As the clean-up continues, municipalities and counties across the state have shown support for the communities affected.
A group of Tupelo city officials and Mayor Jason Shelton traveled to Holly Springs Thursday morning to meet with Holly Springs Mayor Kelvin Buck, who is a Tupelo native.
The group spoke with Buck about their own experiences dealing with the aftermath of the Tupelo tornado in April 2014.
Ward 5 Councilman Buddy Palmer recalled that after the Tupelo tornado, Smithville mayor Gregg Kennedy visited with Shelton and other city employees, offering advice and insight several years after Smithville was struck by an EF5 tornado April 27, 2011.
“I thought it was a very good trip,” Palmer said. “It’s something that I thought was well-needed, and I was glad to be a part of that.”
Palmer said Buck drove the group through some areas of damage where they saw power lines and trees down as well as structural damage.
Palmer also said the number of volunteers on the ground was amazing.
“They’re making a lot of progress, they really are,” Palmer said. “The city and county were working very well together.”
In Tippah County, in the Three Forks community, another gesture of support came all the way from Biloxi to the Three Forks Volunteer Fire Department.
The tornado destroyed the department’s fire station, leaving behind only a concrete slab and damaging all but one of its fire trucks.
The Emergency Management Agency put out a call for support for the fire department, and the Biloxi Fire Department responded.
The Biloxi Fire Department brought the Three Forks department one of their own fire trucks and donated it to them.
Joey Jackson, Three Forks Fire Chief, said he is grateful for the fire truck and equipment donated by Biloxi as well as support from surrounding communities.
The Walnut and Falkner fire departments have taken over coverage of the Three Forks community for the time being. The two neighboring departments are also housing Three Forks’ damaged fire trucks.
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