EDM Monday Briefing: Police Identify Alleged Suspect in Nashville Bombing

Emergency and disaster management briefing for December 28, 2020: Investigators identify a lone bomber in the Nashville bombing on Christmas morning; the Nashville blast exposed multiple critical infrastructure vulnerabilities; US CPSC announces the recall of approximately 182,000 ceiling fans for injury hazard; a new storm system to bring snow to the Central Plains and heavy rain and wind to the East Coast by New Year’s Eve; a recall has been issued by GSK for several Excedrin products; the Creek Fire that forced evacuations on Christmas Eve is 98 percent contained; the Kilauea Volcano enters its second week of eruption as the lava lake rises to 581 feet; and the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) has a Helicopter Short-Haul Unit (HSHU) meant to enhance the safety and other aspects of short-haul helicopter operations.

1. Police believe the  suspect in the bombing that occurred in Nashville, Tennessee, on Christmas morning, died in the blast. Investigators have identified Anthony Quinn Warner, 63, as the suspected suicide bomber who detonated an RV outside the AT&T transmission building, which damaged or destroyed at least 41 other buildings. The blast cut cell phone and internet service across multiple Southern States, and injured a total of three people.  
2. The bombing that occurred in Nashville on Christmas morning was likely a suicide bomber, but the motive remains unclear. The bomb was detonated outside an AT&T transmission building, which led to  communication blackouts for police, hospitals and 911 centers in surrounding counties. The blast exposed multiple critical infrastructure vulnerabilities, with critical emergency and non-emergency service outages extending into Middle Tennessee. 
3. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall of approximately 182,000 Hampton Bay ceiling fans due to a potential injury hazard. According to reports, the Hampton Bay 54-inch Mara Indoor/Outdoor Ceiling Fans can injure consumers because the blades allegedly detach from the fan during use. Two consumers have allegedly been hit by the blades, and there have been a total of 47 reports of blades detaching, with four reports of property damage from detached fan blades. The fans came in a several colors and were sold exclusively at Home Depot stores, both in the United States and Canada.
4. A new storm system is expected to sweep across the nation, beginning on the West Coast Sunday night and reaching the East Coast by New Year’s Eve. The storm will bring heavy snow to the Central Plains states mid-week, before sweeping further east with heavy rain across the Mississippi Valley, Tennessee River Valley, and the the Gulf Coast, where the threat of severe weather exists . Once the storm hits the East Coast, it is forecast to dump heavy rain that is accompanied by strong winds.
5. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that a major recall has been issued for bottles of Excedrin because the bottles may be defective. About 433,000 bottles of Excedrin were recalled by the manufacturer, GSK (GlaxoSmithKline) Consumer Health, because holes in the bottles could endanger children by allowing them to take the medicine, which can be poisonous to children. The holes are located on the bottom of the bottles and were found in five products that contain 50 count and above of the medication.
6. A fire that broke out in north San Diego County late Wednesday prompted thousands of evacuations fo Fallbrook area homes and the Marine Corps base, Camp Pendleton. Wind-whipped flames — caused by Santa Ana winds — rapidly spread the Creek Fire, which ignited amid Red Flag Warnings that were in place county-wide. Firefighters were able to gain control of the blaze as weather conditions improved slightly on Thursday, and all evacuation orders were lifted by late Thursday afternoon — Christmas Eve. The fire scorched about 4,200 acres, but no structures were damaged thanks to a strong firefighting response.
7. The Kilauea Volcano has entered its second week of an ongoing eruption on the Big Island in Hawaii. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, there is no evidence of any eruptions outside the Halemaumau Crater. Lava continues to erupt from two vents that are located on the west side and within the summit crater, while elevated gas emissions and seismic activity remain at the summit. The lava lake has risen to 581 feet — still 1,340 feet below the crater rim — and contains about 4.8 billion gallons of molten rock.
8. The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) has a Helicopter Short-Haul Unit (HSHU) comprised of subject matter experts meant to assist in the enhancement of safety, effectiveness and efficiency during short-haul operations involving helicopters. The subject matter experts are from various agencies, including the United States Forest Service (USFS) and the National Park Service (NPS). They focus on safely enhancing capabilities of the unit, including the ability to  extract patients from areas that have tight canopy cover and technical terrain. More information regarding the HSHU can be found on the NWCG website.