Concerns over St. Louis CEMA Staffing, Siren System Cited in 2024 Audit

Non-binary St Louis emergency management chief on leave after not sounding tornado alarm—which didn’t work anyway—leaving 5 dead

Russell, who was away, contacted the fire department to sound the alarm. A probe revealed that "the direction was not clear," and the button at the fire station, which was later found to be out of order, was not pressed.

Concerns over St. Louis CEMA staffing, siren system cited in 2024 audit

ST. LOUIS - One week since a deadly EF-3 tornado struck St. Louis, killing five and injuring dozens, city officials have pointed to failures in the emergency siren system and human error in warning residents of dangerous conditions. On Wednesday, St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer placed Sarah Russell, the Commissioner of the City Emergency Management Agency (CEMA), on leave as the city launched an internal investigation into the agency's tornado resp…

DEI strikes again: St. Louis official put on leave after deadly failure · American Wire News

Sarah Russell, the Emergency Management Commissioner in St. Louis, has been placed on paid administrative leave after a massive tornado ripped through the area. The tornado left a path of devastation almost 23 miles long, and five people were killed as the city’s tornado sirens remained silent — an early warning may have saved lives. “Let me be clear: CEMA exists to alert the community when severe weather is coming. This office failed to do that…

St. Louis Mayor Removes Emergency Head After Tornado Siren Failure

St. Louis is in recovery mode after a powerful storm ripped through the city on May 16, leaving five people dead, dozens injured, and thousands of properties damaged. But the storm wasn’t the only thing raising concerns—residents never heard the warning sirens. Mayor Cara Spencer has now taken swift action, placing the city’s top emergency official, Sarah Russell, on leave after it was revealed that her team wasn’t in the office when the storm h…