Shane McFarland's Blog

I hope this post finds everyone in good spirits. The past three days have been both tragic and uplifting. It is so hard to describe the varying emotions that I have felt.

Around 12:30 on Friday, I had just finished a conversation with Deputy City Manager Rob Lyons where he said, "Watch out and stay by the TV there is bad weather expected to be moving in." We knew something wasn't right when the electricity went out and we started hearing sirens. Ashley's mom called us and said there was a tornado on Sulphur Springs road to take cover. We huddled in the laundry room with a candle and two scared boys. We could hear the "train" sound and then our house started shaking. This took probably 15 seconds before it passed. We waited a few minutes to get out of the laundry room and go look out the window. There was debris in the yard, but nothing that alarmed us too much. I went out in the yard and could hear sirens everywhere. They kept getting closer and closer.

Our neighborhood had been hit. I got in the truck and couldn't believe my eyes. Just one street over, the homes were gone. They were literally gone. Neighbors were rushing from house to house checking on the residents. People were in the streets pulling trees out of the way. It looked like a movie scene.

Most of you have seen the devastation that has hit Murfreesboro. The neighborhood where I live has been one of the hardest hit. While our house is OK, we can walk 300 yards and there are homes that are not there anymore. They are a pile of rubble. Streets that were once lined with 40 year old trees are now lined with limbs, stumps and debris. A peaceful neighborhood now is ringing with chainsaws and heavy equipment.

I have witnessed much sadness, distress and despair, but those emotions have been quickly put aside with hope and courage. I have seen a community pull together and take care of one another. Volunteers have been fantastic. Kids have been walking around with baskets of food and drinks. I have seen a brigade of people working non stop. Heavy equipment operators and people moving trees and belongings have worked non stop. This is the time that you see what a community is made of and I am proud to say that Murfreesboro's character is strong. We are strong and while we may have been knocked down we have not been knocked out. I was working at a house today and a man came up and just simply asked, "Where do you need me." Those are the predominant words that you have been hearing. "What do you need and how can I help?"

Our Emergency Service Providers have been second to none. I have not been through a disaster like this before, but I can't imagine that a group of Service Providers could have acted any better or more organized. Although I am sure there was chaos at City Hall, I saw none. Police Officers where gathering volunteers to aid with search and rescue, firefighters were working on downed power lines and gas leaks, power crews were working around the clock to restore electricity and City Staff was coordinating everything and doing it with precise measures. There were Murfreesboro Solid Waste personal picking up debris less than 2 hours after the torando hit. The Murfreesboro crews have picked up 2.6 million pounds of material in 3 days! The Building and Codes department have walked every inch of the damaged areas. They have been to every home. GIS technicians have aided with maps showing which homes and what areas are needing repair. I want to personally thank each service provider and City Staff member for the job they have done.

We are not done and I know there will be much work in the coming days, but I think that it is safe to say that the citizens of this city will do it just like they have the last 3 days. They will do it with compassion, conviction and most of all with courage.

God Bless,

Shane McFarland