Emergency and disaster management Wednesday Briefing for December 16, 2015: Typhoon Melor is downgraded to a tropical storm, the GOP debate focuses on homegrown terrorism and how to protect national security, and Los Angeles Schools reopen today after bomb threat hoax.

1. Melor is [link url=”http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/melor-to-threaten-philippines/54139705″ title=”downgraded to a tropical storm“], moves away from the Philippines, but heavy rains, flooding still expected in the area through Wednesday.  13 [link url=”https://www.rt.com/news/326047-phillipines-typhoon-melor-disaster/” title=”Deaths are being blamed on the typhoon“], all occurring in the Northern Samar province.
2. A [link url=”http://bigstory.ap.org/article/1ee935a2feec4935a6a80db5104e738b/faa-medical-helicopter-3-aboard-crashes-near-phoenix” title=”medical helicopter crash near Phoenix, Arizona“] carrying three crew members identified as the pilot, a nurse and a paramedic, resulted in the deaths of two, although no further information about the identity of either the deceased or the survivor has been reported.  This is the second medical helicopter crash in less than a week, with the other occurring amid reduced visibility and rain. [relink url=”https://amuedge.com/edm-friday-briefing-medivac-crash-more-weather-for-pacific-nw-lake-search-in-san-bernardino-shooting/”]
3. GOP [link url=”http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/la-na-republican-debate-20151215-story.html” title=”Debate focused on rising homegrown terrorists“] and how to best protect the nation, as this was the first debate since the Paris Attacks and San Bernardino, California terrorism.
4. Los Angeles area [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/12/16/credible-terror-threat-prompts-closure-all-la-public-schools/” title=”schools to reopen today after threat yesterday“] deemed hoax.  A similar threat was sent to New York City area schools, who kept their schools open on Tuesday.
5. Congress reaches agreement to avoid government shutdown, [link url=”https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2015/12/15/congress-reaches-year-end-deal-on-taxes-and-spending/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-low_budget-1035pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory” title=”both parties make concessions amid a changed atmosphere“] attributed to Paul Ryan (R-Wis) as the new Speaker of the House.
6. Sydney [link url=”http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/12/16/trees-down-buildings-damaged-kurnell-after-sydney-tornado” title=”Australia hit by rare tornado in the Kurnell community“], with winds reaching speeds of 213 kilometers an hour, knocking out power, but no serious injuries were reported.
7. Chicago protests last night resulted in arrests after protestors created a human interlocking chain and blocked a road by laying down.  Protestors are [link url=”http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-protesters-call-for-mayor-states-attorney-to-resign-20151215-story.html” title=”demanding that both the city’s mayor and state’s attorney resign“].  This is the latest in a series of ripple affects from the release of the Laquan McDonald shooting video by police on November 24, 2015. [relink url=”https://amuedge.com/ripple-effects-of-the-release-of-the-laquan-mcdonald-shooting-video/”]