EDM Wednesday Briefing: Chicago, Body Cameras, Midwest Storms, AirAsia

Emergency and disaster management Wednesday Briefing for December 2, 2015: Chicago Police Superintendent fired, police body camera programs expand, Midwest winter storms wane, University of Chicago resumes classes, and Indonesian authorities complete AirAsia investigation.

1. Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel [link url=”http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/01/us/chicago-laquan-mcdonald-police-shooting/index.html” title=”asked for the resignation of Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy“] but [link url=”http://www.startribune.com/u-of-chicago-threat-came-amid-tension-over-police-shooting/359322151/” title=”skepticism lingers about the actions of the Mayor“] and some are calling for more action, [link url=”http://dailycaller.com/2015/12/01/union-demands-emanuel-resign-over-shooting-of-black-teen/” title=”including an Illinois Union“].
2. The Chicago Police Department will [link url=”http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/30/us/chicago-police-body-cameras.html” title=”expand the use of body cameras“] on its officers in the wake of the Laquan McDonald shooting. Various other regions are also expanding or considering expanding the use of such cameras, including [link url=”http://wjla.com/news/local/dc-police-to-be-outfitted-with-body-cameras-after-proposal-passes” title=”Washington, D.C.“], [link url=”http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/community/boise/article47412015.html” title=”Idaho“], and [link url=”http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2015/12/01/as-lawmakers-prep-for-body-camera-debate-questions-linger/” title=”Minnesota“].
3. [link url=”http://www.weather.com/storms/winter/news/winter-storm-delphi-midwest-plains-corn-belt-november-december-2015″ title=”Winter Storm Delphi is winding down“] and warnings are waning. Upwards of a foot of snow accumulated in eastern South Dakota, northern Nebraska, southwest Minnesota and northwest Iowa.
4. [link url=”http://news.uchicago.edu/article/2015/11/30/classes-and-events-resume-tuesday” title=”Classes and events resumed at the University of Chicago“] on Tuesday after the FBI concluded its investigation into the threat. The local student reportedly behind the threat was [link url=”http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-university-of-chicago-threat-20151201-story.html” title=”released to his mother’s custody“]. The suspect was allegedly [link url=”http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/30/us/university-of-chicago-closed-threat/index.html” title=”threatening to avenge Laquan McDonald’s death“].
5. Indonesia completed its investigation of an AirAsia disaster from last year, [link url=”http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/12/02/us-indonesia-airasia-idUSKBN0TK3H920151202#SRxOARCVrexDofVV.97″ title=”citing a faulty part and crew action as factors“] in the crash. Flight 8501 crashed into the Java Sea on December 28, 2014 en route to Singapore, killing all 162 passengers on board. Nearly a year after the crash, some say that the response from Indonesian authorities [link url=”http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/airasia-crash-report-throws-more-questions” title=”raises more questions than answers“].
6. Economists have put a [link url=”http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article47471060.html” title=”price tag of $12 billion on the October 2015 South Carolina floods“]. This places the “two-day storm’s impact on the same magnitude of Hurricane Hugo in 1989,” according to [link url=”http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article47471060.html” title=”The State“].
7. FEMA [link url=”http://counton2.com/2015/12/01/fema-extends-south-carolinas-disaster-assistance-application-deadline/” title=”extended South Carolina’s disaster assistance application deadline“], giving residents an additional 30 days to register for aid — until January 3, 2016.
8. New York asked for [link url=”http://www.newsday.com/long-island/new-york-state-wants-17-8-billion-more-in-hurricane-sandy-aid-1.11176784″ title=”nearly $18 billion in additional funding“] to address housing, business and infrastructure damage caused by Hurricane Sandy, Tropical Storm Irene, and Tropical Storm Lee. Hurricane Sandy (2012) was the second-costliest hurricane in United States history.
9. A [link url=”https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/ISIS%20in%20America%20-%20Full%20Report.pdf” title=”George Washington University study“] found that [link url=”http://time.com/4131098/isis-american-support/” title=”support for ISIS is growing in the U.S.“] The report details online activity of reported ISIS sympathizers across the U.S.
10. The [link url=”http://www.normantranscript.com/news/oklahoma-corporation-commission-s-response-to-earthquakes-spurs-further-debate/article_bda73efa-bb1b-5590-a393-d214c8598f10.html” title=”Oklahoma Corporation Commission released a plan“] in late November after a [link url=”http://www.hngn.com/articles/155696/20151201/oklahoma-earthquakes-seven-quakes-rock-state-single-day.htm” title=”series of small earthquakes“] shook the state that month. Some Oklahoma residents and policymakers are linking [link url=”http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2015/11/oklahoma_earthquakes_prompt_co.html” title=”local oil and gas drilling“] to the quakes.
11. Climate Central, a nonprofit New Jersey corporation, released a report that compared climate preparedness efforts of all 50 U.S. states. The study found that [link url=”https://news.azpm.org/p/arizona-news/2015/11/30/77336-study-arizona-not-preparing-enough-for-climate-change/” title=”Arizona is not preparing enough for climate change“], although some Arizona officials said that the report [link url=”http://tucson.com/news/local/arizona-unprepared-for-climate-risks-study-says/article_ff5765fa-49be-59a0-89a8-98bae7b81435.html” title=”didn’t give AZ enough credit for its current climate-related efforts“].