Special report. From alert to twisters: planning for and coping with tornadoes.

Hospitals in the South put their tornado disaster plans into effect in March when a series of twisters swept through Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina--destroying homes, killing 43 persons, and injuring another 250. In Piedmont, AL, a town of 5,000, 20 people were killed when a tornado destroyed the Goshen United Methodist Church. In Guntersville, AL, the roof was blown off the Marshall Manor Nursing Home, sending a number of persons to area hospitals. In this report, we will review some of the measures taken by a number of hospitals that received patients and give details on how they prepare to deal with such disasters.