Emergency communication system
161 people were killed and at least 990 injured when an EF5 multiple-vortex tornado hit Joplin, Missouri. Because Joplin is located in a tornado-heavy area of the country, many people considered the tornado sirens routine and ignored them. Instead, many residents waited until they received confirmation from another, non-routine, source, such as seeing the tornado, a radio or TV report, or hearing a second siren. In the aftermath, an assessment team recommended that emergency warnings take risk perception into account to convey a sense of urgency. NOAA Officials are considering ways to change the warning system to distinguish smaller tornadoes from more deadly ones.
Hogan's Fountain Pavilion
On April 3, 1974 Louisville experienced unprecedented tornadic activity the likes of which have not been seen since, dubbed "The Super Outbreak". According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in an article titled, The Super Outbreak: Outbreak of the Century, the authors reported "massive devastation, 335 dead . . . more than 6000 injured" in the storms. On a local level Tom Wills, Chief Meteorologist for WAVE 3, remembers the tornado, "… we heard reports that Cherokee Park was really devastated. So we sent out this reporter to go and check it out. We hear him back on the two-way radio …" "It's Gone!!" When asked what's gone? The reporter replied "The PARK! IT'S GONE!!!"