Response and Recovery after the Joplin Tornado : Lessons Applied and Lessons Learned

An EF-5 Tornado struck Joplin, MO on May 22, 2011, leaving a twenty mile long path of destruction in its wake. An estimated 7,500 homes and over 500 businesses were damaged or destroyed, with damage estimated at up to $3 billion. Joplin has seen a rapid recovery despite the extensive damage. The Joplin tornado provides a valuable opportunity to determine if findings from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina apply to other major natural disasters. This study uses interviews with various government officials, church leaders, charities, business owners, and homeowners, as well as conventional data, to examine the response and recovery efforts in Joplin. We argue that Joplin's rapid recovery is a result of Federal, state and local officials letting the voluntary sector, including businesses, national charities, churches, and local community groups, lead the response and recovery