Chattanooga Tornado Deaths

The Chattanooga Fire Department has been working tirelessly in the aftermath of the deadly Easter EF3 tornado. Today, our crews have been doing damage assessments and accounting for all residents throughout its path of destruction.

We expect to be finished with those damage assessments tomorrow morning.

We have called in the DART Team (Disaster Animal Response Team) to help displaced families with animals in need of housing. They have been out affected areas assisting residents and pets.

CFD is working with the state to bring mental health professionals to the disaster areas to help the community. We want to get those teams together to go out into affected areas to connect with residents because of the trauma they’re been through with the tornado and pandemic.

We also want folks to know that the Chattanooga Hamilton County Air Pollution Control Bureau is issuing free burn permits to storm victims so they can burn debris. The permits indicate what can be burned.

Generator safety continues to be an important issue as many families are using them in the wake of the tornado due to loss of power. Using a generator indoors can kill you in minutes. Generator exhaust contains carbon monoxide, a poison you cannot see or smell. They’re only to be used outside.

Our thoughts and prayers remain with everyone impacted by this dangerous weather event. Several first responders, including firefighters and police officers, had their homes or their family members’ homes damaged. Their departments are rallying around them during this time.

The tornado sent 17 people to the hospital with injuries and claimed two lives. Rafael Jenkins, 29, was killed when a tree crashed into his home on Wilcox Boulevard. And Jose Arzate, 46, died when a tree fell onto his trailer in the Auburn Hills Mobile Home Park, located near Woodland Drive and Bill Reed Road. A four-year-old victim of the tornado also passed away. 

We send condolences to their relatives as they cope with loss and we join the entire community in efforts to heal and recover from the devastation. 

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