AMU Emergency Management Public Safety

EDM Friday Briefing: Tropical Storm Warning Issued for Areas of Bahamas Decimated by Hurricane Dorian

By
bahamas hurricane dorian Arsenault

Emergency and disaster management briefing for September 13, 2019: A tropical storm warning has been issued for areas of the Bahamas devastated by Hurricane Dorian; residents on Ocracoke Island who were impacted by Hurricane Dorian can receive urgent care at a state EMS mobile center; a train derailment has killed at least 50 in the DRC; a bird strike on takeoff forced an emergency landing of a Swoop Airlines plane; hazmat crews responded to a chemical spill on the Statesboro campus of Georgia Southern University; Kent County, Michigan emergency officials urge redundancy for severe weather warnings; severe weather results in flooding in Waukegan and prompts water rescues; and a late-summer cold front that swept through Colorado produced baseball-size hail and the first snow of the season.

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1) A tropical storm warning has been issued for areas of the Bahamas that were devastated during Hurricane Dorian. The warning comes as Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine moves towards the northwestern Bahamas — with tropical storm conditions possible within 36 hours. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) says the system has sustained winds of 30 mph, and is expected to move to the northwest at about 8 mph over the next two days. Tropical storm conditions and two to four inches of rain are possible.

2) Residents on Ocracoke Island in the Outer Banks of North Carolina impacted by Hurricane Dorian can seek assistance at a temporary version of the Ocracoke Health Center that is now set up. The trailer, part of the North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Services, was brought in to assist with urgent care needs in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian. EMS personnel are also urging area residents to take advantage of the free tetanus shots being given out at the Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department (OVFD).

3) Officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo warned that at least 50 people have been killed and 23 others injured in a train derailment that occurred overnight in the southeast province of Tanganyika. According to reports, the train was filled with stowaways. Many people remain trapped beneath the train, although the government has sent rescue workers to the scene. The cause of the incident is unclear, but train derailments are reportedly common in the nation, many of which are attributed to the cost of maintaining the infrastructure, including railways and trains.

4) A Swoop Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing after a bird strike on takeoff sparked an engine fire. Flight 312 departed Abbotsford International Airport in British Columbia at around 8:16 a.m. on Tuesday and was bound for Edmonton when geese flew into the right engine of the Boeing 737 aircraft during takeoff. The bird strike ignited a fire in the right engine; however, pilots were able to return and land the aircraft safely at Abbotsford. No injuries were sustained by crew members or the 176 passengers on board.

5) A hazardous materials incident occurred on the Statesboro campus of Georgia Southern University on Thursday morning, prompting the closure of an area near the Recreation Activity Center (RAC) and MC Anderson Park. The fire department received a call regarding vapors pouring from the back of a box truck, and emergency responders determined the chemical leak to be hydrochloric acid. Barrels containing the chemical were found on the truck, a regular delivery truck for the university. One barrel had a small hole and others had leaks around the area where the barrels were meant to be held.

6) After a particularly stormy night on Wednesday with high winds that prompted the use of emergency sirens, officials in Kent County, Michigan, say weather warning sirens are just one method of warning the public in the face of severe weather. Residents are being urged to ensure they are using multiple means to gain information about approaching severe weather, including subscribing to alerts, NOAA weather radios, weather apps, local TV stations  and social media. Officials note that redundancy is the key to keeping abreast of changing weather conditions that could impact families and their homes.

7) Another round of severe weather dumped torrential rainfall amounts and caused flash flooding in Waukegan, Illinois, prompting water rescues. Firefighters responded to multiple calls for rescues from vehicles and homes after floodwaters trapped people inside. The rainfall followed a week of severe thunderstorms that prompted a tornado warning in Wauconda on Wednesday night and caused flooding in Lake County. The severe weather also prompted warnings that were in effect until Friday morning for Lake Michigan, including high wave action and dangerous swimming conditions.

8) Areas north and northeast of Denver, Colorado, were impacted by hail after a late-summer cold front swept through the area on Wednesday. The frontal system prompted periods of heavy rainfall, gusty winds, and severe hail, with the largest hail size being reported in locations in Morgan and Weld counties as 2.75 inches, or the size of a baseball. The cold front also prompted the first snowfall of the season in the higher mountains, where the Loveland Ski Area reported trace accumulations of snow by Thursday morning.

 

Kimberly Arsenault serves as an intern at the Cleveland/Bradley County Emergency Management Agency where she works on plan revisions and special projects. Previously, Kimberly spent 15 years in commercial and business aviation. Her positions included station manager at the former Midwest Express Airlines, as well as corporate flight attendant, inflight manager, and charter flight coordinator. Kimberly currently holds a master's degree in emergency and disaster management from American Public University.

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