12 Tornadoes Hit Dallas/Ft Worth TX (April 3, 2012) & How You Can Help

What a difference a day makes ... the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, it's another beautiful day in North Texas. But what happened yesterday, April 3, 2012, was unbelievable!


The National Weather Service estimated 12 Tornadoes touched down in North Texas and throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Cities greatly affected by these twisters were Arlington, Lancaster, Kennedale & Forney TX and there were over 800 Homes that were damaged by these storms! My heart breaks for the destruction the people of these towns encountered!


Forney TX in Kauffman County, a small but growing community just east of the Lake Ray Hubbard area & about 30 minutes north of Downtown Dallas, had 3, yes 3 Tornadoes touch down. According to the National Weather Service, at least 1 was likely an EF3, with winds going 150 mph!

Those 3 Tornadoes that hit Forney, damaged 70+ Homes & destroyed over 20 Homes, many in the Diamond Creek subdivision in northwest part of Forney, as well as damaged over 90 buildings, including Forney ISD's Crosby Elementary School. Despite all the destruction, the Forney Mayor, Darren Rozell puts things into real prespective when he said, "the fact that everybody that woke up in Forney yesterday morning is still alive today in Forney – that's a real blessing. Zero fatalities."   

Tornado touching down in Forney TX, town just east of Lake Ray Hubbard area

If you'd like to help but are not close to any of the Cities that were affected by the Tornadoes, the easiest, and most effective way is to donate money to the Red Cross of North Texas. This money helps pay for rent or hotel rooms, new clothes, food and items needed for families who have lost everything. You can text REDCROSS to 90999 to Donate $10 to American Red Cross Disaster Relief, or visit www.redcross.org to donate online.

If you're near Forney, you can help families who have lost everything by donating through a number of locations in the neighboring cities of Forney ...  

• Rockwall Helping Hands  (950 Williams Street, Rockwall / 972-771-4357)
• Royse City Lions Club has a drop off location at Ginger Stephens CPA at 305 E. Main Street, or call 214-287-1656. 
• Forney Mustang Creek Community Church (13851 FM Road 548)

In addition to Clothes for all ages & sizes, Food, Bottled Beverages, here's a list of other items needed:

• Walmart Gift Cards
• Sleeping bags
• Flashlights
• Rubbermaid Totes (for homeowners to collect salvageable items)
• Large Tarps
• Work Gloves
• First Aid Items
• Diapers
• Can Openers
• Pet Supplies/Food/Crates/etc

Footage of the Damage just after Tornado hit in Forney TX

Are you or your organization interested in Volunteering??? If so, you'll need to meet in 1 of 2 places to help clean up one of the hardest-hit areas in Forney & Kauffman County. Be sure to bring hats, gloves, sunscreen, and water. There's a short informational session/orientation you have to go thru to receive a badge before going into the clean up areas.

• Mustang Creek Community Church, 13851 FM Road 548, (starts at 8am and every 2 hours after that).  
• Forney Police Command Center at FM 548 and Ridgecrest Road. 

Did you find a lost animal from yesterday's storms? If so, you can go to Lost & Foud Pets from North Texas Tornadoes on Facebook or the Forney Disaster Relief - Pet Reunion Facebook page. *Users are asked to post photos of any lost pets they find, or post a good description along with an email and phone number so families can find their friends.





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