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EDM Friday Briefing: Skyscraper Fire; Air Quality Alerts; Wildfires

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Emergency and disaster management briefing for August 4, 2017: Major disaster declaration issued for Michigan; fire erupts in one of the world’s tallest buildings; and other news.

  1. Severe storms that led to flash flooding and damages in mid-Michigan from June 22-27, [link url=”http://www.9and10news.com/story/36033815/pres-trump-declares-major-disaster-area-for-4-mid-michigan-counties“ title=”prompted President Donald Trump to issue a major disaster declaration for the area”], paving the way for federal assistance. The counties impacted by the storm and subsequent flash flooding include Bay, Gladwin, Isabella, and Midland, but also includes the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe within Isabella County. The request for a federal disaster declaration came from Gov. Rick Snyder following [link url=”http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2017/08/02/trump-disaster/104224666/“ title=”damage assessments of homes, businesses, and other facilities in the affected area”] and it was determined that clean up and recovery would exceed local and state resources. [relink url=”https://amuedge.com/disaster-declaration-problems-again/” url2=”https://amuedge.com/fema-inspections-what-to-expect-and-how-to-prepare/” url3=”https://amuedge.com/presidential-politics-and-emergency-management/”]
  2. Police are still searching for [link url=”http://abc7news.com/sf-police-continue-search-for-suspects-responsible-for-dolores-park-triple-shooting/2274167/“ title=”suspects who shot three people in San Francisco’s crowded Delores Park”] at around 3:05 p.m. Thursday afternoon. At least one of the suspects, all of whom were allegedly wearing bandanas, opened fire in the park, striking three people before fleeing the scene. The three individuals that were shot were rushed to area hospitals, including [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/08/03/three-shot-at-san-francisco-park-crowded-with-families.html“ title=”one individual that sustained life-threatening injuries”].

  3. Brent Witham, 29, an elite firefighter, [link url=” http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/wildfires/firefighter-killed-by-falling-tree-at-lolo-peak-fire/598512603” title=”was killed by a falling tree while he was fighting a wildfire in Montana”] on Wednesday. Witham, a member of the Vista Grande Hotshots, was fighting the Lolo Peak Fire about 30 miles from Missoula when the tree fell on him. This is the [link url=”http://www.metro.us/news/reuters/reuters-top-news/elite-firefighter-killed-while-battling-western-montana-blaze” title=”second death in just two weeks in Montana”] where a firefighter battling a wildfire was struck by a falling tree. [relink url=”http://edmdigest.com/response/can-we-actually-protect-our-first-responders/” url2=”https://amuedge.com/controversy-body-armor-responders/” url3=”https://amuedge.com/the-controversy-of-critical-incident-stress-debriefing-sessions/”]
  4. In Dubai, United Arab Emirates, a fire broke out shortly after 1:00 a.m. in one of the world’s tallest residential structures, [link url=”http://www.ctvnews.ca/mobile/world/flames-engulf-86-storey-residential-skyscraper-in-dubai-1.3532363” title=”igniting more than 40 floors of the 86-story Torch Tower”]. According to reports, the fire, which was burning on one side of the tower, sent chunks of debris falling to the ground below, while firefighters fought to control the blaze. In February of 2015, [link url=”http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/03/middleeast/dubai-tower-fire/index.html” title=”the Torch Tower also caught fire”], however, no major casualties were reported from that fire.

  5. Amid record-breaking heat, and hot, dry conditions in Oregon, Gov. Kate Brown declared a state of emergency on Wednesday. [link url=”https://gacc.nifc.gov/nwcc/information/fire_info.aspx” title=”The state has been ravaged by multiple wildfires”] and the high heat coupled with extremely dry conditions significantly increases the threat of fire danger throughout the state. The emergency declaration allowed Brown to [link url=”http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2017/08/wildfires_prompt_gov_kate_brow.html” title=”activate the Oregon National Guard to mobilize its resources”] to assist state fire fighting agencies. [relink url=”https://amuedge.com/wildfires-risk-high/” url2=”https://amuedge.com/firefighting-right-resources/” url3=”https://amuedge.com/wildfires-how-to-prepare-and-protect-homes-and-families/”]
  6. [link url=”http://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=usa&wwa=air%20quality%20alert” title=”The National Weather Service has issued an air quality alert for multiple counties in Oregon”] until noon on Saturday including, among others, Gilliam, Grant, Morrow, Wallowa, and Wheeler counties. The air quality alert is due to smoke from actively burning wildfires in the Northwest and Canada including wildfires burning in Washington, British Colombia, and Montana that are impacting locations in north central and northeast Oregon. Depending on wind direction and time of day, [link url=”http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2017/08/heat_wildfires_make_portlands.html” title=”the air quality levels will vary between good and unhealthy”] and officials are cautioning individuals to take necessary precautions to prevent illness or injury.

  7. The Glenville Air National Guard held [link url=”http://www.timesunion.com/7dayarchive/article/Air-National-Guard-runs-disaster-drill-at-Scotia-11732707.php” title=”a medical-evacuation disaster drill”] at the Stratton Air National Guard Base in Niskayuna, New York in conjunction with Nashville, Tennessee guard members and local firefighting and EMS agencies, along with members of the Navy, Coast Guard, and the New Jersey Department of Health. The two-day drill, which is held every two years, simulates a natural disaster where [link url=”http://www.timesunion.com/7dayarchive/article/Air-National-Guard-runs-disaster-drill-at-Scotia-11732707.php” title=”local hospitals are overrun and victims must be transported to other locations for treatment”]. The goal is to become proficient at working with domestic partners, including civilian law enforcement and government agencies, during a natural disaster event. [relink url=https://amuedge.com/we-do-not-have-a-plan-for-training/ url2=” https://amuedge.com/we-do-not-have-a-plan-for-training-part-2/” url3=”https://amuedge.com/do-we-set-ourselves-up-for-failure/”]
  8. Another California wildfire broke out late Thursday afternoon, this one in [link url=”http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/general-news/20170803/fire-ignites-in-angeles-national-forest-near-san-gabriel-canyon“ title=”the San Gabriel Canyon in the Angeles National Forest outside of Los Angeles”]. Firefighters quickly began to attack the Rincon Fire with hose lines and water-dropping aircraft to help prevent the fire from spreading. The fire had already consumed at least 25 acres, and [link url=”http://www.sgvtribune.com/general-news/20170803/fire-ignites-in-angeles-national-forest-near-san-gabriel-canyon“ title=”CalFire worked to assist U.S. Forest Service members in fighting the fire. Several other wildfires also began on Thursday due to lightning strikes, but the cause of this fire is still under investigation.

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Emergency and Disaster Management Week in Review, February 15, 2016

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Apple battles the FBI over access to one of the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone, the World Bank offers funding to those most affected by the Zika virus, the U.S. implements sanctions and shows South Korean support amid rising tensions over North Korea, Flint, MI receives funding from state and federal government for bills and testing, and President Obama signs a disaster declaration for an Alaskan village hit by what may be the most powerful storm ever in the Bering Sea.