AMU Emergency Management Public Safety

EDM Wednesday Briefing: Flint Charges, Ecuador Quakes, Mexico Fireworks Explosion

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Emergency and disaster management briefing for December 21, 2016

  1. Two former emergency managers — [link url=”http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/20/us/flint-water-charges.html?_r=0″ title=”Darnell Earley and Gerald Ambrose”] — were charged in Flint, MI with false pretenses, conspiracy to commit false pretenses, misconduct in office and willful neglect of duty in office – all in connection to the recent water crisis. Also charged on Tuesday were two former Flint workers, Daugherty Johnson Howard Croft, who are accused of false pretenses and conspiracy to commit false pretenses.The charges, announced Tuesday, [link url=”http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/311181-four-more-charged-in-flint-water-crisis” title=”put criminal investigators a step closer”] to a case against Gov. Rick Snyder (R) who has stated repeatedly that he believed his state’s officials when they told him that Flint’s water supply was safe.
  2. A [link url=”http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/20/multiple-quakes-shake-ecuador/” title=”5.8-magnitude earthquake struck Ecuador’s Pacific coast”] on Monday, and the major quake was followed by at least 20 aftershocks. Two deaths, at least 15 injuries and heavy damage to homes and resort properties were reported. Earlier this year, [link url=”http://www.voanews.com/a/earthquake-along-ecuadors-coast/3642634.html” title=”a 7.8-magnitude earthquake”] devastated the same region – killing more than 660 people and displacing thousands more.
  3. At least nine people died and up to 70 others were seriously injured after an [link url=”http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/12/20/explosion-fireworks-market-outside-mexico-city/95674334/” title=”explosion at a popular fireworks market in Mexico”]. The Mexican Red Cross sent 25 ambulances with 50 paramedics to the scene at the open-air San Pablito Market in Tultepec, approximately 20 miles north of Mexico City. Fireworks exploded periodically following the initial blast, as smoke billowed skyward in thick black clouds. The [link url=”http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-38387239″ title=”same market was heavily damaged by similar fires”] in September 2005, when a series of explosions injured dozens of people.
  4. The man accused of [link url=”http://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2016-12-20/manhattan-bomb-suspect-pleads-not-guilty-to-attempted-murder” title=”setting off bombs in New York and New Jersey”] in September pleaded not guilty Tuesday to attempted murder in his first in-person court appearance. The bombings injured more than 30 people. Ahmad Khan Rahimi was injured by law enforcement officials in a shootout soon after the bombings and needed assistance as he shuffled into court. [link url=”http://www.cbsnews.com/news/nycnew-jersey-bombing-suspect-ahmad-rahimi-pleads-not-guilty-attempted-murder/” title=”Rahimi is accused of detonating a pipe bomb”] in the New Jersey shore town of Seaside Park and a pressure cooker bomb in New York City on Sept. 17; he remains held in jail on $5.2 million bail.

  5. Five people drowned as [link url=”http://www.thelocal.es/20161220/four-dead-as-flash-floods-wreak-havoc-across-eastern-spain” title=”torrential rain caused major flash flooding”] across the eastern coast of Spain earlier this week. The severe weather conditions also saw numerous people trapped in their vehicles – along with road closures and landslides across the 140-mile coastline in the province of Alicante. [link url=”https://www.rt.com/viral/370682-spanish-storm-sea-death/” title=”Murcia and Torrevieja are among the areas worst hit”] by the floods and hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes. Emergency services in Murcia alone reported that they’d rescued at least 350 people from their homes and cars.
  6. San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee [link url=”http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Mayor-Lee-introduces-new-SFPD-Chief-10808948.php” title=”picked a new top cop for the city”] on Tuesday, announcing that a Los Angeles Deputy Police Chief would get the job. William “Bill” Scott will take over as San Francisco’s Police Chief “I know this process was not an easy one,” stated Scott at a news conference at City Hall. [link url=”http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2016/12/20/mayor-expected-to-announce-san-franciscos-new-top-cop/” title=”Originally from Alabama, Scott has worked in Los Angeles since 1989″] in various roles ranging from patrol to gangs, from Internal Affairs to operations.
  7. Mexico‘s Colima Volcano [link url=”http://globalnews.ca/news/3134357/mexicos-colima-volcano-erupts-twice-in-one-day/” title=”sent three eruptions in the space of a few hours”] earlier this week, throwing up ash and vapor more than a mile into the air. The biggest columns of ash reached 1.25 miles in height, while the smallest was just under a mile tall. Also referred to as the “Volcano of Fire,” the 12,533-foot volcano is 430 miles west of Mexico City as is [link url=”https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/colima/news/60500/Colima-volcano-Mexico-activity-update-frequent-explosions-continue.html” title=”one of the most active and dangerous in North America.”] It has had more than 30 periods of eruptions since the late 16th century, including several measurable eruptions in the late 1990s.

  8. Earlier this week, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials began assisting some of the hundreds of [link url=”http://www.wbir.com/news/local/wildfire/fema-arrives-to-help-with-sevier-fire-disaster-assistance/373736994″ title=”people whose homes or workplaces were damaged or destroyed”] in last month’s Sevier County, Tenn., fire disaster. FEMA stated that its officials are expected to remain on the scene at least through this week. President Obama declared [link url=”http://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/tennessee/2016/12/19/fema-opens-up-assistance-center-fire-victims/95625230/” title=”Sevier County a federal disaster area last week”] to help residents cope with the damages caused by the 17,000 acre wildfire on Nov. 28. – meaning that uninsured or under-insured people who lost their homes can now apply for federal financial assistance.

Glynn Cosker is a Managing Editor at AMU Edge. In addition to his background in journalism, corporate writing, web and content development, Glynn served as Vice Consul in the Consular Section of the British Embassy located in Washington, D.C. Glynn is located in New England.

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