Below is a timeline comparing some of the public actions and communications that the University of Alabama and the city of Tuscaloosa engaged in during the week after the April 27 tornado. The letters denote corresponding or related actions taken by the University and the city.
Times come from city press conferences, the official city of Tuscaloosa Twitter account, the University of Alabama tornado relief page and the official University of Alabama Twitter account.
UA issues statement saying the campus has a tornado warning until 4:45 p.m. Classes are suspended until tornado warning ends.
UA suspends classes and normal activities for the rest of Wednesday night. Students are advised that if they need to leave campus, they should be aware of conditions along their travel route.
An EF-4 tornado touches down in Tuscaloosa, killing dozens, leaving hundreds injured and destroying thousands of buildings
UA issues statement saying that the Student Recreation Center is available for students whose houses were damaged or destroyed. CrimsonRide buses are sent out to pick up these students.
UA encourages parents and students with questions to contact UA’s emergency call center
UA establishes a Frequently Asked Questions page to answer common questions about UA’s status.
Classes and normal operations suspended for Thursday.
UA retweets a @tuscalooacity tweet saying that water use should be restricted. The information is posted on UA’s tornado relief page 12:41 p.m. and sent out in a campuswide email around 4:45 p.m.
UA suspends classes and normal operations for Friday, April 29. Information is dispersed about Student Recreation Center housing, dining options on campus, and volunteering at St. Mathias Church. A number is given out for UA’s emergency call center.
UA issues e-mail cancelling finals and postponing graduation.
UA Emergency sends out update e-mail with info on road closures, shuttle service for students with damaged homes, water restrictions, football tickets, extended deadline to confirm academic schedule and the emergency call center.
UA President Robert Witt issues a statement mourning the loss of members of the UA family.
The UA Acts of Kindness Fund is first mentioned in a statement by Robert Witt.
UA directs people toward its tornado relief web page, where information is presented on donating to UA Acts of Kindness, the Red Cross and the United Way of West Alabama.
UA posts update about boil water restriction issued by city on Thursday night.
UA Housing and Residential Communities issues e-mail encouraging students to return home if possible, saying they can either check out immediately or come back and check out. Residence halls are still planned to close as scheduled on May 7.
UA announces it will be resuming normal business operations on Monday.
UA mentions the city’s website for missing persons, www.ci.tuscaloosa.al.us, in a tweet. The website is mentioned in a campuswide email on Sunday, May 1 at 2:40 p.m. The website seekandfind.ua.edu, a separate missing persons website operated by the city but hosted at a University of Alabama URL, is never mentioned in a campuswide email. The word “missing” is not used in any other campuswide emails.
UA issues statement saying they are working at maximum capacity, providing housing for first responders and collaborating with the city on a variety of relief initiatives. The UA Greek Relief Fund is highlighted as an example of impressive student volunteer work.
UA releases names of deceased students for the first time.
UA sends out comprehensive email about donating, volunteering, Bama Dining/SUPe store hours and counseling availability.
City Hall closes due to severe weather.
@tuscaloosacity tweets that city officials were monitoring incoming weather and that TDOT crews were on standby in case of damage.
An EF-4 tornado touches down in Tuscaloosa, killing dozens, leaving hundreds injured and destroying thousands of buildings.
Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox issues a proclamation of disaster for Tuscaloosa and the surrounding area. The Belk Activity center becomes a shelter for displaced and injured Tuscaloosa residents.
Mayor Walt Maddox holds a press conference, briefing the media about the disaster and the city’s immediate response.
The city encourages residents to register themselves as “safe and well” at safeandwell.communityos.org.
City encourages residents to restrict water usage due to the draining of two water storage tanks on the east side of the city. Mayor also imposes a boil water restriction for areas south of the Black Warrior River and east of McFarland Boulevard.
Mayor Maddox surveys the tornado’s damage from a helicopter.
City imposes a curfew in affected areas beginning at 10 p.m. Thursday until 6 a.m. Friday, curfew begins at 8 p.m. every subsequent day. City also erroneously reports 42 deaths.
City imposes a boil water restriction for areas south of the Black Warrior River and east of McFarland Boulevard.
Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama sets up a disaster relief fund for the city.
President Barack Obama pledges FEMA support for the city. FEMA officials arrive in the coming days.
Teachers and employees of Tuscaloosa City Schools told to report to work Monday. Students do not return to classes until Tuesday.
City revises total number of fatalities back to 39.
City reports that two damaged water tanks are at full capacity, but water restriction and boil alert remain in effect until further testing proves the water is safe.
A “seek and find” page is posted on the Tuscaloosa city website, allowing residents to report missing loved ones in a more organized fashion. Too many calls had been placed to the police department and not enough names had been cleared by residents calling back when their loved ones were found.
City also asks residents to call 248-2616 to report missing loved ones.
City appoints LaDona Roberts to manage all volunteer efforts in the city, the culmination of a long-term effort to coordinate all volunteer efforts through one organization.
City releases names of the victims of the tornado for the first time. The city will continue to release an updated list of dead and missing every day.
City launches givetuscaloosa.com, which lists all drop-off points for donations in the city. City also announces the arrival of a 100-man search-and-rescue team from Louisiana.
Tuscaloosa County Schools students told to report back to class Tuesday except for Holt Elementary.
City lifts boil water advisory.
