Two Years Later: Lessons Learned From the 2011 Super Outbreak
1. Two Years Later: Lessons Learned From the 2011 Super
Outbreak
April 25 through April 28, 2011, marks one of the deadliest tornado super outbreaks in recent
history, having a total associated with 358 tornadoes confirmed from the National Weather Service.
The tornadoes ransacked a number of states, turning out for you to be specifically destructive within
Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee along with Virginia as well as claiming the
particular lives involving 321 people.
The outbreak has been 1 in which is not heading to soon be forgotten, those who experienced it say,
nevertheless it also served like a lesson with regard to residents and also officials.
James Spann, an Alabama-based meteorologist regarding more than 30 years, recalls the severity of
the event, as well as especially the damage incurred inside Tuscaloosa and Birmingham on April 27.
The severe weather began which morning prior to when expected, Spann said.
He arrived at the station in 4:30 a.m., and also by 9:00 a.m., 5 individuals had recently been killed as
well as energy has been out regarding greater than 250,000.
2. "That, throughout itself, was more severe compared to inland impact involving Hurricane Katrina
along with Hurricane Ivan here," he said. "It was like somebody punched us within the gut, and we
weren't ready pertaining to it. We had all kinds of damages."
However, Spann discovered critical bromsgrove history details via a new stunning location the day
following your storm: his twitter feed.
"You go back again and also examine my twitter feed from that will day, it's stunning," he said.
"Some associated with these folks had healthcare emergencies, a couple of of these individuals
remained trapped below rubble in supplement to their battery had been working, and they hit me up
about twitter along with I didn't understand what to become able to do. This ended up being
overwhelming."
As the actual tweets continued in order to pour in, Spann known as buddies within emergency
management who began monitoring his page regarding such information.
"That social media intensity stayed up for just two or even 3 days that way," he said.
For the actual social media team at the Red Cross, it absolutely was a similar situation.
"This specific tornado outbreak marked the very first period we were able to have structured
requirements via people about social media in for you to the hands involving choice makers inside
the Emergency Operations Middle throughout Alabama," stated Wendy Harman, Director regarding
Social Strategy at the Red Cross.
"It's definitely the very first time which social data, along with social media information was adopted
to pull up quickly operation center, to always be able to my knowledge. As Well As we thought which
was a really large win," Harman said.
After your tornadoes had passed, the actual Red Cross employed social networks to supply
straightforward solutions for example disseminating details about shelters as well as recovery.
"There has been so much interest throughout Tuscaloosa there had been pockets associated with
populations inside northeast Alabama, I believe, and west Georgia which hadn't received services,
and also individuals communities began using Facebook in order to say, 'We're up here. We're not
necessarily acquiring attention; we have not seen services,'" Harman explained.
The information relayed by simply affected populations permitted Harman as well as the Red Cross
to inform disaster solutions on the ground. They Will were in addition capable of mobilize further
sources to people areas that will we had not but been served.
While social media provides played a significant role in disseminating information prior to along with
during a severe weather situation for many years, this event assisted in order to clarify its role post-
disaster.
"In add-on for you to becoming an straightforward method for people in order to receive info
following the event, it was a very critical means of hooking up relief agencies and individuals which
within fact had very serious needs," Spann said.
3. "There are individuals walking on alive today throughout Tuscaloosa, Ala., because involving social
media. That is very powerful."
