In the aftermath of the catastrophic EF3 tornado that struck St. Louis on May 16, 2025, causing five fatalities, 38 injuries, and an estimated $1.6 billion in property damage, the Missouri National Guard has been activated to aid in recovery operations. Simultaneously, the city’s failure to activate tornado warning sirens has led to public outrage and administrative repercussions.
Missouri National Guard Mobilization
Governor Mike Kehoe announced the deployment of up to 41 engineering personnel from the Missouri National Guard to assist in debris removal and sorting operations in St. Louis. These efforts are scheduled to commence on Wednesday, May 28, and will continue through June 11. The Guard will manage four city-owned debris collection sites, operating daily from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., in coordination with St. Louis Parks, Recreation and Forestry, and other city departments.
“Through this deployment, the State of Missouri is further assisting the City of St. Louis in recovery efforts following the devastating May 16 storms,” Governor Kehoe stated.
Siren Failure and Administrative Response
The tornado sirens, designed to alert residents of imminent danger, failed to activate during the storm. Investigations revealed that Emergency Management Commissioner Sarah Russell was attending an off-site workshop at the time and issued ambiguous instructions to the St. Louis Fire Department, which did not act due to unclear directives and a non-functioning emergency button at their office.
In response, Mayor Cara Spencer placed Commissioner Russell on administrative leave and signed an executive order to overhaul the siren activation protocol. Under the new protocol, the Fire Department will be solely responsible for activating the sirens from an office that is staffed at all times.
“The failure to activate the siren during a tornado has rightfully angered St. Louisans, including myself,” Mayor Spencer said. “While my first priority on this issue was to make sure this can never happen again, our community deserves full transparency and accountability.”
Underfunding Concerns
Weeks before the tornado, Commissioner Russell had warned city leaders that the emergency management department was underfunded and needed assistance. The department had been receiving only 0.2% of the city’s yearly resources, significantly less than comparable cities.
Community Impact and Recovery Efforts
The tornado, which touched down at 2:41 p.m. CDT in Richmond Heights, moved over 20 miles through urban areas of Greater St. Louis, including Greater Ville and Fountain Park. It damaged approximately 5,000 structures, making it one of the most destructive tornadoes in the city’s history.
FEMA has dispatched two teams to St. Louis, focusing on the most affected neighborhoods. However, as of May 23, federal funding has yet to be allocated for the tornado recovery.
Residents are encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts via NotifySTL and to stay informed through local news outlets and weather services.