Councilmember describes Madison tornado aftermath
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Debris and one wall left standing at the Sabbath Day Church of God in Christ in Madison. Photo: Jon Cherry/Getty Images
Shortly after a tornado ripped through the Madison area on Saturday, Councilmember Jennifer Gamble left her basement where she had been sheltering with her family, jumped into her husband's Silverado pickup and drove toward the damage.
- "The fire department was there so I was able to survey what was going on. The first people I talked to, they were just happy to be alive."
She spent the next three days coordinating the city's response and handing out food and supplies.
Why it matters: The disaster response of the city government shines a spotlight on Metro Council members, like Gamble, who are neighborhood-level elected officials representing about 20,000 residents.
- A council member also serves as the communication hub, alerting city agencies like NES and the Department of Transportation to the needs of her constituents.
The big picture: Gamble saw firsthand the tornado's cruel randomness.
- Although the homes on her street were not affected, structures just a few streets over suffered severe damage.
- "I told my husband, 'We're OK, but we need to get out and see what people need.'"
What's next: Gamble's focus has been on coordinating volunteer efforts and assessing the needs of affected families and businesses.
- "I'm so grateful. I started getting calls right away from nonprofit organizations, from council members, businesses wanting to offer help," Gamble says, adding that Cornerstone and other churches helped direct aid. "We started mobilizing immediately so the next morning, they had over 50 volunteers and supplies and were able to get into those hardest-hit neighborhoods offering support."
Zoom out: Gamble, who's in her second term, and other council members passed out food and tote bags with supplies like tarps Tuesday morning.
- Gamble tells Axios the biggest needs right now are for help with debris removal, especially for those who may not have the money to hire contractors.
- The part of town hit hardest by the storm is an accurate reflection of the city as a whole. Gamble says the area is racially and socioeconomically diverse. "You have neighbors who have resources to meet their needs, and you have people who don't and they don't know what to do next."
Gamble encouraged people to track volunteer opportunities through VOAD and Hands On Nashville.