Jones County – The amount of damage Jones County sustained from severe weather yesterday evening has left the county reeling.  Almost every Jones County volunteer fire department has responded to at least 70 calls for assistance from last night until lunch time today, according to Lee Garrick, president of the Jones County Volunteer Fire Council and chief at Calhoun VFD.  Those emergency calls began rolling in shortly after 4:00 p.m. as severe weather and a tornado entered Jones County.  Numerous homes were damaged from south of the Hebron community through Soso and onto Shady Grove and into Jasper County in the Moss community.
 
Volunteer firefighters worked their way to each call slowly, using chain saws and heavy equipment to clear the roads on their way to the residences.  Several of the firefighters sustained damage to their own homes.  One firefighter lost his home completely, though he and his family were spared as they hunkered down in the safe room.  When they emerged after the tornado, the home was destroyed and only the safe room remained. 
 
Firefighters rescued several people who were trapped in their homes.  Fire personnel also offered emergency medical assistance at the many calls of persons injured, making their way to all these individuals slowly due to heavy tree and other debris blocking roadways.  In some instances, fire crews cleared roadways so that ambulances could reach their patients, with the ambulances following and inching toward the calls as firefighters and good Samaritans cleared the road in front of them.  Injuries reported ranged from minor to catastrophic.
 
For individuals needing assistance, please call Lee Garrick at 601-498-2858.  Garrick can arrange for general needs such as tarps and generators for loan, as well as crews with chain saws to help clear areas with debris.  Jones County EOC advises Jones County residents to report damage by visiting https://www.crisistrack.com/public/jonesMS/request.html.
 
On behalf of the Jones County Fire Council, we would like to extend immense gratitude to the individuals working with us from Jones County and to everyone coming into Jones County from other areas.  EMS crews from the Jackson area with AMR, Aircare and Pafford Ambulance Service and Perry, Wayne and Forrest County fire service personnel responded, as well as others.  Many individuals traveled from outside of the state to assist Jones Countians.
 
Please be mindful of cleanup crews working.  Motorists should slow down and be on alert when traveling through these devastated areas of Jones County.
 
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