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.
Tornado outbreak of June 18, 2001
The Siren tornado was the outbreak's only fatal storm, killing three people and injuring another 16. Damages from the tornado were estimated at approximately $10 million USD. The tornado caused the most damage in the village of Siren, where most structures were completely destroyed. 240 buildings were damaged or destroyed by the tornado, and over 100 firefighters helped rescue people trapped in buildings and clean up. Residents reported cows and other livestock flying through the air during the tornado. Despite a tornado warning being issued, Siren's only civil defense siren failed as a result of a lightning strike in April or May. Police took to the streets, sounding their horns and shouting warnings to local residents. The siren system had been scheduled to be repaired the following week.