UPS Driver Survives Deadly Tuscaloosa Tornado Video

Above is footage shot minutes after the major deadly tornado ripped through Tuscaloosa, Alabama on Wednesday afternoon. A driver for UPS named Jimmy Jones, shared his moments as the tornado forced him to abandon his truck and run for safety under the interstate bridge. His truck along with dozens of other vehicles where destroyed by the violent tornadic winds around him.

 Update: 4/30/11 "NWS is confirming the large tornado lasted 80+ miles through Tuscaloosa, Birmingham and Pleasant Grove, AL and is preliminarily classified as, at a minimum. an EF-4. This can change as the survey continues."

Be sure to also visit extremestorms.com for more information and visuals.

Comments

[Sarah]

So glad that this UPS Service Provider is safe! Prayers for all of those affected by the storms.

[Stan]

Do you know any news about the homeless man he mentioned? Sad story.

[Scott Chalker]

Mr. Jones
I am a UPS driver in Enterprise, AL. I am very glad you made it home safely to your family. God bless and we will continue to pray for your community.

Scott

[tre']

wow!!! prayers go out to all affected.

[Philipp]

My respect for the driver, the things these drivers encounter in the line of duty is sometimes extreme.

[Allan Cortez]

Material Items can be replaced, A life cannot. Glad you made it, God Bless

[Jan Reeves]

Mr. Jones,
I am a UPS employee out of Omaha Nebraska and I am so glad you are safe. God Bless You.

Jan Reeves

[Mark]

Prayers for all involved in this horrible tradgedy.

Mark, Flower Mound, TX

[FARLOW]

Mr jones i am a ups service provider iin lynchburg virginia as well as a member of the safty committe i am so glad you made it through this storm alive i can only amagine the horror you experienced and the way you handled yourself in the interview only moments after the whole ordeal is a testiment of how professonal you are its tough to be out on the road all day as it is but your courage in this difficult situation is above ordanary thanks for being a great ambassidor for our company

[Kerry]

Jimmy, you make me proud to say I am a UPSer. I was very impressed with how you handled the interview after going through such a horrible ordeal. My families thoughts and prayers are with you, your family and all those affected by this terrible storm.

[Shawn]

Mr. Jones,
Unbelievable level headedness in the face of a tornado! It took courage to continue to roll towards a tornado to find the safest place for yourself and live to tell the story. As a fellow UPSer I viewed this video with pride that you could even stand there and speak coherently after what had just happened. Best regards to you and your family and I pray that there are many others that can share similar stories.

[Arnold]

Mr. Jones, I am also a UPS driver, 36 years of service out of Opelika, AL. In the late 1970's I experienced a hail storm in a parking lot and watched in fear as baseball size hail smashed front and rear windows out of cars. Sitting in my package car with my clipboard, (at that time), over my head was deafening. That does not hold a candle to what you experienced. It is amazing you were not in shock immediately afterwards. This is a terrible tragedy and I am thankful you lived to see another day. As our UPS slogan says: The most important stop you make is the last one, the one at home". --Arnold G.

[Darline]

Jimmy, I am a retired UPSER and in 10 years driving and 24 management, I have certainly seen some horrific situations. This is probably one of the worst we could expect to experience. My heart and prayers go out to you, your family, neighbors and co-workers as you begin to recover. So happy you made it through this. God Bless You.

[Steve]

Jimmy I am so glad to see you able to give this interview. I am a UPSer in Tennessee and we are praying for you.

[Jon]

Jimmy, it is so great to see you made it through safely! God was dinintely with you. I am an Alabama boy living in Florida and also a fellow UPS'er. My prayers are with you and everyone else involved in this. You make me proud to be a UPS employee!

[BGlenn]

We Ex UPSers in California don't have to deal with Tornados! God Bless your little heart for loooking for and finding your diad! I hpe thaey buy you dinner ( at least) for this little adventure!!

[Samaria]

Such a heartbreaking video. I'm glad it was posted in it's raw form without music and talking heads on TV. Thoughts are with Jimmy, his family and everyone going through the event. - Sam AZ

[Linda]

Jimmy my husband is a retired Minneapolis Mn feeder driver and we are glad you came out of this unscathed. He never ran into such a situation like that just some scary times on very icy roads.

[Einstein]

I am very thankful you survived. As a UPS driver myself. I have often wondered what I would do if faced with a situation like that. Since UPS will not let us have radios in our truck, we rely only on the words and actions of others and our eyes and ears. Here in Tennessee we have a bet going that they will charge you with an accident because we are supposed to be in control of our vehicles at all times. even when we're not in them...... LOL. Glad you are safe.

[Gregg]

Hey Jim, glade you are ok. All of us here that know you are very glade

[Old School]

Knowing UPS and their discipline policies I wonder if you will be getting a warning letter for not having your package under control?

[Rosa]

As a UPSer I am proud of you. I would have to think that you are also a person of God to be with us today. May God Bless you, your family and all those in your area. God is Good all the time.

[Erik]

I'm also a UPSer "driver" (I fly Big Brown airplanes for a living) and I'm very glad you are ok. It's so sad so many had to perish, may God bless them all. Stay safe...

PS. I thought it was sort of funny you were looking for your DIAD tracking device right after the tornado had passed through. True professional even under distress! :)

[Paul]

Jimmy, job well done!

[Danny Atkins]

I have merchandise delivered to me quite often via UPS and Jimmy is the driver most of the time, I want to say that Jimmy is one of the nicest persons one could ever meet, always a smile and always friendly.
I am so glad to know that he made it thru that terrible storm, thanks Jimmy for being a friend and may God continue to bless you and yours.
Danny
3653 Tabernacle Rd
Ethelsville, Al 35461

[Troy]

Hello Jim, I'm a retired UPS Feeder driver out of Addison, Il. It is a blessing and good training that you knew what to do in that particular emergency. It is great news to see that you survived that ordeal and I pray the homeless person did so as well. I will keep you, your family and all of the affected in my prayers. GOD BLESS YOU

[Robin]

We at the Reform Post Office are so glad that you survived this horrible disaster. I hope to see you out and about in Pickens County soon. USPS Rural Carrier, Robin

[UPS DRIVER]

Sure the company will still charge him with an accicident !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anita Elliott Green]

Like Agatha Christie, "I like living, I have sometimes been wildly, desparingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow but, through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing." God is good Jimmy:) God Bless.

[Glenn]

INCREDIBLE!! Jimmy, you represented us drivers very well. So glad you survived. God Bless!! From TN

[Haley]

Im so glad you stayed safe, God was by your side, like always :)

[Buster]

I am glad that you were able to find a safe place to ride the storm out. Do you think that UPS might have waited too long before asking you to return back to the center building? Knowing UPS and their discipline policies you will probably get charged with an avoidable accident and leaving the vehicle in an unsafe environment.

[Tony]

Im a feeder driver in Cincinnati Oh. I think I can speak on behalf of the rest of our district in saying,we are glad to see you survived. You and the rest of the people in the south are in our thoughts and or prayers !

[Jennifer W. Kelly]

Such heartwarming comments above for you Jimmy. I don’t work for UPS like many of the others, but I do wish all the best to you and your family.

[Fellow UPS driver]

I am so glad the driver got out, but having been with UPS for 32 years I have to wonder if they consider this an avoidable accident. In Indiana I'm sure he would have gotten fired for it regardless of his impecable driving record.