Joplin virtually destroyed by tornado

[tk13]

Please post any ways you can donate/give relief to the people in need in Joplin.

DONATE BY PHONE:

You can send $10 to the Red Cross relief efforts by texting "REDCROSS" to 90999

or

Send $10 to the Salvation Army Disaster relief efforts by texting the word “JOPLIN” to 80888

RED CROSS - Volunteer, donate to disaster victims, donate to a blood drive

http://www.redcross.org/

UNITED WAY - Donate to relief efforts

http://www.uwheartmo.org/

COMMUNITY BLOOD CENTER LOCATIONS - Give blood for those in need

Administration Offices & Donor Center
4040 Main Street
Kansas City, MO 64111
toll free: 1-888-647-4040
816-753-4040

Blue Springs Center
1124 W. 40 Highway
Blue Springs, MO 64015
816-224-0728

Gladstone Center
7265 N. Oak Trafficway
Gladstone, MO 64118
816-468-9813

St. Joseph Center
3122 Frederick
St. Joseph, MO 64506
toll free: 1-800-725-6791
816-232-6791

Overland Park Center
Times Square Shopping Center
10568 Metcalf Ave.
Overland Park, KS 66210
913-383-6800

Olathe Center
1463 E. 151st St.
Olathe, KS 66062
913-829-3724

Topeka Center
800 SW Lane
Topeka, KS 66606
toll free: 1-800-279-5943
785-233-0195

http://www.savealifenow.org/services...-locations.php

VOLUNTEER IN PERSON - Volunteer efforts are being coordinated through Missouri Southern State University.
Many people have contacted the City of Joplin to volunteer assistance to the victims of the storm. ALL citizen volunteers should report to the Recreation Center at Missouri Southern State University. Volunteers’ services are appreciated, but to be effective, will need to be coordinated through this centralized location. Citizens are reminded that the American Red Cross, in cooperation with the City, has set up a shelter at Missouri Southern State University in the Leggett & Platt Center.

http://www.joplinmo.org/article.cfm?AID=966

Relief coordinators Facebook page - Get the word out on fundraisers:

Joplin, MO Tornado Recovery--
If you are coordinating a fundraiser in your area, please send information to joplintornadorecovery@gmail.com so that it can be posted as an event [on the Joplin, MO Tornado Recovery page on facebook]. Remember to include date, time and location, along with any images.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/joplinmo?sk=wall

Columbia area blood donors needed:

A blood drive will be held 2-6 pm at Achieve Balance Chiropractic in Columbia at 3901 S. Providence. If you are wanting to help Joplin, this is a great way to do it.

Here's some info I got from my work e-mail

Message relay from Troop F @ 2120 hours:

In reference to the SEMA Incident the command post is currently operational in the Troop D Joplin area. Due to an overwhelming number of Volunteers, SEMA officials are not currently requesting any further outside assistance until further notice.

More relief organizations:

Missourians interested in volunteering to assist should call (800) 427-4626 or 2-1-1. Those with medical skills interested in volunteering should go to: https://www.showmeresponse.org

Missourians wishing to make donations to help with the relief effort can go to http://www.sema.dps.mo.gov/recover/donations.asp or call (800) 427-4626 or 2-1-1.

Residents affected by the tornado who wish to notify their friends and family that they are safe should go to: https://safeandwell.communityos.org/cms/index.php. Friends and family who would like to check on their loved ones in the affected area can use the same site.

Missourians who need disaster information, shelter information or referrals are urged to call 2-1-1. The United Way's 211 service number is now available for most areas in Missouri. In areas where the 211 number is not operational, citizens can call 800-427-4626.

United Way of the Ozarks in Springfield is waiting to hear plans from the American Red Cross – Greater Ozarks Chapter regarding mobilizing volunteer efforts. As soon as it has confirmation on how and where to volunteer, it will release that information.

If you would like to help with a monetary donation, please send your checks to United Way of the Ozarks, 320 N. Jefferson Ave., Springfield, MO 65806, marked JOPLIN TORNADO DISASTER RELIEF and all funds received will be distributed to the United Way of Southwest Missouri (Joplin).

Emergency blood drive this afternoon - Monday 5/23

The Greater Kansas City chapter of the American Red Cross will hold an emergency blood drive this afternoon to provide blood for those injured in the tornados over the weekend.

The blood drive will be from 2 to 7 p.m. in the Cass County Room at 211 W. Armour Blvd.

Meanwhile, the Community Blood Center is requesting area residents to donate blood this week to help support the rescue efforts in Joplin.

The blood bank has shipped 15 units of blood to the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks. Local hospitals are performing surgeries on some of the victims and the need for blood will increase as the rescue efforts continue.

To find a mobile blood drive, go to www.safealifenow.org or call 1-888-647-4040. Donors can also go to one of Community Blood Center’s seven Neighborhood Donations Centers.

http://www.kansascity.com/2011/05/23...afternoon.html

Chiefs to hold bottled water drive at Arrowhead - Tuesday 5/24 and Wednesday 5/25

In response to the tragic tornadoes that touched down in Joplin, Mo. and Reading, Kan. this weekend, the Kansas City Chiefs will contribute $35,000 to disaster-relief efforts. Additionally, they and their media partners are teaming with the Salvation Army – Midland Division to hold a bottled-water drive at Arrowhead Stadium for individuals in Kansas City to assist victims in the tornado-ravaged areas. The Chiefs will also be accepting financial donations for Heart-to-Heart International.

Bottled-water donations will be accepted in Lot C on the east side of Arrowhead Stadium Tuesday from noon until 7 p.m. and Wednesday from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Those wishing to provide donations of bottled water may use any entrance to the stadium and may learn more from Chiefs broadcast partners KCTV5, 101 The Fox KCFX and Sports Radio 810 WHB, who have joined the Chiefs in supporting this important effort.

http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/article...9-fc840ea9fece

Springfield school district fundraiser and donation drive:

Springfield Public Schools students are finding ways to raise money and collect supplies to assist local charities with relief efforts for families in Joplin who were affected by the May 22 tornado. A Joplin school nurse has shared with SPS staff that there is an urgent need for water, toothbrushes, toothpaste and food.

http://springfieldpublicschoolsmo.or...id_Joplin.aspx

Other resources for those looking to contribute:

The following charities are accepting donations of money and relief items:

American Red Cross
United Way
Skaggs
Greater Ozarks Red Cross
Dillons
Springfield Jaycees
OTC
Springfield Public Schools
Springfield Paper Company
Edward Jones
Salvation Army
Great Southern
Area banks
Habitat Springfield
Community Blood Centers

http://www.news-leader.com/article/2...relief-efforts

Originally Posted by luv

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?not...17118671706061

Great page to go to in order to see what faundraisers and collections are going on in your area (in Missouri anyway).

Originally Posted by luv

Joplin, MO Tornado Recovery:
The City has established the following phone numbers for people interested in donating their time or items to aid in the recovery effort:
Individual volunteers wanting to donate their time should call 417-625-3543
Volunteers wanting to donate items can call 417-625-3542
Volunteer groups (churches, businesses, etc.) should call 314-623-9991

[Great Expectations]

There are around 1000 bikers meeting at Best Buy's parking lot Sunday morning to handle Westboro.

[JD10367]

Originally Posted by Great Expectations

There are around 1000 bikers meeting at Best Buy's parking lot Sunday morning to handle Westboro.

I hope someone uploads the video.

[go bo]

Originally Posted by Great Expectations

There are around 1000 bikers meeting at Best Buy's parking lot Sunday morning to handle Westboro.

God bless each and every one of them...

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by Great Expectations

There are around 1000 bikers meeting at Best Buy's parking lot Sunday morning to handle Westboro.

Awesome.

[Rukdafaidas]

BTW, the story about all of the people in the maternity floor at St. Johns being killed is officially BS. I had heard the story as well, but my wife works at St. Johns and she's been working at the temp command center at the JQH convention center this last week and she talked to 4 OB nurses who said they lost nobody on the entire floor. They said the only true rumor was of the baby that had insulation in its mouth.

The most unbelievable story I've heard came from a Dr. who was working as a first responder near Home Depot. The story doesn't sound believable, but I don't know why he would make something like this up.

He said they found a man with just his feet sticking out of the ground and he was frozen.
They think this guy was sucked up, went to 20 or 30 thousand feet, froze, then fell to the ground head first, burying himself to his feet.

[RNR]

Originally Posted by Great Expectations

There are around 1000 bikers meeting at Best Buy's parking lot Sunday morning to handle Westboro.

I figured the Patriot Guard would show up if they did~

[crispystl]

[QUOTE=Rukdafaidas;7667194

He said they found a man with just his feet sticking out of the ground and he was frozen.
They think this guy was sucked up, went to 20 or 30 thousand feet, froze, then fell to the ground head first, burying himself to his feet.[/QUOTE]

Holy Shit. What a shitty way to go. I once knew a guy who died when a tornado lifted his trailer and dropped it in a lake in the middle of the night. Could you imagine sleeping and waking up under water at the bottom of a lake? That would be terrible.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Rukdafaidas

The most unbelievable story I've heard came from a Dr. who was working as a first responder near Home Depot. The story doesn't sound believable, but I don't know why he would make something like this up.

He said they found a man with just his feet sticking out of the ground and he was frozen.
They think this guy was sucked up, went to 20 or 30 thousand feet, froze, then fell to the ground head first, burying himself to his feet.

Yeeeahhhh...I'm gonna need some other source to believe that one. I'm no meteorologist, but I don't believe that tornadoes are more than a mile or two high in most cases. Planes can safety travel over tornado-producing storms if they're up high enough. So it doesn't really make sense that there would be strong enough upward drafts to propel a human much higher than 10k feet at the absolute most (and I would personally doubt that it's really possible for a human to be pulled more than a couple hundred feet off the ground).

[ShortRoundChief]

Originally Posted by RedNeckRaider

I figured the Patriot Guard would show up if they did~

Patriot Guard has been holed up at the VFW since Monday. They just came to help and ironically enough, WBC, followed them here.

[4th and Long]

Originally Posted by Rukdafaidas

BTW, the story about all of the people in the maternity floor at St. Johns being killed is officially BS.

5 patients died. They were all on a vent. The tornado sucked the emergency generator out of the building. Nursing attempted to manually bag them but eventually they all suffocated to death.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Thanks for clearing that up 4th. The tornado did in fact damage or destroy the emergency generator. The folks who died were on vents and after what I can only imagine as a terrible decision to make, the folks bagging those patients were needed elsewhere.
I'm very interested in what reports are Going to be written regarding these decisions as time moves forward.
Posted via Mobile Device

[4th and Long]

Originally Posted by WilliamTheIrish

Thanks for clearing that up 4th. The tornado did in fact damage or destroy the emergency generator. The folks who died were on vents and after what I can only imagine as a terrible decision to make, the folks bagging those patients were needed elsewhere.
I'm very interested in what reports are Going to be written regarding these decisions as time moves forward.
Posted via Mobile Device

No problem. We had a meeting at our hospital a few deays back about that sad turn of events. Once the emergency generator flew out of the building, it was only a matter of time for those poor souls.

[gblowfish]

I got an email from a friend of mine today. His cousin Dean was killed in the storm. Funeral is today in Joplin, he's down there now.

Here's the story about Dean in today's KC Star that was sent to me via email:


Dean Wells, 59 | Hero guided others to safety

By BRIAN BURNES
The Kansas City Star

His family knows that Dean Wells died a hero.

Wells, 59, head of the electrical department at the Joplin Home Depot, was working his 1 to 9 p.m. Sunday shift when the tornado hit.

“He rescued about 12 people, getting them all to safety,” said DeAnna Mancini, one of Wells’ two daughters. “He was rescuing two children when a wall came down and collapsed on him.

“My father died a hero, but that was my father. He was always helping everybody.”

Wells was the only Home Depot employee to die in the tornado, said Craig Fishel, Home Depot spokesman. According to reports, rescuers recovered seven bodies at the store.

Wells, born at Fort Carson, Colo., had a long career in the U.S. Army before he and his wife, Sue, began looking for a place to retire.

They decided on Webb City, just northeast of Joplin, in 1993. It was close to great fishing, which Wells enjoyed. It was close to Arkansas, where Wells had grandparents.

And it was close to Girard, Kan., where Sue had grown up.

“He loved my mother more than life,” Mancini said. Last Monday, she said, was their 42nd anniversary.

Her father, Mancini added, was adept at woodworking, assembling jewelry boxes. And he was a whistler. He recorded compact discs of his whistling and made them available to fellow members of the First Christian Church of Webb City.

“He could whistle any song you could possibly name. It sounded like a flute coming out of his mouth,” Mancini said.

Upon arriving in Webb City, Wells operated a coffee shop. Then about five years ago, he hooked up with Home Depot.

His associates at Home Depot were dedicated to him. Wells family members know the details of Sunday night because Steve Cope, the Joplin Home Depot manager, was determined they not be left without information.

Cope secured Wells’ wallet after the storm on Sunday. Then he drove to the Wells’ Webb City home. There he found Sue, as well as three of Sue’s nieces who had driven over from Girard.

“I wanted his wallet because I didn’t want anybody to lose it,” Cope said Thursday. “And I wanted to make sure that Sue was aware of where he was.”

On Wednesday night, Cope told the family that Wells spent the last few moments before the tornado hit taking customers to safe areas within the store.

“There were people wanting into the store to get away from the storm and he let them in,” Cope said. “He was a wonderful man, always thinking about others.”

A service for Wells is scheduled for 10 a.m. today at First Christian Church of Webb City.

Family members intend to play a recording of Wells whistling “Amazing Grace.”

To reach Brian Burnes, call 816-234-4120 or send email to bburnes@kcstar.com.

[ShortRoundChief]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

I got an email from a friend of mine today. His cousin Dean was killed in the storm. Funeral is today in Joplin, he's down there now.

Here's the story about Dean in today's KC Star that was sent to me via email:


Dean Wells, 59 | Hero guided others to safety

By BRIAN BURNES
The Kansas City Star

His family knows that Dean Wells died a hero.

Wells, 59, head of the electrical department at the Joplin Home Depot, was working his 1 to 9 p.m. Sunday shift when the tornado hit.

“He rescued about 12 people, getting them all to safety,” said DeAnna Mancini, one of Wells’ two daughters. “He was rescuing two children when a wall came down and collapsed on him.

“My father died a hero, but that was my father. He was always helping everybody.”

Wells was the only Home Depot employee to die in the tornado, said Craig Fishel, Home Depot spokesman. According to reports, rescuers recovered seven bodies at the store.

Wells, born at Fort Carson, Colo., had a long career in the U.S. Army before he and his wife, Sue, began looking for a place to retire.

They decided on Webb City, just northeast of Joplin, in 1993. It was close to great fishing, which Wells enjoyed. It was close to Arkansas, where Wells had grandparents.

And it was close to Girard, Kan., where Sue had grown up.

“He loved my mother more than life,” Mancini said. Last Monday, she said, was their 42nd anniversary.

Her father, Mancini added, was adept at woodworking, assembling jewelry boxes. And he was a whistler. He recorded compact discs of his whistling and made them available to fellow members of the First Christian Church of Webb City.

“He could whistle any song you could possibly name. It sounded like a flute coming out of his mouth,” Mancini said.

Upon arriving in Webb City, Wells operated a coffee shop. Then about five years ago, he hooked up with Home Depot.

His associates at Home Depot were dedicated to him. Wells family members know the details of Sunday night because Steve Cope, the Joplin Home Depot manager, was determined they not be left without information.

Cope secured Wells’ wallet after the storm on Sunday. Then he drove to the Wells’ Webb City home. There he found Sue, as well as three of Sue’s nieces who had driven over from Girard.

“I wanted his wallet because I didn’t want anybody to lose it,” Cope said Thursday. “And I wanted to make sure that Sue was aware of where he was.”

On Wednesday night, Cope told the family that Wells spent the last few moments before the tornado hit taking customers to safe areas within the store.

“There were people wanting into the store to get away from the storm and he let them in,” Cope said. “He was a wonderful man, always thinking about others.”

A service for Wells is scheduled for 10 a.m. today at First Christian Church of Webb City.

Family members intend to play a recording of Wells whistling “Amazing Grace.”

To reach Brian Burnes, call 816-234-4120 or send email to bburnes@kcstar.com.

What a small world. I learned of him from my sister, Bethany, who was a training director at home depot. She had him on her facebook status, but didn't really go into it. From everything I've heard about this man is he was an absolute fantastic human being and will be sorely missed.

[Bob Dole]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Yeeeahhhh...I'm gonna need some other source to believe that one. I'm no meteorologist, but I don't believe that tornadoes are more than a mile or two high in most cases. Planes can safety travel over tornado-producing storms if they're up high enough. So it doesn't really make sense that there would be strong enough upward drafts to propel a human much higher than 10k feet at the absolute most (and I would personally doubt that it's really possible for a human to be pulled more than a couple hundred feet off the ground).

Radar indicated the debris field extended up to 20,000 ft.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=076_1306236356