Residents Displaced By Tornado Seek Help
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- It's now been a week since a tornado tore through parts of northeast Baltimore and Parkville in Baltimore County. In the city, the effort to relocate a dozen people left homeless by the storm continues. Pat Warren reports on those trying to get help.
First, it's the fact that the roof is gone. Then bright orange and pink walls catch your eye. Teeirontay Singletary painted those walls to please her daughter and never expected them to be visible to the world at large. She also didn't expect to be trapped under a wall of concrete.
"From my waist up, I was pinned. My daughter's right arm was broken," Singletary said.
She and a dozen other residents uprooted by the wind are still looking for a sound place to land.
Sawyer Realty--which owns the properties--has donated $10,000 to a fund established to help the displaced.
"The fund was created immediately because we knew many of these families would have needs as they tried to get back to normal," said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.
Arlene Braxton arrived at the emergency center Wednesday full of frustration but found reassurance.
"Those who do not have a unit, we're going to take down information today to make sure we activate what we need to do to get them where they need to go," said an official.
"I'm more overwhelmed, because yesterday they weren't saying that, so I'm overwhelmed," said Braxton.
Singletary's rescuers were honored Monday.
"I'm thankful because I know it could have been so much worse. People lose their lives in situations like this all the time. My life was spared, my daughter's life was spared, my neighbor's life was spared. We were all spared," Singletary said.
The Red Cross, the Mayor's Office of Emergency Management and Classic Catering will provide a Thanksgiving dinner for those who no longer have homes and find themselves at loose ends Thursday.
Donations to the fund for the victims are being administered by Catholic Charities.