Maury County residents, emergency services learning from past storms

MAURY COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — It’s been a little more than ten months since a deadly tornado ripped through Maury County, killing a great-grandmother in Spring Hill.

With severe storms on the horizon again, her daughter hasn’t taken any chances.

“I have my closet cleaned out,” Brianne Lovett said. “I am prepared to run. I’m not going to sleep and I watch the radar like crazy…I’m panicked, but I know a storm is a storm and there’ll be sunshine afterwards.”

Last May, she lost her mom Cheryl in the Maury County tornado — also her home and trees were damaged.

Maury County Emergency Manager Jeff Hardy said the county is still healing from that day.

“Plan for worst-case scenario — where are you going to go? Who are you going with? Making sure that you have the necessary stuff to go with you,” Hardy said.

Hardy’s tips to stay safe include charging your cell phone, downloading weather apps and finding a safe space.

“Get with your neighbors, find out who’s got a basement,” Hardy added.

Temporary weather shelters have been set up at the following locations:

• First United Methodist at 222 West 7th Wall Street in Columbia, which will be open through 6 a.m. Saturday, March 15. You should enter using the main doors facing West 7th Street. Pets are allowed as long as they are on a leash.
• St. Luke United Methodist Church at 606 Santa Fe Pike in Columbia, which will be open “until the first system passes.” Pets must be crated.
• Maury County OEM Safe-Space at 1451 Tom J. Hitch Parkway will be open when the first warning is issued. Because the bridge at Bear Creek and Tom J. Hitch is out, you should seek an alternate route. No seating is provided. Pets must be crated and pets will be located in a separate room.

“You never know when that thing’s going to drop out of the sky,” Lovett added. “You never know where it’s going to touch down.”