The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has issued the final report for its technical investigation of the May 22, 2011, tornado that struck Joplin, Mo.—the deadliest tornado in the United States in the 64 years that official records have been kept.
The final report is strengthened by clarifications and supplemental text suggested by organizations and individuals from across the nation in response to the request for comments on the draft Joplin report, released Nov. 21, 2013.
The revisions did not alter any of the investigation team’s major findings or its 16 recommendations, highlighted by NIST’s call for nationally accepted standards for building design and construction, public shelters and emergency communications that can significantly reduce deaths and the steep economic costs of property damage caused by tornadoes.
The NIST Joplin tornado study was the first to scientifically study a tornado in terms of four key aspects: storm characteristics, building performance, human behavior and emergency communication—and then assess the impact of each on preventing injury or death. It also is the first to recommend that standards and model codes be developed and adopted for designing buildings to better resist tornadoes.
DOWNLOAD THE COMPLETE TEXT OF THE FINAL REPORT
Or visit the website at:
www.nist.gov/manuscript-publication-search.cfm?pub_id=915628.
Additional information about the tornado event and the NIST investigation, may be accessed at www.nist.gov/el/disasterstudies/weather/joplin_tornado_2011.cfm.
Article Source: National Institute of Standards and Technology