Human Response to and Consequences of the May 22, 2011, Joplin Tornado

Tornadoes wreak havoc and destruction across the United States every year.  One such tornado occurred in Joplin, Missouri on May 22, 2011.  The Joplin tornado killed 161 people, damaged nearly 8,000 structures and caused billions of dollars in damage.  This presentation will initially revisit the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Technical Investigation of the environmental conditions, performance of buildings, emergency communications and human response to the 2011 Joplin, Missouri tornado.  As a result of the NIST investigation and the large amount of data collected: 1) NIST published sixteen specific recommendations to improve public health and safety and 2) various other research projects have commenced to better understand what occurred in Joplin, MO.  A portion of these recommendations, progress on their implementation and research projects that have spawned from the NIST study will be highlighted. Finally, a snapshot of the recovery in Joplin, MO will conclude the presentation.