LEON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) — It is all about clean up and recovery in the Baum Community in Leon County.
Some of the families there had their homes destroyed and are staying at nearby motels.
The front of the Patell home on Steeds Run looks fine, but not the back. Mike Patell and his family were eating dinner in front of their large plate glass window when the tornado hit. He says he is lucky to be alive, that the window didn't shatter.
"It's a disaster, It's a disaster. We lost everything," said Patell. "Not the house but a lot of trees around the enclosure. It will be a lot of work. Three or four months."
There are 40 trees down in his yard. The back patio is a mess. Collapsed metal siding, outdoor patio speakers, along with debris litter in the pool. Patell says he has insurance and will be hiring contractors. In the meantime, he and his family are at a hotel.
A couple of miles away, Janice Brooks, who lives on Driftwood Circle watches as her mobile home is being taken away. It's now uninhabitable. She says she and her neighbors have been well cared for by both the Salvation Army and the Red Cross who are making sure her family has a place to sleep.
"They going to give us room and board and they are giving us food so they are going to help us out that way," Brooks said.
Brooks says the response from the disaster recovery organizations was swift, making what may prove to be a long recovery process bearable.
"Thank god for the Salvation Army," Brooks said. "They are helping us real good."
