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(Narrator:) In Alabama, they sliced through Guin, Jasper, Lafayette, heading toward Huntsville.
( NWS Personnel:) "Here is the latest bulletin now. A hook echo indicating tornado activity
is now located over northern Lawrence county. Tornado is on the ground at Langtown, or 26
miles west of the city of Huntsville, taking everything along with it as it goes. (Narrator:)
In Huntsville, Civil Defense Director, Harris Mitchell already has the emergency operating
center on alert. (Harris Mitchell:) "Give it to Fullman, and write it on the map. Mr.
Wiseman, here we are, put the warning out again." (Radio voice:) "Persons in trailer
courts and mobile homes elsewhere are urged to evacuate and get to a place of safety".
(Policeman:) "If there's anyone in there, you better take cover, there's a tornado coming."
(NWS Personnel:) "A tornado is visible here at the airport. Projected path next few minutes
will put it in the Harvest, Toney, Meridianville, Hazel Green areas of the county. " (Law enforcement:)
7-8 neg-10, we've got it spotted heading our way, this thing is moving, it's a funnel.
You can see it by cloud splash, it is down. Did you code 41 to Huntsville? Emphasize Tornado,
its almost on top of us. That's all we can think about, right now." Narrator: "The first
tornado touchdown comes at Harvest, a small crossroads community, west of the city." (Law
enforcement:) "This house is completely gone and then there's three more brick houses here
completely gone. I don't know whether the people are home or not, I can't find anybody
out here now". (Narrator:) "The searchers find three victims, a mother and her two small
children. Their bodies blown and tumbled a quarter mile through the muddy fields. A grieving
father, still alive, but with a broken back. " (Law enforcement:) " Got a big funnel spotted
north, an awful big one. I can hear it now. George, uh, you better get out of there in
a hurry, because that things moving fast and its crossing the highway now. (Narrator:)
"A second twister had cut through the Harvest area, right on the heels of the first. And
the injured began pouring into Huntsville hospital. (News reporter:) " Agnew ambulance
service has just asked other ambulances in surrounding communities to come and give assistance.
All available ambulances in Huntsville are now dispatched to the tornado scenes. They
need your help." (Narrator:) "Soon blood supplies begin to run low." (Nurse:) "We're running
out of O positive and O negative. " (Red Cross Volunteer:) "All right, how many O negative
do you need?" (News Reporter:) "Huntsville hospital is running dangerously low on their
supply of blood. The Red Cross is opening their blood center. They ask that blood donors
report to 701 Andrew Jackson Way immediately." (Hospital ER Worker:) "We need some help up
here. We've had four different tornadoes hit us and another one is on the way. Can you
send us up some blood via highway patrol?" (Narrator:) "At 1050, an enormous new funnel"
(NWS Personnel:) "What's its course? Directly at us, well let's get out of here." (Law enforcement:)
"I see this tornado, verifying its coming in just about straight in toward the parkway
now. (Civil Defense:) "How fast is it moving?" (Law enforcement:) "Its moving fast". (Civil
Defense:) "The first sighting was between Governor's Drive and the Space Museum, Ernie.
Space Museum is the first sighting. Mr. Wiseman. (Outdoor Warning Siren roars). (Narrator:)
"The tornado keeps coming through the heart of town. Directly toward Huntsville hospital.
(Hospital Personnel:) "The tornado's heading toward the hospital, get in side and get down!
Get that patient inside! Get everybody away from the windows! " (Hospital nurse:) " We
need to roll you out in the hall for just a few minutes, hang on now." (Civil Defense:)
"Are there any casualties along Governor's drive yet? Not any so far, no. It seems to
be following an easterly path toward Parkway City Shopping Center. Still on the ground
all the way? Still on the ground. Please dispatch someone to the hospital to see if they can
find out how many injuries, what are their ages?" (Law Enforcement:) "21 to Huntsville,
advise you that there's power lines all down, we can't get out , out here. 10 4 Civil Defense,
and H P D has been notified. We've got about five trailers overturned here. It took the
roof off this grocery store. Power lines down, debris all over the highway. Uh, could you
advise if there are any injuries? We've had one slight injury out here.