Is DC Ready for Any Disaster?

Several federal agencies and officials are planning to simulate a full scale natural disaster today at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C. The will be testing their mobile command vehicles, mobile morgue, de-con units, mega-shelter operations, and several other things.

Millicent West, Director of D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, says that D.C. still have several things to work on but that it is most important for people to know their own role in the case of an emergency. For that reason, D.C. is working hard to educate the public on what is expected of them in an emergency situation. She states, "We want to make sure that everybody understands that sometimes evacuation is not the first course of action." 


http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/dc/dc-to-simulate-full-scale-natural-disaster-at-rfk-stadium-092711

Senate Rejected House Disaster-relief bill

Early Saturday, Senate rejected the House's bill to provide more funding for disaster relief. The bill would provide the Federal Emergency Management Aid (FEMA) with enough funding to last until mid-November. Without the bill, FEMA has predicted to run out of funding as early as Monday this week. Some say passing this bill is the only way to get immediate assistance to American families suffering from recent disasters.

The most recent version of the House bill is attempting to redirect the cost of disaster relief by getting rid of a separate loan program in the Energy Department that promotes such things as energy-efficient cars. Democrats are furious, saying that the department creates thousands of jobs.

Hopefully the Government can start learning how to compromise, so that we can provide American families with the relief families are so desperately seeking.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/09/23/MNAM1L8NJS.DTL

Joplin Tornado Assessment Offers Advice for Disaster Preparedness

The National Weather Service recently released a disaster assessment report on the May 22nd tornado in Joplin, MO. It acknowledges the things done correctly, and offers some advice for better preparedness in the future. One of the most important things the National Weather Service had to offer was to better improve warning communications to better convey a sense of urgency so that citizens can understand they must act immediately. They also made several suggestions for updating technology such as GPS systems, and alert systems such as sending warnings by text message.

This photo shows only a portion of the damage done in Joplin, MO 

For more on this story, http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2011/20110920_joplin.html

Quake Shakes India

Over 50 people were killed, and 100,000 + homes were destroyed in a quake that hit on Sunday evening. Many of the deaths in this earthquake occurred due to houses that were already weakened by monsoon season in Nepal and India. This quake registered about 6.9 magnitude, and devastated the Himalayan region!

Minnesota Wildfire Reaches Brewers Fans

Recent wildfire has brought smoke and haze to Milwaukee all the way from Northern Minnesota. Miller Park staff was noticing the haze significantly before the Brewers faced the Colorado Rockies, therefore closing the roof and outfield panels. Staff said there was still a haze after the roof was closed but no complaints of smelling any smoke.

This fire was started by a strike of lightning near the Boundary Waters on August 18th but only started truly spreading after recent windy and dry conditions. This fire spread 16 miles in less than 24 hours time. 

In some articles printed, professionals advised anyone in Wisconsin with breathing problems should take it easy because the smoke has been reported to be very thick. 

More on this story can be found at: 

http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/129719823.html

Tropical Storm Lee Hit Millersville, PA.

This video was filmed near Millersville, PA after the evacuation order was lifted from nearly 60,000 residents on Saturday, September 10th.  The damage caused is estimated to cost tens of millions, and took nearly 15 lives.