Tornado

Sarah Russell had worked for the City Emergency Management Agency since 2010, and became a deputy commissioner in 2012. They were named CEMA commissioner in 2021.

The external report places most of the blame on City Emergency Management Agency Commissioner Sarah Russell, who was put on leave May 20.

Staff members opened up resource hubs and went door knocking to check in with families located in the path of the storm. Nearly 900 students were impacted.

Families displaced by the May 16 tornado who still want their children to attend their original schools are entitled to district-provided transportation and free meals for their students

The city has asked FEMA to allow the Army Corps of Engineers to do private debris removal in the wake of the tornado.

Ameren Missouri had paused electricity disconnections in the wake of the tornado, but advocates say they have now resumed. The organizations are calling on Ameren to pause disconnections again and forgive utility debt.

Mayor Cara Spencer had requested a 60-day extension of the deadline, which was originally Aug. 11.

The St. Louis-area was experiencing a shortage of nearly 20,000 seats prior to the tornado, according to the Gateway Early Childhood Alliance. That number has grown since the May 16 tornado.

North St. Louis already had fewer trees — then the tornado deforested the region. A nonprofit is working to replant and to heal trust in trees moving forward.

The funds can be used for home repairs and other needs. So far, nearly 7,000 applications have been approved.