Hail Storm; How to Recover and Rebuild

How do you recover and rebuild after a hail storm? It can be one of the most costly of all catastrophes, especially softball sized hail. Homes and vehicles suffer great damage and can be very scary if you are driving during such a pelting from the sky. Storms are the norm in Oklahoma, and instill fear in people, as they watch the news to learn when one may be near their area. Some weathermen possess calm demeanors as they portray the forecast, while others deliver more foreboding forecasts , causing fear in viewers.. Oklahoma remains storm ridden, especially in tornado season, and some storms arrive without much warning. In this storm, winds reached sixty miles per hour. This story will depict what happens in a hail storm and the recovery and rebuilding process.

The Storm Itself

On May 16, 2010, during a tornado warning, one of these storms,,a softball-sized hailstorm occurred during a thunderstorm, pelting much of Oklahoma City with heavy icy beings, never witnessed by anyone. Ice crystals collide in the clouds, sometimes melting, and then refreezing, creating these dangerous stones.. Residents gathered them and took the dripping strangely shaped icy items to their freezers as proof of the destructive storm. The hail pelted vehicles, creating destruction and frightening passengers, as windows cracked from the heavy hail. A mother, driving her teenager home from a car accident rehab appointment, screamed as the windshield cracked. She yelled at her daughter to get on the floor and cover herself in the event that glass came crashing down on her.A woman was peacefully gardening when neighbors ran outside yelling and warning people to put their cars in their garages and get inside, as a violent hailstorm was coming. Vehicles, buildings and residences suffered major damage.

Rebuild and Recover

Roofers arrived in droves from in and out of state to rebuild, inundating residents with mail, telephone calls and door-to-door campaigns. Residents quickly learned the procedure: get a roofer, contact the insurance company to meet the roofer at the site, select a roof tile color, and learn of other covered damages. Most residents had damaged roofs, gutters, windows, water spots, awnings, and carport damage. Some easily obtained coverage even after a recent roof replacement because of the severe damage from this storm. Those people who have mortgages on their homes, had to go through their mortgage company as s second step in this procedure. A problem surfaced from this storm where dishonest people stole insurance checks from mailboxes In addition, residents had to be cautious to not hire a shady contractor from out of town. Many automobiles needed work, some total replacement. If a resident had to file multiple claims -home, auto, fence, windows, awnings, trees, a single contractor handled the procedure, contacting subcontractors for the various tasks to be accomplished. This made it much easier for residents, already confused and upset over the damage to their property. Many trees and tree limbs were placed by the curb for later pickup by private contractors or the city. Residents also suffered injuries, and this required additional claims to be filesd and knowledge about the filing procedure.

Aftermath of Hail Storm

With the arrival of July, a portion of the rebuilding was completed, and thousands of city homes sported new roofs in all colors. As residents drove along streets, they took note of all the rebuilding and of the splendor of the roofs. The roofs appeared dazzling,some with sparkles or lovely hues of blue or burgundy. People who never looked at roofs, now noticed the neatly built tops of the homes in their city. The rebuilding became the talk of the town. Residents spoke of the pleasant contractors, and few complained about anything, except brief delays in the process. Remaining calm was important, as the rebuilding was going to take time before completion..Videos surfaced showing the catastrophic incidents on the internet, Everyone had a story to tell.

The economy boomed due to the many out of town companies, but people expect their insurance premiums to rise as a negative result of the storms.. The crisis will end but residents will not forget.The freezers in homes may still hold the lingering icy hail as a reminder of the big hailstorm of 2010. As you can see, to rebuild and recover following a hail storm involves expertise, a calm demeanor. and peace of mind when fear begins to dwindle and life halfway returns to normal. Some of the work and fear seem to linger forever in the minds of the victims.