AMU Emergency Management Original Public Safety

EDM Wednesday Briefing: Thai Cave Rescue Successful; Pet Food Recall

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Emergency and disaster management briefing for July 11, 2018: An historic and dangerous cave rescue saves all 12 boys and their soccer coach in Thailand; first responders are injured during a gas explosion in Wisconsin; one infant is dead and dozens are injured following an EF2 tornado in North Dakota; the nation’s largest wildfire continues to burn in Nevada; Japan struggles in the aftermath of deadly flooding and mudslides; Typhoon Maria made landfall in China Wednesday after brushing Taiwan; Hurricane Chris rapidly strengthens in the Atlantic; and Rad Cat raw pet food is recalled due to possible Listeria monocytogenes and E. coli contamination.

  1. All twelve boys and their soccer coach [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/07/10/entire-thai-soccer-team-coach-freed-from-cave-after-daring-rescue-navy-says.html” title=”have been rescued from the Tham Luang cave in Thailand”] and are in quarantine at a hospital in Chiang Rai. The dramatic rescue that claimed the life of one Thai navy seal, ended Tuesday when the last boy and the team’s coach emerged from the cave and were loaded onto waiting ambulances. The boys and their coach are to remain hospitalized for at least 7 days [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/07/10/entire-thai-soccer-team-coach-freed-from-cave-after-daring-rescue-navy-says.html” title=”to monitor them for infections”] and to help them regain their strength.  

  2. At least [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/07/10/explosion-in-sun-prairie-wisconsin-levels-buildings-around-main-street.html” title=”two firefighters and one police officer were hurt in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin”], when a contractor struck a gas main and it exploded. First responders reported to the gas leak around 6:20 p.m., and were working to shut off the gas main and secure the area, including evacuating a 5-block radius around the leak, when the blast occurred. [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/07/10/explosion-in-sun-prairie-wisconsin-levels-buildings-around-main-street.html” title=”The evacuation likely saved many lives”] as there have been no reported deaths from the explosion that happened downtown and leveled many of the area buildings which housed restaurants, bars, and businesses.  

  3. One infant was killed and dozens were hurt when [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/07/10/dozens-hurt-3-critical-when-tornado-hits-north-dakota-city.html” title=”a tornado ripped through a small oil patch city in North Dakota”] on Monday night. The EF2 tornado struck an RV park and destroyed or damaged more than 200 structures, most of them campers or mobile homes, including one trailer that flipped over and killed a one-week old infant. Wind speeds reached 127 mph in the city of Watford as the storm moved through, and [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/07/10/latest-weather-service-says-tornado-ravaged-rv-park.html” title=”cleanup operations were set to begin Wednesday”].  

  4. The progress of a massive wildfire was slowed Tuesday by more than 600 firefighters working amid near triple digit temperatures in a remote area in northern Nevada. According to the [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/07/10/crews-gaining-on-huge-nevada-wildfire-visible-from-space.html” title=”National Interagency Fire Center, the Martin Fire is the largest wild land fire burning in the United States”], a blaze that has scorched almost 700 square miles (448,000 acres) of rangeland, grasses, and sagebrush. [link url=”http://wildfiretoday.com/2018/07/10/firefighters-use-innovative-tactic-to-suppress-martin-fire/” title=”Firefighters are using an innovative, and highly coordinated method to combat the flames”], which requires super scoopers to drop a long line of water, followed immediately by a retardant drop, which sufficiently cools the fire enough for ground crews to dig containment lines.  

  5. The search continues in Japan for those missing after last week’s historic [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/07/10/abe-visiting-flood-hit-western-japan-as-deaths-reach-176.html” title=”rains caused deadly flooding and mudslides”] that swept through cities and villages in western Japan. Water, mudslides, and debris have buried roadways, hampering search and rescue efforts, and made access to some cities and neighborhood’s difficult while preventing emergency supplies, such as water and food, from being delivered to those in need. [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/07/10/abe-visiting-flood-hit-western-japan-as-deaths-reach-176.html” title=”Infrastructure, including transportation systems, electricity, and water”], are still unavailable, interrupting or delaying shipments and [link url=”https://www.reuters.com/article/us-weather-japan/japan-struggles-to-get-help-to-victims-of-worst-floods-in-decades-idUSKBN1K00CO?utm_source=applenews” title=”requiring residents to stand in long lines amid scorching temperatures to receive water and other supplies”]. 

  6. [link url=”https://weather.com/storms/typhoon/news/2018-07-05-western-pacific-typhoon-maria” title=”Typhoon Maria made landfall in China”] on Wednesday as a Category 2 storm after brushing Taiwan and hammering Japan’s southwestern most islands. Parts of Taiwan received up to 16 inches of rain over two days from the storm, and around 3,000 people were evacuated due to the threat of landslides. China [link url=”https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/92409/powerful-typhoon-heads-for-china” title=”evacuated more than 140,000 people”] in low-lying, at risk areas ahead of the storm, closed schools and factories, and placed workers on standby to make repairs following the storm.  

  7. The second named storm of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season, Hurricane Chris, has [link url=”http://www.tampabay.com/hurricane-guide/Hurricane-Chris-quickly-strengthens-generates-dangerous-surf-on-path-to-Canada-_169913569″ title=”quickly gained strength to a Category 2 storm”] that is aiming directly for the edge of Newfoundland in Canada before heading to Iceland. The storm was approximately 315 miles east of Cape Hatteras North Carolina early Wednesday, and had sustained wind speeds of 105 mph, with higher gusts. The storm is headed away from the United States, [link url=”http://www.tampabay.com/hurricane-guide/Hurricane-Chris-quickly-strengthens-generates-dangerous-surf-on-path-to-Canada-_169913569″ title=”but impacts will be felt along the mid-Atlantic and North Carolina coasts”] over the next few days, including potentially dangerous surf conditions and life-threatening rip currents.  

  8. A pet food recall has been issued for [link url=”http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/07/listeria-e-coli-contamination-triggers-recall-of-raw-pet-food/#.W0YXnC2ZN-U” title=”Rad Cat Raw Diets by Radagast Pet Food, Inc, of Portland, Oregon”] due to the possible contamination of Listeria monocytogenes and one lot for possible E. coli contamination. Testing carried out by the company detected the presence of the pathogens, and the recall was issued for the free-range chicken recipe, and the pasture-raised venison recipe, distributed throughout the United States, with some lots being distributed to Vancouver, British Columbia. [link url=”http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/07/listeria-e-coli-contamination-triggers-recall-of-raw-pet-food/#.W0YXnC2ZN-U” title=”Either of the pathogens can be transmitted to humans”] through handling of the food or through surface contamination, including counter tops, pet food bowls, and utensils.  

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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