EDM Monday Briefing: New Orleans, San Francisco, Wildfire, Volcano, Severe Weather

Emergency and disaster management briefing for November 28, 2016

1. A mass shooting on [link url=”http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/shooting-bourbon-street-new-orleans-leaves-multiple-victims-police-n688716″ title=”Bourbon Street in New Orleans”] left one person dead and nine others injured. Police officials were not clear about what triggered the incident which [link url=”http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2016/11/1_dead_9_wounded_on_bourbon_st.html” title=”erupted between two men”] in the early morning hours on Sunday. Officials indicated the men were not from New Orleans and of the 10 victims, none were the intended target.

https://twitter.com/NetworksManager/status/802846317160660992

2.  Riders of San Francisco’s light rail system were [link url=”http://www.theverge.com/2016/11/27/13758412/hackers-san-francisco-light-rail-system-ransomware-cybersecurity-muni” title=”surprised at ticket machines”] with signs posted by MUNI operators that read “Metro Free” and “Out of Service” late Friday and all day Saturday. An apparent hack of the MUNI computer system is suspected since the screens in the terminal read “you hacked.” The [link url=”http://kron4.com/2016/11/26/first-on-kron4-sfmta-gets-computers-hacked/” title=”system hack was discovered on Friday”], but by Sunday, all systems had returned to normal. [relink url=”https://amuedge.com/could-a-ddos-cyber-attack-take-down-a-911-emergency-system/” url2=”https://amuedge.com/cybersecurity-risks-rise-as-use-of-iot-devices-increases/” url3=”https://amuedge.com/more-millennials-likely-to-seek-cybersecurity-as-a-career/”]
3. The [link url=”http://www.wistv.com/story/33792509/pinnacle-mountain-fire-grows-to-8900-acres-may-threaten-structures-in-nc-sc” title=”South Carolina Forestry Commission reported on Sunday”] that the Pinnacle Mountain fire, which started on November 9th, was caused by humans. The fire, which has now consumed more than 9,500 acres, cost over $3.3 million dollars to fight so far, and was only 50% contained as of Sunday. The fire prompted [link url=”http://www.wyff4.com/article/pinnacle-mountain-crews-continue-to-fight-fire-with-fire-community-meeting-planned/8357407″ title=”S. Carolina Governor, Nikki Hayley to declare a state of emergency”] on Wednesday for Pickens and Greenville Counties. Table Rock State Park and the Table Rock Trail System will remain closed until officials can complete a thorough damage assessment and ensure it is safe for visitors. [relink url=”https://amuedge.com/wildfires-how-to-prepare-and-protect-homes-and-families/”]
4. A recent outbreak of the H5N8 virus, an avian flu, has been [link url=”http://www.wctrib.com/news/world/4167575-avian-flu-outbreaks-continue-europe-and-asia” title=”sweeping across northern Europe”]. On Saturday, 190,000 ducks on six farms in the Netherlands were destroyed to help contain the outbreak that has also impacted Denmark, Finland, Germany, Poland and Sweden. Officials discovered the disease in a village about 43 miles from Amsterdam, and outbreaks in [link url=”http://www.healthmap.org/site/diseasedaily/article/h5n8-avian-flu-flies-across-europe-112216″ title=”India and the Middle East have also been reported”], prompting some nations to issues requests that all poultry be kept indoors to prevent its further spread.

Rapid risk assessment: Outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian #influenza A ( #H5N8 ) in Europe via @ECDC_EU @ECDC_Fluhttps://t.co/jgvVV5vNaM pic.twitter.com/wagQbtSaNK

— Victor M. Corman (@vmcorman) November 25, 2016

5. A volcano, located approximately 40 miles south of Mexico City, erupted on Friday spewing a billowing cloud of dark, hot ash at least three miles into the air. In the first 24 hours of the [link url=”http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/25/americas/mexico-popocatepetl-volcano-ash/” title=”Popocatépetl eruption”], three explosions, 129 ash ruptures, and one small earthquake have been recorded. Civil authorities are cautioning residents and visitors to avoid the area, [link url=”http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2016/11/26/Mexican-volcano-erupts-sending-ash-3-miles-into-sky/8291480209601/” title=”warning that hot ash is dangerous”] and can also cause potential breathing issues, especially for the elderly, children, and any individuals with pre-existing respiratory problems. [relink url=”https://amuedge.com/mount-st-helens-tremors-bring-renewed-focus-to-volcano-danger-in-pnw/”]
6. On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister, [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/11/27/with-wildfires-under-control-israel-turns-to-recovery-efforts.html” title=”Benjamin Netanyahu”] stated that most of the major wildfires raging across the region had been contained, although not extinguished, after forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes in the area of the occupied West Bank. [link url=”http://www.wsj.com/articles/dozens-of-arabs-arrested-after-wildfires-scorch-israel-1480273127″ title=”Dry, windy conditions fueled the blazes”] that began over five days ago–some of which are suspected to have been started by arson–and caused millions of dollars in damages. On Sunday, [link url=”http://www.timesofisrael.com/2-israeli-arabs-confess-to-starting-wildfires-report/” title=”over two dozen people have been arrested on suspicion of arson”] in connection with the ongoing wildfires. [relink url=”https://amuedge.com/be-an-expert-in-your-arena-and-understand-others/”]
7. [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2016/11/27/southern-us-at-risk-for-damaging-winds-flooding-as-severe-storms-arrive-on/” title=”A strong weather system developing in the central United States”] is predicted to impact a large area of the northern and central Plains with strong winds, snow, and heavy rain on Monday. Later in the day, that same system is expected to have a [link url=”https://weather.com/storms/severe/video/severe-weather-threat-for-southeast” title=”strong impact across Louisiana, southern Arkansas, and eastern Texas”] with severe thunderstorms likely being spawned across the cold front. Weather forecasters are not ruling out the possibility of an isolated tornado in conjunction with this late season system because all the conditions necessary for producing damaging winds, hail, and tornadoes will be present. [relink url=”https://amuedge.com/winter-operations-personal-preparations/” url2=”https://amuedge.com/winter-operations-part-ii-equipment-adjustments/”]
8. In a rare condition known as thunderstorm asthma, [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/11/27/death-toll-from-australias-thunderstorm-asthma-reaches-6.html” title=” six people have died and another five remain on life support”], three of them in critical condition, in Melbourne, Australia, the nation’s second-largest city. The wild thunderstorm struck the city last Monday, causing water-saturated ryegrass pollen grains to explode, [link url=”http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/28/health/thunderstorm-asthma-australia/” title=”dispersing tiny pollen particles”] that when inhaled, penetrated deep into lungs. Hospitals and emergency services were overwhelmed, treating at least 8,500 patients suffering from asthma attacks. The phenomena, though rare, has also occurred in Britain, Canada, Italy and the United States. [relink url=”https://amuedge.com/preplanning-our-daily-disasters/”]