Podcasts about Emergency operations center

Wilson County Emergency Management Coordinator Cindy Stafford explains the access to the county's future Emergency Operations Center. While most of the steel and concrete building will be off limits to the public, she told the Wilson County News April 11 that members of the public will be able to access the reception area just inside the front entrance for matters such as 911 addressing and permits. The .2 million project, which is expected to be completed in mid-August adjacent to the Wilson County Sheriff's Office on 10th Street (U.S. 181) in Floresville, is being built with funds from the Texas...Article Link

View WCN's video coverage of these meetings online at wilsoncountynews.com/category/video-vault Commissioners Court Mar. 24, FISD Bond Mar. 17, Stockdale EDC Mar. 18, Hospital Board Mar. 20 Wilson County Commissioners Court Meeting:: Regular meeting, March 24, 9-10:42 a.m., executive session 9:03-9:22 a.m. Actions: •Approved to create an application for the Wilson County Hotel Occupancy Tax Funds •Approved a proclamation declaring April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month •Approved to use 0,000 of the 4,829.92 in interest earned in the Texas Class Emergency Operations Center account as a contingency line item in the Emergency Operations Center account budget for purchase of equipment, furniture,...Article Link

The Anchorage School District activated its Emergency Operations Center plan on Friday, preparing for the potential eruption of Mount Spurr. Plus, the City of Ketchikan is recovering from a rock slide Thursday morning that left hundreds of people displaced — no injuries or structural damage was reported, but the slide hit a road that connected the north and south areas of the island.    

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director Perry Plummer and Community Services Director John Storer about a recent major water main break in Dover.The conversation begins with Storer explaining how the break was first detected late on the night of Feb. 7 when operators noticed more water leaving the system than normal. Despite immediate efforts to locate the break, it remained elusive even after daylight, prompting activation of the city's Emergency Operations Center under Chief Plummer's direction. The break was releasing approximately 2,000 gallons per minute (about 3 million gallons per day), but unusually, no water was visibly surfacing anywhere in the city.Plummer explains how they implemented an incident command structure to coordinate resources efficiently, including fire and police personnel searching the streets, drones with thermal imaging, helicopter support, and engineers. The team systematically isolated different sections of the water system while simultaneously planning for potential water conservation measures if the situation worsened. They also activated an emergency water interconnection with neighboring Somersworth.After extensive searching, they finally discovered the break at 432 Central Avenue, a vacant building overhanging the Cochecho River. The broken pipe inside the building was sending water directly into the river—a "perfect storm" scenario that made detection especially difficult. Both officials praise the collaborative efforts of city staff and the patience of residents during the incident.Parker then speaks with Erin Bassegio from Planning and Community Development and Brian Early from Media Services for their monthly update on city activities. They discuss recent Planning Board meetings, City Council budget workshops, Energy Commission initiatives, Zoning Board approvals, and updates on the Cochecho Waterfront Development Advisory Committee and the city's two TIF boards.

This summer, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is restricting king salmon sport fishing in Cook Inlet due to low returns; and Alaska's Emergency Operations Center has cancelled an annual test of the system responsible for alerting Alaskans about potential tsunamis.

Wilson County Commissioners (l-r) Russell A. King, Gary Martin, and John “Scott” Akin join Floresville Mayor Gloria Morales Cantu, State Rep. Ryan Guillen, Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd, Wilson County Judge Hank Whitman, and Broaddus Construction engineer Mike Monreal to take the first dig into the ground Oct. 28 at the future site of the Wilson County Emergency Operations Center. The design plan for the center includes an 8,341 square foot building with command rooms devised for interagency collaboration. The building will be able to withstand 120 mph winds and will be equipped with capabilities for communicating...Article Link

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In today's news: Berrien County is entering the design phase for its new 911 and Emergency Operations Center in Buchanan.  Legislation from Congressman Bill Huizenga aims to help prevent suicides among veterans. No additional cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis or West Nile Virus have been found in Van Buren or Cass counties. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's news: Berrien County is entering the design phase for its new 911 and Emergency Operations Center in Buchanan.  Legislation from Congressman Bill Huizenga aims to help prevent suicides among veterans. No additional cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis or West Nile Virus have been found in Van Buren or Cass counties. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's news: Berrien County is entering the design phase for its new 911 and Emergency Operations Center in Buchanan.  Legislation from Congressman Bill Huizenga aims to help prevent suicides among veterans. No additional cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis or West Nile Virus have been found in Van Buren or Cass counties. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's news: Berrien County is entering the design phase for its new 911 and Emergency Operations Center in Buchanan.  Legislation from Congressman Bill Huizenga aims to help prevent suicides among veterans. No additional cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis or West Nile Virus have been found in Van Buren or Cass counties. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After another historic - and dangerous - summer, are we ready for hotter years to come? State officials couldn't have predicted it, but they chose the perfect day to unveil a draft of their Extreme Heat Action Plan. It was July 10, smack in the middle of a brutal heatwave of 90-degree-plus days. One speaker at the online event lost power at her home and had to make her presentation from her phone. Another presenter, Peter Chichetti of the Office of Emergency Management, spoke from the Emergency Operations Center, which was monitoring 36 tornado warnings, the most in the state's history. Mark Lowery of the Office of Climate Change noted that the hot and dangerous weather "will only become more frequent, severe and longer as the climate continues to warm." Next weekend marks the end of what was officially the most humid summer in our nation's history, a season punctuated by the constant drumbeat of meteorological records being broken. Last month was the hottest August ever recorded. Same for June. July 2024 tied with July 2023 as the hottest July ever, but this year's contained Earth's hottest recorded day on July 22. "These past two weeks have been particularly brutal," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said at the time. The ever-increasing heat is not only uncomfortable but dangerous. "Extreme heat has a deep public health impact," said Leo Bachinger of the Office of Climate Change. "It kills more people across the U.S. than any other extreme weather hazard." The state's projections show that, unless the world manages significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions over the decades to come, days in which the heat index hits 130 degrees in our area are not out of the question by 2080. New York has launched an ambitious plan to reduce 85 percent of the state's greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, from their 1990 levels. But even if that can be achieved, the state is going to get hotter, scientists say. The amount of suffering will depend on reducing emissions globally and mitigation locally. The state's Extreme Heat Action Plan outlines 49 steps over the next six years. Here's a closer look at six: No. 3: Extreme heat maps and capital projects A 90-degree day doesn't mean what it used to. "The thermostat doesn't reflect how our body experiences heat and how our bodies can deal with extreme heat," said Bachinger. If it's humid, the body has difficulty regulating its internal temperature because sweat doesn't evaporate into humid air as quickly. Hotter air can hold more moisture, making it more humid. That means global warming can lead to global humidity. The heat index, which considers air temperature and relative humidity, is a more accurate way to gauge what it feels like outside. There's also the Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature, measured by wrapping a thermometer in a wet sock, putting it outside and seeing how long it takes to dry. That measurement incorporates wind, air pressure and solar radiation, the latter of which can be affected by cloud cover. Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature, developed by the military to determine heat risks, hasn't caught on with the public. The Extreme Heat Action Plan recommends that both measures become a routine part of weather maps. It also recommends weather maps incorporating factors such as the Urban Heat Island effect. In heavily paved areas with little greenery, pavement and concrete absorb sunlight all day before releasing it at night. That can lead to drastically different temperatures between neighborhoods. "If we can understand where some of those concentrations of high heat are, and where some of those vulnerable communities are that have disproportionate exposure to extreme heat, we can make sure resources go where they're most needed," said Bachinger. No. 9: Support passive, resilient and safe cooling Air conditioning can be a lifesaver as temperatures soar, but it has drawbacks. The drain on the electrical grid increases the risk of blackouts and brownouts during heatwaves. The emissions gene...

View WCN's video coverage of these meetings online at wilsoncountynews.com/meeting-coverage/. FEDC July 15, Commissioners Court July 22 Wilson County Commissioners Court Meeting:: Regular meeting, July 22, 9-11:26 a.m., public hearing 10:05-10:07 a.m. Actions: •Approved the county's local match commitment of 7,134 for Camino Real Community Services for 2025 •Approved awarding contracts for health, casualty, and worker's compensation insurance coverage to the Texas Association of Counties •Approved a ,260,600 contract with Broaddus Construction LLC for construction of the county's new Emergency Operations Center, on a site near the Wilson County Sheriff's Office on 10th Street (U.S. 181) in Floresville •Approved a...Article Link

The governor has signed an emergency proclamation and pledged an all-of-government response to a kona low system nearing the islands that forecasters warn could bring record rains, flash flooding and thunderstorms. The city has also activated its Emergency Operations Center. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A severe hailstorm, with hailstones reaching the size of baseballs, wreaked havoc across parts of St. Charles County, causing significant damage to vehicles and homes. The storm struck the O'Fallon area on Thursday afternoon.At Clement Ford on West Terra Lane, just off I-70, the aftermath was particularly visible. The dealership suffered damage to approximately 450 vehicles, including both new and used cars. The hail shattered windshields and dented hoods, showcasing the storm's intensity.Viewer-submitted videos captured the ferocity of the hail as it battered the region. The storm did not spare the county's Emergency Operations Center, where the county and employees' personal vehicles were also damaged. The director reported widespread damage to vehicles and homes throughout the county.St. Dominic High School in O'Fallon was among the hardest hit. Photos from the scene showed the ground covered in hail, with the senior class parking lot sustaining considerable damage. School officials had to cover broken skylights with tarps as the storm continued to rage.Despite the extensive property damage, there have been no reports of injuries. The community is now assessing the full extent of the damage as it begins the process of recovery and repair.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

National Weather Service meteorologists have upgraded the most recent storm to a “bomb cyclone.” The Emergency Operations Center was activated here in Nevada County to respond to the storm. Public Works Road crews worked through the night removing trees, addressing drainage issues, and clearing debris from county roads. As of 11 a.m. the following roads were still closed:East Bennett to BrunswickDog bar at LorieMcCourtney at MetcalfAuburn Road at Robinhood Scott's Flat RoadIndian Springs at Falling LeafBittney Springs at Barr Ranch Pincone Circle at BrooksAnd in Alta Sierra Ball to Gibbony and Francis to Tippy.You can find the most up to date list of closures at nevadacountyca.gov/storminfo. PG&E outage information can be found online at pgealerts.alerts.pge.com/outage-tools/outage-map or by calling 1-877-660-6789.

Here's your local news for Wednesday, January 17, 2024:We learn why the city of Monona has suspended its new police pursuit policy,Attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Dane County's Emergency Operations Center,Interview a state lawmaker about his new, east-side grocery store,Have an international conversation about the arts,Broadcast the most in-depth weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1967,And much more.

Gov. DeSantis joins JMN with an update from the Emergency Operations Center as Idalia makes landfall as a category 3 hurricane in the Big Bend area of Florida.

WSLR live interview with Jamie Carson, Sarasota County communications director, Tue., Aug. 29, 8:30 am

Introduction Bill Johnson is a nationally recognized leader in healthcare, public safety, and emergency management. He is the former Director of the Palm Beach County Division of Emergency Management. Throughout his nearly 11-year tenure, he guided the County in its response to several major disaster incidents, including COVID-19 (2020), Tropical Storm Isaac (2012), Hurricane Matthew (2016), Hurricane Irma (2017), and Hurricane Dorian (2019). He led the Division to become one of few local programs in the nation to become an accredited emergency management program. Prior to Palm Beach County, Bill worked as the Assistant Director for the Broward County and Miami-Dade County emergency management departments. Bill has been deployed to numerous major disasters including to New York City's Emergency Operations Center to assist with incident command after the 9/11 “Attacks on America” (2001), to Lee County after Hurricane Charley (2004), to Monroe County after Hurricane Irma (2017), to Calhoun County after Hurricane Michael (2018), and to the FEMA Region IV RRCC in Atlanta after Hurricane Ian (2022). He is a registered nurse, Florida Professional Emergency Manager (FPEM), and was a certified paramedic for 28 years. Key positions: • Public Health Advisor (IMT), U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services (DHHS) • Director, Palm Beach County (FL) Division of Emergency Management • Assistant Director, Broward County (FL) Emergency Management Division • Director – Emergency Management, URS Corporation • Assistant Director, Miami-Dade County (FL) Office of Emergency Management • Assistant Director, Miami-Dade County (FL) Office of Trauma Services Contact information: Twitter: @BillJohnsonRN LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/billjohnsonrn

During an emergency, the Nevada County Office of Emergency Services activates something called the Emergency Operations Center, or EOC. It works to help coordinate support for tactical field operations, and it's especially important during events like wildfires. KVMR's Cláudio Mendonça spoke with three of its members.

During an emergency, the Nevada County Office of Emergency Services activates something called the Emergency Operations Center, or EOC. It works to help coordinate support for tactical field operations, and it's especially important during events like wildfires. We hear from members of Nevada County's Emergency Operations Center, the central site for managing and coordinating the support of tactical field operations during emergencies like wildfires. Oil and gas wells left behind by operators can have less than favorable effects on residents living around them — dizziness, nausea, and headaches, just to name a few. The California Report covers new efforts to help permanently seal them. We close with an essay by Molly Fisk.

I kept seeing the cover everywhere. On Facebook, Instagram, on Facebook again. The cover grabbed me. The obvious suspense/thriller feel got me, too. However, I missed one obvious thing until I was chatting with Tracie Peterson one day--it was written by Kimberley Woodhouse. *insert scratched record here* Call me brain frozen, but I didn't know she wrote suspense!  But she did--she started off in suspense, and I like to say she's returned to her roots with her latest release, 26 Below. Listen in to see how this happened! Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you! What Makes Me Think a Cyber Attack Sounds Like a Good Read? Let's start with Alaska. Land of ice, snow, and not temperatures in the teens--the HUNDRED and teens, that is. Then add in the ticking weather bomb of dropping temperatures and it sounds even better. Right? Finally, stir in a quirky native woman who keeps foretelling doom and gloom, and what doesn't sound good??? And if that all didn't cut it, there's that little thing called faith. Kimberley Woodhouse talked about the faith she wove into her story, and I don't know about you, but those are my favorite sorts of books. So there's that. We also chatted about her backlist (hard to get those original suspense novels, but they might be on eBay or Biblio.com) and about her upcoming publishing schedule. Two suspense and three historicals a year for the next few years. YAY!!!  *does happy dance* Like me, Kimberley Woodhouse doesn't just have a to-be-read pile. She has a whole heaping gob of shelves stuffed with them. I love when I'm not alone. I feel her pain. Feel it. We'll never read all the books we want to--never write them all, either. But we'll have rich lives filled with story while we're here on earth, and that's beautiful. God is good. 26 Below by Kimberley Woodhouse "A thrill ride. . . as current as today's front-page news!" --Colleen Coble, USA Today best-selling author In her new role as Emergency Operations Center director for Fairbanks, Alaska, Darcie Phillips prevents disasters. But none of her training can prepare her for the terror that's coming. As a cybersecurity specialist, Jason Myers is determined to ferret out any threats to the town he now calls home--and that includes his reckless brother and his ecoterrorist friends. When an old woman's wild prediction--widespread destruction as soon as the Fairbanks temperature falls to 26 below--hits national headlines, neither Darcie nor Jason sees a real risk to anything but tourism. Then the bodies start dropping. Darcie is relying on her experience and intelligence to stop a killer; Jason is relying on God to guide the way. They'll have to work together to find the truth and prevent their Alaskan town from becoming a city of nightmares. The first in a thrilling new suspense series from best-selling author Kimberley Woodhouse, 26 Below will delight fans of Lynnette Eason, Irene Hannon, and Lynn Blackburn. You can learn more about Kimberley Woodhouse on her WEBSITE Check her out on GoodReads and BookBub, too! Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at: Apple  Castbox  Google Play Libsyn  RSS Spotify Stitcher Amazon and more!

On February 3rd, a train carrying 20 cars with poisonous, flammable chemicals derailed in East Palestine, OH. In this episode, we're going to get some answers. Using testimony from four Congressional hearings, community meeting footage, National Transportation Safety Board preliminary reports, and lots of articles from local and mainstream press, you will learn what Congress is being told as they write the Rail Safety Act, which both parts of Congress are working on in response to the East Palestine train derailment. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536. Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! View the show notes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd274-norfolk-southern-train-derailment-in-east-palestine Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD247: BIF: The Growth of US Railroads East Palestine Derailment Overview “It's been more than a month since a freight train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed in Ohio. Here's what's happened since.” Alisha Ebrahimji and Holly Yan. Mar 23, 2023. CNN. “Residents can return home after crews burned chemicals in derailed tanker cars.” Associated Press. Feb 8, 2023. NPR. “WATCH: Smoke billows over East Palestine after controlled burn at train derailment site.” Feb 8, 2023. Cleveland 19 News. Vinyl Chloride and Dioxins “East Palestine Train Derailment: What is vinyl chloride and what happens when it burns?” Associated Press. Feb 8, 2023. CBS News Pittsburgh. “Dioxins and their effects on human health.” Oct 4, 2016. World Health Organization. “Medical Management Guidelines for Vinyl Chloride.” Last reviewed Oct 21, 2014. Centers for Disease Control Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. National Transportation Safety Board Findings “Norfolk Southern Railway Train Derailment with Subsequent Hazardous Material Release and Fires: Investigation Details.” Last updated Mar 21, 2023. National Transportation Safety Board. “What appears to be an overheated wheel bearing seen moments before East Palestine train derailment, NTSB says.” Ian Cross. Feb 14, 2023. ABC News 5 Cleveland. “Vent and Burn” Decision “Ex-EPA Administrator Doubts Agency's East Palestine Claims: 'Hard to Believe They Were Silent' Before Norfolk Southern Detonated Toxic Vinyl Chloride Cars.” Jordan Chariton. May 25, 2023. Status Coup News. “East Palestine emails reveal insight into decision to vent and burn toxic rail cars.” Tara Morgan. May 15, 2023. ABC News 5 Cleveland. “EXCLUSIVE: 'I truly feel defeated and useless.' Emails and texts reveal anguish of East Palestine fire chief over lack of adequate health advice after he was told to treat chemical disaster 'like a normal house fire.'” Daniel Bates. May 15, 2023. The Daily Mail. EPA failures “East Palestine Bombshell: EPA Official Admits It May Be Missing Toxic Chemicals in Air Testing, Admits Some of Its Decision Making Has Been to Prevent Lawsuits.” Louis DeAngelis. Mar 29, 2023. Status Coup News. East Palestine Resident Health Problems “No one has accepted real responsibility for the East Palestine disaster.” Zsuzsa Gyenes. May 16, 2023. The Guardian. “East Palestine survey reveals residents experienced headaches and anxiety after train derailment.” Nicki Brown, Artemis Moshtaghian and Travis Caldwell. Mar 4, 2023. CNN. “People in East Palestine showing breakdown product of vinyl chloride in urine tests.” Tara Morgan. Apr 28, 2023. ABC News 5 Cleveland. Norfolk Southern “Making it Right.” Norfolk Southern. “Norfolk Southern unveils compensation plans for homeowners near derailment site.” Andrea Cambron, Jason Carroll and Chris Isidore. May 11, 2023. CNN Business. “‘32 Nasty:' Rail Workers Say They Knew the Train That Derailed in East Palestine Was Dangerous.” Aaron Gordon. Feb 15, 2023. Vice. “Wall Street says Norfolk Southern profits won't suffer from derailment.” Rachel Premack. Feb 14, 2023. Freight Waves. “US rail industry defends safety record amid staffing cuts.” Josh Funk. May 16, 2021. AP News. Lobbying Against Regulations “Rail Companies Blocked Safety Rules Before Ohio Derailment.” David Sirota et al. Feb 8, 2023. The Lever. ECP Brake Deregulation “USDOT repeals ECP brake rule.” William C. Vantuono. Dec 5, 2017. Railway Age. Railway Safety Act “Railway Safety Act passes committee, moves to Senate floor for full vote.” Abigail Bottar. May 10, 2023. Ideastream Public Media. Staffing Cuts “Railroads are slashing workers, cheered on by Wall Street to stay profitable amid Trump's trade war.” Heather Long. Jan 3, 2020. The Washington Post. Long Trains “The True Dangers of Long Trains.” Dan Schwartz and Topher Sanders. Apr 3, 2023. Propublica. Bills S.576: Railway Safety Act of 2023 Audio Sources Senate Executive Session May 10, 2023 Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation Clips 36:30 Sen. JD Vance (R-OH): This bill has changed a lot from what I introduced just a few short months ago. We've made a number of concessions to industry; a number of concessions to the rail industry, a number of concessions to various interest groups, which is why we have so much bipartisan support in this body but also why we have a lot of support from industry. East Palestine Community Meeting March 28, 2023 Status Coup News Government Response to East Palestine: Ensuring Safety and Transparency for the Community March 28, 2023 House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, & Critical Materials Watch on YouTube Witnesses: Debra Shore, Regional Administrator, U.S Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5 Wesley Vins, Health Commissioner, Columbiana County General Health District Anne M. Vogel, Director, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Clips 30:40 Debra Shore: Since the derailment, EPA has been leading robust, multi-layered air quality testing, using state of the art technology in and around East Palestine, and that extensive monitoring has continued daily at 23 stations throughout the community. Since the fire was extinguished on February 8, EPA monitors have not detected any volatile organic compounds above established levels of health concerns. EPA has also been assisting with indoor air screenings in homes through a voluntary program to keep residents informed. As of March 21, more than 600 homes have been screened, and no sustained or elevated detections of chemicals have been identified. 33:00 Debra Shore: Here's how EPA is holding Norfolk Southern accountable. On February 21, EPA issued a Unilateral Administrative Order to Norfolk Southern, including a number of directives to identify and clean up contaminated soil and water resources, to attend and participate in public meetings at EPA's request, and to post information online, and ordering the company to pay EPA's costs for work performed under the order. All Norfolk Southern work plans must be reviewed and approved by EPA. It must outline all steps necessary to address the environmental damage caused by the derailment. If the company fails to complete any of the EPAs ordered actions, the agency will immediately step in, conduct the necessary work, and then seek punitive damages at up to three times the cost. 46:30 Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH): In one case, trucks were actually turned around at the gate of a proper, certified disposal facility and sent back to East Palestine to sit practically in my constituents backyard. Why did the EPA believe that it needed to send those letters? Debra Shore: Chairman Johnson, the instance you cite occurred before EPA assumed responsibility under the Unilateral Administrative Order for the cleanup. We don't know who told those trucks to turn around, whether it was the disposal facility itself or someone else. 48:50 Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH): Why were they turned around? Debra Shore: This occurred during the transition period between Ohio EPA and US EPA assuming the lead for the emergency response. As such, under the Unilateral Administrative Order, all disposal facilities are required to be on the CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act) approved off-site disposal list. So, we needed a few days to review what had occurred and ensure that those facilities that Norfolk Southern had contracts with were on that approved list. Once we determined which ones were on the approved list, it's up to Norfolk Southern to ship waste off the site. 1:03:30 Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO): Is the EPA intending to use the Unilateral Administrative Order to ensure that Norfolk Southern establishes a health and environmental screening program beyond this initial cleanup period? Debra Shore: Right now, the focus of the Unilateral Order and our work with Norfolk Southern is to make sure the site is cleaned up. I think the responsibility for that longer term health effort, I support what Dr. Vins recommended, and that may have to be negotiat[ed] with Norfolk Southern going forward. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO): Obviously, that hasn't started yet. Debra Shore: Not to my knowledge. 1:09:05 Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA): What will take place in the remediation phase, what happens then? Debra Shore: Then there'll be restoration of stream banks and the places where the soil was removed from along the railroad sites and I think a larger vision for the community that they're already beginning to work on, such as parks and streetscapes. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA): Right. Any idea of what kind of timeframe we're talking about here? I mean, are we talking like in my district, decades? Debra Shore: No. We believe the core of the removal of the contaminated site and the restoration of the tracks will be several months. 1:11:35 Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ): When did clean up responsibility shift from EPA to Norfolk Southern, and what protections were put in place to ensure the health and safety of the community during that shift? Debra Shore: Thank you, Congressman Pallone. The transition from the State agency, which has the delegated authority in every state, has an emergency response capability, and so Ohio was on the ground working with the local firemen and other agencies as EPA arrived shortly after the derailment. It is typical in these kinds of emergency responses for the state agency to take the lead in the early days and Norfolk Southern was complying with the directives from the state. They continued to comply, but we've found over time that it's important to have all the authority to hold the principal responsible party in this case Norfolk Southern accountable, which is why on February 21, several weeks after the derailment, EPA issued its Unilateral Administrative Order. 1:19:55 Debra Shore: In the subsequent soil sampling that's been conducted, we looked at the information about the direction of the plume from the vent and burn event and focused that primarily where there might have been aerial deposition of soot or particulate matter, and that those soil samples have been collected in Pennsylvania. Rep. John Joyce (R-PA): And today, what soil, air, and water tests are continuing to occur in Pennsylvania? Debra Shore: Additional soil samples will be collected in collaboration, principally, with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the local Farm Bureau, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. 1:28:36 Anne M. Vogel: The reason that we have been able to say that the municipal drinking water is safe is based on an Ohio EPA map that pre-exists the derailment. This is the source water protection map. So the municipal wellfield is right here, if folks can see that, that big well in the blue. So the derailment happened way over here, a mile and a half away from the wellfield. And we know how the water flows, down this way, down this way, down the creeks. So the derailment would not have affected the municipal water source and we knew that very quickly after the derailment. 1:49:05 Debra Shore: Norfolk Southern has encountered some difficulties in finding and establishing contracts with sites to accept both liquid and solid waste. And I think we could accelerate the cleanup if they were able to fulfill that obligation more expeditiously. 1:51:20 Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA): What are some of the long term health concerns that residents and your providers have? Wesley Vins: We've heard a whole wide range of concerns long term. Certainly, cancer is first and foremost, because of much of the information that the residents see online and here, as well as reproductive concerns, growth concerns, hormonal concerns Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA): Do you think there's a potential with the carcinogens or any of the toxins that it could lead to ailments for five years from now? Wesley Vins: Yeah, I understand your question. So the some of the constituents that we have related to this response, obviously are carcinogenic, however, we're seeing low levels, is really the initial response. So I think the long question is, we don't know. Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA): We don't know. 2:04:50 Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-CA): Administrator Shore, one concern my office has heard is that relocation costs are not being covered by Norfolk Southern for everyone in East Palestine. How is it determined whether a resident is eligible to have their relocation costs paid for? Debra Shore: I'm sorry to hear that. My understanding was that Norfolk Southern was covering temporary relocation costs for any resident who sought that, and I would direct you to Norfolk Southern to ask why they are being turned down. Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-CA): Can the EPA require that Norfolk Southern cover relocation costs for anyone in East Palestine? Debra Shore: I'll find out. 2:11:45 Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA): I guess my concern is, if the EPA is website says that the sampling data hasn't been quality assured, how did the EPA make the determination that the air is safe to breathe when it appears that the sampling data has not been quality assured? Debra Shore: Congresswoman, I'm going to ask our staff to get back to you with an answer for that. Executive Session and Improving Rail Safety in Response to the East Palestine Derailment March 22, 2023 Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation View on Senate website Introduction Panel: U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown U.S. Senator J.D. Vance Mike DeWine, Governor of Ohio Misti Allison, Resident of East Palestine Witnesses: Jennifer Homendy, Chair, National Transportation Safety Board David Comstock, Chief, Ohio Western Reserve Joint Fire District Clyde Whitaker, Legislative Director, Ohio State SMART-TD Alan Shaw, CEO, Norfolk Southern Ian Jefferies, CEO, Association of American Railroads Clips 1:35:00 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Is there any relief being offered now to say, if you make the decision to move your home and move your family somewhere else, there is an avenue for you to sell your home and get a fair market price for it? Misti Allison: The short answer is, as of today, no. There is not a clear cut explanation or parameters of how you would do that. We've heard time and time again from Norfolk Southern that they're going to make it right and that they're looking into some long term health care monitoring and assistance and home value protection, but details of that plan have not been disclosed to residents as of today. 1:42:05 Jennifer Homendy: This derailment, as all accidents we investigate, was 100% preventable. 1:43:20 Jennifer Homendy: First, the definition of high hazard flammable train should be expanded to a broader array of hazmats and the definition's threshold of 20 loaded tank cars in a continuous block or 35 tank cars dispersed throughout a train should be eliminated. Second, DOT 111 should be phased out of all hazmat service. They're not as protected as DOT 117 tank cars. Third, people deserve to know what chemicals are moving through their communities and how to stay safe in an emergency. That includes responders who risk their lives for each of us every single day. They deserve to be prepared. That means access to real time information, obtaining the right training and gear, and having the right communications and planning tools. Fourth, light cockpit voice recorders in the aviation, audio and video recorders in the locomotive cab are essential for helping investigators determine the cause of an accident and make more precise safety recommendations. Recorders also help operators proactively improve their safety policies and practices. In the East Palestine derailment, the locomotive was equipped with an inward facing camera. However, since the locomotive was put immediately back into service following the accident, the data was overwritten. That means the recorder only provided about 15 minutes of data before the derailment, and five minutes after. The FAST Act, following terrible tragedies in Chatsworth and in Philadelphia, required Amtrak and commuter railroads to maintain crash and fire hardened inward and outward facing image recorders in all controlling locomotives that have a minimum of a 12 hour continuous recording capability. This was extremely helpful in our DuPont Washington investigation. Now is the time to expand that requirement to audio, and include the Class One freight railroads in that mandate. In fact, now is the time to address all of the NTSB's open rail safety recommendations, many of which are on our most wanted list. Fifth and finally, as the committee works on enhancing rail safety, I trust that you'll consider the resources that we desperately need to carry out our critical safety mission. Investments in the NTSB are investments in safety across all modes of transportation. 1:52:05 Clyde Whitaker: This derailment did not have to happen. And it makes it so much more frustrating for us to know that it was very predictable. And yet our warnings and cries for help over the last seven years have fallen on deaf ears and the outcome was exactly as we feared. Now the result is a town that doesn't feel safe in their own homes, businesses failing to survive and a railroad that prioritized its own movement of trains, before the people in the community, as well as its workers. It truly is a shame that operational changes in place prior to that incident are still in place today and the possibility for a similar disaster is just as possible. My entire railroad career I've listened to the railroads portray a message and image of safety first, but I have never witnessed or experienced that truth, one single day on the property. For years I've handled complaint after complaint regarding unsafe practices and unsafe environments, and for almost every single one I've been fought every step of the way. The truth is, ask any railroad worker and they will tell you, that their carriers are masters of checking the boxes and saying the right things, without ever doing anything meaningful toward improving safety. They're only focus is on the operating ratios and bottom lines, which is evidenced by the fact that their bonus structures are set up to reward timely movements of freight rather than reaching destinations safely, as they once were. Actions do speak louder than words. And I assure you that what you have heard, and will hear, from the railroads today are nothing more than words. Their actions are what's experienced by men and women I represent as well as what the people of East Palestine have been through. This is the reality of what happens when railroads are primarily left to govern and regulate themselves. 1:54:05 Clyde Whitaker: On July 11, 2022, I filed a complaint with the FRA (Freight Railroad Administration) regarding an unsafe practice that was occurring on Norfolk Southern (NS), despite existing operating rules to the contrary. NS was giving instructions to crews to disregard wayside detector failures and to keep the trains moving. This meant the trains were not being inspected as intended, and that the crews were not able to ascertain the integrity of such trains. This practice remained in place even after East Palestine. 1:54:40 Clyde Whitaker: It is a virus that has plagued the industry for some time, with the exception of precision scheduled railroading. Across America, inspections and maintenance is being deferred to expedite the movement of trains. No longer is identifying defects and unsafe conditions the goal of inspections, but rather minimiz[ing] the time it takes to perform them, or the elimination of them all together. 2:17:40 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Why did Norfolk Southern not stop the train then and examine the bearing to make sure that it didn't melt the axle and that you didn't have a derailment? If you'd stop then it would have prevented the derailment. So my question is, why did the second hotbox reading not trigger action? Alan Shaw: Senator, my understanding is that that second reading was still below our alarm threshold, which is amongst the lowest in the industry. In response to this, the industry has agreed to work together to share best practices with respect to hotbox detectors, trending technology, and thresholds. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): So when you and I visited my office yesterday, you said your threshold is now 170 degrees above ambient temperature. As I understand it, at the time of the derailment, your threshold was 200 degrees above ambient temperature. 2:20:15 Clyde Whitaker: Make note that trending defect detector technology from being in the cab of a locomotive, when we pass a defect detector, it trends to an office like Norfolk Southern in Atlanta, Georgia. It doesn't convey to the railroad crews, which is a problem in this incident as well as many others that still continue to this day. What we need as a train crew -- which they say they listen, they haven't been listening for quite a while -- we need to be notified whenever these trending detectors are seeing this car trend hotter. That way we can keep a better eye on it. 2:22:35 Clyde Whitaker: It is feasible. The technology is there. Several days after East Palestine, we almost had a similar incident in the Cleveland area on Norfolk Southern. The defect detector said no defects to the crew. The train dispatcher came on and said, "Hey, we have a report of a trending defect detector on the train. We need you to stop and inspect it." Immediately after that the chief dispatcher, which is the person that controls the whole railroad, told them to keep going. If it were not for an eastbound train passing them and instructing them, "Hey, your train is on fire, stop your train." And we set that car out. They had to walking speed this car five miles. So the technology is there. They're just raising and lowering their thresholds to move freight. 2:25:15 Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA): His testimony is loud and clear: it would have been worse if there was only one person as a crew on that train. Do you disagree with him? Alan Shaw: Senator, I believe that we have operations infrastructure on the ground to respond to derailments. Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA): I think you're not answering the question, okay? It's almost like the last hearing all over again. Because I think the evidence is very clear that these trains can be absolutely safer, but that technology is no replacement for human beings. For example, it can't provide the cognitive functions of a conductor and can't collect visual cues during an emergency. Two-person crews make our trains safer and I wish that you would commit to that today, because I think it's pretty obvious that is the correct answer. I just get sick of industry executives talking about supporting the principles of regulation, while they lobby against common sense regulations like this one behind the scenes. 2:38:50 Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT): I understand that the business plan of Norfolk Southern includes a $7.5 billion stock buyback that is ongoing. Do you believe it would be appropriate to suspend that buyback program until all of the assurances that you are making to this committee and also to the people of East Palestine, about "making this right," that that stock back buyback program should be suspended until you have accomplished what you've assured us and what you've assured that people of East Palestine that you would do? Alan Shaw: Senator, we think about safety every day. We spend a billion dollars a year in capital on safety. And we have ongoing expenses of about a billion dollars a year in safety and as a result over time, derailments are down, hazardous material releases are down and injuries are down. We can always get better. Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT): Right, so you won't answer my question about suspending the buyback program. Alan Shaw: Senator, stock buybacks never come at the expense of safety Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT): I take that is that you will continue with your plan on the buyback. 2:51:30 Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV): I know that high hazardous flammable trains have more safety regulations. Why would this not have been characterized as a high hazard flammable train if it had th ese hazardous materials on it as part of the 149 car train? Alan Shaw: Senator, thank you for your question. I'm not familiar with the entire makeup of the train. I know that a highly hazardous train is defined by a certain number of highly hazardous cars in it or a certain number of cars in a block. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV): Miss Homendy, maybe you can help me with that question. Jennifer Homendy: Yes, the definition of a high hazard flammable train involves class three flammable liquids only, 20 car loads in a continuous block, which would be a unit train, or 35 car loads of class three flammable liquids in a mixed freight train. That was not what was on this train. There were some that were class three defined flammable liquids, but this train was not a high hazard flammable train. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV): Right. It wasn't a high hazard train, but it had high hazardous materials that are very flammable that just lit up the sky. So is that something that you would consider that should be looked at as a safety improvement? Jennifer Homendy: Yes, Senator. We think that the thresholds of the 20 and 35 should be eliminated and we think a broader array of hazmat should be in the definition of high hazard flammable train. Protecting Public Health and the Environment in the Wake of the Norfolk Southern Train Derailment and Chemical Release in East Palestine, Ohio March 9, 2023 Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works View on Senate website Witnesses: Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) Alan Shaw, President and CEO, Norfolk Southern Corporation Debra Shore, Regional Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region V Anne Vogel, Director, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Richard Harrison, Executive Director and Chief Engineer, Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission Eric Brewer, Director and Chief of Hazardous Materials Response, Beaver County Department of Emergency Services Clips 26:50 Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH): The company followed the Wall Street business model: boost profits by cutting costs at all costs, the consequences for places like East Palestine be damned. In 10 years, Norfolk Southern eliminated 38% of its workforce. Think of that. In a decade they cut more than a third of their jobs. We see what the company did with their massive profits. Norfolk Southern spent $3.4 billion on stock buybacks last year and were planning to do even more this year. That's money that could have gone to hiring inspectors, to putting more hotbox detectors along its rail lines, to having more workers available to repair cars and repair tracks. Norfolk Southern's profits have gone up and up and up and look what happened. 33:35 Sen. JD Vance (R-OH): It is ridiculous that firefighters and local officials don't know that hazardous chemicals are in their community, coming through their community. In East Palestine you had a community of largely volunteer firefighters responding to a terrible crisis, toxic burning chemicals, without knowing what was on them. 34:50 Sen. JD Vance (R-OH): I've talked to a number of my Republican colleagues and nearly everybody has dealt in complete good faith, whether they like the bill or have some concerns about it, and these comments are not directed at them. Who they are directed at is a particular slice of people who seem to think that any public safety enhancements for the rail industry is somehow a violation of the free market. Well, if you look at this industry and what's happened in the last 30 years, that argument is a farce. This is an industry that enjoys special subsidies that almost no industry enjoys. This is an industry that is enjoys special legal carve outs that almost no industry enjoys. This is an industry that just three months ago had the federal government come in and save them from a labor dispute. It was effectively a bailout. And now they're claiming before the Senate and the House that our reasonable legislation is somehow a violation of the free market. Well, pot, meet the kettle, because that doesn't make an ounce of sense. You cannot claim special government privileges, you cannot ask the government to bail you out, and then resist basic public safety. 40:10 Alan Shaw: Air and water monitoring have been in place continuously since the accident and to date it consistently indicated that the air is safe to breathe and the water is safe to drink. 47:20 Debra Shore: Since the fire was extinguished on February 8, EPA monitors have not detected any volatile organic compounds above levels of health concerns. 47:45 Debra Shore: EPA has been assisting with indoor air screenings for homes through a voluntary program offered to residents to provide them with information and help restore their peace of mind. As of March 4, approximately 600 homes had been screened through this program and no detections of vinyl chloride or hydrogen chloride have been identified. 48:40 Debra Shore: On February 21, we issued a unilateral administrative order to Norfolk Southern which includes a number of directives to identify and clean up contaminated soil and water resources, to attend and participate in public meetings at EPA's request, and to post information online, to pay for EPA's costs for work performed under this order. EPA is overseeing Norfolk Southern's cleanup work to ensure it's done to EPA specifications. The work plans will outline all steps necessary to clean up the environmental damage caused by the derailment. And most importantly, if the company fails to complete any of the EPA ordered actions, the agency will immediately step in, conduct the necessary work, and then force Norfolk Southern to pay triple the cost. 1:04:30 Eric Brewer: Norfolk Southern hazmat personnel and contractors arrived on scene shortly after 11pm. At around midnight, after research of the contents, it was decided to shut down fire operations and move firefighters out of the immediate area and to let the tank cars burn. This is not an unusual decision. This decision was made primarily by Norfolk Southern's hazmat coordinator, as well as their contractor. 1:05:15 Eric Brewer: There was a possibility of explosion and we should consider a one mile evacuation. Ohio officials notified us that the one mile radius would now be from the leaked oil address. This would add additional residents from Beaver County in the one mile evacuation zone. Donington township officials went door to door, as well as using a mass notification system to advise the residents of the one mile recommended evacuation. It was stressed that this was a recommendation as we cannot force residents from their homes. Social media posts began to circulate stating that arrest would be made if people refused to leave during the evacuation. Let me be clear that was not the case in Pennsylvania, as this was not a mandatory evacuation. Monday morning, we assembled at the Emergency Operations Center in East Palestine. We learned Norfolk Southern wanted to do a controlled detonation of the tank car in question. We were assured this was the safest way to mitigate the problem. During one of those planning meetings, we learned from Norfolk Southern that they now wanted to do the controlled detonation on five of the tank cars rather than just the one. This changed the entire plan, as it would now impact a much larger area. 1:21:25 Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV): Why did you wait a month before you started to order the dioxin testing when the community was asking for this? Was that a decision that you made early on that it wasn't critical? Or how was this decision made? Debra Shore: Senator Capito, our air monitoring was searching for primary indicators, such as phosgene and hydrogen chloride, immediately during and after the burn. We detected very low levels which very quickly went even down to non detectable. Without those primary indicators, it was a very low probability that dioxins would have been created. They are secondary byproducts of the burning of vinyl chloride. 1:25:40 Alan Shaw: As you saw just this week, a six point safety plan that included a number of issues which we're implementing immediately to improve safety, including installing more wayside detectors. The first one was installed yesterday outside of East Palestine. 1:30:20 Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK): Mr. Shaw, when the vent and burn process was being made, who who made those decisions? And what was other considerations other than just burning it and letting the material burn off? Alan Shaw: Thank you for that question. The only consideration, Senator, was the safety and health of the community. And that decision was made by Unified Command under the direction of the Incident Commander? Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK): Who's that? Alan Shaw: The Incident Commander was Fire Chief Drabick. Norfolk Southern was a part of Unified Command. 2:07:25 Alan Shaw: Senator, the NTSB report indicated that all of the hotbox detectors were working as designed. And earlier this week, we announced that we are adding approximately 200 hotbox detectors to our network. We already have amongst the lowest spacing between hotbox detectors in the industry. And we already have amongst the lowest thresholds. 2:15:35 Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA): Will you commit to compensating affected homeowners for their diminished property values? Alan Shaw: Senator, I'm committing to do what's right. Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA): Well, what's right is a family that had a home worth $100,000 that is now worth $50,000 will probably never be able to sell that home for 100,000 again. Will you compensate that family for that loss? Alan Shaw: Senator, I'm committed to do what's right. Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA): That is the right thing to do. These are the people who are innocent victims, Mr. Shaw. These people were just there at home and all of a sudden their small businesses, their homes are forever going to have been diminished in value. Norfolk Southern owes these people. It's an accident that is basically under the responsibility of Norfolk Southern, not these families. When you say do the right thing, will you again, compensate these families for their diminished lost property value for homes and small businesses? Alan Shaw: Senator, we've already committed $21 million and that's a downpayment Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA): That is a down payment. Will you commit to ensuring that these families, these innocent families, do not lose their life savings in their homes and small businesses? The right thing to do is to say, "Yes, we will." Alan Shaw: Senator, I'm committed to doing what's right for the community and we're going to be there as long -- Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA): What's right for the community will then be balanced -- which is what we can see from your stock buybacks -- by what's right for Norfolk Southern. C-SPAN: Washington Post Live March 6, 2023 Speakers: Heather Long, Columnist and Editorial Writer, Washington Post Jennifer Homendy, Chair, National Transportation Safety Board Clips 5:14 Jennifer Homendy: Hazardous materials are transported on all modes of transportation. Our aviation system is the safest, but they're limited in what they can transport for dangerous materials. Pipelines can also be safe as well. They have a generally good safety record until one big rupture occurs. But then our railroads also have a good safety record. Train accidents in general, per million trains miles, are going up. So it's trending upwards, accidents. With that said, going on our nation's roads with these materials is not something we want to see. You know, we have 43,000 people that are dying on our nation's roads annually. We have a public health crisis on our roads. Millions of crashes are occurring, so transporting hazmat on our roads would be more dangerous than on our railways. 6:50 Jennifer Homendy: The numbers are trending upward on accidents overall and also for Norfolk Southern 8:20 Jennifer Homendy: That is a role that's very important for the NTSB and why we are independent of the Department of Transportation. We are not part of the Department of Transportation because we do conduct federal oversight to see if DoT's oversight of the freight railroads is adequate or inadequate and we may make recommendations on that. 10:20 Jennifer Homendy: Once it hit well over 250 degrees, it was time for the train crew to stop to inspect the axle, to inspect the wheel bearing and to possibly, in this case, set out the car. But it was too late because as they were slowing and stopping, the train derailed, the wheel bearing failed. And so there might need to be more conservative temperature thresholdss o that started earlier. Also, something the Transportation Safety Board of Canada has looked at is real time monitoring of temperatures and data trending from the control center so that they can see the temperatures increase over a period of time. In this derailment, or what we saw of this train and its operations, is the temperature of that wheel bearing was going up pretty significantly over the course of the three different wayside detectors, but you know, the crew doesn't see that. So that real time monitoring and data trending so that there's some communication with the crew to stop the train and take immediate action is definitely needed. We'll look at that as part of our investigation as well. 12:30 Jennifer Homendy: One thing I will mention is that these decisions about the placement of these hot bearing detectors and the thresholds really vary railroad by railroad and so there needs to be good decision making, some policies and practices put in place. 18:00 Jennifer Homendy: Electronically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brakes don't prevent a derailment. It could lessen damage. So let me explain that. So in this one, car 23 still would have derailed because a wheel bearing failed. So car 23 still would have derailed. Still would have been a derailment, still would have been a fire, and the responders, and Norfolk Southern, and the state and locals would have had to still make a decision on whether to vent and burn the five vinyl chloride tank cars. There could have been a possibility of less damage, meaning a few cars could have remained on the track later in the train. But as for most of the damage, that still would have occurred whether we had ECP brakes on this train or not. 19:50 Heather Long: There's a lot fewer people working on rail, especially freight rail. Does the number of people make any difference here? Jennifer Homendy: Well for this one, as you said, we had two crew members and a trainee. They all stay, as with every train, in the cab of the head locomotive. So I do not see where that would have made a difference in this particular train and this derailment. One thing we are going to look at is whether any changes in staffing lead to any differences in how these cars are maintained or how they're inspected. That is something we will look at. 21:05 Jennifer Homendy: Yeah, so the fire chief, upon arrival at the command center following the derailment, had electronic access to the train consist, which is the list of cars and the materials or liquids that the train is carrying, but none of the responders had the Ask Rail app. You could look up a UN number for a particular car and get the whole consist of the train. It's in an app that the railroads developed for helping emergency responders to get information following an accident. 25:05 Jennifer Homendy: And we have over 250 recommendations that we've issued on rail safety generally that have not been acted upon yet. Music Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Editing Pro Podcast Solutions Production Assistance Clare Kuntz Balcer

The extreme winter storms put San Francisco's Department of Emergency Management to the test. Early in the storm cycle, the department faced challenges communicating with people experiencing homelessness. Internal confusion over the forecast delayed the opening of its Emergency Operations Center until a major storm was under way. In at least one instance, flood barriers were deployed too late to prevent homes and businesses from being inundated.

On March 11, 2011, fifty minutes after a magnitude 9.0 earthquake hit eastern Japan, a tsunami 45-feet high engulfed the nuclear power plant known as Fukushima Daiichi, knocking out electrical power and all the reactors' safety systems. Three reactor cores experienced meltdowns in the first three days, leading to an unimaginable nuclear disaster. The person the Tokyo Electric Power Company called for help was Dr. Chuck Casto.What an amazing and humble gentleman. A great honour and pleasure speaking with Chuck, I am sure you will love this conversation as much as I did.Dr. Charles Casto is a nuclear safety and regulatory professional with 38 years of experience consisting of positions of increasing responsibility, including executive, regulatory, technical, and operational areas of expertise. He was a member of the U.S. Government's Senior Executive Service, and last held the position of NRC, Regional Administrator, Region III, overseeing 23 reactors in eight states as one of the senior administrators for the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission.Dr. Casto led the integrated US Government and Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) efforts in Japan during the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011. Working directly with Ambassador Roos, and coordinating with the NRC's Emergency Operations Center in the U.S., he represented the United States Government to the Japanese Prime Minister's Cabinet. His efforts are widely recognized as being a singular contribution to the emergency response during the Fukushima nuclear crisis, through his efforts in coordinating the U.S. government response, providing technical consultation to the Daiichi plant manager and Japan's nuclear agencies, and serving as a liaison to Japanese Prime Minister Kan Naoto during the Fukushima nuclear disaster. After serving for 11 months in Japan as the U.S. government's lead nuclear representative during the crisis, Dr. Casto received the Presidential Distinguished Award (2012) from President Obama; for his contributions to the U.S. government, he previously received the Meritorious Rank Award (2009) from President Bush.Links.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-charles-chuck-casto-990b948/Website: https://www.castogroup.com/Further context can be gained here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciRRsCIAy6A Thanks for listening. We have some great guests coming up in future pods so get ready to learn. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your week, and stay safe. https://plus.acast.com/s/health-and-safety-conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For emergency managers across the country, the Emergency Operations Center, or EOC, can be home base. It's a place for deconflicting challenges, finding solutions and coordinating efforts to a host of emergencies facing their communities. For many, the EOC is also a physical location, but in recent years, jurisdictions are finding ways to make their EOCs virtual as well. To that end, in October 2022, FEMA released the EOC How to Quick Reference Guide, which is a collection of guidance and best practices that can contribute to developing an EOC that can successfully meet the jurisdiction's needs. So, on this episode, we go to FEMA's National Integration Center to learn more about the guide and how it can help communities increase EOC capabilities for evolving environments.

Song playsIntro by hostWelcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod's Talking Politics, every Monday.Go to heartlandpod.com for information on all our political podcasts, and a link to support our work on Patreon. Sign up as an Official PODhead for just $5 per month to access all our premium podcast segments and political writing. To join the conversation on Twitter, find us at THE Heartland POD. Alright! Let's get into it: NEVADA CURRENT: Water managers across drought-stricken West agree on one thing: ‘This is going to be painful'BY JENIFFER SOLIS - MONDAY DECEMBER 19, 2022 5:25 AMWater authorities in the Western U.S. don't have a crystal ball, but rapidly receding reservoirs uncovering sunken boats and other debris lost in their depths decades ago give a clear view of the hard choices ahead.If western states do not agree on a plan to safeguard the Colorado River — the source of the region's vitality — there won't be enough water for anyone.Water managers, researchers, agricultural producers and others from across the drought-stricken river basin met in Las Vegas last week for the Colorado River Water Users Association annual convention to face hard truths about the state of the river and historically-low levels of its biggest reservoirs.Two decades of drought and poor planning have caused the river's biggest reservoirs — Lake Mead and Lake Powell — to drop to their lowest collective volume since they were filled.  Rebecca Mitchell, director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board said “Time is not on our side. Hydrology is not on our side. That's the frightening reality Every day that passes this problem gets harder and harder to solve.”The water could drop below what's needed to generate power as soon as next year, according to water experts. If nothing is done  there is a real possibility water levels in both reservoirs will drop so low in the next two years that water will no longer flow downstream to the 40 million people in the West who rely on the Colorado River.To put it in perspective, this winter both reservoirs were about a quarter full - 25%. In December 1999, Lake Powell was at 88% capacity, and Lake Mead was at 96% capacity.  In 2021, Lower basin states faced their first-ever federally declared water shortage, which directs how much water states can draw from the Colorado River. Deeper cuts were declared this year.Ted Cooke, the general manager for the Central Arizona Project.In June, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton issued an ultimatum to states: Develop a plan to save 2 million to 4 million acre-feet of water by next year — roughly one-fifth of their currently allocations—or the federal government will step in.During a panel discussion at last week's convention in Las Vegas, representatives for the seven western states who rely on the Colorado River said reaching a compromise will be their collective priority for the next six months.They agree that the longer it takes to stabilize the river and conserve the water needed to keep the river functional, the more likely reservoir levels will continue to plummet, leaving states with fewer and fewer options.Just last week, all of Southern California was declared to be in a drought emergency by the Metropolitan Water District, the main water supplier for Los Angeles county.Officials for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation warned that aridification, the long-term shift to a drier climate, means even less snow runoff is making it to the river each year.Currently, there is nearly $4 billion set aside for the Colorado River that would allow the Bureau of Reclamation to use some funds to pay users to voluntarily forgo water use.“We have to accept that we can not cling to our entitlements or allocations. If they are not there none of it matters,” Mitchell continued. “Folks in the room have to be willing to let us make hard decisions, because this is going to be painful.” Becky Mitchell Colorado Water Conservation BoardSOURCE NM:New Mexico's HSD proposes medication-assisted treatment for incarcerated peopleBY: AUSTIN FISHER - DECEMBER 19, 2022 4:35 AMBeginning in 2024, New Mexico's Medicaid program could start providing medication-assisted treatment to incarcerated people 30 days before they are released, along with a 30-day supply of medication when they leave. The hope is that this will be a step toward reducing the harms of criminalizing substance use disorder, and producing better outcomes.In a 275-page application to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services by the New Mexico Human Services Department published Friday, HSD says it hopes to ensure formerly incarcerated people stay on their medication after release, and don't commit more crimes, end up in an emergency room or unhoused.At any given time in New Mexico, more than 14,000 people are held in state, local or youth correctional facilities, and nearly 50,000 people churn through local jails in the state each year. according to a lawsuit filed Thursday by ACLU-NM and Disability Rights New Mexico, New Mexico's prison system forces people who are on medication for opioid use disorder, to withdraw from it when they enter prison.The lawsuit cites research showing that someone leaving incarceration is nearly 13 times more likely than the general population to die of an overdose in the first two weeks after their release.HSD wants to get people who are being held in jail before a trial, or who are imprisoned post-conviction, on Medicaid so they can get medication-assisted treatment while inside state prisons, local jails, youth correctional facilities, tribal holding facilities, tribal jails and at the New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute.The department plans to focus on incarcerated people with serious mental health conditions, severe emotional disturbance, substance use disorder, or an intellectual or developmental disability. It estimates 7,500 people per year could benefit.COLORADO SUN:The biggest election 2022 spender in Colorado? Jared Polis — by a long shot.Sandra Fish3:41 AM MST on Dec 15, 2022Democratic Gov. Jared Polis spent $12.6 million of his own money on his successful reelection bid this year, more than any other state-level candidate. May sound like a lot,Polis' 2022 spending, however, didn't come close to the more than $23 million of his own wealth spent in 2018 to win his first gubernatorial campaign. After Gov Polis, the No. 2 state-level political spender in Colorado this year was Total Wine & More at $12 million. That money went toward supporting Proposition 124, an unsuccessful ballot measure that would have let the retail giant open more liquor stores in Colorado.A few more highlights from the final campaign finance reports: Democratic candidates dominated spending on state-level statewide contestsThe Polis campaign spent more than three times the $3.7 million spent by his Republican opponent, who lost by more than 19 percentage points.Polis spent $9 per vote cast in his favor in the general election, less than the $9.72 per vote he spent in the 2018 general election and far less than the nearly $40 per vote he spent winning a four-way primary that year.The Democratic Attorneys General Association's state super PAC spent $2.9 million supporting Phil Weiser against his GOP challenger, John Kellner. In the costliest state Senate contest, Jefferson County-based Senate District 20, Republican developer Tim Walsh loaned his campaign more than $1 million in his loss to Democratic state Rep. Lisa Cutter, who spent just $262,000.Democratic super PACs also outspent their Republican counterparts on state legislative races: All Together Colorado spent more than $11 million helping elect Democratic state Senate candidates, compared with the $8.5 million spent by Senate Majority Fund, which supported Republicans.Natural Medicine Colorado spent $4.46 per vote on Proposition 122, which legalized psilocybin mushrooms and was approved by nearly 54% of voters. Nearly $4.4 million of the total $5.8 million that was spent came from the national nonprofit New Approach and its federal PAC.Healthy School Meals For All Colorado Students spent $1.32 per vote in successfully passing Proposition GG, which eliminated a tax break for wealthy Coloradans so that schools can provide free meals to all students. Numerous nonprofits accounted for the committee's $1.8 million in spending.COLORADO NEWSLINE: Mayor Hancock works to address influx of migrantsBY: LINDSEY TOOMER - DECEMBER 15, 2022 3:37 PMDenver Mayor Michael Hancock has issued an emergency declaration so the city can more easily free up resources to support the ongoing influx of migrants into the city - having already spent upwards of $800,000 in city funds on the efforts.At a news conference at the city's Emergency Operations Center Thursday, Hancock said about 700 unhoused migrants had arrived in recent weeks. And he isn't sure how many more the city can expect. The original emergency shelter the city set up at a recreation center hit capacity with 275 people, leading to two more recreation centers being pulled into the effort.Hancock said at the news conference. “This influx of migrants, the unanticipated nature of their arrival, and our current space and staffing challenges have put an immense strain on city resources, to the level where they're on the verge of reaching a breaking point. What I don't want to see is a local humanitarian crisis of unsheltered migrants on our hands because of the lack of resources.”Mayor Hancock noted that most of the people seem to be coming through El Paso, Texas, and while the city has seen groups of migrants arriving for several months, only recently have they started arriving at the current volume and without notice. City officials say the migrants come from Central and South America, including Venezuela. Employees from multiple city agencies are being pulled from their regular duties and “working around the clock” to support them as they arrive, Hancock said. The city is most desperate for support when it comes to shelter space and staffing. Hancock asked that anyone who might have space that can serve as a shelter, or who can volunteer to help, reach out to the city's Emergency Operations Center at donations@denvergov.org. He thanked the many city staff, volunteers, nonprofit and faith organizations that have already stepped up to support the city's sheltering and reunification efforts. Hancock also thanked the hundreds of Denver residents who have donated clothing and supplies and asked for their continued patience as the city works through the situation. He said he has been in direct contact with Gov. Jared Polis as well as members of Colorado's federal Congressional delegation to help identify additional resources to help.Mayor Hancock also said, “We are committed to doing what we can for the migrants and the asylum seekers who have come here. But here in Denver and cities all over this country are once again having to respond because of the failure of our Congress and federal government to address a very critical situation … I'm not trying to sound political, but I'm trying to sound pragmatic and practical. This is going to continue to happen, continue to overwhelm cities all over this country until Congress works on fixing the situation.”Denver first opened an emergency shelter at an undisclosed recreation center on Dec. 6. There's an ongoing need for donations and local faith-based groups and nonprofits are continuing to assist the city with its efforts to support the migrants. The city has established a drop-off location for physical donations at Iglesia Ciudad de Dios located at 5255 W Warren Ave. in Denver. Donations are being accepted on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.The city released a list of needed items, and noted that the list could change based on supply and demand:Coats (men's S and M, women's M) Pants (waist 30-33) SocksUnderwearWinter apparel (hats, gloves, scarves, boots)Children's clothing for ages 10 and younger Overall, the city said there is a high demand for new clothing for adults sizes small through large, with a special need for medium-sized clothing and winter weather clothing.The city is also asking local faith-based groups, non-profits and private sector partners to reach out if they are able to support its efforts by contacting the Emergency Operations Center at donations@denvergov.org.CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK: The Roots, with support from Big KRIT: Tuesday December 27 at Denver's Mission Ballroom. GA tickets are $60 and available at axs.com. The Roots then play San Francisco on Thursday December 29, and Los Angeles on New Year's Eve. In 2023, their only U.S. show is in Chicago, March 18. Welp, that's it for me! From Denver I'm Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today's show comes from the Colorado Sun, 9NEWS Denver, Nevada Current, Colorado Newsline, Source NM, and Denver's Westword.Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Song playsIntro by hostWelcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod's Talking Politics, every Monday.Go to heartlandpod.com for information on all our political podcasts, and a link to support our work on Patreon. Sign up as an Official PODhead for just $5 per month to access all our premium podcast segments and political writing. To join the conversation on Twitter, find us at THE Heartland POD. Alright! Let's get into it: NEVADA CURRENT: Water managers across drought-stricken West agree on one thing: ‘This is going to be painful'BY JENIFFER SOLIS - MONDAY DECEMBER 19, 2022 5:25 AMWater authorities in the Western U.S. don't have a crystal ball, but rapidly receding reservoirs uncovering sunken boats and other debris lost in their depths decades ago give a clear view of the hard choices ahead.If western states do not agree on a plan to safeguard the Colorado River — the source of the region's vitality — there won't be enough water for anyone.Water managers, researchers, agricultural producers and others from across the drought-stricken river basin met in Las Vegas last week for the Colorado River Water Users Association annual convention to face hard truths about the state of the river and historically-low levels of its biggest reservoirs.Two decades of drought and poor planning have caused the river's biggest reservoirs — Lake Mead and Lake Powell — to drop to their lowest collective volume since they were filled.  Rebecca Mitchell, director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board said “Time is not on our side. Hydrology is not on our side. That's the frightening reality Every day that passes this problem gets harder and harder to solve.”The water could drop below what's needed to generate power as soon as next year, according to water experts. If nothing is done  there is a real possibility water levels in both reservoirs will drop so low in the next two years that water will no longer flow downstream to the 40 million people in the West who rely on the Colorado River.To put it in perspective, this winter both reservoirs were about a quarter full - 25%. In December 1999, Lake Powell was at 88% capacity, and Lake Mead was at 96% capacity.  In 2021, Lower basin states faced their first-ever federally declared water shortage, which directs how much water states can draw from the Colorado River. Deeper cuts were declared this year.Ted Cooke, the general manager for the Central Arizona Project.In June, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton issued an ultimatum to states: Develop a plan to save 2 million to 4 million acre-feet of water by next year — roughly one-fifth of their currently allocations—or the federal government will step in.During a panel discussion at last week's convention in Las Vegas, representatives for the seven western states who rely on the Colorado River said reaching a compromise will be their collective priority for the next six months.They agree that the longer it takes to stabilize the river and conserve the water needed to keep the river functional, the more likely reservoir levels will continue to plummet, leaving states with fewer and fewer options.Just last week, all of Southern California was declared to be in a drought emergency by the Metropolitan Water District, the main water supplier for Los Angeles county.Officials for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation warned that aridification, the long-term shift to a drier climate, means even less snow runoff is making it to the river each year.Currently, there is nearly $4 billion set aside for the Colorado River that would allow the Bureau of Reclamation to use some funds to pay users to voluntarily forgo water use.“We have to accept that we can not cling to our entitlements or allocations. If they are not there none of it matters,” Mitchell continued. “Folks in the room have to be willing to let us make hard decisions, because this is going to be painful.” Becky Mitchell Colorado Water Conservation BoardSOURCE NM:New Mexico's HSD proposes medication-assisted treatment for incarcerated peopleBY: AUSTIN FISHER - DECEMBER 19, 2022 4:35 AMBeginning in 2024, New Mexico's Medicaid program could start providing medication-assisted treatment to incarcerated people 30 days before they are released, along with a 30-day supply of medication when they leave. The hope is that this will be a step toward reducing the harms of criminalizing substance use disorder, and producing better outcomes.In a 275-page application to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services by the New Mexico Human Services Department published Friday, HSD says it hopes to ensure formerly incarcerated people stay on their medication after release, and don't commit more crimes, end up in an emergency room or unhoused.At any given time in New Mexico, more than 14,000 people are held in state, local or youth correctional facilities, and nearly 50,000 people churn through local jails in the state each year. according to a lawsuit filed Thursday by ACLU-NM and Disability Rights New Mexico, New Mexico's prison system forces people who are on medication for opioid use disorder, to withdraw from it when they enter prison.The lawsuit cites research showing that someone leaving incarceration is nearly 13 times more likely than the general population to die of an overdose in the first two weeks after their release.HSD wants to get people who are being held in jail before a trial, or who are imprisoned post-conviction, on Medicaid so they can get medication-assisted treatment while inside state prisons, local jails, youth correctional facilities, tribal holding facilities, tribal jails and at the New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute.The department plans to focus on incarcerated people with serious mental health conditions, severe emotional disturbance, substance use disorder, or an intellectual or developmental disability. It estimates 7,500 people per year could benefit.COLORADO SUN:The biggest election 2022 spender in Colorado? Jared Polis — by a long shot.Sandra Fish3:41 AM MST on Dec 15, 2022Democratic Gov. Jared Polis spent $12.6 million of his own money on his successful reelection bid this year, more than any other state-level candidate. May sound like a lot,Polis' 2022 spending, however, didn't come close to the more than $23 million of his own wealth spent in 2018 to win his first gubernatorial campaign. After Gov Polis, the No. 2 state-level political spender in Colorado this year was Total Wine & More at $12 million. That money went toward supporting Proposition 124, an unsuccessful ballot measure that would have let the retail giant open more liquor stores in Colorado.A few more highlights from the final campaign finance reports: Democratic candidates dominated spending on state-level statewide contestsThe Polis campaign spent more than three times the $3.7 million spent by his Republican opponent, who lost by more than 19 percentage points.Polis spent $9 per vote cast in his favor in the general election, less than the $9.72 per vote he spent in the 2018 general election and far less than the nearly $40 per vote he spent winning a four-way primary that year.The Democratic Attorneys General Association's state super PAC spent $2.9 million supporting Phil Weiser against his GOP challenger, John Kellner. In the costliest state Senate contest, Jefferson County-based Senate District 20, Republican developer Tim Walsh loaned his campaign more than $1 million in his loss to Democratic state Rep. Lisa Cutter, who spent just $262,000.Democratic super PACs also outspent their Republican counterparts on state legislative races: All Together Colorado spent more than $11 million helping elect Democratic state Senate candidates, compared with the $8.5 million spent by Senate Majority Fund, which supported Republicans.Natural Medicine Colorado spent $4.46 per vote on Proposition 122, which legalized psilocybin mushrooms and was approved by nearly 54% of voters. Nearly $4.4 million of the total $5.8 million that was spent came from the national nonprofit New Approach and its federal PAC.Healthy School Meals For All Colorado Students spent $1.32 per vote in successfully passing Proposition GG, which eliminated a tax break for wealthy Coloradans so that schools can provide free meals to all students. Numerous nonprofits accounted for the committee's $1.8 million in spending.COLORADO NEWSLINE: Mayor Hancock works to address influx of migrantsBY: LINDSEY TOOMER - DECEMBER 15, 2022 3:37 PMDenver Mayor Michael Hancock has issued an emergency declaration so the city can more easily free up resources to support the ongoing influx of migrants into the city - having already spent upwards of $800,000 in city funds on the efforts.At a news conference at the city's Emergency Operations Center Thursday, Hancock said about 700 unhoused migrants had arrived in recent weeks. And he isn't sure how many more the city can expect. The original emergency shelter the city set up at a recreation center hit capacity with 275 people, leading to two more recreation centers being pulled into the effort.Hancock said at the news conference. “This influx of migrants, the unanticipated nature of their arrival, and our current space and staffing challenges have put an immense strain on city resources, to the level where they're on the verge of reaching a breaking point. What I don't want to see is a local humanitarian crisis of unsheltered migrants on our hands because of the lack of resources.”Mayor Hancock noted that most of the people seem to be coming through El Paso, Texas, and while the city has seen groups of migrants arriving for several months, only recently have they started arriving at the current volume and without notice. City officials say the migrants come from Central and South America, including Venezuela. Employees from multiple city agencies are being pulled from their regular duties and “working around the clock” to support them as they arrive, Hancock said. The city is most desperate for support when it comes to shelter space and staffing. Hancock asked that anyone who might have space that can serve as a shelter, or who can volunteer to help, reach out to the city's Emergency Operations Center at donations@denvergov.org. He thanked the many city staff, volunteers, nonprofit and faith organizations that have already stepped up to support the city's sheltering and reunification efforts. Hancock also thanked the hundreds of Denver residents who have donated clothing and supplies and asked for their continued patience as the city works through the situation. He said he has been in direct contact with Gov. Jared Polis as well as members of Colorado's federal Congressional delegation to help identify additional resources to help.Mayor Hancock also said, “We are committed to doing what we can for the migrants and the asylum seekers who have come here. But here in Denver and cities all over this country are once again having to respond because of the failure of our Congress and federal government to address a very critical situation … I'm not trying to sound political, but I'm trying to sound pragmatic and practical. This is going to continue to happen, continue to overwhelm cities all over this country until Congress works on fixing the situation.”Denver first opened an emergency shelter at an undisclosed recreation center on Dec. 6. There's an ongoing need for donations and local faith-based groups and nonprofits are continuing to assist the city with its efforts to support the migrants. The city has established a drop-off location for physical donations at Iglesia Ciudad de Dios located at 5255 W Warren Ave. in Denver. Donations are being accepted on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.The city released a list of needed items, and noted that the list could change based on supply and demand:Coats (men's S and M, women's M) Pants (waist 30-33) SocksUnderwearWinter apparel (hats, gloves, scarves, boots)Children's clothing for ages 10 and younger Overall, the city said there is a high demand for new clothing for adults sizes small through large, with a special need for medium-sized clothing and winter weather clothing.The city is also asking local faith-based groups, non-profits and private sector partners to reach out if they are able to support its efforts by contacting the Emergency Operations Center at donations@denvergov.org.CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK: The Roots, with support from Big KRIT: Tuesday December 27 at Denver's Mission Ballroom. GA tickets are $60 and available at axs.com. The Roots then play San Francisco on Thursday December 29, and Los Angeles on New Year's Eve. In 2023, their only U.S. show is in Chicago, March 18. Welp, that's it for me! From Denver I'm Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today's show comes from the Colorado Sun, 9NEWS Denver, Nevada Current, Colorado Newsline, Source NM, and Denver's Westword.Thank you for listening! See you next time.

In this episode, we talk about EOC design and operations. We both share our experiences serving as EOC Managers in EOCs of very different sizes. We also go through the new FEMA document released this month, "Emergency Operations Center How-To Quick Reference Guide."https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_eoc-quick-reference_guide.pdfSupport the show

Sherri is in the Emergency Operations Center this morning, with updates on traffic, winds, bridges, power outages, and more. Stay tuned for frequent updates with Sherri all morning on WOKV!

Contractors with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development convened at the city's Emergency Operations Center last week to begin setting up a formal “housing command center” for addressing homelessness in downtown Seattle, PubliCola has learned. The King County Regional Homelessness Authority requested HUD's help setting up the command center, which agency CEO Marc Dones touted during the announcement of a public-private partnership called “Partnership for Zero” earlier this year.LIKE & SUBSCRIBE for new videos everyday. https://bit.ly/3KBUDSK

The official narrative about the 9/11 events did not include Anthrax - at all. Why then were Bush, Cheney, & staff put on Cipro - the antibiotic for treatment of anthrax on 9/11?What are the problems with the Anthrax letters official narrative?Richard Gage, AIA, Architect is a reader-supported publication. To support my work ongoing please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Why was the secret biological warfare drill “Tripod II” (simulating an anthrax attack with hundreds of city, state, and federal officials in New York City) starting almost simultaneously with attacks of 9/11? Was it merely a coincidence that the drill easily morphed into the official Emergency Operations Center for the 9/11 attacks on Pier 92?Why was there an uncannily accurate, scripted table top exercise (Dark Winter - June 2001) preceding the anthrax letter attacks - as well as the same (Event 201 - October 2019) preceding the Pandemic?Are the October 2001 Anthrax Letters attack, and the 2021 Covid Pandemic different phases of the same overall Deep State project?What was the stated purpose of Event 201 (simulated corona virus pandemic) 3 months before the actual outbreak?Is it a mere a coincidence that the Covid-19 outbreak occurred just prior to the Military World Games and the Chinese New Year holidays?What is the most likely origin of Covid-19? Migration from bats? or engineered in the lab with gain of function research?Where did the flu go during the last 2 years?How were the Covid “case” and “death” numbers derived?Did hospitals receive financial incentives for inflating Covid case or death numbers?What has been the effectiveness of masks? Lockdowns?What is the effectiveness and safety of the mandated experimental gene therapy that has been termed “vaccines”?How did the FDA's Emergency Use Authorization for Covid treatment affect the safety of Americans?Why was there an unprecedented attack on doctors' medical practice who sought treatments other than prescribed from the CDC? How was Dr Nass impacted? What are some of the conflicts of interest of the principal Covid players Bill Gates and Anthony Fauci?My Guest on Richard Gage911UNLEASHED is Dr. Meryl Nass - an internist in Maine with over 4 decades of clinical practice. She has been an instrumental figure around vaccine safety and the analysis of endemics and bioterrorism. Prior to 9/11 she had already been publicly speaking out against the anthrax vaccine in terms of its questionable efficacy and obvious danger to those who received it. She was asked to present at Senate hearings in the aftermath of the anthrax scare following 9/11. Meryl is an integral part of RFK Jr organization Children's Health Defense, sitting on its scientific advisory board. She is intimately familiar with the vaccine and medical product regulatory process as well as the characters on the FDA and CDC advisory committees.She is an Epidemic and Anthrax Expert with a national reputation in anthrax, and consulted for the World Bank affiliate Inter-American Development Bank (2001) and the Director of National Intelligence's Summer Hard Problem Program (2008) among others; identified Zimbabwe's 1978 anthrax epidemic as an episode of biological warfare (1992); after accurately diagnosing the cause, she consulted for Cuba's Ministry of Health on its optic and peripheral neuropathy epidemic (1993); She created a methodology for determining the cause of suspect epidemics (1992); she wrote about how to better manage the Ebola epidemic (2014); she wrote a summary of the Zika epidemic for a US federal agency (2016)Richard Gage, AIA, Architect is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

During a round table, I asked Craig Fugate if we could take politics out of Disaster response. His answer was simple, no. It is that all disaster responses have political consequences. Fema has a training called The Politics of Disaster. Here they state, "Disasters have Political Consequences: One widely observed but not fully understood principle of the disaster/politics relationship is that disasters and their aftermath have significant potential to affect the political environment of a community, state or nation." Jeff Schlegelmilch of Columbia University has a  podcast called Disaster Politics. He explores policies that impact disaster response and recovery. Thor Neureiter's documentary Disaster Capitalism sheds light on the strings that come with global aid given to nations after a disaster. This includes how China has exploited mineral mines in Afghanistan and many African countries.  We have witnessed the mess that politics created with the COVID response. A time that could have brought the nation together, the political parties used it as an opportunity to attack their opponents. The political gamesmanship after a disaster is not new. Disasters are politicized both by Democrats and Republicans. And despite the perception of increased partisanship in recent years, disaster aid has been a political football since 1972.The Politics of Disaster Funding In October of 2020, after a devastating wildfire ripped through California, FEMA denied federal aid. This was seen as a political stunt by President Trump. Shortly after the denial, Trump reversed the decision and gave California disaster relief funding. Rhetoric notwithstanding, the impact of politics on disaster relief is not news to anyone who has been in emergency management. In many ways, it's an accepted part of how policymakers do business. What might be surprising to some is how this system impacts state officials' behavior.Stated do not have a strong incentive to spend money on projects like dams or levees. These projects are expensive, and spending money on them diverts funds away from more visible and popular initiatives with voters. When a disaster strikes, the governor takes cover and blames the federal government for the lack of funding for infrastructure programs. Winning Elections On Disaster Response (or Recovery) I have argued that we do respond well for the most part. It is covered in the national news showing the heroic actions of rescues from flood waters and firefighters battling the blazes engulfing homes. If there are complaints about how the government failed, it is due to how recovery is handled. How does this impact politics? Local and national leaders are rewarded at the polls when the public thinks they did a good job handling natural disasters and punished when people think they did a lousy job. For a politician's handling of a disaster to be reflected at the polls, voters first need to be aware of the natural disaster and their elected officials. Second, they need to link the political actors with the disaster. They have to believe politicians should take some blame and not place it all on the stroke of bad luck or a negligent corporation. Third, they need to assess whether the leader handled the situation well or poorly.The nation's sensitivity to disaster relief has caused policymakers to undervalue disaster preparedness. As I have written before, politicians are rewarded by the voters when they give or get funding for recovery, and preparedness dollars go unnoticed. The problem is that when disaster preparedness is done well, nobody notices. And I believe some may want the administration in power to fail so that the opposition party can use it for fodder in the next election. As emergency managers, we must keep ourselves out of disaster politics. However, we need to be aware that they exist. At times we are made the scapegoat for failed policies. Start thinking about how seemingly independent systems are connected. We need to understand the political, social, and practical implications of emergency management and disaster response policies and how to navigate them. What To Read: Creating a Personal Development PlanTodd T. DeVoeYou’ve heard the saying, “If you don’t plan, you are planning to fail.” However, even understanding that comment, we forget about it in our personal lives. Most of the time, we apply that type of rational thought to our work life. We sadly forget that planning our personal development is also essential to achieving everything in life we desire. In addition, personal development does include career development.The Speed to Scale ChallengeKelly McKinneyIn late August 2005, the days before Hurricane Katrina made landfall on America's Gulf Coast, FEMA—its federal emergency management agency—deployed an Emergency Response Team to the State of Louisiana’s Emergency Operations Center.But, when it arrived, the FEMA ERT could not combine forces with the emergency managers in Louisiana. Similarly, the State of Louisiana emergency managers could not combine forces with those in the City of New Orleans.PodcastsThe Todd DeVoe Show Climb and Lift: Cultivating the Next Generation of Emergency ManagersJoin Todd and Toni as they discuss developing and mentoring the next generation of emergency managers. It is up to the current emergency management profession to ensure that the next generation is ready to take the helm.Emergency Management organizations should create opportunities to serve within a mentorship structure for individuals at all career levels. Mentors can be those who have valuable experiences and insights to share with individuals that are new to the profession and would benefit from immediate coaching during the initial phases of their careers.Mentees can learn essential practical knowledge from their mentors; however, the process is a two-way street. Mentors can also discover important information from mentees whose perspective is quite different from theirs.Prepare Respond Recover How ShelterBox is Helping Relieve Humanitarian CrisisA humanitarian crisis arises when an event affects vulnerable populations unable to withstand the negative consequences by themselves. Unfortunately, poor populations are more vulnerable to man-made or natural disasters. As other organizations fill the need for food and medical supplies, ShelterBox is providing the basic need for shelter. Listen to this week’s episode of prepare.respond.recover as we explore how the disaster relief charity ShelterBox was formed and how they are working to help those in need.Business Continuity Today Leading After an Act of ViolenceActs of Violence can take many forms, which takes a tremendous toll on everyone involved. An act of violence results in increased absenteeism and turnover, high-stress levels, decreased productivity, increased Workers’ Compensation claims, damaged morale, costs involved with post-incident counseling, and much more. We have talked about prevention. Now, let’s discuss leading during the recovery.Supportershttps://www.disastertech.com/https://titanhst.com/https://www.ndemevent.com/en-us/show-info.html Get full access to The Emergency Management Network at emnetwork.substack.com/subscribe

On Wednesday's show: We discuss the House select committee hearings on the Jan. 6 capitol insurrection and learn what some Harris County Commissioners hope to convince voters to spend around a billion dollars on in a proposed November bond referendum. Then, we walk through results and analysis from four state primaries and talk about the framework for a proposed bipartisan Senate bill to address school safety and guns. We take on those and other topics in a double dose of our weekly political roundup. Also this hour: We visit Harris County's Emergency Operations Center at Houston TranStar, which is where local officials converge when the Houston area is under threat of a storm or other emergency.  And, ahead of Father's Day this Sunday, three sons talk about their famous fathers.

Last week, I started this piece on what it is to be a humanitarian. This came from a great interview I did with Kerri Murray, the President of ShelterBox for NDEM's Prepare, Respond, Recover podcast. Since then, the National Geographic Society released a documentary on Chef Jose Andres and the nonprofit he created World Central Kitchen. That coincidence confirmed to me that I had to do this piece.  Even as the war in Ukraine is still raging on, the yellow and blue flags are being removed from people's profiles, and companies are moving on to the next trending event to virtue signal on social media. Some organizations are still trying to provide aid to those in need. However, let's not forget that Ukraine is not the only country where war has ravaged the people living there. The Syrian civil war broke out when the Arab Spring was in the news. And like all events, the news outlets move on to the next exciting event in a few weeks and forget about the people there. Despite waning international interest, the humanitarian crisis sparked by the Syrian civil war is far from over. The U.N. estimates that 13.1 million people need assistance, which could continue to rise if the fighting is not ended. And the humanitarian crisis will persist if Syria does not find the resources to begin rebuilding.The issue that we need to explore is not the lack of humanitarian organizations that want to help. It is the lack of access to those in need.  I have had the privilege of working with FOCUS Humanitarian Assistance to train staff that would provide aid to areas that other NGOs could not access. When I was working with FOCUS, it was the first time I learned that humanitarian agencies were being blocked from giving aid.To be clear, it is not only one organization telling this tail of not being able to get access. There is a widespread consensus in the humanitarian sector that their operational space is shrinking. This has been attributed to an erosion of respect for international humanitarian law, relief operations being hindered by legal and administrative impediments, and targeted violence towards humanitarian workers. These issues create an increasingly hostile and challenging operational environment and have serious consequences. Since the 2003 attack on the U.N. in Baghdad, when 22 humanitarian workers were killed, over 5,000 humanitarian workers have been victims of violence, with over 1,800 being killed. The Shrinking humanitarian space also significantly impacts beneficiaries, as it can cause crisis victims to become 'double victims.'The concept of shrinking humanitarian space is not a new phenomenon; however, the events of recent years have led to rejuvenated discussions, as several commentators are now stating that humanitarian space is facing a new level of challenges and 'is under assault.' This is exemplified by aid workers and organizations increasingly becoming targets in conflict zones. 2019 was the most dangerous year for humanitarians, as 484 aid workers were victims of major attacks. In addition, humanitarian access is being consistently impeded, aid groups are becoming objects of social media smear campaigns, and major donors are making 'unrealistic demands' about the programs they fund.2020 has brought further difficulties, as extensive restrictions imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19 aggravate existing challenges and result in the complete or partial suspension of critical humanitarian activities. Conflicts, natural disasters, and various other threats are continually causing severe humanitarian crises and displacement worldwide. Humanitarian workers are consistently undertaking essential, life-saving work. The ongoing efforts to hamper their crucial activities are creating substantial difficulties concerning maintaining a functional humanitarian space and endangering the lives of aid workers and the people they are working to assist. The Emergency Management Network stands with those in the humanitarian sector affected by the increasingly hostile operational environment, and we urge tremendous respect for international humanitarian principles and laws.It is up to those in safe areas to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. We all got into this field to make a difference and save lives. We can do this by demanding that humanitarian efforts not be hindered by politics and violence. What to ReadThe Speed to Scale ChallengeBy Kelly McKinneyIn late August 2005, the days before Hurricane Katrina landed fall on America's Gulf Coast, FEMA—its federal emergency management agency—deployed an Emergency Response Team to the State of Louisiana’s Emergency Operations Center.But, when it arrived, the FEMA ERT could not combine forces with the emergency managers in Louisiana. Similarly, the State of Louisiana emergency managers could not combine forces with those in the City of New Orleans.Creating a Personal Development PlanBy Todd T. DeVoeYou’ve heard the saying, “If you don’t plan, you are planning to fail.” However, even understanding that comment, we forget about it in our personal lives. Most of the time, we apply that type of rational thought to our work life. We sadly forget that planning our personal development is also essential to achieving everything in life we desire. In addition, personal development does include career development.PodcastsThe Todd DeVoe Show Leading Resilient & Robust CommunitiesJoin Josh Bowen and Todd De Voe as they discuss ways you can make your community antifragile. Today Communities are facing complex challenges, natural and human-caused disasters, political division, supply chain issues, globalization, urbanization, homelessness, and land-use problems. To help strengthen our communities, we must address these threats and a call for action that combines disaster preparedness with empathy, robust planning, and moving toward being an antifragile society.  Community resilience focuses on reducing the negative impacts of disasters and becoming stronger after the event. An antifragile community is socially connected and can withstand disaster and foster a strong recovery to become better. Antifragile communities promote individual and collective programs to strengthen residents for daily and extreme challenges.Prepare Respond RecoverHow ShelterBox is Helping Relieve Humanitarian CrisisA humanitarian crisis arises when an event affects vulnerable populations unable to withstand the negative consequences by themselves. Unfortunately, poor populations are more vulnerable to man-made or natural disasters. As other organizations fill the need for food and medical supplies, ShelterBox is providing the basic need for shelter. Listen to this week’s episode of prepare.respond.recover as we explore how the disaster relief charity ShelterBox was formed and how they are working to help those in need.If you would like to learn more about the Natural Disaster & Emergency Management (NDEM) Expo, please visit us on the web – https://www.ndemevent.comBusiness Continuity Today The IoT and AI Helping With Decision MakingAs organizations look at ways to address the most significant challenges, from natural disasters to sustainability, they need to invest in the IoT solutions embedded with advanced analytics to better prepare for and react to these incidents.Organizations can harness real-time data and advanced analytics to deliver meaningful results with connected sensors and long-range, low-power IoT technology leveraging artificial intelligence.The combination of IoT-enabled analytics, devices, and networks will accelerate intelligent decisions and improve overall response time if a natural disaster occurs. Get full access to The Emergency Management Network at emnetwork.substack.com/subscribe

On Wednesday's show: On this first official day of the Atlantic hurricane season we present a special edition of Houston Matters with everything you need to get ready for whatever tropical weather the next six months may have in store for us. We talk with Matt Rosencrans of NOAA about the hurricane forecast and what we can expect in terms of the number and severity of tropical storms between now and the end of November. Also, we offer a first-timer's guide to hurricane season for newbies wondering what to do and what to expect before, during, and after a tropical storm. Then Craig Cohen and Ernie Manouse of Town Square go shopping for hurricane season supplies. And we reflect on the impact of Hurricane Ike as told in the Houston Public Media podcast series Hurricane Season. Plus, in the audio below we visit Harris County's Emergency Operations Center at Houston TranStar, which is where local officials converge when the Houston area is under threat of a storm or other emergency. Houston Matters producer Michael Hagerty takes us on a tour with the help of TranStar's Josh Shideler and Brian Murray with Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. And Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo talks with Michael about how the county prepares for hurricane season. Hurricane Resources: Ready Harris | Emergency Supply Kit | Flood Insurance FAQs

In this newscast: A Juneau mental health organization is helping people formerly involved in the justice system get housing; Juneau’s COVID-19 Emergency Operations Center is closing down at the end of April—here’s how you can access services; Alaska authorities have seized thousands of fentalnyl-laced pills and other drugs this week in a series of  busts…

Hello everyone and welcome back to the show. The CJEvolution Podcast is a top ranked show because of YOU. Thank you very much for your continued support. Please give us that 5-Star Rating and Review on Apple Podcasts and share this episode and the link www.cjevolution.com to your family and friends.  A big shout out and THANK YOU to all the brave men and women who serve in the First Responder Community. Please be safe and come home safe to your family and friends. Remember you are honored, cherished and loved.  As a first responder you and feel things on a daily basis that most people will never experience in their lifetime. This requires special treatment and care for our first responder community. This is what the team at FHE - Shatterproof for First Responders do on a daily basis. Their goal is to make our first responders better so they can continue to be their best for their families and communities. If YOU or someone you know is suffering please reach out to FHE Health -Shatterproof for First Responders @ 844-939-0985 or me @ 303-960-9819.  You are not alone. You are never alone.  As a retired law enforcement professional of many years I saw things on a daily basis that eventually started to bother me. Most first responders do and your emotions will come out sooner or later. As a police officer I was in my bubble. Surrounded by other cops all the time. But, as time went on and as I became friends with other members of the first responder community: paramedics, firefighters and dispatchers I started to realize and learn that we are all suffering from the same things, if we are suffering. Isolation, depression, addiction issues and suicidal ideation were reoccurring themes.  My next guest is going to bring you the Fire Fighter / Paramedic perspective on health and wellness for our brave heroes in the fire fighting / paramedic communities.  Jason Smith is on the show. Jason is the President of IAFF Local 4321 for Broward County FL. President Smith joined Broward County Fire Rescue in 2003 and has served county residents and visitors in every service area. He began his career as a  Firefighter/Paramedic and then rose through the ranks as an Acting Driver, Lieutenant, Captain, Battalion Chief and even Assistant District Fire Chief. Since the beginning of his career, President Smith has been diversified in all areas of the county, including Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport, and the Special Operations Command. President Smith has also been the Planning Section Chief at the Sheriff's Emergency Operations Center as well as being part of Presidential details.   President Smith started his union involvement in 2001, when he joined the IAFF local 3080. As a dues paying member in good standings, he attended meetings and was a part of the union body process. In 2003, he joined local 3333 and in 2005 was assigned his first position as Sergeant of Arms. This position allowed him to mentor, engage, and watch the union executive board (eboard) conduct business. After the resignation of a staff representative, President Smith was voted through the eboard to hold that vacant seat. Since then, he has held all positions within the eboard. In 2019, President Smith decided to run for President and ran unopposed.  As Vice President, he was able to represent members in various cases including internal affairs, grievances, union negotiations, and labor management. President Smith oversaw the FIRE OPS 101. This opportunity allowed him to demonstrate to elected officials what the fire service is about. In his continuing devotion to serving the community, President Smith has also been on education advisory boards and is currently on the Florida Retirement System (FRS) committee as a union representative in hopes of achieving reinstatement of benefits to members affected in 2015.  President Smith is also a licensed pilot. He has graduated with an Associate degrees in Emergency Medical Services and Fire Science Technology, a Bachelor's degree in Fire Science, and a Master's degree in Emergency Management from Walden University.    You can find Jason here:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-smith-ms-01a93946/   http://www.bcfire.com/index.cfm?zone=/unionactive/officers.cfm    Email:  JSmith@bcfire.com   Stay tuned for more great episodes on The CJEvolution Podcast   www.cjevolution.com   Patrick        

In this episode, Rose Yusuf Kaisar from Liberty Radio talks about Coronavirus vaccines and the importance of getting vaccinated. She interviewed Dr. Neyu Iliyasu an Incidence Manager, Emergency Operations Center, Kaduna state of Nigeria. Produced by Liberty Radio. Music Courtesty of Liberty Radio.

December 7, 1941 and September 11, 2001 are two dates that will live in infamy. Although 60 years apart, they both represent defining moments in US History. Our guests on this episode, Dorinda Nicholson and Lieutenant Colonel Robert Darling, United States Marine Corps (retired), were eyewitnesses (respectively) to the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the response of America's leadership from within the White House bunker to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Dorinda Nicholson was born in Hawaii to a Hawaiian mother and a Caucasian father from Missouri. On December 7, 1941, Dorinda, whose family lived near the tip of the Pearl City Peninsula, was six years old when she witnessed the bombing of Pearl Harbor by Imperial Japan. Her home was only a few hundred yards from the USS Utah, the first ship to be attacked on that fateful day. After fleeing their home to take refuge in a sugar cane field, she and her family had a panoramic view of the attacks on the entire American fleet. Dorinda, who went on to become a mental health professional, is a sought after speaker and author of books such as “Pearl Harbor Child” and “Pearl Harbor Warriors”. One of Dorinda's passions is to bring awareness to the suffering of civilian populations, particularly children during times of war. As an officer in the USMC, Robert Darling piloted Cobra attack helicopters during Desert Shield and Desert Storm during the 1st Gulf War and in Somalia, Africa in support of Operation Restore Hope. He was later selected to fly as a Presidential pilot with Marine Helicopter Squadron 1 and in the year 2000, he was chosen to work for The White House Military Office, Airlift Operations Department. While serving in that capacity on 9/11/2001, during the terrorist attacks on America, Darling responded to the underground White House bunker, known as the President's Emergency Operations Center. From that location, he directly supported the Vice-President and the National Security Adviser during the critical moments of that day. Lieutenant Colonel Robert Darling retired from the USMC in 2007 after 20 years of service. He is now a professional speaker in crisis leadership and decision making and is the author of “24 Hours Inside the President's Bunker, 9/11/01 The White House” In this episode of Your History Your Story, Dorinda and Robert will recount their experiences on those two historic days in American history and will tell how those events have impacted their lives. They will also share their thoughts on what we, as a country, can learn about leadership in crisis, war, and its' impact on human lives. Photo(s): Courtesy of Dorinda Nicholson and Robert Darling Music: "With Loved Ones" Jay Man

Hamilton County has a very impressive Emergency Operations Center, with a staff led by Executive Director Shane Booker. Mr. Booker talked with Larry about his work in this podcast

Evan Pye, MPH is a Program Management Fellow for CDC's Center for Global Health based in Washington D.C.. Evan discusses global health policy, his work responding to COVID-19 within the Emergency Operations Center at CDC and his previous work experience with WHO and various organizations in Uganda.

Moderated by David Vossbrink, Communications Counsel, retired Communications Director, City of San JosePublic information officers work at the intersection of communications and public policy, representing a broad range of challenging and rewarding PR career opportunities. The pandemic tested us all, but especially those responsible for getting clear, accurate and timely information out to large populations. PRSA-SV Board Member David Vossbrink moderates this panel of public sector communicators to discuss what influenced their careers and how they've all successfully engaged with diverse communities. About the Panel: Linh Hoang, Communications Manager, Valley Water, oversees marketing strategies, comms and media/PR activities for the South Bay's principal water supply and flood control agency district. She's been a public-sector communicator for nearly 15 years, previously with Valley Transportation Authority. Prior to moving into local government, Linh was a reporter, producer and editor for local broadcast news at KNTV and KLIV Radio in San Jose. Carolina Camarena, Communications Director, City of San Jose, has served with the City of San Jose for nearly 25 years. She's led award-winning public information campaigns for several departments and programs, including Environmental Services, Parks Recreation & Neighborhood Services and the Emergency Operations Center during the pandemic. Carolina currently leads citywide comms strategies for the City Manager's Office. Sean Webby, Public Communications Officer, Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office, has served in this role for a decade. Previously, he was a journalist for 25 years in New York City, Vermont, Connecticut and with the San Jose Mercury News, where he was twice named Northern California's Investigative Reporter of the Year. Sean lectures and teaches classes on media relations for law enforcement command staff throughout California. David Vossbrink, APR,  Communications Counsel and panel moderator, retired as communications director for the City of San Jose after a four-decade career in Bay Area local government. He currently provides communications consulting services to local public agencies and universities. A PRSA-SV past president, David received the Chapter's Legacy Award in 2019 and the Paul B. Clark Award from the California Association of Public Information Officials in 2002.

EOC vs SOCAre you contemplating building an operation center? Would you call it an EOC or an SOC? Does it really matter? The answer is…..Difficult. In today's politically correct world, what you call it is as important to what it is and how it functions. One side will say Security Operations Center is big brother watching and of limited value. The other side says Emergency Operation Center is much friendlier. Who really cares and why does it matter? Listen to Sal and Jim talk about the plus and minus of both and what it all comes down to in this episode

Rachel Brand grew up in a small town in Iowa, graduated from Harvard Law School, began an amazing career as an attorney, was appointed to the Department of Justice - and now she's our EVP of Global Governance, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary. Wow! Her teams oversee everything from food safety and healthcare compliance to global security, aviation, and our Emergency Operations Center. Working at Walmart wasn't something she planned to do, but her advice is to always be open to new opportunities. She saw how passionate we are about doing good for people in the world and wanted to be a part of it. Hear from her in this new episode of The Huddle with John Furner.

PHI/CDC Surveillance Fellow, Robyn Bernstein, MPH, discusses her experience with CDC Zambia's Division of Global HIV & Tuberculosis. Robyn also elaborates on her time as Strategic Information Coordinator for the COVID-19 International Task Force- Strategic Information Unit Mitigation Team, which is part of CDC's Emergency Operations Center responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Join me live at our Emergency Operations Center for an update on how we're delivering protective equipment to keep first responders and medical workers safe during this crisis.

Join us live from our Emergency Operations Center with our Fire and Police Chiefs for updates on our expansion of free COVID-19 testing to all L.A. County residents with symptoms and reminders on how to protect public safety during this crisis.