Overview

• An EF3 tornado struck St. Louis on May 16, killing five people and causing extensive damage to the city, with over 5,000 properties affected.
• Warning sirens were not activated due to human error and procedural failures as City Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) staff, including Director Sarah Russell, were offsite at a workshop during the storm.
• Mayor Cara Spencer has placed Sarah Russell on paid administrative leave and appointed Fire Captain John Walk as interim CEMA commissioner while a permanent replacement is sought.
• The city has revised its protocol, transferring responsibility for tornado siren activation to the fire department to prevent future lapses.
• An internal investigation is ongoing to determine the full scope of failures, while Mayor Spencer has also criticized the slow federal response to the disaster.