County agencies meet to discuss recovery effort
Business and industry leaders in Franklin County met last Wednesday to discuss how far the county has come since the April 27 tornadoes and the improvements that have been made to better prepare for disasters in the future.
Franklin County Development Authority’s executive director, Mitch Mays, said the event would be beneficial to continue to help the county move forward and learn from any mistakes that might have been made.
“We all know what the county physically went through on April 27,” Mays said, “so the goal in having this forum was to discuss some of the lessons we’ve all learned and talk about where we are at this point in the recovery process.”
Phil Campbell Mayor Jerry Mays told the people present at the forum how far the town has come since that fateful afternoon and how much they have learned throughout the process.
Belinda Johnson, CNO of Russellville Hospital, said you never really know how prepared you actually are for a real disaster until you’re in the middle of one.
Russellville Hospital received 39 patients within three hours of the tornado sweeping through the county and received 65 patients total as a result of the storm.
Johnson said she was proud of the way the staff at Russellville Hospital handled the situation and she feels they are even better prepared now than they were before.
“Where we are now is much more competent and at a place where we know we can handle something like this,” Johnson said.
She said the hospital conducted an evaluation on April 29, while the events were still fresh on their minds, of how they could improve in future situations and things they might do differently.
“I feel confident that if there is ever another disaster, Russellville Hospital is here and we will be able to help our community,” she said.
Wade Hagedorn, plant manager of the Wrangler plant in Hackleburg, said it was important that everyone remember what happened in just a few short minutes – homes, lives and businesses across the area were lost.
“Sometimes you don’t really know why [things happen] and you don’t understand what goes on in life, but that’s why we’re here today – to make things better,” Hagedorn said. “This is important what we’re doing today.”
He said the three main things he had learned were “take care of your employees, take care of your employees and take care of your employees.”
Hagedorn said he was proud of how the VF Jeanswear corporation stepped up to take care of its employees, namely by the incorporation of a fund that garnered nearly $100,000 to help the employees affected by the tornado.
He also said they have learned many things about safety, communication and records storage that will help the company be more prepared for unexpected situation in the future.
“The purpose today was to give folks in the Franklin County area and idea of how businesses and organizations here are making adjustments and better preparing for any disasters we could possibly have in the future,” Mays said. “After listening to everyone today, I feel we are definitely moving in the right direction.”
