The town of Jacksboro remains in recovery mode one week after an EF-3 tornado damaged homes, businesses and schools.
In a neighborhood near Jacksboro Elementary, cleanup is well underway.
The sounds of chainsaws and construction trucks fill the neighborhood as residents and volunteer organizations work side-by-side to clear debris.
“The outpouring of help has been phenomenal,” said resident Randy Jackson. “We’ve never been through this, you know, but if anything happens anywhere close that we can go, we’re going to go and assist other people and pay it back.”
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Last week’s EF-3 tornado ripped their fence, damaged their roof and destroyed trees, but the Jackson’s home is still standing. The neighbor’s home was destroyed.
“We’re not lucky,” Jackson said. “We were blessed.”
Across the street, David Harmonson spent the day clearing what was left of his home.
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He says he’s still amazed by what happened. His property backs up to the Jacksboro elementary school where students and staff huddled inside as the tornado hit.
Everyone survived and there were no serious injuries.
“God really blessed our community, because people should be dead and they’re not,” Harmonson said. “It gives me goosebumps when I think about it.”
As officials with FEMA and the Small Business Administration surveyed the damage in Jacksboro on Tuesday, neighbors say healing will take time but they’re already moving forward together.
“There’s not a better place for this to happen where people take care of people,” Harmonson said.
The Jack County Fair Barn at 1072 FM 59 in Jacksboro has become a resource site for residents in need of donations and supplies.
Volunteers said the county remains in need of supplies for cleanup efforts including trash bags, rakes, plastic totes and tarps.
