AMU Emergency Management Public Safety

EDM Thursday Briefing: Climate Change, Public Health, Wildfires, Fracking

Emergency and disaster management briefing for April 7, 2016: The White House releases a report warning of public health concerns due to climate change, wildfires burn Oklahoma, Arizona and California, and researchers link fracking to polluted groundwater.

  1. The Obama Administration recently released a scientific assessment of [link url=”https://amuedge.com/white-house-issues-assessment-of-climate-change-impact-on-human-health/” title=”how climate change is tied to human health“] in the United States. The assessment incorporates research and analysis from more than 100 experts from across a wide range of groups and agencies.
  2. [relink url=”https://amuedge.com/climate-change-adaptation-bridging-the-finance-gap/” url2=”http://edmdigest.com/adaptation/climate-change-adaptation-too-little-too-late/” url3=”https://amuedge.com/climate-in-case-youre-not-convinced-yet/”]

  3. Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin [link url=”http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/latest-winds-shift-wildfire-oklahoma-iodine-plant-38188729″ title=”declared state of emergency in 10 new counties“] as wildfires continue to ravage parts of the state. As of last night, officials reported that the fires had already [link url=”https://weather.com/news/weather/news/oklahoma-kansas-wildfire-impacts” title=”burned nearly 56,000 acres.“] Hundreds have been evacuated from regions northwest of Oklahoma City.
  4. A [link url=”http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2016/04/06/crews-fight-wildfire-along-river-between-arizona-california/82703212/” title=”wildfire near the Arizona-California border“] burned more than 1,400 acres yesterday as authorities evacuated nearby residents. The fire reportedly began in Arizona and then jumped the Colorado River into California with the help of strong winds.
  5. [relink url=”https://amuedge.com/nifc-releases-seasonal-wildfire-outlook/” url2=”https://amuedge.com/a-forthcoming-wildfire-storm/” url3=”https://amuedge.com/wildfires-how-to-prepare-and-protect-homes-and-families/”]

  6. Stanford researchers recently discovered evidence of [link url=”https://amuedge.com/study-fracking-fluids-found-in-wyoming-groundwater/” title=”fracking fluids polluting groundwater“] in Wyoming. Researchers found a long list of hydraulic fracturing fluid chemicals in wells near Pavillion, WY, and cautioned that fracking could be causing widespread impacts on drinking water resources across the nation.
  7. The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) are [link url=”https://amuedge.com/new-government-task-force-focuses-on-safe-storage-of-natural-gas/” title=”teaming up“] to make natural gas facilities in the United States safer. Together, the two agencies formed new Interagency Task Force on Natural Gas Storage Safety, which will focus on the [link url=”https://amuedge.com/new-government-task-force-focuses-on-safe-storage-of-natural-gas/” title=”safe storage of natural gas throughout the U.S.“]
  8. Brazilian scientists recently found further evidence of that [link url=”http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-zika-brain-idUSKCN0X32UJ” title=”Zika virus is linked to microcephaly.“] The scientists studied pregnant women with Zika virus and found widespread and severe abnormalities in fetal brain development. This is the latest of a number of studies linking Zika and microcephaly, but the link has not yet been proven without any uncertainty.
  9. [relink url=”https://amuedge.com/study-estimates-zika-virus-risk-in-50-u-s-cities/” url2=”https://amuedge.com/who-mounting-evidence-of-zika-virus-microcephaly-connection/” url3=”https://amuedge.com/saturday-guest-blog-zika-preparation-in-south-florida/”]

  10. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) [link url=”http://wtvr.com/2016/04/04/fema-denies-virginias-request-for-federal-assistance-for-february-tornadoes/” title=”denied Virginia’s request for federal assistance“] after a series of tornadoes hit the state in February. FEMA reasoned that the severity and magnitude of the damage was not “beyond the capabilities” of the commonwealth and local governments, and, therefore, federal assistance is not necessary.
  11. The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality is requiring every water utility in the state [link url=”http://www.kpvi.com/news/idaho-regulators-ask-utilities-to-double-check-water-systems/article_747ae34c-6247-51b0-aad1-370128bdca05.html” title=”check to confirm that drinking water is safe from lead.“] The testing is a direct response to what happened in Flint, MI recently. Utilities have until the end of July to complete the testing.
  12. [relink url=”https://amuedge.com/dol-gives-15-million-in-aid-to-flint-for-recovery/” url2=”https://amuedge.com/flint-michigan-update-read-between-the-lines-on-declaration/” url3=”http://edmdigest.com/response/guest-blog-flint-michigan-water-crisis-from-a-red-cross-volunteer-perspective/”]

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