NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nearly a year after a bomb rocked David Malloy’s street, he stood in the same spot he and his dog were on that day, less than a block away from the explosion.
It was a Metro Police officer walking toward them near Second Avenue North who stopped them from getting any closer.
“I said, ‘They’re saying we’ve got to evacuate. Why do we have to evacuate?’” Malloy recalled. “And right then the bomb went off. It was just like a big yellow, orange fireball that came out of the side of the van that started moving up and across the street, and as it did it was just expanding out and getting bigger and bigger.”
The impact of the explosion would damage both Malloy’s home and business on Second Avenue.
“It’s that reminder of just how fragile things are,” Malloy said.
Not the least of which was the cellphone connections of people across the state.
The bomb disrupted AT&T customers’ phone and internet service for days, including the ability to call 911.
A year later, a representative for the Tennessee Emergency Communications Board told News4 they’ve done work to straighten those connections, signing a new contract with AT&T that calls for 911 call centers to be provided at least two back-up systems in different locations.
“The new contract requires each (public safety access point) be connected to the network via at least two geographically diverse and redundant physical connections, along with a wireless connection,” said Kevin Walters, a spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance.
“I’m thankful and feel so blessed that nothing happened to me, or my family or anyone else,” Malloy said.
In the year since the bombing, Malloy said he has built on human connections.
“I’ve since become friends with Officer (Tyler) Luellen,” Malloy said. “We’ve had some breakfasts together, and he came over and spent Thanksgiving with us and our family and stuff. It was really cool. He’s a good guy.”