World Tower’s manufacturing and other plant facilities were leveled. Drake Lighting miraculously had severe damage to their building, but the majority of their completed lighting systems were not damaged..
President Joe Biden visited Mayfield, KY today, a town that was rendered unrecognizable after tornadoes brought death and destruction to the area over the weekend.
Residents affected by the tragic event called for funds for recovery. During a press conference Biden pledged that federal aid would continue to flow and said that the damage was the worst that he had ever seen.
Hopefully, businesses will benefit as well, especially World Tower Company whose Compressor Drive multi-acre complex’s manufacturing building, with over a 25-year history of fabricating towers, and other structures were demolished within minutes.
Like straws in the wind, fabricated tower sections and production steel were scattered miles away.
Although an aerial photograph shows that its corporate offices might have missed the tornado’s path, the company has not responded to multiple attempts to communicate with them.
The company, founded in 1995, also provides tower construction and engineering services.
Drake Lighting, which leases space from World Tower saw their corporate office and warehouse ravaged by the tornado.
Drake Lighting will be moving into their new headquarters in Paducah at the end of the month. Their Mayfield building (top photo) was damaged, but their warehouse survived the tornado that decimated World Tower Company’s fabrication plant right behind them
Drake’s Marketing Director, Kevin Klepeis, informed Wireless Estimator that all of their employees and their families are accounted for and safe.
He said that their outgoing shipments weren’t destroyed, and they were able to lease a temporary warehouse Saturday morning to store materials in.
Klepeis said that they will also be moving into a new facility in Paducah at the end of the month at 2000 McCracken Blvd.
Drake had previously purchased the 23,000 square-foot two-story building and has been slowly transitioning to the new facility for the past three months. He said that their new NOC will have state-of-the-art monitoring and advanced technology benefits for their clients.
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association, said that their thoughts and prayers are with those citizens who are currently working or living in areas where there was an outbreak of over 30 powerful tornados on December 10 – 11, 2021. One of these tornados remained on the ground without interruption for over a 250-mile path, across 4 states, becoming the single longest path of destruction in U.S. History. December tornados are rare and usually not destructive, but unseasonably warm and humid weather created the perfect weather conditions for this catastrophic phenomenon. The National Weather Service reporting and tornado sirens were critical in planning for safety sheltering in this unprecedented storm.
Many of the hazards posed to workers occur immediately after the storm passed, such as recovery efforts, cleanup, and restoration work. Workers and volunteers involved with the tornado cleanup should be aware of the potential dangers involved and take proper safety precautions. Work-related hazards that could be encountered include: electrical hazards, partially collapsed buildings, partially downed trees, carbon monoxide, musculoskeletal hazards, heat stress, motor vehicles, hazardous materials, fire, confined spaces and falls.
The trade group provided some links regarding tornado safety:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Stay Safe During a Tornado
https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/tornadoes/during.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Stay Safe After a Tornado
https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/tornadoes/after.html
The National Weather Service – Tornado Safety
https://www.weather.gov/safety/tornado
The American Red Cross – Tornado Safety Tips
https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/tornado.html
FEMA – Be Prepared for A Tornado
https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/tornado-information-sheet.pdf
FEMA – Taking Shelter From the Storm
https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/taking-shelter-building-a-safe-room.pdf