 
Oklahoma Glass Shops Tackle Tornado Aftermath

May 11, 2010
Mary Townsend with City Glass in Oklahoma City, Okla., says the
calls started coming in at 7:30 this morning and she expects they
will be busy all week.
Townsend works in the part of Oklahoma where tornadoes touched
down yesterday, killing five victims and leaving many others injured.
Likewise, many homes and businesses were destroyed or seriously
damaged. According to a CNN.com news report, "officials said
they planned to release more detailed damage estimates [today] --
and decide how to manage cleanup efforts in areas where tornadoes
left behind snapped utility poles, downed trees and severely damaged
homes." As for now, clean-up efforts have already begun for
glass shops in the area, who tell USGNN.com they are busier
than ever.
"We take the calls as they come in and accommodate the customers
as quickly as we can," Townsend says. City Glass has been a
family owned and operated business since 1958, and Townsend says
they work with five wholesalers in the area, which helps ensure
they are ready to take on the surge of calls they typically receive
after a tornado.
"We're running deliveries all day," she adds.
Daniel Diaz, a co-owner of Duncan Glass, also in Oklahoma City,
says his company is also extremely busy, particularly with a lot
of calls from homeowners and businesses in need of replaced insulating
glass units.
"We travel to the site and access the damage and then help
the owners with their insurance needs and get them closed up as
quickly as possible," says Diaz. "We make sure the windows
are secured with either temporary glass or we board them up."
Diaz says the flow of the work has been strong, "but we know
when it's coming and we prepare for the season. We make sure we're
stocked up with plywood and other supplies and we have our workers
on call," he says, adding that while they are extremely busy
now, they never know how long that work will continue.
"With this storm, much of the work was centrally located,"
Diaz adds.
He says while his company does not handle auto glass, it seems much
of the damage has been to vehicles due to hail damage.
"Last night alone I received about 20 calls for automotive
work," says Diaz. "But we only handle residential and
commercial work."
Forecasters are warning that more storms may hit the area again
today.
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