By Kevin Lavery, KWMU
St. Louis – The chairman of a joint state committee on terrorism says Missouri has no plan for responding to a large-scale natural disaster or terrorist attack.
Wildwood Republican Representative Jack Jackson says he'd hoped to learn at Thursday's hearing how the state is using federal grant money to prepare for a major catastrophe.
Instead, Jackson says first responders are not ready for a Katrina-level event.
"And we're making some progress, but not at the rate at which I think we need to do. We're not going to have political cover for this state in the event of a major disaster."
Missouri's homeland security chief says the state's response to the rash of tornadoes earlier this month shows its emergency plans are working.