KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan covers politics in Kansas, Missouri and at the local level. Share your story idea with Charlie.
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A tornado destroyed about a dozen campers Monday at a Hillsdale, Kansas, RV campground, prompting discussions about National Weather Service warnings and potential staffing cuts.
Aaron Bien runs Shady Acres, a long-term RV campground in Hillsdale. He said everyone made it into the storm shelter and credited the local sirens for helping prevent serious injuries.
"We had plenty of warning. We had about 10 minutes of the sirens going off," Bien said.
While the National Weather Service issued timely warnings before the tornado, the agency usually flags the possibility of severe activity even sooner.
Residents felt like they weren't properly notified about the possibility of tornadoes earlier in the day.
Retired meteorologists shared concerns with NBC News. They wonder if possible staffing cuts from President Donald Trump's DOGE initiative impacted when offices release weather balloons that can help develop forecasts.
U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican, toured Hillsdale on Friday. He spoke exclusively with KSHB 41 News political reporter Charlie Keegan.
“I want to make sure the warning was something that was of value, and the best science and meteorology was used to make sure can protect people the best we can," Moran said of the purpose of his trip.
Moran is the primary appropriator for the National Weather Service. Last year, Moran introduced a bill protecting weather offices from cuts. He said he is open to hearing more about what might have happened Monday.
"We pay attention to this because it matters," Moran said. "Everybody has theories about how things should be done and we ought to explore if there's something that's missing or could be done better."
National Weather Service spokesperson Erica Grow Cei said its offices "have all the tools necessary to carry out their mission," adding that of its sites with balloons, "nearly all are operating on their normal schedule."
Bien said it is not his job to second-guess the National Weather Service.
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