Gathering in Jackson recalls day of tornado

About a year to the hour after a tornado ripped the roof off of the police and fire station, pulverized a bakery and destroyed just about everything in its two-mile path, city, county and weather officials Thursday night were able to laugh at a public commemoration ceremony.

Police Capt. Bob Bonney, one of the many guest speakers, told his personal story of making the drive uptown after the tornado passed through.

When he drove by the destroyed doughnut shop, "I thought, man, there's going to be a lot of sad cops," Bonney joked.

There were several serious moments as well. A couple of the speakers had some emotional moments as officials recalled the teamwork that was involved in issuing warnings, providing emergency response, restoring the city's power and streets, and cleaning up.

They recalled the nonstop work, the volunteers who arrived and the many nice people they met throughout the disaster recovery.

National Weather Service science and operations officer Pat Spoden and KFVS-TV weather forecaster Bob Reeves spoke at length about the network of weather spotters, weather organizations, emergency managers and media outlets that worked together last May 6 to warn people that a tornado was on the way.

Because of that teamwork, they said, not one person was seriously injured or killed.

"I don't think there is any question that KFVS saved lives that night," Cape Girardeau County emergency management director David Hitt said.

City administrator Jim Roach agreed.

"Obviously the hand of God was in it," Roach said. "But without those warnings, I'm convinced people would have been killed."

Although there has been some discussion about warning sirens for Jackson, Roach said nothing serious has come of it.

The only warning sirens in the area are in Cape Girardeau. They are owned and operated by Southeast Missouri State University.

Hitt said he has talked to siren vendors, and the sirens are geared toward people outdoors. They may not be heard indoors where air conditioners or televisions are running.

"The biggest hurdle is common sense," Hitt said.

One portion of the program was dedicated to tornado safety.

Jim Packett, the lead forecaster at the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky., advised everyone to buy a weather radio. He also said anyone who lives in a mobile home or who is out driving a car during a tornado warning should get out immediately and find secure shelter or a low-lying area.

Packett showed dramatic tornado footage where a tornado picked up as many as six vehicles at once and tossed them over 100 feet.

bmiller@semissourian.com

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