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EDM Monday Briefing: No Warnings Were Issued Ahead of Deadly Tornado in Baltimore

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Start an Emergency & Disaster Management degree at American Military University.

Emergency and disaster management briefing for November 5, 2018: No warnings were issued for tornadoes spawned by severe weather in Maryland Friday night, the partial collapse of an Amazon warehouse kills two people in Baltimore, two people are dead and others injured after a gunman opened fire in a yoga studio in Florida, ASCE 2017 Report Card gave road infrastructure in the U.S. a D-Grade rating, the FDA approves a potent new opioid drug amid the ongoing opioid epidemic sweeping the nation, two people were injured in a double building collapse near the famous Old Port in Marseille, France, North Carolina-based Samaritan’s Purse is flying tons of relief supplies to the typhoon-devastated Northern Mariana Islands, a California fire captain that was hit by a van while bicycling has passed away.

  1. Severe weather moved through Baltimore, Maryland on Friday, spawning [link url=”https://www.foxnews.com/us/amazon-building-collapses-during-tornado-in-maryland-leaving-2-dead” title=”a deadly EF-1 tornado that wreaked havoc along its 2.5 mile course”]. The tornado, [link url=”https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/weather/bs-md-tornado-unexpected-20181104-story.html” title=”for which no warning was issued”], uprooted trees, ripped roofs off buildings, and overturned tractor-trailers along its path. The [link url=”https://www.foxnews.com/us/amazon-building-collapses-during-tornado-in-maryland-leaving-2-dead” title=”National Weather Service (NWS) estimated that the tornado had winds of 105 mph”], and was about 150 yards wide when it struck at about 9:42 p.m., killing two people and injuring one.  

  2. Two people are dead following [link url=”https://www.foxnews.com/us/amazon-building-collapses-during-tornado-in-maryland-leaving-2-dead” title=”the partial collapse of an Amazon warehouse in Baltimore”] during severe weather on Friday. The roof was blown off the building, and a 50-foot concrete wall collapsed into the structure when [link url=”https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-amazon-com-maryland/two-dead-in-amazon-com-warehouses-partial-collapse-in-baltimore-governor-idUSKCN1N80GM” title=”an EF-1 tornado ripped through the area”]. Killed by the collapsed wall were two men, Andrew Lindsay, 54, and Israel Espana Argote, age unknown, who, according to reports, were third party contractors and not Amazon employees.  

  3. A gunman opened fire inside a yoga studio in Tallahassee on Friday, [link url=”https://www.reuters.com/article/us-florida-shooting/florida-yoga-class-fought-back-as-gunman-killed-two-idUSKCN1N72N0″ title=”killing two and injuring five others”], before classmates fought back. One man was pistol whipped when he charged the gunman, [link url=”https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hot-yoga-shooting-tallahassee-florida-studio-scott-paul-beierle-posed-as-customer-before-killing-women/” title=”identified as Scott Paul Beierle, 40″], who allegedly shot and killed himself before police arrived. Three people were released from the hospital and two others, one shot nine times, are listed in stable condition. [link url=”https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/03/us/tallahassee-shooting-yoga-studio/index.html” title=”Police have stated that they believe the gunman acted alone”], and that no further threat exists for the community or the public from this incident. 

  4. Findings from the American Society of Civil Engineer’s 2017 [link url=”https://www.businessinsider.com/worst-highways-roads-us-ranked-2018-10″ title=”report card on infrastructure in the United States”], gave U.S. roads a D on its report card. The report found that 32% of urban roads, and 14% of rural roads, were in poor condition–despite state and federal government spending of nearly $400 million per year to improve roadways. Adding to these findings, lvl5, a company founded by ex-Tesla employees, [link url=”https://www.businessinsider.com/worst-highways-roads-us-ranked-2018-10″ title=”ranked the top 10 states with the worst roads”], with Michigan taking the number spot for the worst roads in the nation. 

  5. Amid the ongoing opioid epidemic, [link url=”https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/11/02/663395669/despite-warnings-fda-approves-potent-new-opioid-painkiller” title=”the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved for use a new powerful opioid painkiller”]. The new drug, Dsuvia (sufentanil), is allegedly 1,000 times more potent than morphine, but the FDA defended its decision, noting that it has a unique purpose–it can be dissolved under the tongue and is being considered for use on the battlefield. The new drug, sufentanil, [link url=”https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/11/05/fda-approves-opioid-painkiller-stronger-than-morphine-fentanyl/1889389002/” title=”will only be available to hospitals, surgery centers, and emergency rooms”], in a pre-measured, 30 microgram single dose pill that dissolves under the tongue.  

  6. Two people were injured during [link url=”https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46095810″ title=”a double building collapse in the French city of Marseille”], in an area known as Rue d’Abagne, near the city’s famous Old Port. One building was allegedly vacant at the time of the collapse, [link url=”https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2018/11/05/two-injured-after-buildings-collapse-in-marseille.html” title=”but first responders, including firefighters, police officers, and K-9s”], were diligently searching for possible victims in the rubble. A local news agency in France also reported that a third building is at risk of collapsing, and emergency officials have requested that residents avoid the area until it is deemed safe.   

  7. A relief organization based in North Carolina is flying tons of relief and emergency supplies to the Northern Mariana Islands after it was devastated by Typhoon Yutu in late October. [link url=”https://wlos.com/news/local/north-carolina-aid-group-flies-supplies-to-typhoon-struck-pacific-islands” title=”Samaritan’s Purse, based in Boone, North Carolina”], sent a DC-8 jet filled with medical supplies, water filtration units, solar lights, and emergency shelter material, along with [link url=”https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/aid-group-flies-supplies-typhoon-struck-pacific-islands-58964128″ title=”a mobile medical team, that should arrive by Tuesday in Saipan”]. Saipan and Tinian, two of the nation’s 15 islands, suffered a direct hit from the massive typhoon, Yutu, which reportedly destroyed majority of the homes on Tinian.  

  8. [link url=”https://www.foxnews.com/us/california-fire-captain-unresponsive-after-being-struck-by-suspected-dui-driver-report” title=”A California fire captain was taken to the hospital unresponsive after being struck by a van”] on Saturday while riding his bicycle to prepare for an upcoming Ironman competition. Mike Kreza was hit in Mission Viejo, at about 8:00 a.m. by driver, Stephen Taylor Scarpa, who was allegedly under the influence, but remained at the scene. Kreza, [link url=”http://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/tn-dpt-me-fire-captain-20181104-story.html” title=”an 18 year veteran of Costa Mesa Fire and Rescue”], who suffered visible head and body trauma, passed away early Monday morning according to a Tweet by the Costa Mesa Fire Department.  

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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