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Storm Recovery Resource Now Online

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A storm recovery resource called “Branson Tornado Info” on Facebook is up and running today. Actually, the page was put in place during January by David Burton, civic communication specialist with University of Missouri Extension.

“In January, I created three new pages on Facebook that are modeled after the success we had last year with the Joplin Tornado Info and Missouri Flooding Info pages on Facebook,” said Burton. The Joplin Tornado Info page is still very active with over 50,000 fans.

When and if a tornado strikes some key areas in southwest Missouri, be ready by “liking” the newly created “Springfield Tornado Info,” “Branson Tornado Info” and/or the “Greene County Tornado Info” Facebook pages to learn how you can help, what the needs are, and to learn about emergency and cleanup work from the organizations and groups doing the work.

These pages are designed to be  a collaboration of state, federal and local agencies and organizations involved addressing tornados that those three areas. The page is managed by MU Extension but can include the PIOs from various organizations as co-administrators following a model used immediately after the Joplin tornado.

Persons willing to help as an administrator on these new pages should contact David Burton at the Greene County Extension Center or email him at burtond@missouri.edu after liking the Branson Tornado Info page.

Having co-administrators who post information and check facts on what others post is important and was a key to the success of the Joplin Tornado Info page according to Burton.

“I logged in this morning at 5 a.m. and we already had 50 fans. It when from 2 to 50 overnight. As we saw in Joplin, social media is a great communication tool during disasters,” said Burton.