How Cole emergency management has changed since the 2019 Jefferson City tornado

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

May 22 is the fifth anniversary of the frightful day for residents of Cole County.

Jefferson City itself was reshaped throughout the overnight hours as an EF-3 tornado ripped through the Mid-Missouri community.

Cole County Emergency Management Director Nicholas Tietsort said local officials have learned from that night.

"Some of the changes that we have made here in Jeff City and in Cole County is we've added new storm siren locations to make sure that our outdoor warning sirens are more complete and can reach more people," Tietsort said. "We've also had the ability to purchase Rapid Warn, and the Rapid Warning system overlays the National Weather Service's polygon and gives us the ability to get those alerts out within the zones that have been set up and make sure that particular sirens have been triggered."

Tiestort said emergency plans have also been updated.

"The night of the tornado, we were able to use our emergency operations plans and those have been updated since," he said. "We are on a two-year cycle with the state to make sure that our plans are regularly updated and that we're following the procedures and practices that are common within emergency management." 

Tietsort said emergency officials have since formed a long-term recovery group as a result of the May 22, 2019, tornado to keep local and state-level groups in touch to continue to practice and sharpen their skills if a future disaster like this were to strike again. 

"The message that I would have for our community is to be aware," Tietsort said. "Always pay attention to what's going on around you when you're taking a trip or when you're in the grocery store. Make sure that you have those plans available to you and you thought those out and communicated that to your family as well."