# 5567
Storm reports over the past 24 hrs includes 48 possible tornadoes across the Midwest.
After a very long night in Joplin Missouri, city officials held a press conference at 5:30 (CST) this morning where they confirmed that at least 89 people died in yesterday’s tornado, and that there are likely still people trapped in debris and unaccounted for.
Search and rescue operations are ongoing, and a door-to-door grid search of the city is planned at first light.
Two fire stations were completely destroyed in the tornado, and St. Johns Hospital was severely damaged, resulting in a total evacuation of all patients to other facilities.
The city with a population of roughly 50,000 lies in the southwestern corner of the state, and reportedly had about 20 minutes warning before the twister struck.
The death toll is expected to rise, and thousands have likely sustained injuries from the storm, ranging from minor cuts and bruises to serious trauma. Power is out across much of the city, and one official estimated that 30% of the structures in the town had either been severely damaged or destroyed.
Some of the best coverage I’ve found comes from the hometown newspaper, The Joplin Globe.
You’ll a long narrative, and many pictures at:
Storm descends on Joplin
The risk of severe weather has moderated a bit for today, but cannot be excluded as a possibility. The following two forecast maps come from the Storm Prediction Center in Norman Oklahoma.
MONDAY Outlook
TUESDAY Outlook
Like Tuscaloosa, Alabama last month – Joplin, Missouri now will face a long, and difficult recovery period.
Those who live in and around the affected areas may find their homes damaged or uninhabitable, utilities unavailable for days or weeks, and their jobs and lives disrupted.
Those residents who were already prepared for a disaster - with a family or business emergency plan, bug-out bags, first aid kits, and a small stockpile of food and water in their homes – will find themselves better able to deal with the demands of the next few days.
This week, our focus will be on hurricane preparedness. But as yesterday’s tornado illustrates, disasters can strike anywhere, and with little or no warning.
Loved ones are apt to become separated (they may be sent to different hospitals or shelters) in the chaos and confusion following disasters like these. Some may be injured and unable to provide information about their families.
So it is important to set up a plan, including meeting places and out-of-state contacts, and individual wallet information cards - before you need it.
To that end READY.GOV has some advice, and tools, to help you do just that.
Family Emergency Plan
- Identify an out-of town contact. It may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call across town, so an out-of-town contact may be in a better position to communicate among separated family members.
- Be sure every member of your family knows the phone number and has a cell phone, coins, or a prepaid phone card to call the emergency contact. If you have a cell phone, program that person(s) as "ICE" (In Case of Emergency) in your phone. If you are in an accident, emergency personnel will often check your ICE listings in order to get a hold of someone you know. Make sure to tell your family and friends that you’ve listed them as emergency contacts.
- Teach family members how to use text messaging (also knows as SMS or Short Message Service). Text messages can often get around network disruptions when a phone call might not be able to get through.
- Subscribe to alert services. Many communities now have systems that will send instant text alerts or e-mails to let you know about bad weather, road closings, local emergencies, etc. Sign up by visiting your local Office of Emergency Management web site.
You’ll find some handy toolkits, and an online planning tool, available as well.
NEW Online Family
Emergency Planning Tools
