Ameri Care Services and Other PCOs Aid Tennessee Tornado Victims

Murfreesboro and other mid-Tennessee communities were hit by an EF-3 Tornado. Ameri Care and other PCOs are removing debris and doing their part to help others hardest hit by the storm. Photo courtesy of Wanda Woodard. Click here to view more post-tornado photos.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - On Friday, April 10, 2009, the Middle Tennessee town of Murfreesboro was hit by an EF-3 Tornado that damaged or completely destroyed more than 519 homes and businesses and left two dead. Ameri Care Services, Inc., a Middle Tennessee pest control, termite control and moisture management services company, volunteered to help remove debris and to offer comfort to those hit hardest.

“We watched the storm on radar move across the northern part of the city and were able to speak to our technicians using two way radios, guiding them to safety. We have GPS in every truck showing us the exact location of our field technicians. The GPS system we installed really came in handy and it helped keep everyone safe,” said Ameri Care owner Tom Swett. “As we watched the tornado from our shop, all I could think was, ‘this is going to be bad.’

“After the storm dissipated, I urged all employees to go home, check on their families and homes. Luckily none of our employees were injured. However, many of our customer’s homes were completely destroyed or severely damaged. Two of employees had homes located in the hardest hit areas, and many of their neighbors have lost their homes completely.”

The tornado, classified as an EF-3 with sustained winds of 135–165 mph, tore a path across the northern part of the city that was approximately fifteen miles long and half a mile wide. Murfreesboro’s emergency response teams were on the roads doing search and recovery and clearing debris almost immediately.

“Some of our employees, including my son Jared who drove down from Kentucky, worked tirelessly over the weekend helping with debris and assisting the American Red Cross. We all pulled together,” said Swett.

A fellow Pest Control Operator, Dan Cassidy of The Bug Man, was directly in the path of the storm.

“We ran out of our building to seek safety in the convenient mart across the street,” said Cassidy, “There were about 30 people in the store with us, and most of them were kind of shocked. Another gentleman and I had to encourage them to move to the back of the store. The winds blew out the store’s windows and door, overturned equipment and lifted an ice machine right out of the air and slammed it into two vehicles in the parking lot. It happened fast – all in all about thirty seconds, but the damage was massive. My building and one of my vehicles received some damage, and we were without power most of the weekend. Power is now restored and we’re working to get the phones back on.”

Tennessee Pest Control Association members called Ameri Care to offer service and support.

“As soon as the storm passed, I was hearing from operators all over the state lending their support and offering to help in any way. That’s team work,” said Swett.

Jim Africano of Tri-Star Pest Management, based in Smryna, Tenn., has offered to help with wildlife removal free of charge to any of the victims of the storm. “After a storm like this, animals get displaced and tend to take up residence in damaged areas where there is often a good food supply. It’s just something we can do to help,” said Africano.

“We all worked and are working to clean up our communities and get our lives back to normal,” added Swett.

For more information about Ameri Care, visit www.AmeriCareServices.com.