AMU Emergency Management Original Public Safety

EDM Monday Briefing: Earthquake Kills at Least 90 in Indonesia

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Emergency and disaster management briefing for August 6, 2018: An earthquake strike near the popular tourist destination Bali, Indonesia leaves at least 91 dead, firefighters face nearly impossible conditions while trying to fight the Ferguson Fire burning outside Yosemite National Park,  parts of the Yosemite National Park to remain closed indefinitely due to nearby wildfires, a freight train derailment in Pittsburgh halts light rail service near Station Square, the Mendocino Complex Fire is now the largest wildfire burning in the state of California, health officials cite the source of the food-borne illness outbreak linked to McDonald’s salads, a violent weekend in Chicago results in at least 40 people being shot–four of whom died–around the city.

  1. A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the Lombok region of Indonesia, near the popular island tourist destination of Bali, [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/08/05/tsunami-warning-issued-after-magnitude-7-0-earthquake-rocks-indonesia-tourist-hotspot-bali.html” title=”killing at least 91″], and injuring hundreds more people. This is the second earthquake to hit the area in just one week, and the country’s disaster agency noted that the death toll could rise further, since rescuers still are unable to reach some areas that sustained damage. According to the [link url=”https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us1000g3ub#origin” title=”U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)”], the earthquake struck at a depth of about 19 feet, was centered about one mile east-southeast of Loloan, and caused heavy damage to homes and buildings.  

  2. The Ferguson Fire, burning near Yosemite National Park, [link url=”https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5927/” title=”has now consumed 91,502 acres, is only 38 percent contained”], and is just one of 18 major fires burning throughout the state of California. The wildfire, which is burning in the Sierra and Stanislaus National Forests, [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/08/05/yosemite-national-park-closed-by-hazardous-air-from-explosive-ferguson-fire-in-california.html” title=”has already claimed the lives of two firefighters”], injured 11 people, and destroyed 10 structures. There are 2,689 fire personnel assigned to fight the fire, [link url=”https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5927/” title=”which is burning in steep, inaccessible terrain”], and due to the wildfire, heavy smoke, and firefighter activity, portions of the Yosemite National Park will remain closed indefinitely.   

  3. [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/08/05/yosemite-national-park-closed-by-hazardous-air-from-explosive-ferguson-fire-in-california.html” title=”Ongoing wildfires burning nearby continue to impact parts of Yosemite National Park”], blanketing many of the scenic areas within the park with thick smoke. Park officials have stated that due to the impacts of the wildfires, parts of the park will remain closed indefinitely, and additional evacuations were also ordered on Friday due to a complete power outage in Yosemite Valley, preventing park employees from keeping food or filtering air. The park had a staggering Air Quality Index (AQI) of 386 on Friday- or hazardous–as noted on the [link url=”https://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airnow.local_state&stateid=5&mapcenter=0&tabs=0″ title=”Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Now website”], worse than Beijing’s smoke-choked rating of 119 AQI the same day.  

  4. No injuries occurred when [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/08/05/chaotic-pittsburgh-freight-train-derailment-blocks-light-rail-tracks.html” title=”a freight train derailed in the South Side of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Sunday”], sending shipping containers full of consumer goods careening down a hillside near Station Square. The incident caused seven cars to derail, and light rail tracks at the bottom of the hill were also impacted, [link url=”https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2018/08/05/freight-train-derailment-station-square/” title=”shutting down service at the affected T station”]. The train was 7,687 long, weighed 4,838 tons, and had three locomotives carrying 57 loaded intermodal rail cars, and the cause of the crash is currently under investigation.  

  5. [link url=”https://www.businessinsider.com/r-mendocino-becomes-largest-of-californias-killer-wildfires-2018-8″ title=”The Mendocino Complex Fire in California mushroomed on Friday”], surpassing the Carr Fire to become the largest wildfire burning in California. As of Monday, the two blazes that make up the Mendocino Complex Fire–[link url=”https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6073/” title=”the Ranch and River Fires”]–had scorched a combined 273,664 acres, forced the evacuation of 14,000 residents, and destroyed 88 structures. High temperatures, low humidity, and afternoon winds, coupled with extremely dry fuels, are [link url=”https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6073/” title=”contributing to extreme rates of fire spread and growth”].  

  6. The food borne illness outbreak that [link url=”https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fresh-express-salad-recall-chiquita-owned-company-identified-in-tainted-mcdonalds-kroger-trader-joes-walgreens-lettuce/?ftag=CNM-00-10aac3a” title=”sickened nearly 400 people in 15 states who ate salads from McDonald’s”], has been linked to Fresh Express–a California produce company owned by Chiquita Brands. At least 395 cases of cyclospora infection have been confirmed by health officials that resulted from consuming salad using the mixes that were sold at McDonald’s restaurants. [link url=”https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fresh-express-salad-recall-chiquita-owned-company-identified-in-tainted-mcdonalds-kroger-trader-joes-walgreens-lettuce/?ftag=CNM-00-10aac3a” title=”A public health alert was also issued last week for salads and wraps”] containing Fresh Express chopped romaine lettuce distributed by Indianapolis, Indiana, based Caito Foods to retailers including Trader Joe’s, Kroger, and Walgreen’s.  

  7. A violent weekend in Chicago resulted in [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/08/05/chicago-shootings-leave-dozens-people-wounded-at-least-3-dead-over-weekend.html” title=”at least 40 people being shot, four of whom have died”]. The shootings began around 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, and police noted that some were related to gang conflicts and targeted individuals, but the shootings occurred in multiple locations around the city. At least six people were shot Saturday before 5:30 p.m., with another 18 people being shot by 1:00 a.m. Sunday. [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/08/05/chicago-shootings-leave-dozens-people-wounded-at-least-3-dead-over-weekend.html” title=”About 15 of those injured during the shootings were teenagers”], including a 13-year-old and a 17-year-old boy, and a 17-year-old girl. 

  8. [link url=”http://www.post-gazette.com/news/nation/2018/08/05/California-s-Carr-Fire-claims-a-seventh-victim-as-the-Mendocino-Complex-continues-to-grow/stories/201808050153″ title=”The deadly Carr Fire has claimed its seventh victim”], a Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) public utility worker doing restoration work near the blaze. The deadly blaze grew 10,000 acres overnight Saturday, and so far has destroyed 1,600 buildings–including 1,080 residences, scorched 160,049 acres, is 43 percent contained and currently threatens an additional 1,358 structures. There are now 4,766 personnel assigned to the wildfire and [link url=”http://www.fire.ca.gov/current_incidents/incidentdetails/Index/2164″ title=”working to contain the blaze amid heavy timber areas and steep drainages”], which continue to challenge firefighters.  

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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