A tornado that hit Joplin, Missouri on May 22, 2011, was one of the deadliest natural disasters in US history. The storm surge killed 161 people, leaving nearly 2000 people injured and displacing 9,200.
In this case study, Omary Perez discusses how PTSD and depression symptoms were common among those who survived the disaster. Perez also highlights the infrastructure damage caused by the tornado including the destruction of St. Johns Medical Hospital, which amounted to $2.8 billion. Perez also outlines the necessity of effective and reliable response operations for first responders arriving on the scene, as well as the importance of effective training and the availability of rescue equipment in disaster response.