[♪♪] >> WEATHER IN KENTUCKY IS SOMETIMES EXTREME AND SOMETIMES DANGEROUS.

BEING UNPREPARED WHEN SEVERE WEATHER STRIKINGS CAN BE DEADLY FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW TO STAY SAFE?

WELCOME TO SEVERE WEATHER, STAYING SAFE.

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I'M KRISTY DUTTON WELCOME TO SEVERE WEATHER STAYING SAFE.

OVER THE NEXT HOUR WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT KENTUCKY DYNAMIC WEATHER.

WE'LL DISCUSS TORNADOES, SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS, FLOODS AND WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW TO BE READY FOR THESE EVENTS.

WE'RE ALSO GOING TO GET AN UPDATE FROM EASTERN KENTUCKY AS THEY RECOVER FROM CATASTROPHIC FLOODING THAT OCCURRED LAST JULY AND WE'LL CHECK IN WITH WESTERN KENTUCKY AS THEY RECOVER FROM THE STATE'S DEADLIEST TORNADO.

BUT FIRST I WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR EXPERT PANEL GUESTS.

THAT WILL HELP US PREPARE FOR THE SEVERE WEATHER SEASON AHEAD.

WE HAVE Dr. MAYASHIRE, FEDERAL COORDINATING OFFICER FOR FEMA.

>> COLONEL JEREMY SLINKER, DIRECTOR OF KENTUCKY EMERGENCY MANAGE MANY, JOHN GORDON METEOROLOGIST IN CHARGE OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE OFFICE AND JERRY ACPEY COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR.

ONE OF KENTUCKY'S SELLING POINTS IS WE GET TO EXPERIENCE ALL FOUR SEASONS AND THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO PREPARE FOR THE SEVERE WEATHER THREATS THAT COME WITH EACH SEASON FROM TORNADOES TO ICE STORMS WE HAVE SEEN IT ALL BUT THERE IS ONE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT THAT IS DEADLIEST FOR KENTUCKY.

AND MANY OF YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

BUT SOME OF YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED.

TAKE A LOOK.

>> WE ARE ALL CONCERNED WITH SEVERE WEATHER IN THE COMMONWEALTH.

FROM BLIZZARDS TO THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES.

THESE EVENTS WITH WREAK HAVOC THOUGH SCARY THESE WEATHER OCCURRENCES CAN BE ISOLATED EVENTS.

THERE IS A MORE CONSTANT RISK THAT PLAGUES KENTUCKY AND IT CAN HAPPEN CAUSING THE LOSS OF UTILITIES, PROPERTY AND LIVES: FLOODING.

IT DOESN'T TAKE A MAJOR WEATHER EVENT TO TRIGGER FLOODS.

CAUSES CAN INCLUDE HEAVY RAIN, SNOW AND ICE MELT OR DAM FAILURE.

MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN IN EASTERN KENTUCKY CAN SEED UP RUNOFF AND MANY COMMUNITIES SITUATED NEAR RIVERS AND CREEKS FLOODING CAN BE FOUND ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW HOW TO STAY SAFE SHOULD THE WATERS RISE IN YOUR AREA.

A FLOOD WATCH IS ISSUED WHEN FLOODING IS POSSIBLE.

AND YOU SHOULD MONITOR THE SITUATION BY TUNING INTO YOUR TELEVISION OR RADIO AND ON-LINE AT WEATHER.GOV AND BE READY TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

A FLOOD WARNING, HOWEVER, IS TRIGGERED WHEN FLOOD SOMETHING CURRENTLY HAPPENING.

OR WILL HAPPEN SOON.

YOU SHOULD MOVE TO A HIGHER GROUND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

AND NEVER DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED ROADS.

DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF MOVING WATER.

IT ONLY TAKES SIX INCHES OF FAST-MOVING WATER TO KNOCK OVER AND CARRY AWAY AN ADULT.

ONLY 12 INCHES CAN FLOAT AWAY A SMALL CAR AND 18-24 INCHES CAN MOVE MOST LARGE S.U.V.S, VANS AND TRUCKS.

KEEP IN MIND THE RHYME TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN AND AVOID THE POSSIBLE LOSS OF YOUR PROPERTY OR LIFE.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE AWARE OF THIS NATURAL DISASTER AND OTHERS TO TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO KEEP YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY SAFE.

>> MOST FLOOD DEATHS IN KENTUCKY AND NATIONWIDE OCCUR IN VEHICLES.

YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD THE PHRASE TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN.

THAT'S BECAUSE IF THERE WAS ONE SINGLE ACTION WE COULD ELIMINATE TO SAVE THE MOST LIVES DURING SEVERE WEATHER IT'S TRYING TO DRIVE OVER FLOODED ROADS.

OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, 60% OF FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING.

IT WAS BY FAR THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF FLOOD RELATED DEATHS EACH YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES.

THE ONLY EXCEPTION WAS LAST YEAR, THERE WAS SLIGHTLY MORE HOME FATALITIES AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE EASTERN KENTUCKY FLOODS.

WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT IN JUST A BIT AND THEIR ROAD TO RECOVERY.

I WANT TO START OUR DISCUSSION WITH THE MOST PREVENTIBLE WEATHER-RELATED DEATH: DRIVING ERLOEDOA.

WITA WH TOLEL TH IMPTANIATE FO O STE A YOUR DEPARTMENT.

WHAT DO PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS.

HOW DO YOU GET THE WORD OUT?

>> FIRST, AS YOU SAID, TURN AROUND DON'T'S DROWN.

AND IT'S THAT SIMPLE.

IF YOU SEE WATER ACROSS THE ROADWAY DON'T TRY TO GET THE DEPTHS OR TEST IT OUT OR THINK YOUR VEHICLE IS BIG ENOUGH BUT THE NUMBERS SHOWED THAT YOU PRESENTED EARLIER, THAT YOU JUST DON'T KNOW.

AND IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH TO WASH YOU AWAY 0 OR CAUSE A PROBLEM.

WE ALWAYS COMMUNICATE THAT IN EVERY MEANS THAT WE CAN.

AND I WOULD SAY IF YOU'RE PARENTS THAT HAVE CHILDREN COMING UP ON DRIVING AGE, REPEAT THAT REPETITIVELY AND BE AWARE OF WEATHER AND YOUR ROADWAYS AND SURROUNDING TO AND FROM HOME OR IN YOUR TRAVELS.

BECAUSE OFTEN THE SAME ROADWAYS FLOOD FREQUENTLY WHEN THERE'S RAIN.

SO BE AWARE THAT WHAT IS THE COMMON FLOODING AREAS AND THEN, OF COURSE, IN SEVERE STORMS OR TORRENTIAL RAIN BE AWARE OF ANYWHERE THERE'S WATER ON THE ROADWAY TURN AROUND AND BE SAFE UNTIL LOCAL OFFICIALS OR THE WEATHER CHANNEL OR ANY OF THE OTHER COMMUNICATIONS TELL YOU IT'S SAFE.

>> AND WITH BARRICADES I KNOW SOME PEOPLE HAVE A TENDENCY TO DRIVE AROUND BARRICADES.

BUT THAT CAN BE DANGEROUS THAT CAN BE DEADLY.

AND EXPLAIN WHY?

>> WELL, IF THE BARRICADE IS THERE THAT MEANT SOMEONE OF AUTHORITY AND WITH THE TRAINING AND KNOWLEDGE HAS WENT AND PLACED THEM THERE MOST LIKELY.

NOW, THERE'S SOMETIMES IN THESE STORMS THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PERSONNEL TO STAFF EVERYONE OF THESE POSITIONS.

SO THESE ARE THE WAYS TO PROVIDE THE WARNING WHERE YOU MAY NOT HAVE STAFFING LIKE EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT IN AEHLE MHT ULWA SEO.

EYREHEOR AEAN TH'RTEIN Y IS NGOU A Y NDO HR AND SEE THAT THAT IT IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS AND DON'T TEST IT OUT.

>> GOOD ADVICE.

Dr. SURED, A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK, I AM IN MY VEHICLE, HOW ARE ALL THESE FATALITIES HAPPENING IF I GET SWEPT AWAY BY WATER CAN'T I OPEN THE DOOR AND GET OUT?

CAN'T I GET OUT OF MY VEHICLE?

THAT IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.

>> NO.

WATER IS VERY POWERFUL.

AND IT'S JUST OPENING THE DOOR ISN'T SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

I THINK PEOPLE UNDERESTIMATE THE VELOCITY OF WATER.

MOVING WATER IS JUST FAST, AND I LIKE TO COMPARE THIS TO BEING CAUGHT OUT IN THE OCEAN WHERE THE WAVES ARE COMING IN, AND IF YOU ARE OUT THERE AND YOU'RE LIKE UNDER THE WATER, YOU HAVE NO CONTROL.

AND THAT'S THE SAME WAY WITH FLOODING.

THE WATER █COMES RIGHT THROUGH, IT IS POWERFUL, PEOPLE AREN'T THINKING AS QUICKLY AS THEY THINK THEY MIGHT THINK.

AND THEN THERE IS NOT THAT STRENGTH IN THE HUMAN BEING TO FIGHT THE POWER OF THE WATER THAT IS COMING.

>> AND WATER PRESSURE.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY NOT THINK ABOUT BUT IF THEY ARE DOWNED POWER LINES IN THE WATER, THAT CAN BE ANOTHER RISK?

>> THAT'S DEFINITELY ANOTHER RISK BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IS UNDER THERE.

I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE DIRECTOR SAID BEFORE.

DON'T TRY TO GUESS WHAT IS UNDER THE WATER.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS ALSO IS THAT WHEN ONE OF THE MORE RECENT FLOODS FOLKS SAID WITHIN A MINUTE THE WATER WAS DOWN ON THE SURFACE.

BUT THE NEXT MINUTE IT WAS UP.

AND AT A FOOT AS YOU WERE HEARING EARLIER AT A FOOT THAT CAN WASH A WLE AYND C HPENITN 6 COS. LS.

>> YES.

SO, JERRY STACY IN YOUR COUNTY, IF PEOPLE TRY TO DRIVE OVER FLOODED ROADS AND THEY GET STUCK SOMEBODY HAS TO RESCUE THEM.

WHO IS THAT IN YOUR COUNTY?

AND TALK ABOUT THE DANGERS THERE?

>> THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT.

THAT'S YOU KNOW, CALLED A 9-1-1.

AND THEN WE HAVE OUR FIRST-RESPONDERS RESPONDING TO THAT INCIDENT.

AND YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY HAVE YOU MADE A BAD DECISION AT THAT POINT, AND GOT YOURSELF STRANDED IN WATER, POTENTIALLY RISKING YOUR LIFE AND YOUR PASSENGER'S LIFE BUT YOU ARE ALSO PUTTING OUR FIRST-RESPONDERS IN HARM'S WAY AS WELL.

BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO SAVE ANYBODY IN THAT VEHICLE.

AND I KNOW IN OUR COUNTY, OUR FIRST-RESPONDERS WHICH IS MADE UP OF OUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND THE CITY OF HAZARD'S FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE A LOT OF THOSE MEN ARE TRAINED IN SWIFT WATER RESCUE AND DO A REAL GOOD JOB IN RESPONDING TO THE SITUATIONS.

YOU KNOW,T' JTLEE,O T IV IOAT.

IFOUANTEEHEOADWAY, YOU SHOULD TURN AROUND AND GO BACK.

WE HAVE SEEN THIS TOO MANY TIMES.

WE'VE HAD PEOPLE TO LOSE THEIR LIFE OVER THE YEARS ALL ACROSS OUR STATE.

JUST FROM A POOR DECISION OF YOU KNOW WHAT?

I THINK I CAN GET THROUGH THAT.

THAT IS NOT HARDLY AS DEEP.

I THINK MY VEHICLE CAN GET THROUGH THAT.

AND IT'S JUST NOT WORTH THE RISK.

>> GOOD POINT.

SO JOHN GORDON, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE FLOODS AND MORE DRIVERS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE ROADS ALL IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE TO STOP DOING THIS?

>> I'VE BEEN TRYING FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS.

LET'S START WITH THE TERM WARNING.

WE STILL HAVE 50% OF THE POPULATION DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WATCH AND WARNING.

FLOODING, FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS, NOW, DANGER.

AND TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN.

SO WE'VE BEEN PREACHING THIS TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN FOR YEARS.

I GO AND PREACH THIS.

SO FOLKS YOU HEARD ALL THE EXPERTS TELLING YOU THE SAME THING.

ALL RIGHT.

AND ONE THING I WANT TO ENUNCIATE IS MOST OF THESE ARE AT NIGHT.

DARKNESS.

SO YOU CAN'T SEE THE GROUND ANYWAY.

EVEN ON A NORMAL NIGHT.

SO THERE'S NO REASON AND KIDS, HELP YOUR PARENTS.

DON'T LET THEM DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED ROADS.

CAUSE A SCENE TELL THEM TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN.

I'TEIN YOUOSTF DEHSCOEC M TM ARE PREVENTIBLE.

THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE NOT.

THE EASTERN KENTUCKY FLOODS ARE COMPLICATED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, STEEP TERRAIN AND GULLIES AND WASHES I BELIEVE MOST OF THESE CAN BE PREVENTED AND YOU LOOK AT THE BIG THOMPSON FLOOD IN THE 70s KILLED ALMOST 20 PEOPLE.

BERT DID NOT LISTEN ABOUT TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN.

>> WHAT YEAR WAS THAT?

>> I WILL GET CORRECTED BUT I THINK IT WAS 91.

CHECK IT OUT.

>> WE'LL FACT CHECK YOU.

>> SO WE COULD SEE EVEN MORE HEAVY RAINS THIS SPRING.

SO THE SPRING WEATHER OUTLOOK FROM THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER ISSUED THIS SHOWS WE COULD BE DEALING WITH ABOVE AVERAGE RAINFALL IN KENTUCKY.

IT IS NOT 100% IT'S JUST TALKING ABOUT LIKELIHOODS.

THIS INCLUDES MARCH, APRIL AND MAY, THE SPRING MONTHS.

JOHN, WE KNOW THAT FLOODING CAN OCCUR IN ANY MONTH IN KENTUCKY, RIGHT, SO WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVIER RAIN, THAT IS OFTEN TYPICAL FOR SPRING AND SOMETIMES FOR SUMMER IN KENTUCKY.

WHY DO WE HAVE THE HEAVY RAIN EVENTS DURING THE SPRING AND SUMMER.

>> .

>> WE'RE COMING OUT OF OF A LA NINA PATTERN YOU SAW WEAT WHAT HAPPENED IN CALIFORNIA; AND IT HADN'T RAINED IN 15 YEARS AND THEN THEY GOT 15 YEARS OF RAIN IN A MONTH.

SO THE PATTERN IS THE JETSTREAM MOVES THINGS ACROSS THE SOUTH ALLOWS MORE MOIST AIR AND THE DEEP SOUTH HAS HAD MORE TORNADOES AND WE GET MOISTURE UP INTO THE OHIO VALLEY.

THE PATTERN IS CONDUCIVE TO GET THIS ANDE' THEAT F FO YRSHEREE'VE LE RCAN FRU ANDPR.

D LDS INTO MAY.

UNFORTUNATELY IT WILL BE ANOTHER WET SPRING.

I'M IN SALES NOT PRODUCTION JUST REMEMBER THAT.

>> WE WON'T SEND YOU THE HATE MAIL.

LET'S TALK ABOUT SWITCH GEARS AND TALK ABOUT THE CATASTROPHIC FLOOD IN EASTERN KENTUCKY SEVEN MONTHS AGO.

HEAVY RAIN BETWEEN JULY 25 AND JULY 30TH BROUGHT DEADLY FLASH FLOODING AND RIVER FLOODING.

THE WATER SWEPT AWAY HOMES, BUSINESSES, COMMUNITIES, OVER A FOOT OF RAIN FELL DURING THOSE FIVE DAYS.

MOST OF THAT RAIN FELL OVERNIGHT JULY 27 INTO THE MORNING HOURS OF JULY 28.

44 PEOPLE WERE KILLED.

THERE WERE OVER 1400 WATER RESCUES AND MANY WERE BY THE NATIONAL GUARD HELICOPTERS.

THE PRESIDENT DECLARED A MAJOR DISASTER DECLARATION FOR THE COUNTIES IN EASTERN KENTUCKY.

SO FIRST OFF, OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO THOSE WHO LOST LOVED ONES DURING THE FLOOD.

WE CAN TALK ABOUT DAMAGE AND DOLLARS ALL WE WANT BUT NONE COMPARES TO THE 44 KENTUCKIANS LOST IN THAT EVENT.

AND TALK ABOUT THE WATER RESCUES AND HOW HARD FIRST-RESPONDERS WORKED TO SAVE AS MANY AS THEY COULD OVER 1400.

SOAN SRT WH Y, RR I TSEIRST COUPLE DAYS, WHEN YOU SAW THE LIGHT OF DAY, THAT WAS A TIME WHEN PEOPLE WERE STILL FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES.

PEOPLE WERE TRYING TO ACCOUNT FOR LOVED ONES.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE DURING THOSE FIRST FEW DAYS?

>> WELL, IT WAS VERY CHAOTIC.

WE JUST GOT SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME.

YOU KNOW, WE HAD GREAT PARTNERS WITH THE STATE AND FEDERAL THEY WERE CONTACTING ALL OF OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, REALLY QUICK.

AND RESPONDING TO.

I MEAN WE HAD NATIONAL GUARD IN THE AIR BY DAYLIGHT THE NEXT MORNING.

OR JUST AFTER.

AND DOING WATER RESCUES.

BUT YOU KNOW, AND THOSE FIRST FEW HOURS, DURING THOSE TORRENTIAL RAINS A LOT OF OUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS REALLY DONE MAGNIFICENT WORK SAVING PEOPLE.

NEIGHBORS THAT IS THE ONE THING I THINK IS IMPORTANT AND WE CAN NEVER, EVER TALK ABOUT THIS WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT NEIGHBOR WAS TO SAVING NEIGHBOR.

THAT HAPPENED AT A -- THAT WAS A LOT OF THAT.

AND YOU KNOW THAT WAS A LOT OF LIVES SAVED.

YOU MENTIONED WE LOST 44 AND THAT'S DEVASTATING TO LOSE ONE.

BUT WHEN YOU HAVE THAT MUCH RAINFALL IN A MATTER OF JUST A FEW HOURS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, WITH WARNING BUT NOBODY EXPECTED TO GET WHAT WE GOT IN THAT SHORT WINDOW.

THAT JUST WASN'T PREDICTING THAT.

T AS- YE.

U KW H NIOLUA VI PPLNDHAEN O REVAL DAYS FOR FIRST TWO OR THREE DAYS.

AIRLIFT.

AND RESPONDING PEOPLE THAT WERE CUTOFF THAT BRIDGES WERE GONE AND ROADWAYS PEOPLE WERE BLOCKED IN HOLLOWS AND COULDN'T GET OUT.

AND NOBODY COULD GET TO THEM.

AND I KNOW THE NATIONAL GUARD DOING AIR DROPS BEHIND THE CUTOFF POINTS WITH FOOD AND WATER.

AND JUST THE OVERALL RESPONSE AND ONCE WE GOT THROUGH THE FIRST PART OF THE RESCUE, IN THE FIRST THREE OR FOUR DAYS, AND YOU KNOW IT'S WATER AND FOOD.

YOU HAD PEOPLE LONG PERIODS OF TIME THAT WERE CUTOFF THAT THE NATIONAL GUARD SWITCHED RIGHT INTO THAT AND WENT DOOR-TO-DOOR DELIVERING AND DROPPING DOING AIR DROPS BEHIND CUTOFF POINTS.

AND YOU KNOW, IT WAS FOR NOT THE RESPONSE THAT WE HAD, WE COULD HAVE LOST A LOT MORE PEOPLE.

AND SO I CREDIT ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, FEDERAL, STATE AND ALL OF OUR LOCAL FIRST-RESPONDERS.

AND ALL OF OUR COUNTIES NOT JUST IN MY COUNTY.

THAT WENT ON ACROSS EASTERN KENTUCKY NEIGHBOR SAVING NEIGHBOR AND HELPING NEIGHBOR.

AND THAT STILL GOING ON NEIGHBORS HELPINGEIBO.

H S MYUNED PELEN MYOUY TTUS STVETHGHEVE GOT.

AND YOU DON'T BOUNCE BACK FROM THAT IN SIX MONTHS.

BUT THEY ARE WORKING EVERYDAY AND FIGHTING TO GET BACK AND WE'RE DOING THE SAME.

WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP OUR PEOPLE AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

>> I'M JUST IMAGING THE HELICOPTERS YOU MUST HAVE SEEN MORE HELICOPTERS WHAT AN ODD SIGHT AND PEOPLE TRYING TO GET WATER TO DRINK.

MUST HAVE NOT HAVE FELT LIKE YOUR COUNTY THAT YOU KNEW.

>> YEAH.

THAT WAS REALLY DEVASTATING.

IT'S YOU CAN SIT AROUND AND THINK ABOUT THE WORST SITUATION YOU COULD IMAGINE THIS WAS WORSE.

ON THE 28TH.

WHEN I WOKE UP THE 28TH I COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT I WAS SEEING.

HAVING TO SEE YOUR COMMUNITY GO THROUGH THAT IT'S DIFFICULT.

BUT YOU KNOW YOU'VE GOT TO BE FOCUSED ON WHAT IS GOING ON.

I DIDN'T GET TO SEE A LOT OF THE RESPONSE, BECAUSE I'M IN MY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER WITH I'VE GOT FEMA AND PEOPLE WITH KENTUCKY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND OUR EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER STAFF DEALING WITH ONE ISSUE AFTER ANOTHER MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE PROPER RESPONSE IN ALL AREAS NOT JUST IN ONE OR TWO.

ANOTHER THING WE HAD THE TEAMS IN FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WERE MISSING.

AND OUR SHERIFF'S DAREN RE WHA-- LTEVEOEER UN.

BUWEAD LIST AT THE BEGINNING OF A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT SOMEBODY HAD TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY WERE AT.

OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, NATIONAL GUARD ASSISTED WITH THAT SOME.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THOSE AND GET THOSE FIGURED OUT.

THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON IN THAT SITUATION.

BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S STILL DIFFICULT AS I MENTIONED TO SEE YOUR PEOPLE YOUR NEIGHBORS CREEKS AND AREAS HIT SO HARD AND TROUBLESOME GOES THROUGH THE NORTHERN PART OF PERRY COUNTY AND INTO THE SOUTHERN PART.

IT IS A HUGE CREEK IT PROBABLY SHOULD BE A RIVER.

AND THAT ENTIRE STRETCH THROUGH THOSE THREE COUNTIES WERE DEVASTATED.

I WOULD SAY SEVEN, EIGHT OUT OF EVERY HOME WAS FLOODED.

IT WAS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A 30-40 MILE STRETCH OF ROADWAY ALONG THE SIDE OF THAT CREEK THAT WAS FLOODED.

AND JUST COMPLETELY DEVASTATED AND PLACES WATER LEVELS 30-40 FOOT OVER THE ROADWAY.

IT WAS JUST UNBELIEVABLE TO SEE THAT SITUATION.

I LOST THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND WE LOST ONE IN BUCK HORN AS WELL.

AND BUT, THEY'VE GOT THOSE KIDS IN AT THE OLD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BOTH SCHOOLS IN ONE RIGHT NOW.

AND IT'S GOING GOOD.

I MEAN, YES.

THERE IS A LOT IN THOSE FIRST TWO OR THREE DAYS THAT YOU DEAL WITH.

AND IT CAN BE DIFFICULT.

>> AND SOMETHING YOU MENTIONED IS HOW PEOPLE CAME OUT OF EVERYWHERE TO HELP.

>> YES.

>> I HEARD THIS STORY OF THIS WOMAN WHO WAS JUST AT HER WITS END LOOKING AT THE DEVASTATION OF HER HOUSE.

DHE HOM A F ENERCO I TO G HER STUFF CLEAN IT OFF AND TAKE IT OUT OF THE HOUSE.

AND JUST HOW YOU DIDN'T A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE TO ASK FOR HELP AND THEIR NEIGHBORS WERE THERE HELPING THEM.

>> I CAN TELL YOU STORY AFTER STORY OF THAT SAME THING HAPPENING.

ONE GROUP OF NEIGHBORS FLOATING A INTERTUBE TO SOME PEOPLE'S HOUSE SAW A HOLE IN THE TOP OF THE HOUSE BECAUSE THE FAMILY WAS IN THE ATTIC.

I MEAN, THAT'S JUST TIME AND TIME AND TIME AGAIN.

YOU HEAR THAT STORY.

AND THAT'S WHY I NEVER HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FLOOD EVENT IN JULY WITHOUT RECOGNIZING HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS FOR OUR NEIGHBORS AND THE RESPONSE THAT OUR NEIGHBORS HAD TO EACH OTHER.

AND MAKES YOU FEEL SOLID TO COME FROM PEOPLE THAT CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER THAT MUCH.

AND PROUD TO BE FROM WHERE I'M FROM.

>> YEAH.

WELL, WE CAN DEFINITELY TELL THAT.

DIRECTOR, YOU WERE ON THE JOB FOR SIX MONTHS AND WE HAVE CATASTROPHIC HISTORICAL FLOODING IN EASTERN KENTUCKY AND YOU GET THE CALL.

WHAT IS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND?

WHAT DOES -- WHAT DO YOU DO NEXT?

>> TIME TO HELP.

AND YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE ALL THOSE RESOURCES THAT THE STATE HAS TO BEAR IN THIS SITUATION.

AND SO YOU JUST START FINDING WHAT THE NEEDS ARE AND START DEPLOYING RESOURCES.

YOU CUT THROUGH RED TAPE AND GET WHAT NEEDS TO GO GO.

AND YOU WILL CORRECT THOSE THINGS AND FIX THOSE THINGS LATER THAT COMES WITH THE TENNESSEE NATIONAL GUARD.

ONE OF THE FIRST CALLS I'VE GOT EARLY, EARLY MORNING WAS FROM THE TENNESSEE STATE DIRECTOR.

AND OFFERING UP ASSISTANCE.

AND WE SAID YEAH WE'LL TAKE IT.

AND THEN SAME THING WITH WEST VERGE VERGE NATIONAL GUARD.

FLORIDA OFFERING TEAMS ALL THE OTHER STATES WERE CALLING WHAT DO WE HAVE INTERNALLY IN HOUSE IN THE STATE AND THEN TRYING TO REACH OUR DIRECTORS DOWN DIRECTOR STACY AND I TALKED THAT MORNING BUT ONE THING HE LEFT OUT THAT ALSO WENT ON THERE THAT IS WORTH MENTIONING OF WHAT IT TOOK TO MOVE FORWARD IS I KNOW HE WAS STRUGGLING TO EVEN GET OUT AND BE ABLE TO REACH HIS EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER OR TO HAVE CELL SERVICE WHERE WE COULD START COMMUNICATING ABOUT THESE THINGS AND MANY OF THE LOCAL OFFICIALS AND FIRST-RESPONDERS IN THOSE IMPACTED COUNTIES ALL WERE IMPACTED AT THEIR OWN HOME AND THEIR OWN HOUSE.

NOT ONLY DID THEY HAVE TO DO WITH EVERYBODY AND GET THEIR FAMILIES SAFE BUT IT WAS TIME TO GO TO WORK.

AND SO THEY HAD TO GET TO WHERE THEY NEEDED TO GO WHERE THEY COULD START SAVING OTHER PEOPLE.

I MENTION THAT BECAUSE THEY D TRY TTHSEFE THSEES WEITSS TTIM A TE AI AN H IT ALL COMES TOGETHER AS YOU SAID, IT'S SO CATASTROPHIC, YOU HAVE PLANS FOR ALL THESE THINGS.

BUT YOU THERE IS NO PLAN IT JUST MAGICALLY MATCHES THAT.

AND SO I CAN GIVE A STORY OF TALKING TO A COUPLE OF THE LOCAL TROOPERS THAT USED TO WORK WITH.

AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY BOATS BUT THEY KNEW PEOPLE NEEDED TO BE SAVED BUT A SWIFT WATER RESCUE TEAM FROM OUT OF TOWN SHOWED UP AND DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO GO AND DIDN'T KNOW THE AREA.

SO THEY PARTNERED ONE KNEW THE AREA AND ONE HAD THE BOAT SO THEY STARTED SAVING PEOPLE.

AGAIN THE SHOW IS NOT LONG ENOUGH TO TALK ABOUT ALL THAT.

SO GETTING THAT CALL EARLY MORNING, THERE WAS NO DOUBT WHEN I RECEIVED A CALL, IT WAS TIME TO GO.

THERE WAS NO HEY, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

SHOULD WE ACCURACY VACCINATE DOC?

IT WAS I'M ON THE WAY AND I'M ACTIVATING YOU NEED TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW.

I MADE CALLS FIRST TO THE GOVERNOR THAT WE WERE ACTIVATING AND WE WERE IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY AND THINGS STARTED MOVING AS HE IMMEDIATELY ACTED AND WE STARTED TO TRYING TO REACH EVERYBODY WE COULD AND PROVIDE WHATEVER RESOURCE WE COULD AT THAT POINT TO SAVE LIVES UNTIL W WE GOT THAT NEXT STEP AND THERE WAS LIFE-SAVING TO BE DONE IT WAS NEEDS THAT NEEDED TO BE MET.

>> Dr. SHEDDER WHEN YOU GOT TO EASTERN KENTUCKY YOU COVERED EVERYTHING FROM BOMBINGS TO TORNADOES.

AND YOU WERE CALLED OUT TO EASTERN KENTUCKY THE TOP FEMA OFFICIAL ON THE GROUND THERE.

AND YOU'VE GOT TO HELP THESE PEOPLE IN THE LOWEST MOMENTS OF THEIR LIVES SOME OF THEM.

AND FEMA AND MAYBE YOU CAN EXPLAIN THIS BETTER THAN I CAN, IS NOT THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE.

BUT THESE PEOPLE ARE NEEDING SO MUCH.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE THERE?

WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND?

AND WHAT ARE YOUR FIRST STEPS TO HELP?

>> WELL, I THINK YOU HEARD WHAT REALLY HAPPENED.

IT WAS THE LOCALS THAT WERE THE FIRST ONES THAT WERE ON THE GROUND AND THEN DIRECTOR TALKS ABOUT ACTIVATING THE EOC.

WHEN I GOT ON THE GROUND, I LITERALLY SAW THE DEVASTATION.

I WASN'T HERE WHEN THE FLOODING HAPPENED.

BUT I WAS HERE SHORTLY DAYS AFTER.

AND TO SEE WHAT HAD HAPPENED IN THAT AREA IT FLOORED ME.

IT WAS DEVASTATION.

BUT YOU HAVE TO GET BACK UP AND YOU HAVE TO START THINKING ABOUT WHAT IS THE NEED JUST AS THE DIRECTOR SAID.

MY FIRST INKLING WAS TO SAY OK, WHAT OTHER FEDERAL PARTNERS CAN WE BRING TO BEAR.

WHAT ARE THE NEEDS AND WHO CAN FILL THAT PARTICULAR NEED.

AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK MOST PEOPLE THINK IS THAT WHEN FEMA COMES IT'S FEMA.

NO, FEMA IS I AM A FEDERAL COORDINATING OFFICER MEANING I COORDINATE THE RECOVERY, RESPONSE THAT OF ALL OF OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS.

SO IT'S NOT JUST A SINGLE ENTITY.

WHEN WE GOT ON THE GROUND, THE FIRST THING WE HAD TO DO FOR US IS TO ORGANIZE SO THAT WE ALIGNED WITH OUR COMMONWEALTH PARTNER WHAT IS IT DIRECTOR YOU NEED WHAT ARE THE RESOURCES YOU NEED, WHAT ARE THE COMMODITIES THAT YOU MIGHT NEED.

WE STARTUS LEU I A WLEAMYERTAS HAOC LEL CIN R MMWETHARER A TH WRE JUST A GAP FILLER TO SAY, HEY, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP SUPPORT HERE.

AND WE HAD IDENTIFIED EARLY ON I THINK IT WAS WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK-AND-A-HALF WE HAD OTHER FEDERAL PARTNERS ON THE GROUND.

WE WERE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AS A FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP LOOKING AT WHAT CAN WE START THINK BEING RIGHT NOW.

BECAUSE THE RESPONSE AND PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THIS IN TERMS OF A RESPONSE AND RECOVERY PHASE.

WELL AS SOON AS THE FIRST URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM GOT ON THE GROUND AND STARTED TO SAVE PEOPLE, THAT WAS DEFINITELY RESPONDING TO WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT THEN.

BUT AS YOU SAID, FEW DAYS LATER, NOW PEOPLE ARE REALLY STARTING TO RECOVER.

BECAUSE THERE WAS SUCH A RESILIENT GROUP OF PEOPLE OUT IN EASTERN KENTUCKY.

PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO CLEAN THEIR HOMES.

THEY ARE STARTING TO TRY TO PUT THINGS BACK TOGETHER.

SO NOW WE'RE REALLY STARTING TO THINK ABOUT RECOVERY.

I'M TALKING TO MY FEDERAL FAMILY AND SAYING HEY, WHAT CAN WE BRING TO THE COMMONWEALTH TO HELP THEM WITH THIS RECOVERY.

AND HELP TO THINK ABOUT HEY, THERE IS GOING TO BE SOME SUNLIGHT AT THE END AND A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO BE THINKING LIKE THAT AT THAT POINT BUT WEAV TO SRT TNK BNG REVE.

ATANE TO HP T COMMONWEALTH, THE EASTERN KENTUCKY FAMILY TO START TO DO THEIR RECOVERY.

SO THOSE WERE THE THINGS BUT IT WAS A LOT.

I WILL TELL YOU BECAUSE WE SAW CARS IN TREES.

AND YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LOOKING AT A REFRIGERATOR UP AGAINST THE HOUSE AND THEN WE SAW A HOUSE IN THE ROAD.

IT WAS NO LONGER ON THE FOUNDATION.

IT'S NOW IN THE ROAD.

SO YOU'RE SEEING ALL OF THIS KIND OF DEVASTATION, SO, YES, THE HUMAN SIDE OF ME HAS TO TAKE ALL OF THAT IN.

AGAIN YOU HAVE TO START THINKING HOW CAN WE HELP WITH RECOVERY.

WHAT ARE THE PROGRAMS THAT FEMA HAS AND WHAT ARE THE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT THE FEDERAL FAMILY CAN BRING TO BEAR.

>> YOU TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE IMAGERY THAT STANDS OUT TO YOU.

AND YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE GROUND FOR DISASTERS OF ALL KINDS IN DIFFERENT STATES.

WHAT ELSE STOOD OUT TO YOU THERE IN EASTERN KENTUCKY?

WHAT WAS UNIQUE ABOUT THAT SITUATION?

>> WELL, I THINK THE ONE THING IS JUST THAT THE LANDSCAPE IN EASTERN KENTUCKY IS DIFFERENT THAN A LOT OF OTHER PLACES THAT I'VE BEEN.

AND WE'RE LOOKING NOW YOU KNOW YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND LOOKING DOWN INTO THE HOLLOW AND THEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT A TREE ON TOP OF A HOUSE AND A HOUSE ON TOP OF A CAR AND YOU ARE LOOKING AT ALL OF THESE THINGS AND IT'S LIKE YOU'RE SURREAL BECAUSE YOU ARE DRIVING AND THEN THERE'S THIS DROP AND ALL OF THIS IS DOWN ON THE SIDES OF YOU.

AND I THINK THAT WAS A PIECE THAT WAS VERY, VERY -- IT JUST TOOK ME ABACK TO SAY WAIT A MINUTE.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY HERE.

WE HAVE TO BE MORE CREATIVE.

ONE THING THAT REALLY STUCK OUT WAS THE RAILROAD TRACK WHERE ALL OF THE EARTH HAD BEEN WASHED AWAY AND ALL YOU SAW WERE THE TRACKS GOING ACROSS.

WE TOOK PHOTOS OF IT BECAUSE I HAD NEVER SEEN THAT BEFORE AND THE TRACK WAS STILL THERE.

AND YOU WILL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT NOW HOW DO YOU GET THIS BUILT BACK?

AND YOU RECOGNIZE THAT THAT WITHIN ITSELF IS GOING TO BE A PART OF SOMEBODY'S PROJECT TO BUILD THIS BACK.

AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SUPPORT THOSE BUILD BACK OPPORTUNITIES THERE.

SO I THINK THAT THAT KIND OF STUFF WAS JUST REALLY WAS THE NEW THING FOR ME.

>> YEAH.

OK. JOHN I'M COMING TO YOU.

I WANT TO SHOW YOU THE RADAR BASED RAINFALL ESTIMATES OVER THOSE FIVE DAYS.

AT THE END OF JULY.

THE THUNDERSTORMS THAT BROUGHT THIS HEAVY RAIN POURED A BULLSEYE THAT STRETCHED FROM CLAY COUNTY AND LESLIE PERRY AND THIS IS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF RAINFALL FOR ANY LOCATION.

BUT ESPECIALLY ALARMING TO SEE IN EASTERN KENTUCKY BECAUSE OF THE TOPOGRAPHY.

JOHN, HOW DO YOU PREDICT A 1,000 YEAR FLOOD?

WE KNEW THERE WAS GOING TO BE HEAVY RAIN BUT THIS IS NEXT LEVEL.

>> YES WE DID NOT FORECAST EIGHT INCHES OF RAIN.

WE DIDN'T.

THE WARNINGS WERE GREAT.

THE JACKSON WEATHER OFFICE THEY ARE ROCK STARS.

ED RAY, HE IS THE BOSS OF THE OFFICE HE LOST HIS HOUSE.

HE WORKED SEVEN STRAIGHT DAYS HE WAS TRAPPED UP ON THE MOUNTAIN IN JACKSON FOR SEVEN DAYS THEY COULD NOT GET OFF.

THEY HAD SUPPLIES BROUGHT IN.

WE ARE WORKING HARD TO DO A BETTER JOB ON WHAT I CALL THE 1% EVENTS.

DECEMBER 21, THE TORNADOES.

THAT IS A 1% EVENT.

THE KENTUCKY FLOODS ARE A 1% EVENT OR LESS THAN 1%.

THE REAL EXTREME EVENTS.

WE'RE TRYING TO DO A BETTER JOB USING A LOT MORE DATA SETS AND MORE LIGHTNING AND MORE HIGH REZ COMPUTER MODELS AND A LOT OF ANALYSIS.

A GREAT THING IN THE STATE WE USE THAT DATA TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS IN OUR OPERATIONS AND WE'RE TRYING TO DO A BETTER JOB ON THE EXTREME EVENTS WHICH ARE BECOMING MORE FREQUENT IN RAINFALL.

>> WHY IS THAT?

>> WELL, WE CAN GET INTO THIS UGLY ROAD BUT THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN CLIMATE CHANGE AND WE ARE IN A WARMING TREND.

IT IS A FACT.

W, Y CIRTL I Y A WAEROU HE ME WER VOR T AOSER Y HEOR WER VORND OP KPUIIN CONCRETE LIKE MAD IN LOUISVILLE AREA THEY HAD NINE MASSIVE FLASH FLOOD WE HAD SEVEN INCHES OF RAIN IN AN HOUR-AND-A-HALF.

IF YOU GET THAT MUCH RAIN WITH CONCRETE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE GOOD.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO DO A BETTER JOB AND GIVE OUR PARTNERS IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MOREHEADS UP ON THESE VERY, VERY FINE YOU LOOK AT THAT MAP THERE IS A BULLSEYE IT MOVED FOR DAYS AROUND THE STATE.

MY CONFIDENCE IN TELLING OUR PARTNERS WE WILL HAVE THAT MUCH RAIN WAS VERY LOW, VERY LOW.

WE WERE IN A WET THE WEEK WAS WET.

METEOROLOGICALLY SPEAKING CAN A FLOOD LIKE THAT BE PREDICTED EVEN WITH THE HELP IN THE MESONET INFORMATION AND DATA POINTS ARE WE THERE YET?

>> WE'RE IMPROVING WE ARE NOT THERE YET.

EVEN SOME OF THE BIGGEST RAINFALL EVENTS I'VE SEEN.

LIKE THE NASHVILLE FLOOD 2010.

I SAW THAT RAINFALL FORECAST I WORKED THE MIDNIGHT SHIFT I SAW THAT RAINFALL CAST FOR SATURDAY NIGHT AND I SAW EIGHT INCHES.

GOD THAT IS A LOT OF RAIN.

AND THAT TOOK GUTS THEY GOT 12 INCHES IT WAS ON THE RIGHT TREND TO PUT THAT MUCH OUT.

BUT WE ARE IMPROVING BUT WE'RE EXTREME ISOLATED HEAVY RAINFALL IS HARDER THAN THE BIGGER BULLSEYE.

WE ARE DOING A BETTER JOB AND WE WILL DO A BETTER JOB BUT THE ISOLATED ONES THAT HIT ONE COUNTY, WE HAD THAT ONE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, INDIANA LAST SUMMER.

IT HIT IN ONE PART OF ONE BASIN AND BROUGHT 10 INCHES OF RAIN DOWN A HILL AND CAUSED HAVOC.

>> OK. NOW, I WANT TO FAST FORWARD TO THE REBUILDING AND REPAIRING THAT IS HAPPENING NOW IN EASTERN KENTUCKY SPECIFICALLY TO THE ROADS AND BRIDGES DAMAGED OR DESTROYED BY THE FLOOD.

KENTUCKY TRANSPORTATION CABINET'S DISTRICT 12 SUFFERED MOST OF THE DAMAGE.

WE CAUGHT UP WITH THE CHIEF ENGINEER TO FIND OUT WHAT PROGRESS IS BEING MADE AND WHAT STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE.

>> IN JULY, WE RECEIVED A CATASTROPHIC FLOODING EVENT IN DISTRICT 12 AND THROUGHOUT EASTERN REGION ESPECIALLY IN DISTRICT 12 WE SERVE SEVEN COUNTIES AND OF THOSE SEVEN COUNTIES FOUR OF THEM NOT RECEIVED THE BULK OF THE DAMAGE.

AND THE BULK OF THE RAIN.

THE MAJORITY OF OUR DAMAGE WAS ON OUR COUNTY ROADS.

WE HAD 27 BRIDGES IN DISTRICT 12 THAT WERE CONSIDERED EMERGENCIES.

OF THOSE 27 WE HAVE 16 BACK OPEN WE'VE REPLACED THEM AND THE OTHERS HAVE DIVERSIONS OR DETOURS SO NO ONE IS ISOLATED.

WE HAD TWO STATE FACILITIES THAT WERE DAMAGED.

WE HAD ONE IN PIKE COUNTY ON KENTUCKY 610.

WE HAD TO TAKE THAT BRIDGE OUT AND WE'RE REPLACING IT.

AND WE HAD A CULVERT FAILURE ON KENTUCKY 343, BETWEEN NEON AND McROBERTS.

BOTH HAVE DIVERSIONS OR DETOURS.

THOSE ARE TWO STATE ROADS THAT WERE AFFECTED.

ALL OF OUR OPERATIONS PROBABLY FOR THREE MONTHS WAS FLOOD RELATED.

THESE COUNTIES RECEIVED WATER IN PLACES WE'VE NEVER RECEIVED WATER BEFORE.

IT'S HARD TO PLAN FOR ANYTHING OF THIS SIZE.

AND MAGNITUDE.

BUT THE KENTUCKY TRANSPORTATION CABINET IS WORKING WITH U.K. TO LOOK INTO THE AFFECT OF THE DISASTERS ON OUR BRIDGES AND WE ARE WORKING ON THE RESILIENCY.

THAT STUDY IS ONGOING LOOKING AT FLOODING EVENTS AND THE EROSION THAT OCCURS WHEN WE HAVE FLOODING EVENTS.

IT'S BEEN IMPLEMENTED INTO OUR DESIGN AS WELL.

THIS WAS A FAST-MOVING FLOOD.

THAT TOOK EVERYTHING IN ITS PATH.

WE LOST BRIDGES WE LOST PARTS OF ROADS.

SOME OF MY EMPLOYEES LOST THEIR HOMES.

THROUGH IT ALL I SAW AND EXPERIENCED HUMAN KINDNESS THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

WE HAD PEOPLE COMING IN HERE WITH TRUCKS AND SUPPLIES FROM PA DUKE KA TO PIKE COUNTY.

AND SAYING WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP.

I HAD PEOPLE CALLING ME WANTING MY VENMO ACCOUNT AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT A VENMO ACCOUNT IS AND I HAD ONE AND PEOPLE WERE SENDING US MONEY FROM ALL OVER THE STATE AND IT WAS JUST THAT FOR DAYS AND DAYS JUST SUPPLIES COMING IN.

TRUCKS COMING IN TO HELP.

WITH ALL THE DAMAGE THAT WE RECEIVED AND THE WHOLE PICTURE I THINK WOULD BE FIVE YEARS.

COULD BE A LITTLE BIT LESS BUT WITH ALL THE OTHER WORK WE HAVE TO DO AND KNOWING THE SNOW AND ICE WE TAKE CARE OF AND POSSIBLE FLOODING, TOTALLY BACK TO WHERE WE WERE FIVE YEARS.

>> SHE SAYS OUT OF ALL THE FLOODING PROJECTS IN DISTRICT 12 DEBRIS REMOVAL HAS BEEN THE COSTLIEST.

OVER TO YOU JERRY, AND AS YOU SAW IN THAT STORY, IT TAKES A VIAG ITAKARER G TOU MEIN LE TS.

>> YES.

IT DOES.

YOU KNOW, AND THAT PARTNERSHIP JUST BECAUSE YOU GET THROUGH THE WORST OF IT, IT DON'T END.

AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THE REGULAR PERSON THE PUBLIC DON'T GET TO SEE THE SAUSAGE MAKING AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.

SO THEY DON'T SEE HOW IMPORTANT GOVERNMENT CAN BE.

GOVERNMENT IS REALLY IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY IN THESE TIMES.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY WORK TOGETHER.

IT'S LIKE DIRECTOR WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, YOU KNOW, WE WERE CON SPHANT IN CONSTANT CONTACT.

THERE WERE SO MANY NEEDS I IN MY COUNTY, THAT DIRECTOR KENTUCKY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS THAT IS MY GO TO.

AND THEY'VE GOT SO MANY RESOURCES FROM THE STATE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER.

AND THEN FEMA HAD DISASTER RECOVERY CENTER SETUP IN MY COUNTY WITHIN TWO WEEKS.

PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO GO IN AND SIGN UP FOR THEIR PROGRAMS.

AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS WITH FEMA.

THERE'S REALLY A COUPLE OF LANES OF FUNDING.

THERE'S PUBLIC ASSISTANCE WHICH IS IE COUNTY ROADS, BRIDGES THAT SORT OF THING, CITY.

STATE.

AND INDIVIDUAL ASSIST SENSE THAT IS FOR THE PERSONAL PROPERTY OWNER AND WHEN YOU GO BACND LO AT T SFFDCTND Y RE TTNDHAHA I DESIGNED IT'S IN THE LEGISLATION IT IS NOT DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU WHOLE AGAIN.

IT'S TO GET YOU STARTED BACK.

AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE DONE.

YOU KNOW THE MAX AMOUNT IF YOU LOST EVERYTHING IT'S $37900 IN THAT PROGRAM.

THAT'S BEEN THERE FROM DAY ONE.

SINCE AND DO I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED?

100%.

BUT THAT'S FEDERAL LEGISLATION.

AND IT TAKES CONGRESS TO CHANGE THAT.

ACTUALLY HAS TO GO THROUGH THE HOUSE THE SENATE AND THE PRESIDENT SIGNS IT.

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT THE PRESIDENT CAN'T DO IN EXECUTIVE ORDER GOVERNOR BRASHEAR CAN'T CHANGE AND THE FEMA CAN'T CHANGE IT IT'S FEDERAL LEGISLATION.

SO THAT THE ONLY WAY IT CHANGES AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT.

IT'S THE SAME DISASTER, THE SAME THINGS OUR PEOPLE'S DEALING WITH THAT THEY DEAL WITH ACROSS OUR COUNTRY WHEN IT COMES TO IA AND THAT PORTION OF FUNDING.

BUT THE OTHER PART I WANTED TO MENTION AND I'M SORRY I KNOW I'M TAKING UP A LOT OF TIME.

>> THAT'S OK. >> OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE AND HOW VITAL THAT WAS.

IT WAS REALLY, REALLY DIFFICULT IN THOSE FIRST THREE OR FOUR WEEKS.

AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS DISASTER AND THE RESPONSE AND HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS AND I KNOW THE PARTNERSHIPS ALL ACROSS GOVERNMENT WERE ABLE TO WITH THE RESPONSE SAVE LIVES.

THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

YOU KNOW, WITH OUR FIRST-RESPONDERS AND OUR NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS.

AND THEN THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE.

BUT WE HAD WITH KENTUCKY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND ALL EM DIRECTORS, KUNTY JUDGES ALL THE IMPACTED COUNTIES HAD A 10:00 A.M. MEETING EVERYDAY SEVEN DAYS A WEEK ZOOM MEETING WITH THE STATE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER FOR WELL OVER TWO MONTHS.

AND YOU KNOW WHO LED THAT CALL?

SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, EVERYDAY AT 10:00 A.M.?

OUR GOVERNOR ANDY BRASHEAR AND THAT'S THE TRUTH.

AND THAT'S IMPORTANT.

AND JUST BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE ONE-ON-ONE OK, DIRECTOR SAYS DIRECTOR STACY YOU ASKED FOR X, Y, Z YESTERDAY.

WE GOT YOU Y AND Z.

AND THOSE ARE ONGOING.

THAT MAYBE A MORNING CONVERSATION BUT BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE AFTERNOON WE ARE BACK TO AB AND C. IT'S NEVER ENDING.

I KNOW THE FIRST THREE DAYS I DON'T I LEFT THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER IN PERRY COUNTY TWICE FOR A MATTER ABOUT THREE HOURS EACH TIME.

AND IT IS THAT HECTIC IN THESE SITUATIONS.

BUT THE PARTNERSHIP AT THE LOCAL, THE STATE AND FEDERAL IS VERY IMPORTANT AND I HOPE I WAS ABLE TO DESCRIBE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THAT IS AND WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOKS LIKE WHILE YOU ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT AND FEMA'S RESPONSE AND RECOVERY IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

>> SO, DIRECTOR, NOW, WHEN WE'RE SEVEN MONTHSISH OUT FROM THE FLOODS AND THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF THAT WORK A LOT THOSE CALLS, PEOPLE ON THE GROUND, A LOT OF RECOVERY HAS TAKEN PLACE.

WHERE ARE WE AT NOW?

AND WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES NOW?

>> OK. ONE THING I WILL MENTION BEFORE GOING INTO THOSE SPECIFICS, IS FEMA HAS A JOINT FIELD OFFICE AND I DEFER TO THE DOCTOR IF WE WANTS TO SPRAIN MORE BUT THEY HAVE A JOINT FIELD OFFICE IN FRANKFURT.

AND THIS IS NOT I GUESS FOR GOOD REASONS.

THEY ARE UNFORTUNATE.

BUT BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF DISASTERS PARTICULARLY FLOODING AND TORNADOES OVER THE LAST PROBLEMLY TWO TO THREE YEARS, THEY'VE HAD A JOINT FIELD OFFICE HERE IN KENTUCKY.

SO WHEN WE HAD THE FLOODING, THE FEMA PERSONNEL WORKING ON THE RECOVERY FOR THE TORNADO, THEY WERE IN THE EOC AS QUICK AS ANY OTHER STATE OR LOCAL PARTNERS WE HAVE IMMEDIATELY ENACTING FEDERAL RESOURCES.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS WORTHY OF MENTIONS THEY ARE HERE AND THEY RESPONDED AS QUICKLY AS ANYBODY.

AGAIN, I WISH WEIGH DIDN'T HAVE THAT MANY DISASTERS AND WE COULDN'T CLAIM THAT BUT I THGH IWA IORNT TO NTN.

,ESHE ROVY NOW IS PEOPLE IN SAFE HOUSING.

LET'S START WITH PEOPLE.

YOU HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE.

AND YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE COMMONWEALTH SHELTERING PROGRAM WHERE WE UTILIZE MOSTLY TRAVEL TRAILERS SOME STATE PARKS AND HOTELS WHEN NEEDED.

WE STILL HAVE I THINK 215 FAMILIES IN OUR PROGRAM AND THAT IS NOT FEMA'S DIRECT HOUSING PROGRAM IN THE COMMONWEALTH SHELTERING PROGRAM WAITING FOR HOMES TO BE REPAIRED, HOMES TO BE BUILT OR TO FIGURE IT OUT.

AND SO YOU KNOW WE'RE REALLY UTILIZING FEDERAL GRANT MONEY FOR DISASTER CASE MANAGEMENT AS WELL AS CALLING ON SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN A DISASTER THAT SHOULD BE MENTIONED THE PRIVATE NONPROFIT CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS THAT COME IN AND PROVIDE.

THEY ARE REALLY STEPPING UP AND HELPING PEOPLE.

SO WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO TRY TO SOLVE THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE STILL LOOKING FOR PERMANENT, SAFE HOUSING.

HOW DO WE GET THAT SOLUTION FOR THEM?

AND THEN YOU MENTIONED YOU SHOWED THE SLEIGHED ON ROADS AND BRIDGES AND THINGS HOW WE REMAIN OPEN AND HAVE PEOPLE BE ABLE TO TRAVEL TO SCHOOL AND WORK SAFELY.

WE'RE CONSTANTLY DOING THAT YOU GET INTO BIG DOLLAR FIGURES THERE.

AND WE ARE A STILL WORKING ON DEBRIS REMOVAL.

IT WAS MENTIONED THE MOST EXPENSIVE PART BY FAR.

AND FROM MY EXPERIENCE IN THESE BIG DISASTERS THAT KENTUCKY'S HAD IN THE LAST 12-18 MONTHS, THE TORNADOES AND FLOODS, IT'S HARD TO MOVE FORWARD UNTIL THE DEBRIS IS GONE.

IT JUST HAMPERS THE VISION OF WHAT IS LOOKS LIKE WITHOUT THE STORM HERE.

A LOT OF THAT IS COMPLETED.

WE'RE MOVING TO A PHASE OF PRIVATE PROPERTY DEBRIS REMOVAL WHICH STARTS NOW.

KENTUCKY TRANSPORTATION CABINET IS STEPPING UP AND BEING ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THAT.

THEY ARE GOING TO GO IN AND GET DEBRIS THAT ARE ON PEOPLE'S PROPERTY THAT WASN'T ACCESSIBLE FROM THE RIGHT-OF-WAY.

AND IT WASN'T IN THE WATERWAY THAT WE HAD DONE.

I WOULD SAY RIGHT NOW IF WE COULD WE'RE FOCUSED ON HOUSING AND THEN GETTING PEOPLE TO SAFE PLACES TO LIVE.

AND THEN GET THE DEBRIS OUT OF THERE.

SO THEN YAN EISNHA CORYOO LEITUT BLOWING OVER TREES OR HOMES OR AUTOMOBILES IN PLACES THEY SHOULDN'T BE.

>> OK. AND DOCTOR, I KNOW THAT YOU SERVE AS THE INDIVIDUAL HOUSING DIRECTOR FOR RECOVERY IN THE COMMONWEALTH.

FINDING INNOVATIVE HOUSING SOLUTIONS.

I KNOW YOU ARE RIGHT YOU ARE DEEP INTO THIS AND THAT IS ONE OF THE BIG NEEDS RIGHT NOW AS YOU MENTIONED.

I THINK AS YOU MENTIONED, TOO, IT'S LONG-TERM HOUSING.

>> YES.

>> SO WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES THERE?

HOW MUCH FARTHER DO WE HAVE TO GO?

>> WELL, I THINK THAT YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT A FLOODING EVENT, LONG-TERM HOUSING I THINK YOUR GOVERNOR HAS SAID THAT HE WANTS TO MOVE PEOPLE TO HIGHER GROUND, GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF HARM'S WAY IF YOU WILL, SO I THINK THE CHALLENGE IS TO FIND THAT LAND WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO SO THAT THEY ARE OUT OF THE SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREAS.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, I THINK THAT THERE WERE HOUSING CONCERNS PRIOR TO THE DISASTER.

SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS WE IDENTIFY FOLKS WHO ARE IN NEED OF TEMPORARY HOUSING AND WE DO SOME DIRECT HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE FOLKS.

AND SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE PROBABLY WE PROBABLY HAVE LIKE A THIRD OF WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR NON-CONGREGATE SHELTERING WE HAVE THEM IN OUR DIRECT HOUSING UNITS WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR FAMILIES TO HAVE A TEMPORARY DISWELLING 18 MONTHS FROM THE DATE OF DECLARATION SO THEY MAY BE ABLE TO REBUILD, OR FIND OTHER SOLUTIONS FOR THEIR HOUSING.

WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT HOUSING PARTNERS IN IDENTIFYING WHAT WILL BE VACANT, THE NONPROFITS THAT ARE BUILDING.

WE'RE WORKING AGAIN WITH THEM AS WELL.

AND WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO SHARE INFORMATION AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

AND WE KNOW THAT THAT CAN BE A CHALLENGE.

BUT ABOUT FOLKS WHO ARE IN NEED OF HOUSING.

SO WE'RE WORKING AGAIN NOT JUST FEMA BUT WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PARTNERS TO TRY TO IDENTIFY SOME LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL IN NEED.

>> AND I KNOW THAT WILL BE ONGOING FOR A WHILE.

FOR NOW, I WANT TO SWITCH GEARS AND DISCUSS IN THE TIME WE HAVE LEFT A SEVERE WEATHER TOPIC THAT GETS A LOT OF INTEREST, TORNADOES.

SPECIFICALLY KENTUCKY TORNADOES.

THE COMMONWEALTH HAS AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 26 TORNADOES A YEAR OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS ACCORDING TO THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER.

TORNADOES ARE TYPICALLY THE SECOND DEADLIEST TYPE OF SEVERE WEATHER IN KENTUCKY SINCE 1950 THERE'S BEEN ONLY ONE F5 TORNADO IN KENTUCKY.

AND THE F5 TORNADO STRUCK BRANDONBURG ON APRIL 3, 1974.

THE DEVASTATING WESTERN KENTUCKY TORNADO ON DECEMBER 10TH, 2021 IS THE LONGEST TORNADO PATH RECORDED IN KENTUCKY HISTORY AND AMONG THE TOP 10 IN U.S. HISTORY AND THAT EF4 TRACK WAS 165.7 MILES LONG.

WE'LL DISCUSS THAT IN JUST A BIT.

BUT FIRST, I WANT TO TALBO GOO Y, JN HRE W SUOS T SVI T STORMS?

EF4 DECEMBER 10TH IN 2021.

HOW DO WE GET THROUGH THAT?

>> IN A LARGE TORNADO WILL YOU HAVE GOOD WARNING.

AHEAD OF TIME YOU HAVE TO BE THINKING WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?

IF I AM THE SOCCER GAME WHERE AM I GOING TO GO AT HOME OR IN AN INTERSTATE OR THE BG PARKWAY.

SO THE BIG THING I TEACH PEOPLE IS GO LOW.

SIMPLE THING.

LOWEST AWAY FROM WINDOWS, MIDDLE OF THE HOUSE AND PROTECT YOURSELF.

THOSE ARE WHAT YOU GOT TO DO.

YOU HAVE TO GO LOW.

IF YOU WANT TO INVEST MONEY SPEND ONE THING I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT PROBABLY WON'T HAPPEN IS A CHANGE IN THE BUILDING CODE A FEW THINGS ANCHORS AND CLIPS AND BOLTS AND BRACES YOU SPEND ABOUT 500 TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS ON A NEW HOUSE ARE CHANCES OF SURVIVAL WILL GO UP 80%.

YOU SPEND A LITTLE MONEY.

NAILS I WENT TO BOWL GREEN AND I SAW NAILING PATTERNS SUPPOSED TO BE 16 INCHES ON THE BASE, 40 INCHES.

40 INCHES.

SUPPOSED TO BE 16.

SAW MORTAR SUPPOSED TO BE ON YOUR ANCHOR BOLTS ON ONE CORNER ANCHOR BOLTS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE CENTER.

FLAW AFTER FLAW AFTER FLAW.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

WHEN YOU GET A WATCH KNOW WHAT YOU WILL DO.

HAVE A PLACE TO GO WITH YOUR FAMILY.

IT'S FLYING DEBRIS.

THE OLD FOLKS WATCHING THIS REMEMBER THEY USED TO TEACH YOU OPEN YOUR WINDOWS.

DO NOT OPEN YOUR WINDOWS IN A TORNADO THAT IS INSANE.

FLYING DEBRIS THAT KILLS PEOPLE.

GET LOW AND HAVE A PLAN OF ACTION WHERE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WILL GO.

>> JOHN WAS TALKING ABOUT ONE OF THE MYTHS ANOTHER MYTH AND JERRY YOU CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO THIS IS THAT TORNADOES DO NOT HIT MOUNTAINOUS AREAS.

>> NO, THEY DO, TOO.

YOU CAN ASK THE PEOPLE ABOUT THAT.

THEY ARE EASTERN KENTUCKY MOUNTAIN COUNTY.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

GENTLEMAN TALKED VERY WELL ON THE SUBJECT ABOUT JUST HAVING A PLAN IS VERY IMPORTANT.

YOU KNOW AND THEN ESPECIALLY IF YOU GOT YOUNG CHILDREN, DISCUSS THAT PLAN REGARDLESS OF THE SITUATION.

LIKE YOU SAID YOU MAY BE AT A BALL GAME.

YOU NEED TO AS A PARENT OR JUST AS ANY INDIVIDUAL YOU NEED TO HAVE A PLAN WHERE YOU WOULD GONA IN THAT SITUATION.

IF YOU CAN AVOID BEING IN THE PATH OF ONE OF THESE, THAT'S THE KEY.

AND THEN IF NOT, THEN YOU NEED TO HAVE A PLAN.

IF YOU ARE HAVING TO RIDE IT OUT AT HOME WITH WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GO HOW YOU ARE GOING TO BE IN THE BEST SITUATION 0 POTENTIALLY TO SURVIVE A DIRECT HIT FROM A TORNADO?

THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

HAVE A PLAN.

HAVE A PLAN.

>> AND COLONEL WE TALK ABOUT TORNADO SIRENS OR THE EMERGENCY WARNING SIRENS.

THOSE ARE MEANT TO BEEA OUOO.

NDTHAYET ES WARNINGS WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST?

>> WEATHER RADIO.

WOULD BE PROBABLY THE PRIMARY ONE.

THEY ARE RELATIVELY NOT THAT EXPENSIVE.

SO I WOULD RECOMMEND DOING WHAT YOU CAN DO TO GET THOSE.

IF YOU HAVE SOME IMPEDIMENT TO DOING THAT TALK TO YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR AND THE STATE EMERGENCY.

MANAGEMENT AND NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEE IF THERE IS A PROGRAM WHERE WE COULD HELP WITH THAT.

BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S CRUCIAL.

AND THEN JUST KNOW YOUR -- WE CAN GO TO TODAY'S iPHONE OR SMARTPHONE, TIMES AND HAVE AN APP THAT TALKS ABOUT WEATHER AND GIVES YOU ALERTS UP TO WHAT IS YOUR LOCAL SOURCE FOR WARNINGS.

BESIDES A SIREN.

AND IS THAT A RADIO?

TELEVISION?

SOCIAL MEDIA?

AN APP?

BUT IDENTIFY THAT AND THEN MONITOR IT AND STAY AWARE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STORM AWARENESS.

JUST STAY AWARE SO IF YOU KNOW STORMS ARE COMING IN TODAY START THINKING ABOUT IT.

IF IT'S ONE DAY PLAN FOR IT AND IF IT CONTINUES TO GET SERIOUS ENACT THAT PLAN THAT YOU HAVE.

>> OK. ON DECEMBER 10TH, 2021, IT IS A NIGHT THAT MANY IN WESTERN KENTUCKY WILL NEVER FORGET.

THE NIGHT OF A DEADLY LONG TRACK EF4 TORNADO.

IT DEVASTATED THE AREA IT STRETCHES THROUGH 11 COUNTIES REASONING WIND SPEEDS OF 190-MILES-PER-HOUR.

A RASH DAR SHOWS THE PATH OF THIS PATH OF THIS SUPERCELL.

THE TORNADO WAS ON THE GROUND FOR 165.7 MILES TRAVELED AT AN ALARMING FORWARD SPEED OF 60-MILES-PER-HOUR.

AND SEVERAL OTHER TORNADOES SPAWNED JUST TO THE SOUTH.

WE ALREADY MENTIONED THE BOWLING GREEN TORNADO THAT WAS DEADLY AN EF4 AND THESE TORNADOES MOVED THROUGH COUNTIES AND WAS DEADLY THERE IN BOWLING GREEN AND WE HAD A FATALITY IN TAYLOR COUNTY, KENTUCKY.

AND THE VIDEO THAT WE SAW AND THE PICTURES OUT OF WESTERN KENTUCKY THAT NEXT MORNING AND THEY WOULD STOP YOU IN YOUR TRACKS IT LOOKED LIKE COMPLETE COMMUNITIES SORT OF WIPED OUT THERE.

THAT WAS QUITE A SIGHT TO SEE.

AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, Dr. SURED WEATHER RADIOS AND MULTIPLE WAYS TO GET WARNINGS FOR FOLKS OUTSIDE TO HEAR THE SIRENS, A WEATHER RADIO.

WHAT AND I KNOW NOW THERE ARE APPS.

WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST FOR PEOPLE TO BE AWARE OF THIS BECAUSE THAT TORNADO HAPPENED AT NIGHT AND SOME FOLKS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, I HAD THE UNFORTUNE OF HAVING TO SHELTER IN PLACE DURING THAT PARTICULAR STORM AND ONE THING WE WERE DOING WE WERE USING TEXT MESSAGE BECAUSE WE WEREN'T WE DIDN'T HAVE ELECTRICITY.

SO THERE WAS TEXT MESSAGING GOING ON, FACEBOOK, TWEETS ALL KINDS OF SOCIAL MEDIA WAS THE WAY THAT I PERSONALLY KNEW WHAT WAS HAPPENING ON THE GROUND.

SO I HAD NOTHING ELSE.

I DIDN'T HAVE A RADIO AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME.

WE WERE JUST DOING THE OLD PHONE THING AND THERE WAS THE SCARIEST MOMENT THE LIGHTS WERE OUT.

AND THEN WE LOST CONNECTION BECAUSE THE CELL TOWERS WERE SO CHALLENGED WE COULDN'T GET OUT TWEETS OR TEXT MESSAGING AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME.

THAT WAS A VERY SCARY MOMENT I WILL HAVE TO SAY THAT.

BUT AS SOON AS WE WERE BACK UP, WE DIDN'T HAVE ELECTRICITY ALL DAY LONG.

BUT WE WERE ABLE THOSE OF US THAT HAD A PHONE CHARGER THAT COULD GO TO THE CAR AND PLUG IT IN THAT WAS THE KIND OF THINGS THAT WE HAD TO DO.

AND AS DIRECTOR STACY SAID, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT AND HAVE A PLAN FOR BECAUSE IT'S NOT IF YOU KNOW THAT THE STORM IS GOING TO COME, IT IS NOT A MATTER OF OH, WELL YOU KNOW NOW LET ME JUST GO AND RUN AND CHARGE MY PHONE.

THINK ABOUT THOSE TYPES OF THINGS EARLY ON AND I DO WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE RADIO.

HAND CRANK RADIOS.

>> YES.

JOHN GORDON WE HAVE 20 SECONDS.

>> TWO WAYS TO GET A WARNING.

WEATHER RADIO AND ALL THESE ARE WEA WEATHER EMERGENCY ALERT THEY WILL COME ACROSS YOUR PHONE.

DO NOT HAVE MUTE YOUR PHONE AT NIGHT.

THE TORNADOES WERE AFTER DARK THOSE ARE DEADLY.

HAVE A PLAN FOR YOUR FAMILY.

>> YES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

FOR YOUR TIME AND EXPERTISE, JERRTHANK YOU SOOP FOR BEING HE.

AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND SPENDING THIS TIME WITH US.

BE WEATHER AWARE.

STAY SAFE AND TAKE CARE.

[♪♪]