When an EF-3 tornado tore through the St. Louis region on May 16, it left behind a trail of devastation — damaged homes, downed trees and a battered electric grid. Following the aftermath of the storm, more than 2,000 personnel, from throughout the Midwest, descended upon the worst-hit areas of St. Louis to assess the damage, remove debris and restore power to those affected by the tornado. This monumental task included rebuilding more than 100 miles of damaged electric lines and replacing more than 800 power poles affected by the storm. Despite the challenges posed by storm debris, crews were able to safely restore power to more than 100,000 customers in the first 48 hours following the tornado's touchdown.