Abstract

GIS and Emergency Response Activities in Joplin and Sedalia
Track: Disaster and Emergency Management
Authors: Alexis Gieseker

A deadly EF-5 tornado hit the city of Joplin, Missouri in the late afternoon of May 22, 2011. Its aftermath left 161 people dead, nearly 1,000 injured, and a heavily developed area of the city 3/4 mile wide and 6 miles long completely destroyed.
This presentation will discuss how GIS was used in the disaster response to aid rescue, recovery, and cleanup in an area that had been effectively wiped off the map, and include lessons learned from the tragic event. It will also discuss the role of GIS aftermath of the tornado that caused extensive damage to Sedalia, Missouri 3 days later.