City Of Moore Offers Advice To Kentucky Municipal Leaders After Deadly Tornado Rips Through State

In May 2013, the last EF5 tornado tore through Moore. The city's journey offers places like Mayfield, Kentucky, a path forward.

Plaza Towers Elementary was among dozens of buildings destroyed by the 2013 tornado and multiple lives, including children, were lost.

Those who live in Moore said that neighborhood is proof a community can come back even after a catastrophic storm. 

“The first thing on your mind is how many people are out there that have been killed by hits or severely injured," said Moore Mayor Glenn Lewis. 

Moore's mayor has seen four tornadoes devastate the city while in office, including the 2013 EF5 tornado.

Lewis said he knows too well the situation mayors in cities and towns touched by this weekend's severe weather are in.

“You'll go through moments, it'll be tough,” Lewis said. “You'll have moments of sadness, and you'll have moments where you'll be so happy, because you actually found somebody and they're still alive.”

Lewis said the state’s governors can help with cleanup in a number of ways, mayors just need to know what to ask for.

“Street signs are one of the first things you put up, because you don't know where you're at in a devastated area,” Lewis said. “They need to make video of every transaction that occurs as far as pick up. He can offer them transportation trucks from the department of transportation. Plus he can waive the fees and timelines for getting the water and sewer back up.”

Mayors should keep detailed notes of all the aid. This is necessary in case of future audits as well. In between cleanup and the rebuild, the people in the area also need time to grieve.

“They've been so affected at this point, I guarantee you, they haven't had time to grieve over the people that have died,” said Lewis. 

“It is a horrible, horrible, horrible thing but you can rebuild. You can actually even better. It doesn't seem like it at the time but it can be OK,” said Eileen Tarver, who lives near Plaza Towers Elementary.

Moore's City Hall has answered some calls from cities and towns affected to help their efforts.