We expected a higher mortality rate and only suffered a few

     The tornadoes of the Midwest have often left a destructive pattern as well as high death tolls. However the deadly storms of the Midwest this past Sunday and Monday left only six fatalities.  The deadly tornadoes in Woodward were one of dozens that were believed to have been created by a furious storm system that wreaked havoc across 10 states in the Midwest and Plains. Why were there not more fatalities when the tornadoes were strong?

    Officials credit fewer fatalities to the early warning system throughout the region. Advisories from the system were issued two days in advance, rather than just hours, and were "remarkably accurate," said Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback. "People took it very seriously."
However in Woodward, Oklahoma, damage statistics included the destruction of 89 homes and 13 businesses. Unfortunately the storm took out the transmitter for the tornado warning siren system.  According to Alan Riffel City Manager "We lost our manual override" when the electricity was knocked out.

     Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin said, given the timing of the tornado, after midnight and after other severe weather had barreled through , “the human cost could have been even worse.”
"It's remarkable that we didn't have more loss of life in Woodward," she said late Sunday afternoon.
In southwest Iowa, residents of Thurman were digging through debris after a tornado struck Saturday. The early warning systems are made up of, and rely upon, four main elements:

Observing and recording - designed with a more realistic approach to observe electronically from towers and satellites that record storm activity while ultimately sounding the sirens if needed.

Risk knowledge and recognition means someone has to be in charge of alerting the communities of adverse weather.

Warning and dissemination recognizes the use of social systems such as telephones to alert communities and for those that are out of reach for such systems as sirens and social systems, the use of cheap simple microphones should be used to communicate.