On March 16, 2025, a tornado hit Paulding County Georgia (Dallas). The Burgess family says they barely made it out of their home before trees came through the roof. The side of their roof is ripped off and the ceiling over their daughter’s bed has collapsed. Just moments before the roof caved in, their young daughters were sleeping in their bedroom. The mother, Allison Burgess, said, “The panel, 5 feet from where I was, ripped the house right off. So we are very fortunate to survive.” She has no idea how they made it out. The ceiling was now caved in with shattered glass covering the ground. The family says they lost power around 11:40 p.m. on Sunday, and moments later, their house began to shake. The father, Zach Burgess said, “Grabbed them out of the bed, carried them down the stairs, and when we got out of her bedroom door, stuff started collapsing- trees coming in, her room collapsed. Where her bed is, the ceiling fell in on it.” As they were running to find safety, they could feel the hail coming through the damaged roof. Zach explained how the shaking only lasted 30 seconds, but the house felt like it was going to come off of the foundation.
The worst part is, the daughters were supposed to celebrate their birthdays the weekend of the tornado. One was turning 3 and the other turning 5. Their birthday cakes were still at the store. There is now a fundraiser set up to help this family rebuild their home.
Behind the tornado warning, Allison explained how she did not hear any sirens or warnings that there was a tornado nearby. Similar concerns ran over social media, with Paulding County residents constantly asking why no sirens had alerted them before the tornado attacked. Paulding County Emergency Management Agency Director Stephen Dooley explained how the county does not have tornado sirens. Instead, officials rely on mobile phone alerts through the CodeRED system. The 11Alive Meteorologist Melissa Nord said that sirens are not a reliable way to get warnings. She also said, “They were originally designed to alert people outdoors so they could seek shelter. I always say, have multiple ways to get warnings. If one fails, you have a backup method.”