A deadly EF-3 tornado tore through St. Louis on May 17, killing five and injuring dozens. The city’s emergency alert sirens failed to activate, leaving residents without warning. Emergency Management Commissioner Sarah Russell, who was off-site during the storm, gave “ambiguous” instructions to the fire department, which did not activate the sirens. Compounding the issue, the fire department’s activation button was nonfunctional.
Mayor Cara Spencer placed Russell on administrative leave pending an external investigation. She stated, “The directive to activate the sirens was ambiguous, which cannot happen when a tornado is sweeping through our City and St. Louisans’ safety depends on being alerted immediately.” Captain John Walk has been appointed interim commissioner.
The tornado, with winds up to 152 mph, damaged over 4,400 buildings and caused at least $1 billion in property damage. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) has called for federal assistance, and both President Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have pledged support.
Mayor Spencer acknowledged the failure as “human error” and has revised protocols to ensure the fire department, staffed 24/7, is responsible for future siren activations.
The city’s emergency management system, last updated in 1999, was undergoing a $3.9 million replacement. The failure to activate the sirens has raised serious concerns about the city’s preparedness and response to natural disasters. As Mayor Spencer said during a subsequent press conference, “I have been shocked and remain shocked, and frankly a bit horrified, by the issues in the system.”
