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An EF-5 Tornado struck Joplin, Missouri, on May 22, 2011, with damage estimated at up to $3 billion. Yet Joplin has seen a rapid recovery despite the extensive damage. The Joplin tornado provides an opportunity to determine if findings from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina apply to other major natural disasters. This study uses interviews with government officials, church leaders, charities, business owners, and homeowners, as well as conventional data, to examine the response and recovery efforts in Joplin. The authors argue that Joplin’s rapid recovery is a result of Federal, state and local officials letting the voluntary and private sectors lead the response and recovery.

Response and Recovery after the Joplin Tornado: Lessons Applied and Lessons Learned