After a severe storm tore through Decatur County Oct. 26, the UTM Parsons Center has closed its doors to students to function as a Red Cross Command Center for Administration for those in need throughout the week.
The county endured 70-mile-an-hour straight line winds, causing damage to houses, businesses and landscaping. More storms are forecast to hit the area during the latter part of this week.
As of Oct. 29, 70% of the county was still without water or electricity. The center does have electricity now, however, the entire county has been asked to limit its use of water due to extremely low water levels, meaning the center’s bathrooms cannot be used. The Decatur County Emergency Management Agency has been limiting the amount of people coming into the county due to safety measures from fallen trees and the continuing storms this week.
According to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, it could take up to two weeks to restore water and electricity to all of the affected areas.
The center itself only received slight water damage as the air units on top of the building were blown off by the 70-mile-an-hour winds, but according to Erica Bell, the Central Office Director for the Office of Educational Outreach who oversees the Parsons Center, the center received “no real significant damage.”
An adjunct instructor for the Parsons Center was personally affected by the storm, losing his house in the damage that ensued.
“We’ll have to make accommodations, but our main concern is making sure students can travel safely to the center,” Bell said.
The Center is scheduled to reopen Monday Nov. 4.
