled enough up to run the tanks.I think I only lost on set of MH lights, but all reactors pumps are shot as my skimmers are as well.

Mariner · Apr 30, 2011

Glad to hear that most everyone is making out ok. We are fine. Lost power for a few hours, but that's it. Has anyone heard from Johnny Newby at Coral Reef Aquatics? His place is very close to the 48 radar tower that was destroyed.
Mariner

Mariner · Apr 30, 2011

Just talked to John Newby. The reef store, warehouse and most of his house was completely demolished. He is OK and didn't indicate to me that he was in need of anything at the moment.
Mariner