East Brainerd Businesses dealing with both Covid-19 and tornado

There is undoubtedly, significant damage done to the East Brainerd area after Sunday’s tornado hit. Homes, businesses, and schools torn apart by the dangerous winds. Roofs torn off, exterior as well as interior damage done causing businesses that are already financially struggling due to the COVID-19 crisis, to struggle even more. I talked with managers and business owners on how they plan on rebuilding.

I went by The Jungle Town, a daycare center on Shallowford Road where I spoke to the owner who says they were open last week but now, due to the extensive damage done to his building by the storm, he won’t be able to open until all the damage is fixed and inspected which could take weeks. This forces him to shut down his essential business during the COVID-19 crisis and he is not alone.

The Lowes Store on Gunbarrel road also saw damage done to its roof, mainly in its garden center. I spoke with the general manager there on its plans to rebuild.

“We had severe damage in the Garden Center, our roof was damaged. We had a significant number of plants that were damaged by the storms. Next step we’re actually trying to get open a hundred percent right now our exterior garden is closed, but we should see that open in less than two weeks.”

They said Lowes is seeing tremendous traffic in the past few days to the storm damage.

East Brainerd Elementary School was also severely impacted. A spot that was used last week for rolling out school lunches is now being moved to alternative locations.

I spoke with the Hamilton County Schools today and they said its students and faculty at the Elementary School is devastated at the damage done to their fairly new school.

The Hamilton County Superintendant posted a video on youtube updating the community on the tornado damage.

“East Brainerd Elementary School was adversely impacted significantly by the tornado that took place and our team already has a team that has come out and were working through what needs to take place in order to ensure that the facility is open and is ready to go as possible.”

“Students and teachers are devastated by the damage done to their school. Right now, East Brainerd Elementary is in the process of cleanup. School officials are waiting on experts to assess the damge done so they can start to rebuild.”

Reporting in Chattanooga, Bekah Birdsall, News 12 Now.