DARBUN — Teresa Lawrence and nine other Ruth Volunteer Firefighters rolled out of Lincoln County in the initial response to two tornadoes moving through Walthall County Saturday. They were first called by Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency Director Chris Reid to help with removing downed trees on MS-583. 

Lawrence, Fire Chief of Ruth, said they then went to Bethlehem Loop in the Darbun community located northeast of Tylertown. Workers from Lincoln County’s District 3 helped the firefighters clean up downed trees. Lawrence said they cut up trees as a dozer came behind them to push the debris off of the road. 

District 3 Supervisor John David Hart used a backhoe to help in the cleanup process as well. Three people were killed by the tornado on Bethlehem Loop. WAPT identified the fatalities as Carter Young, seven-years old, Jeffery Irving, 42-year-old, and a 39-year-old female whose next of kin have not been notified yet. 

“It was devastating, so devastating,” Lawrence said. “We got there around 1 p.m. and stayed until 7 or 8 p.m. We were glad to help. It could have been us.”

Lawrence said Shane Hannah, an assistant to Lincoln County EMA and shift captain for Brookhaven Fire Department, was there. She stated Lincoln County Sheriff Steve Rushing and deputy Andrew Montgomery responded to the Darbun community. 

District 3 workers Terry Fuller, Johnny Hodges and Marshall Hodges were with Hart to help with the cleanup. Lawrence said Cheyana Lawrence, Jerad Bennett, Courtney Bennet, Chad Davis, Kylie Davis, Eli Fuller, Ethan Durr, Kris Carter and Kirk Douglas responded with the Ruth Volunteer Fire Department. 

Additionally, Lawrence said she was thankful to Nicole Davis for providing food and drinks for the group. 

Saturday’s severe storms spawned nine tornadoes in Mississippi. National Weather Service’s preliminary reports state the first tornado to move through Walthall County was an EF3. It touched down in Tangipahoa Parish and moved across Pike, Walthall, Marion, Jefferson Davis and Covington Counties. 

Preliminary reports from the National Weather Service state the second tornado touched down at 1:15 p.m. in Walthall County and tracked into Marion County as an EF2. Two other tornadoes touched down in Jefferson Davis County as EF2s and moved into Covington County. A separate tornado touched down in Covington County as an EF2 near Hot Coffee.