More than 350 buildings, businesses and homes were damaged throughout Jacksonville on Monday, officials said on Sunday during a news conference.
Mayor Johnny Smith said the number could change as contractors assess damage. The current estimates were based on “a windshield survey,” he said, and do not include buildings on Jacksonville State University’s campus.
“Of the 355 damaged structures, 37 are destroyed, 110 have major damage and 188 have minor damage,” Smith said.
Smith said he was unsure if the county would reach a $7 million threshold for disaster relief funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but “it’s also too early to tell.”
“We need to do a lot of cleanup first, remove debris, before we can really see and put a dollar amount on the damage,” the mayor said.
Jacksonville police Assistant Chief Bill Wineman said he was optimistic recovery would continue at an accelerated pace.
“If you saw what this town looked like just after the tornado came through to now, it’s impressive,” he said. “I feel like we’re only going to see more of that improvement over the next week. It’s going to look a lot better by this time next week.”
Both Wineman and Smith attributed a significant amount of clean up work to the volunteers who descended upon the area.
“We have had over 4,000 volunteers since the beginning of our efforts,” Smith said.
The volunteer registration center at the Jacksonville Community Center will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Smith said.
The disaster relief center, originally set up in the parking lot behind JSU’s football stadium will be moved to the Jacksonville Train Depot at 650 Mountain Street Northwest, Myles Chamblee with the Calhoun County EMA said. The center will be open to Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“Both the volunteer and disaster relief centers will be closed Easter Sunday,” Smith said.
The Donation Center at First United Methodist Church will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will also be closed Easter Sunday, Chamblee said.
As of Sunday morning the donation center urgently needed rakes, packing and duct tape, tarps and push brooms.
Smith said the curfew, for areas north of Mountain Street, will remain in effect until at least April 1. Wineman said residents can show identification with their address and get a placard from city hall that will allow them to get in and out of the damaged areas.
“Any residents will get one that is good until we don’t need them anymore,” the assistant chief said. “Volunteers will be given another and contractors will be given a different one. This is to protect the citizens and keep them and their property safe.”
by Kirsten Fiscus, The Anniston Star
March 25, 2018
