The city of Red Bank is still dealing with tornado damage that destroyed six homes, left 24 with major damage and affected at least 50 other homes last week.
"We had an EF-1 tornado on a 2.2-mile track journey across Red Bank," said City Manager Chris Dorsey. "We are waiting to hear from Tennessee Emergency Management Agency to see what type of assistance Red Bank will get. We basically got most of the debris off the roads."
Dorsey said a lot of homes in Red Bank have tarps on the roofs. He said he and Mayor Monty Millard traveled around Red Bank assessing damage. They counted 80 homes in Red Bank damaged or affected by the tornado.
UNIFIED RESPONSE• Mayor Monty Millard said the following groups responded to help Red Bank in the wake of the tornado: Dallas Bay Volunteer Fire Department, Red Bank Fire Department, Chattanooga Fire Department, Bradley County Fire Department, Soddy-Daisy Fire Department, Hamilton County Emergency Services, Tri-State Mutual Aid, Hamilton County Emergency Medical Services, Red Cross, Soddy-Daisy Public Works, Hamilton County Sheriff's Department, Red Bank Police Department and Red Bank Public Works.
Dorsey said contractors cutting up trees for homeowners must by ordinance haul the debris away.
"We had hail and rain going sideways at Red Bank City Hall," said Dorsey. "It's not something you want to go through every day. When we find out about assistance for citizens we will let them know."
Dorsey said despite the destruction, he is glad that no one was critically injured or killed.
Red Bank Commissioner Ruth Jeno, a resident of 4405 McCahill Road, said her home was affected by the tornado along with the homes of her neighbors.
"We are waiting on insurance adjusters and tree people," said Jeno. "We have big trees uprooted. You come down the road and it looks like a bomb went off on the properties. Some people lost their homes."
Jeno said she is lucky despite her home sustaining wind and hail damage, because none of the 11 trees that fell on her property hit her house. She said if some of the 200- and 300-year-old trees had fallen toward her house, then she would have lost her home.
"Two trees were on the power lines on McCahill Road," said Jeno. "The power lines kept sagging more and more. When the trees came up, it brought the road up too. Crews closed off the road to one lane. "
Jeno said some of her trees fell on the right of way and some of her neighbor's trees also fell in the right of way.
"The tornado touched down in my yard and twisted," said Jeno. "You can see the path that the tornado took into my woods. My neighbor watched the funnel come across, then he ran in his house."