Sunday, September 20, 2015

Tornado Warning Credited With Saving Lives At Missouri Football Game

Linda Lam
Published: September 20,2015

A tornado warning likely saved lives on Friday night, as a tornado impacted the area near Freeman, in west-central Missouri, including a school football game was just about to begin.
Damage at the Cass Midway school on Friday, September 18, 2015. (Photo taken by the National Weather Service office in Kansas City)
The National Weather Service office in Kansas City surveyed the damage on Saturday and rated the tornado an EF-1 with estimated winds of 86 to 100 mph. The tornado formed around 6:57 p.m. and dissipated around 7:12 p.m. The path of the tornado was 5.3 miles long and approximately 100 yards wide.
(MORE: Tornadoes Reported in Kansas, Illinois on Friday)
A tornado warning for the area, west-central Cass county and northeastern Miami county, was issued at 6:32 p.m. as law enforcement officials and trained spotters had reported a tornado near Louisburg, Missouri. This dangerous storm was moving east at 30 mph and the tornado warning was in effect until 7:15 p.m.
According to the National Weather Service, officials at Cass Midway High School were able to evacuate about 250 people from the football field into an underground shelter 10 minutes prior to the 7:00 p.m. kickoff time. The school is located just northwest of Freeman, Missouri in west-central Cass county.
The tornado damaged the scoreboard, press box and bleachers just after 7:00 p.m. School officials have credited the tornado warning from the National Weather Service as what prompted the safe evacuation, which resulted in no fatalities or serious injuries from the tornado.
Windows were also broken at the school and in nearby cars, with additional damage to air conditioning units and possibly the roof, the football coach, Larry Burchett, told local media.
Cass Midway school officials credit early warning with decision to shelter 250 people 10 minutes prior to kickoff.

The National Weather Service office in Kansas City posted on their Facebook page that, "Success stories like this are not possible without partners out there. So we'd like to give a big shout out to the emergency managers, firefighters, law enforcement, media, spotters and our social media users who give us timely reports from the field, and also help to spread the word to those who need it when life-threatening weather strikes."
(MORE: Severe Weather Forecast)
In Harrisonville, Missouri, which is northeast of Freeman, a football game was delayed due to the tornado warning, as the field was evacuated. Everyone cooperated and sheltered inside Harrisonville Middle School, Superintendent Frank Dahman reported to The Cass County Democrat Missourian. No damage or serious injuries occurred at the school.
MORE: Strange Tornado Damage (PHOTOS)

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