derstorms is a separate warning, altogether. Tornadoes, which are produced by some severe thunder- storms, are also warned separately because of the great safety threat they pose with wind speeds that can exceed 200 mph. If you want to keep track of the possibility of severe weather in your area, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) at the National Weather Service (NWS) is the place to go (http://www.spc.noaa.gov/). Te Convective Outlook shows the pos- sibility of severe storms that are up to three days out, and there is even a more general outlook out to eight days. Closer to the actual event, the SPC can issue either a severe thunderstorm or tornado watch, if conditions warrant. Tis means atmospheric conditions favor the development of such storms. (Tere are specific factors which indicate the possibility of tornadoes beyond those that generate severe thunder- storms.) A watch is typically issued hours before the start of the event. A large area is covered in a “watch box,” usually 25,000 square miles. Only a tiny fraction of that area


would actually be affected by severe weather, but this is the best we can predict. If the SPC points to a particu- larly dangerous situation, that infers a high risk of very intense thunderstorms or tornadoes. For the general pub- lic, a watch means simply to pay attention to the weather and be prepared if a severe weather situation develops. Severe thunderstorm or tornado warnings are issued by


your local NWS Office. Tey are based either on actual reports of the severe weather or indications of such via Doppler radar. Warnings are generally issued for a much smaller area, such as a county or two, or even part of a county. Locations within the warning area can expect to be affected within an hour or less. Tis means take cover Tese events can pose a great challenge to those in charge of student transportation. Often, transportation departments will work closely with school safety person- nel. As is the case for any emergency situation, advance planning is essential. For sections of the country prone to this type of severe weather, it is imperative that the students and school staff have a safe place to go when a warning is given. Chief Ron Brown, director of school safety for the Topeka, Kansas, Public Schools, and Dave Pettit, director of transportation for the Joplin Schools in Missouri, noted that FEMA has set requirements for


Lessons from the Joplin Tornado It was a late Sunday afternoon on May 22, 2011, when the town


of Joplin, Missouri, was hit by a massive EF5 tornado, with winds or more than 200 mph and a damage path through the city nearly a mile wide. With 161 people killed and more than $2 billion in damage, this was one of the deadliest and the costliest single-tornado events in history. Although a veteran with the Joplin Public Schools, Dave Pettit was in only his first year as transportation director. His experiences in the aftermath of such a disaster were not common- place, but provide lessons for all. Initially, communication issues had to be dealt with. Tere were


widespread power outages. Cell phone towers were down. A back-up power supply for the two-way bus radio system was essential. Pettit also noted that our now typical digital electronics based data systems might not be available. He stressed that having paper copy back-ups. He keeps such a list of his drivers with contact info. Te first thing Pettit was called on to do was to provide transpor- tation for those affected by the tornado. For 40 straight hours, school buses transported victims of the storm. In particular, they helped to evacuate a hospital that had been severely damaged. Wheelchair-lift buses were especially helpful for moving the disabled. Te regular school year ended abruptly because damage to build- ings was extensive. Six schools were destroyed, including Joplin High School. Others were badly damaged. By the time the fall semester began, the school transportation system had to deal with far more students who needed to be transported and new routes to different and often temporary facilities. Petit said that even some bus drivers on routes they were familiar with became lost because of the lack of street signs and landmarks there that were wiped away by the storm. During the rebuilding process, it was obvious that more adequate shelters needed to be provided. Pettit said he believes that if the storm had hit during a school day, children would have been killed in the schools. Te old method of having the students huddled in in- terior hallways would not have kept them safe from such a tornado. Substantial shelters had to be constructed in schools and elsewhere. He stressed having a plan before an emergency arises. Tis in- cludes meeting and coordinating with all involved parties. But in the aftermath of such a horrific event, Pettit said, “You can prepare, but you can never be prepared.”


Visit our Web Exclusive section at www.stnonline.com/ go/8m to watch “School Bus Rescue” for the full story of resilence and resolve that resulted from that fateful day.


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