St. Louis County outlines cleanup, road and emergency response after tornado

St. Louis County Executive told the County Council on May 20 that county crews are continuing cleanup and support after a tornado that began in Clayton and moved through Richmond Heights, University City and parts of the City of St. Louis.

The County Executive said county Transportation and Public Works and Parks crews worked with municipal partners in Clayton, Richmond Heights and University City to clear roads and restore access so emergency medical services could reach residents. “Time matters in a disaster, and their swift response helped to protect lives,” the County Executive said.

The executive asked residents to treat intersections with dark traffic signals as four-way stops and urged property owners in unincorporated areas to arrange debris pickup with their trash haulers. The county also said city crews in Clayton would begin removing tree and vegetation debris from streets, sidewalks and tree lawns the following day.

Two county parks—Jefferson Barracks and Tillis—sustained significant damage; both have reopened, the County Executive said, but cleanup work continues. The executive thanked municipal officials, first responders, utility crews, county staff and volunteers, and noted outreach to state and federal officials, including Governor Mike Kehoe and two U.S. senators who the executive said have advocated for county residents’ needs.

The executive also warned residents about disaster scams and repeated advice from law enforcement leaders to verify contractors’ licenses and bonding with the Better Business Bureau and to avoid paying for work before it is completed.

No formal county action or new funding was announced during the report; the remarks were provided as an executive update to the council.