Deployment training suspended as 26th MEU responds to Hurricane Sandy
By AMANDA WILCOX
Daily News Staff
Published: Friday, November 2, 2012
The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit is currently in the northeast helping with disaster relief for Hurricane Sandy.
The Marines and sailors of the 26th MEU, based out of Camp Lejeune, deployed Thursday aboard the USS Wasp to provide generators, fuel, clean water and helicopter lift capabilities, according to a press release from the 26th MEU.
“First and foremost, out thoughts and prayers go out to those impacted by Hurricane Sandy,” said Col. Matthew St. Clair, commanding officer of the 26th MEU, in the release. “The capabilities of the 26th MEU are augmenting the larger relief efforts currently being executed at the federal, state and local level. The Marines and sailors of the MEU are extremely motivated about assisting other Americans in a time of need.”
read more here
Showing posts with label hurricanes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hurricanes. Show all posts
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Friday, November 2, 2012
War veterans hit Sandy's front lines for rescues, cleanup
War veterans hit Sandy's front lines for rescues, cleanup
By Bill Briggs
NBC News contributor
Up to his armpits in flood water, flanked by darkened buildings and submerged vehicles, Iraq veteran Peter Meijer felt oddly at home Monday night as he trudged through the streets of Brooklyn at the height of Sandy's fury: "The right place at the right time with the right mission."
With a fellow veteran at his side, Meijer had driven a van from a Brooklyn high school-turned-evacuation shelter to the Gerritsen Beach neighborhood, stopping only when the van's tires met the storm surge. From there, the pair went on foot. With 911 phone lines down, the Army reservist was trying to reach and rescue a man who had climbed into his attic with his dog to escape the rising tide. Back at the shelter, the man's wife — who had been on the phone with him — pleaded Meijer to try to save him.
read more here
By Bill Briggs
NBC News contributor
Up to his armpits in flood water, flanked by darkened buildings and submerged vehicles, Iraq veteran Peter Meijer felt oddly at home Monday night as he trudged through the streets of Brooklyn at the height of Sandy's fury: "The right place at the right time with the right mission."
With a fellow veteran at his side, Meijer had driven a van from a Brooklyn high school-turned-evacuation shelter to the Gerritsen Beach neighborhood, stopping only when the van's tires met the storm surge. From there, the pair went on foot. With 911 phone lines down, the Army reservist was trying to reach and rescue a man who had climbed into his attic with his dog to escape the rising tide. Back at the shelter, the man's wife — who had been on the phone with him — pleaded Meijer to try to save him.
read more here
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Marines help save 14 New Yorkers trapped by Hurricane Sandy
Marines help save 14 New Yorkers trapped by Hurricane Sandy
Marine Forces Reserve
Story by Cpl. Michael Ito
NEW ORLEANS - Winds, close to 80 mph, whipped the 14-foot floodwaters through the streets of New York Monday night as Hurricane Sandy bore down on the city. During the height of the storm, a detective from the New York Police Department approached the duty noncommissioned officer of 6th Communications Battalion, 4th Marine Logistics Group in Brooklyn, N.Y., and requested assistance for a rescue operation.
A transformer in the Queens neighborhood of Rockaway Beach burst, triggering a house fire that soon spread to adjacent buildings. Because of the fire and the rising floodwaters, many residents were trapped.
First responders attempted to help stranded residents, but they were also trapped, bringing the number of those marooned to 14. The water was too deep for the emergency services units, so the NYPD called on the Reserve Marines for support.
“We were just checking (our training center) for damage because the storm was getting pretty bad,” said Sgt. Jorge Negron, a ground radio repairman with 6th Communications Battalion. “The police showed up at the gate and, after getting approval, there was no hesitation. It was just ‘yeah, of course we’ll help.’”
Lt. Col. Richard Bordonaro, Inspector-Instructor for the 6th Communications Battalion, authorized the use of two 7-ton trucks, as well as the service of three Marines and one Navy corpsman, to conduct rescue assistance under the authority of the Defense Support of Civil Authorities directive.
Sgts. Allan Donaire, Michael Roy and Jorje Negron along with Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Pulitano, a hospital corpsman, responded to the police department’s request at approximately 10:15 p.m.
read more here
Marine Forces Reserve
Story by Cpl. Michael Ito
Aerial views of the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy to the New Jersey coast taken during a search and rescue mission by 1-150 Assault Helicopter Battalion, New Jersey Army National Guard, Oct. 30, 2012.
(U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Mark C. Olsen/Released)
“The bravery and dedication I saw was so great,” said Negron. “Everyone was riding in our truck and then the police would hop into their raft and go to a family in need and the fire department would get in their (rafts) and go straight to a fire.”
NEW ORLEANS - Winds, close to 80 mph, whipped the 14-foot floodwaters through the streets of New York Monday night as Hurricane Sandy bore down on the city. During the height of the storm, a detective from the New York Police Department approached the duty noncommissioned officer of 6th Communications Battalion, 4th Marine Logistics Group in Brooklyn, N.Y., and requested assistance for a rescue operation.
A transformer in the Queens neighborhood of Rockaway Beach burst, triggering a house fire that soon spread to adjacent buildings. Because of the fire and the rising floodwaters, many residents were trapped.
First responders attempted to help stranded residents, but they were also trapped, bringing the number of those marooned to 14. The water was too deep for the emergency services units, so the NYPD called on the Reserve Marines for support.
“We were just checking (our training center) for damage because the storm was getting pretty bad,” said Sgt. Jorge Negron, a ground radio repairman with 6th Communications Battalion. “The police showed up at the gate and, after getting approval, there was no hesitation. It was just ‘yeah, of course we’ll help.’”
Lt. Col. Richard Bordonaro, Inspector-Instructor for the 6th Communications Battalion, authorized the use of two 7-ton trucks, as well as the service of three Marines and one Navy corpsman, to conduct rescue assistance under the authority of the Defense Support of Civil Authorities directive.
Sgts. Allan Donaire, Michael Roy and Jorje Negron along with Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Pulitano, a hospital corpsman, responded to the police department’s request at approximately 10:15 p.m.
read more here
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
National Guard troops mobilized for Sandy response
3 minutes ago
National Guard troops mobilized for Sandy response
By DAVID S. CLOUD
Tribune Washington Bureau
Published: October 31, 2012
WASHINGTON — More than 10,000 National Guard troops in 13 states have been mobilized to assist in the response to Hurricane Sandy, including more than 2,200 who are assisting with recovery efforts in New York, the Pentagon said Wednesday.
Eric Durr, a spokesman for New York’s Division of Military and Naval Affairs, said that 650 National Guard soldiers and air personnel are deployed on Long Island, while another 400 are in New York City, with another 400 on the way.
The Guard is using Humvees and trucks to clear debris, rescue stranded people and to help transport local officials in flooded areas.
“They’re taking cops and fireman around in Humvees helping to rescue people,” Durr said.
Thirty guard personnel are helping to lug fuel to the 13th floor of Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, where the facility’s emergency generators are located, he said.
Ten Black Hawk helicopters and other aircraft are being used for aerial surveillance and are assisting local first responders, he said.
read more here
National Guard troops mobilized for Sandy response
By DAVID S. CLOUD
Tribune Washington Bureau
Published: October 31, 2012
WASHINGTON — More than 10,000 National Guard troops in 13 states have been mobilized to assist in the response to Hurricane Sandy, including more than 2,200 who are assisting with recovery efforts in New York, the Pentagon said Wednesday.
Eric Durr, a spokesman for New York’s Division of Military and Naval Affairs, said that 650 National Guard soldiers and air personnel are deployed on Long Island, while another 400 are in New York City, with another 400 on the way.
The Guard is using Humvees and trucks to clear debris, rescue stranded people and to help transport local officials in flooded areas.
“They’re taking cops and fireman around in Humvees helping to rescue people,” Durr said.
Thirty guard personnel are helping to lug fuel to the 13th floor of Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, where the facility’s emergency generators are located, he said.
Ten Black Hawk helicopters and other aircraft are being used for aerial surveillance and are assisting local first responders, he said.
read more here
National Guard lending a much-needed hand after Sandy
National Guard lending a much-needed hand
Traffic, rescue operations are among the calls of duty
By William McMichael
The (Wilmington, Del.) News Journal
Posted : Wednesday Oct 31, 2012
A steady stream of cars coming north through Fenwick Island on Del. 1 came face-to-face with a Delaware National Guard Humvee blocking both travel lanes and soldiers directing them into the left turn lane.
Another Humvee blocked the left turn onto the roadway from Lighthouse Road. A Delaware State Police cruiser parked across northbound Del. 1 completed the blockade.
It was a scene repeated Tuesday across the lower half of the state, particularly in Sussex County, which appears to have gotten the worst of Superstorm Sandy. Guardsmen worked in support of police and other civil authorities to control traffic, assess damage and rescue stranded residents.
“Last night, we were taking people to the Cape Henlopen High School shelter,” said Spc. Matthew Underwood of the 198th Signal Battalion’s A Company, citing evacuations in Long Neck, Georgetown and elsewhere.
Underwood had stopped at a Rehoboth Beach checkpoint before he moved on to help state police with damage assessments.
read more here
Traffic, rescue operations are among the calls of duty
By William McMichael
The (Wilmington, Del.) News Journal
Posted : Wednesday Oct 31, 2012
A steady stream of cars coming north through Fenwick Island on Del. 1 came face-to-face with a Delaware National Guard Humvee blocking both travel lanes and soldiers directing them into the left turn lane.
Another Humvee blocked the left turn onto the roadway from Lighthouse Road. A Delaware State Police cruiser parked across northbound Del. 1 completed the blockade.
It was a scene repeated Tuesday across the lower half of the state, particularly in Sussex County, which appears to have gotten the worst of Superstorm Sandy. Guardsmen worked in support of police and other civil authorities to control traffic, assess damage and rescue stranded residents.
“Last night, we were taking people to the Cape Henlopen High School shelter,” said Spc. Matthew Underwood of the 198th Signal Battalion’s A Company, citing evacuations in Long Neck, Georgetown and elsewhere.
Underwood had stopped at a Rehoboth Beach checkpoint before he moved on to help state police with damage assessments.
read more here
Heroes of Hurricane Sandy
When politicians talk about cutting the debt and public employees, we all need to remember what kind of people we are "getting rid of" because when you needed them, they showed up. When you don't need them, you don't care if they are there or not.
Take a look at what they did when Hurricane Sandy hit. Remember what they did on 9-11. Remember what they did every time they showed up after storms, in all kinds of emergencies and remember how they made the terrible easier to get through.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Hurricane Sandy's impact: State by state
Sandy's impact: State by state
By the CNN Wire Staff
October 30, 2012
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
New York: More than 50 houses burned down in Queens
West Virginia: A woman was killed in a car accident after the storm dumped 5 inches of snow
New Jersey: Sandy has killed at least three people in the Garden State
Pennsylvania: Two people were killed by falling trees
(CNN) -- States along the East Coast were pummeled as superstorm Sandy came crashing ashore.
The storm officially made landfall along the coast of southern New Jersey, but it is affecting a much wider area.
By early Tuesday, more than 7 million customers were without power in the mid-Atlantic region, according to the latest CNN estimate.
At least 16 people have died.
President Barack Obama has declared states of emergency for at least five states and the nation's capital.
Here's a look at how Sandy has impacted U.S. states, as well as Canada.
read more here
By the CNN Wire Staff
October 30, 2012
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
New York: More than 50 houses burned down in Queens
West Virginia: A woman was killed in a car accident after the storm dumped 5 inches of snow
New Jersey: Sandy has killed at least three people in the Garden State
Pennsylvania: Two people were killed by falling trees
(CNN) -- States along the East Coast were pummeled as superstorm Sandy came crashing ashore.
The storm officially made landfall along the coast of southern New Jersey, but it is affecting a much wider area.
By early Tuesday, more than 7 million customers were without power in the mid-Atlantic region, according to the latest CNN estimate.
At least 16 people have died.
President Barack Obama has declared states of emergency for at least five states and the nation's capital.
Here's a look at how Sandy has impacted U.S. states, as well as Canada.
read more here
National Guard Called Into Hoboken
National Guard Called Into Hoboken; 15,000 Without Power
Mayor Dawn Zimmer called in the national guard around 10 p.m. on Monday night. As of 3 a.m. on Tuesday they had not arrived in Hoboken.
By Claire Moses
October 29, 2012
UPDATED 2:45 a.m.—Flood water started receding in Hoboken around midnight, but not after causing major flooding, power outages and damage all over town.
Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer called in the National Guard on Monday night for extra assistance as raging floodwaters from Tropical Storm Sandy ravaged Hoboken. Roughly 15,000 people were without power as of 9:45 p.m. on Monday night, with two substations in town underwater.
The national guard did not make it to Hoboken, as of 3 a.m. Tuesday.
Much of the west side was in the dark, as of 10:30 p.m. It's unclear when power will be restored.
Zimmer said Public Service Electric and Gas workers were attempting to get to Hoboken to restore power, but weren't able to enter the city due to widespread flooding, Zimmer said.
A swollen Hudson River overflowed on Newark, First and Second Street from Garden through Grand.
"It was like a river," according to one city employee. "In all my life, this is the worst I have seen it."
read more here
Mayor Dawn Zimmer called in the national guard around 10 p.m. on Monday night. As of 3 a.m. on Tuesday they had not arrived in Hoboken.
By Claire Moses
October 29, 2012
UPDATED 2:45 a.m.—Flood water started receding in Hoboken around midnight, but not after causing major flooding, power outages and damage all over town.
Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer called in the National Guard on Monday night for extra assistance as raging floodwaters from Tropical Storm Sandy ravaged Hoboken. Roughly 15,000 people were without power as of 9:45 p.m. on Monday night, with two substations in town underwater.
The national guard did not make it to Hoboken, as of 3 a.m. Tuesday.
Much of the west side was in the dark, as of 10:30 p.m. It's unclear when power will be restored.
Zimmer said Public Service Electric and Gas workers were attempting to get to Hoboken to restore power, but weren't able to enter the city due to widespread flooding, Zimmer said.
A swollen Hudson River overflowed on Newark, First and Second Street from Garden through Grand.
"It was like a river," according to one city employee. "In all my life, this is the worst I have seen it."
read more here
Monday, October 29, 2012
States activate National Guards ahead of Hurricane Sandy
National Guard soldiers activated for Sandy
750 Pennsylvania National Guard troops called
The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Oct 29, 2012
PHILADELPHIA — The Pennsylvania National Guard has activated 750 soldiers and expects to have a total of 1,600 placed on active duty to deal with damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.
Guard spokesman Staff Sgt. Matthew Jones said 50 guardsmen had already been on duty since Friday and 800 more based in Pittsburgh and Scranton expect to be activated by noon Monday.
Forecasters predict winds up to 75 mph and as much as 10 inches of rain to hit parts of Pennsylvania as Sandy slams into the mid-Atlantic.
N.Y. GOV. CALLS UP 1,000 NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS
VA. GUARD STAGES 600-PLUS FOR STORM RESPONSE
W.VA. GOVERNOR DECLARES EMERGENCY FOR STORM
VT. GOVERNOR DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY
MAINE PREPARES FOR ‘SUPERSTORM’
N.H. BUCKLES DOWN FOR HURRICANE SANDY
MASS. COASTAL AREAS EVACUATE, BOSTON TRANSIT SHUTS DOWN
CONN. NATIONAL GUARD RESPONDS TO E. HAVEN, DARIEN
R.I. NATIONAL GUARD ON STANDBY TO PROVIDE SUPPORT
read more here
750 Pennsylvania National Guard troops called
The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Oct 29, 2012
PHILADELPHIA — The Pennsylvania National Guard has activated 750 soldiers and expects to have a total of 1,600 placed on active duty to deal with damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.
Guard spokesman Staff Sgt. Matthew Jones said 50 guardsmen had already been on duty since Friday and 800 more based in Pittsburgh and Scranton expect to be activated by noon Monday.
Forecasters predict winds up to 75 mph and as much as 10 inches of rain to hit parts of Pennsylvania as Sandy slams into the mid-Atlantic.
N.Y. GOV. CALLS UP 1,000 NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS
VA. GUARD STAGES 600-PLUS FOR STORM RESPONSE
W.VA. GOVERNOR DECLARES EMERGENCY FOR STORM
VT. GOVERNOR DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY
MAINE PREPARES FOR ‘SUPERSTORM’
N.H. BUCKLES DOWN FOR HURRICANE SANDY
MASS. COASTAL AREAS EVACUATE, BOSTON TRANSIT SHUTS DOWN
CONN. NATIONAL GUARD RESPONDS TO E. HAVEN, DARIEN
R.I. NATIONAL GUARD ON STANDBY TO PROVIDE SUPPORT
read more here
Military Bracing for 'Frankenstorm'
Military Bracing for 'Frankenstorm'
Oct 27, 2012
Daily Press
Newport News, Va.
by Hugh Lessig
The Navy isn't taking any chances with a weather system nicknamed Frankenstorm.
Nearly 25 ships homeported in Hampton Roads, including the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, are heading to sea in advance of Hurricane Sandy, the Navy announced Friday.
The hurricane, which is moving up the East Coast, could combine with a cold front from the west to create an even larger monster storm, forecasters have said.
read more here
Oct 27, 2012
Daily Press
Newport News, Va.
by Hugh Lessig
The Navy isn't taking any chances with a weather system nicknamed Frankenstorm.
Nearly 25 ships homeported in Hampton Roads, including the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, are heading to sea in advance of Hurricane Sandy, the Navy announced Friday.
The hurricane, which is moving up the East Coast, could combine with a cold front from the west to create an even larger monster storm, forecasters have said.
read more here
Friday, August 31, 2012
New Law Lets Reservists Respond to Disasters
New Law Lets Reservists Respond to Disasters
Aug 31, 2012
Associated Press
by Gene Johnson
BELLEVUE, Wash. -- As hurricane season arrives, governors have a new resource to call upon in the event of a major disaster: military reservists.
Historically, there's been no mechanism under federal law to order reservists to duty in response to a domestic emergency except in limited circumstances. But the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act changed that, giving governors, who already can mobilize National Guard troops, the ability to request the help of the nation's 380,000 reservists in the event of a hurricane, earthquake, flood, terrorist attack or other disaster.
The goal is for the reservists to be ready to help within three days, Maj. Gen. Luis Visot, the Army Reserve's deputy commanding general for operations, told government and business officials at a disaster response conference in Bellevue on Thursday.
"In any kind of disaster, the governor of the state will first and foremost utilize their resources," Visot said. "But we can out and help and get authorized to do it. ... It's all about thinking about the capabilities that are available to you. If there's a need, you can have access to it."
Hurricane Isaac in Louisiana didn't require such a response, and the new authority has yet to be used. Under it, governors would ask the White House for help from the Army, Air Force, Navy or Marine reserves. The reservists could stay on duty for up to four months and could come under the leadership of National Guard commanders already on scene.
read more here
Aug 31, 2012
Associated Press
by Gene Johnson
BELLEVUE, Wash. -- As hurricane season arrives, governors have a new resource to call upon in the event of a major disaster: military reservists.
Historically, there's been no mechanism under federal law to order reservists to duty in response to a domestic emergency except in limited circumstances. But the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act changed that, giving governors, who already can mobilize National Guard troops, the ability to request the help of the nation's 380,000 reservists in the event of a hurricane, earthquake, flood, terrorist attack or other disaster.
The goal is for the reservists to be ready to help within three days, Maj. Gen. Luis Visot, the Army Reserve's deputy commanding general for operations, told government and business officials at a disaster response conference in Bellevue on Thursday.
"In any kind of disaster, the governor of the state will first and foremost utilize their resources," Visot said. "But we can out and help and get authorized to do it. ... It's all about thinking about the capabilities that are available to you. If there's a need, you can have access to it."
Hurricane Isaac in Louisiana didn't require such a response, and the new authority has yet to be used. Under it, governors would ask the White House for help from the Army, Air Force, Navy or Marine reserves. The reservists could stay on duty for up to four months and could come under the leadership of National Guard commanders already on scene.
read more here
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Thousands told to evacuate after Isaac damages dam
New mandatory evacuations as Isaac claims first fatality
By Josh Levs
CNN
updated 2:23 PM EDT, Thu August 30, 2012
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: Mississippi is cutting a hole in the dam at Lake Tangipahoa
NEW: Isaac is expected to become a tropical depression by Thursday evening
NEW: More than 915,000 customers are without power in Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi
A falling tree killed a man in Mississippi, authorities say
(CNN) -- Isaac slashed its way further inland Thursday, claiming its first fatality and stranding residents in flood-prone areas even as it threatened to wreak more havoc in the days to come.
Although the tropical storm weakened and is forecast to become a tropical depression by Thursday evening, the pounding rains are still drenching a large swath of the Gulf Coast.
Mississippi and Louisiana announced mandatory evacuations for all low-lying areas along the Tangipahoa River.
A dam at 700-acre Lake Tangipahoa has not breached, "but has been badly damaged by heavy rains," the Pike County Emergency Management Agency said.
read more here
By Josh Levs
CNN
updated 2:23 PM EDT, Thu August 30, 2012
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: Mississippi is cutting a hole in the dam at Lake Tangipahoa
NEW: Isaac is expected to become a tropical depression by Thursday evening
NEW: More than 915,000 customers are without power in Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi
A falling tree killed a man in Mississippi, authorities say
(CNN) -- Isaac slashed its way further inland Thursday, claiming its first fatality and stranding residents in flood-prone areas even as it threatened to wreak more havoc in the days to come.
Although the tropical storm weakened and is forecast to become a tropical depression by Thursday evening, the pounding rains are still drenching a large swath of the Gulf Coast.
Mississippi and Louisiana announced mandatory evacuations for all low-lying areas along the Tangipahoa River.
A dam at 700-acre Lake Tangipahoa has not breached, "but has been badly damaged by heavy rains," the Pike County Emergency Management Agency said.
read more here
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Hurricane Isaac brings thousands of National Guard troops
Hurricane Isaac brings thousands of National Guard troops to the region
Published: Tuesday, August 28, 2012
By Paul Purpura
The Times-Picayune
Hours before Hurricane Isaac's full effects were to be felt in New Orleans Tuesday, Army National Guard Capt. Mark Castillon and his soldiers rolled up on a burglary scene in the Bywater neighborhood. Several New Orleans police officers converged on the shotgun home in the 1000 block of Independence Street, and they already had a suspect in custody, a middle-aged with a lengthy rap sheet.
And in a scene reminiscent of the months following Hurricane Katrina seven years ago, the police officers and a detective searched the house accompanied by a soldier who carried an M-4 assault rifle, as other armed soldiers stood nearby on St. Claude Avenue beside their Humvees.
"We have a familiar relationship with NOPD," said Castillon, a Harahan resident who commands Bravo Battery, 1st Battalion, 141st Field Artillery Regiment, a storied unit known as the Washington Artillery at Jackson Barracks. "We're both serving the community as best as we can during this emergency. This is what we're here for, to assist the community."
read more here
Published: Tuesday, August 28, 2012
By Paul Purpura
The Times-Picayune
Hours before Hurricane Isaac's full effects were to be felt in New Orleans Tuesday, Army National Guard Capt. Mark Castillon and his soldiers rolled up on a burglary scene in the Bywater neighborhood. Several New Orleans police officers converged on the shotgun home in the 1000 block of Independence Street, and they already had a suspect in custody, a middle-aged with a lengthy rap sheet.
And in a scene reminiscent of the months following Hurricane Katrina seven years ago, the police officers and a detective searched the house accompanied by a soldier who carried an M-4 assault rifle, as other armed soldiers stood nearby on St. Claude Avenue beside their Humvees.
"We have a familiar relationship with NOPD," said Castillon, a Harahan resident who commands Bravo Battery, 1st Battalion, 141st Field Artillery Regiment, a storied unit known as the Washington Artillery at Jackson Barracks. "We're both serving the community as best as we can during this emergency. This is what we're here for, to assist the community."
read more here
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Reasons to always read from more than one source
This is a typical reason to make sure you read more than one source on a story.
The other example of this is when you hear some Democrats talkers on radio gleefully talking about the hurricane heading into Florida during the GOP convention. Do they stop to think about what a hurricane means to the people living in Florida? Do they think about the members of the National Guards ready to once again put their lives on the line in case they are needed to save us? Do they think about the police, firefighters and emergency responders, doctors or nurses ready to spend days on end taking care of the wounded?
I moved into Central Florida right before Charlie, Francis and Jeanne hit in 2004. Talking about Isaac hitting Tampa means a lot of lives will be on the line with a lot of extra people taking up hotel rooms because of the convention the displaced will need if their homes are destroyed. Most of them live in mobile home parks and will have to evacuate them to be as safe as possible. These guests of Florida will not know what to expect with hurricane force winds and it is really shameful anyone would get a "kick" out of this happening.
The other side is just as bad. This is what Rush Limbaugh said.
Here is another example since we keep seeing the ads put out against President Obama topped off with the speeches being given from the Romney/Ryan team.
Scott says Florida leads the nation in cutting its unemployment rateSounds great but when you read about what else is going on Scott doesn't want to talk about you discover what sounds good, usually isn't good for everyone.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 at 4:04 by admin
TALLAHASSEE
Gov. Rick Scott said today that Florida has led the nation in reducing its unemployment rate since December 2010 _ the month before Scott became governor.
Based on the latest state-by-state employment statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor, Florida’s unemployment rate in July stood at 8.8 percent, a 0.2 percent rise from the previous month but a 2.3 percent drop from the December 2010 rate of 11.1 percent.
Previously, Scott had touted the fact that Florida had the “second” highest decline behind Michigan since December 2010. But Michigan’s July unemployment rate jumped up 0.4 percent last month, allowing Florida to claim the spot for the largest decline in that period. Based on the July numbers, Michigan’s rate has declined 2.2 percent since December 2010, putting it in second place.
“Overall, Florida’s long-term trend is positive,” Scott said in a statement. “Florida companies have added 130,300 more private sector jobs than we had in December 2010. We are focused on making Florida the best place to grow private-sector jobs.”
read more here
Thousands frustrated by Florida's new unemployment compensation laws
Miami Herald
When 65-year-old Raymond Togyer isn’t polishing his resume or cold calling potential employers, he’s spending hours trying, unsuccessfully, to navigate Florida’s labyrinthine unemployment compensation system.
Togyer — who was laid off for the first time in his adult life from a high-paying civil engineering job in June — has spent the last seven weeks sending and resending letters, staying on hold for hours and checking state websites, all to no avail.
He is one of hundreds of thousands of out-of-work Floridians flummoxed by what has become the most tightfisted unemployment compensation system in the nation.
read more here
The other example of this is when you hear some Democrats talkers on radio gleefully talking about the hurricane heading into Florida during the GOP convention. Do they stop to think about what a hurricane means to the people living in Florida? Do they think about the members of the National Guards ready to once again put their lives on the line in case they are needed to save us? Do they think about the police, firefighters and emergency responders, doctors or nurses ready to spend days on end taking care of the wounded?
I moved into Central Florida right before Charlie, Francis and Jeanne hit in 2004. Talking about Isaac hitting Tampa means a lot of lives will be on the line with a lot of extra people taking up hotel rooms because of the convention the displaced will need if their homes are destroyed. Most of them live in mobile home parks and will have to evacuate them to be as safe as possible. These guests of Florida will not know what to expect with hurricane force winds and it is really shameful anyone would get a "kick" out of this happening.
The other side is just as bad. This is what Rush Limbaugh said.
Rush Limbaugh blames Obama for Hurricane Isaac
Published: 23 August, 2012
What did the one giant, detestable blob of hot air say about the other? If you managed to catch conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh’s Wednesday morning rant about Hurricane Isaac, you may already know.
During Wednesday morning’s broadcast of Limbaugh’s nationally syndicated radio show, the legendary host called attention to the tropical storm slated to hit Florida next week right at the same time that Republicans from across the United States are expected to scurry down south for the GOP National Convention.
read more here
Here is another example since we keep seeing the ads put out against President Obama topped off with the speeches being given from the Romney/Ryan team.
Medicaid plan would transform health care in Florida
By William E. Gibson
Orlando Sentinel
Washington Bureau
August 22, 2012
WASHINGTON – Florida'sfast-growing Medicaid program -- which cares for the state's impoverished children and for most senior citizens in nursing homes -- would lose roughly a third of its federal money under budget plans embraced by Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his running mate Paul Ryan.
The Ryan plan would cut Medicaid nationwide by $810 billion over 10 years and reduce Florida's allotment by $35 billion by 2022 -- about one-third less than current projected spending -- according to an analysis by Families USA, a nonpartisan advocacy group for health-care consumers. An Urban Institute study found similar results: a 31-percent cutback for Florida by 2021.
The biggest impact may be on those who seek nursing-home care.
About 60 percent of Florida's nursing-home patients – 77,239 in fiscal 2010 -- rely on Medicaid. The cost that year was $2.7 billion, 13 percent of the Medicaid budget, according to the state Agency for Health Care Administration.
"Many would be left out in the cold," said Brian Lee, executive director of Families for Better Care, an advocacy group in Tallahassee for nursing-home residents. "If nursing homes are not getting paid, they aren't going to take them. So it could be a desperate time for potential residents."
read more here
Sunday, August 28, 2011
7,500 Guard troops ready to begin relief operations
Guard troops ready to begin relief operations
By Lolita C. Baldor and Randy Pennell - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Aug 28, 2011
JONESTOWN, Pa. — The National Guard is poised to help states hit by Hurricane Irene.
Maj. Gen. David Harris, director of operations for the Arlington, Va.-based National Guard Bureau, told The Associated Press on Saturday that at least 7,500 Guard troops either have been pre-positioned in key regions or have been told to prepare to deploy to provide help to states affected by the storm this weekend.
“Typically when a hurricane like this goes through, it’s several hours after it passes through before they get a chance to get out and survey the damage,” Harris said. “If there are things that are beyond the state’s capability, that’s when we’ll get those requests.”
The hurricane, with an enormous 500-mile wingspan, knocked out power and piers in North Carolina and hammered Virginia with strong winds as it crept up the coast Saturday. It stirred up 7-foot waves, and forecasters warned of storm-surge danger on the coasts of Virginia and Delaware, along the Jersey Shore and in New York Harbor and Long Island Sound.
In northern Virginia, at the National Guard Bureau’s coordination center, military officials tracked the storm on an array of screens three stories below ground, and they organized massive Army and Air Guard assistance squads, called packages, that will be ready to head to the coastal states over the next day or two.
read more here
By Lolita C. Baldor and Randy Pennell - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Aug 28, 2011
JONESTOWN, Pa. — The National Guard is poised to help states hit by Hurricane Irene.
Maj. Gen. David Harris, director of operations for the Arlington, Va.-based National Guard Bureau, told The Associated Press on Saturday that at least 7,500 Guard troops either have been pre-positioned in key regions or have been told to prepare to deploy to provide help to states affected by the storm this weekend.
“Typically when a hurricane like this goes through, it’s several hours after it passes through before they get a chance to get out and survey the damage,” Harris said. “If there are things that are beyond the state’s capability, that’s when we’ll get those requests.”
The hurricane, with an enormous 500-mile wingspan, knocked out power and piers in North Carolina and hammered Virginia with strong winds as it crept up the coast Saturday. It stirred up 7-foot waves, and forecasters warned of storm-surge danger on the coasts of Virginia and Delaware, along the Jersey Shore and in New York Harbor and Long Island Sound.
In northern Virginia, at the National Guard Bureau’s coordination center, military officials tracked the storm on an array of screens three stories below ground, and they organized massive Army and Air Guard assistance squads, called packages, that will be ready to head to the coastal states over the next day or two.
read more here
Friday, August 26, 2011
Hurricane Irene alters Walter Reed transfer
Hurricane Irene alters Walter Reed transfer
By Patricia Kime - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Aug 26, 2011 14:24:58 EDT
Hurricane Irene’s march up the East Coast has accelerated plans to move the last patients from Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., to a new flagship hospital a few miles away in Bethesda, Md.
The transfer of 100 patients from Walter Reed, scheduled to take place Sun. Aug. 28, will occur on Saturday, Aug. 27, starting at roughly 7 a.m. ahead of the expected arrival of Irene, set to dump tropical rains on the national capital area sometime Saturday afternoon and evening.
The move will involve multiple ambulances and a 5-mile journey from the iconic Army hospital on Georgia Avenue, Washington, D.C., to the newly built Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Bethesda, on the grounds of the National Naval Medical Center. The transfer is expected to be complete by 10 a.m.
read more here
By Patricia Kime - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Aug 26, 2011 14:24:58 EDT
Hurricane Irene’s march up the East Coast has accelerated plans to move the last patients from Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., to a new flagship hospital a few miles away in Bethesda, Md.
The transfer of 100 patients from Walter Reed, scheduled to take place Sun. Aug. 28, will occur on Saturday, Aug. 27, starting at roughly 7 a.m. ahead of the expected arrival of Irene, set to dump tropical rains on the national capital area sometime Saturday afternoon and evening.
The move will involve multiple ambulances and a 5-mile journey from the iconic Army hospital on Georgia Avenue, Washington, D.C., to the newly built Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Bethesda, on the grounds of the National Naval Medical Center. The transfer is expected to be complete by 10 a.m.
read more here
Monday, April 11, 2011
7 years after hurricanes, Orlando waits for FEMA cash
When we decided to move to Florida, we picked Central Florida because hurricanes were not supposed to hit here. We moved in June of 2004. Charley, Frances and Jeanne decided that it was time Central Florida got a wakeup call from Mother Nature. Our neighbors had a great time blaming us for the welcome party.
7 years after hurricanes, Orlando waits for FEMA cash
By Mark Schlueb, Orlando Sentinel
8:48 p.m. EDT, April 10, 2011
The roofs were repaired long ago and the uprooted trees are just a memory, but nearly seven years after the disastrous 2004 hurricane season, Orlando City Hall is still trying to collect some cash from FEMA.
Long after hurricanes Charley, Frances and Jeanne blew through Florida in quick succession, officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the state Department of Emergency Management continue to comb through invoices from truckloads of fallen tree limbs and stump-removal crews, trying to determine how much Orlando should be reimbursed for its cleanup expenses.
"If asked in 2004 how long I would expect the reimbursement process to take, I would not have said seven years," Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said.
Over the years, FEMA has paid most reimbursement claims from cities, counties and nonprofit agencies for cleanup, rebuilding and other expenses related to Florida's unprecedented hurricane season.
read more here
7 years after hurricanes, Orlando waits for FEMA cash
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Florida: A dangerous place to live
I agree with this! They left out the rain. Coming from New England, I was used to white-outs with snow storms but never once heard of a "rain out" when you cannot see in front of you at all. I've been trapped on many highways when this happens. Not much fun that's for sure. Then there is the fact we moved from Massachusetts in 2004 right before Charlie, Francis and Jean decided to blow thru for a visit. We were told that Central Florida didn't have hurricanes before we decided where to live.
There is much to enjoy about Florida. One thing that's for sure is, there is never a dull moment on the news.
There is much to enjoy about Florida. One thing that's for sure is, there is never a dull moment on the news.
Florida: A dangerous place to live Florida may represent a paradise found for folks escaping frigid, northern climes. Newcomers, however, may not realize that while our state has natural beauty, it is also fraught with natural threats. Consider lightning strikes: Central Florida is the U.S. capital. And, statewide, lightning causes more weather-related deaths than all other kinds of weather events combined, according to the National Weather Service. Florida has been socked by three of the top 10 deadliest hurricanes; eight of the most costly; and five of the most intense, according to historical data compiled by the National Hurricane Center in Miami. We have shark attacks on the coast and sinkholes pock-marking our porous interior.
Destructive tornadoes have raked our region several times. And we 18 million or so Floridians share this uncertain environment with about 1.25 million alligators, a native species known to occasionally attack people, and an estimated "tens of thousands" of Burmese pythons, a non-native species that is proving to live up to its alpha-predator status.
read more here
A dangerous place to live Florida
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Excessive force lawsuit in Florida after Hurricane Ivan
When you think of what life is like after a hurricane comes thru, houses destroyed after neighborhoods have been evacuated, it's easy to understand how people can be hyper-vigilant. This sounds as if everyone was trying to do the right thing when all hell broke loose.
We moved to Central Florida from Massachusetts right before all the hurricanes hit. Charlie was the worst for us. I remember walking around, looking at all the damage on my street, in shock. None of my neighbors evacuated because Charlie was not supposed to hit here. None of us bordered up our windows either. Adding in all that stress, topping it off with an evacuated neighborhood, it's easy to understand all that happened that day to the people involved in this.
We moved to Central Florida from Massachusetts right before all the hurricanes hit. Charlie was the worst for us. I remember walking around, looking at all the damage on my street, in shock. None of my neighbors evacuated because Charlie was not supposed to hit here. None of us bordered up our windows either. Adding in all that stress, topping it off with an evacuated neighborhood, it's easy to understand all that happened that day to the people involved in this.
'Excessive force' lawsuit filed over post-Ivan confrontation (with documents)
Andrew Gant
Daily News
A federal lawsuit is stirring in Santa Rosa County, four years after the plaintiffs say they were beaten - one Tasered - and wrongfully arrested during post-Hurricane Ivan looting.
Daniel and Cathy Thompson of Navarre and former Navarre resident Edgar Knowling are seeking unspecified damages from Sheriff Wendell Hall and seven others for "blatant use of excessive force," according to their complaints.
"Since the incident ... (the Sheriff's Office) has also engaged in a course of misconduct to cover up, conceal and/or manipulate facts surrounding the case," according to the plaintiffs' complaint.
One defendant, former Pinellas County Sheriff's Deputy Richard Farnham - accused of being the main aggressor - already has been convicted of civil rights violations in his own trial.
The Sheriff's Office, the Thompsons and Knowling all declined to comment on the case, but the complaints are long and detailed.
The facts
Knowling spotted two strangers near a neighbor's garage on Tidewater Lane late Sept. 20, 2004, four days after Ivan struck and knocked out power and devastated homes in Navarre.
Knowling, a retired Air Force colonel, was armed with a long-barreled shotgun that night. He fired a warning shot into the ground and told the men to get away from his evacuated neighbor's home.
Nearby, Daniel Thompson, a retired New York City police captain, heard the gunshot, woke up and came outside with his chrome revolver.
But the men in the garage weren't looters. They were sheriff's deputies investigating prior reports of looting, according to court records.
What happened next is disputed.
click post title for more
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Hurricane Charlie Up Graded to Disney
Disney tackles Hurricane Charley
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published Sunday, May 18, 2008 at 5:13 a.m.
ORLANDO — Hurricane Charley, one of the most destructive storms to strike the United States, is getting the Disney treatment. A new exhibit opening in late August at Disney's Epcot Innoventions pavilion will put visitors in the eye of the storm's lashing Category 4 winds using 3-D technology and surround sound.
Disney officials talked about "StormStruck: The Tale of Two Homes," during the recent Governor's Hurricane Conference. Presenters said visitors would be shown how fortifying a home against a storm can change the outcome for the home. Two examples of homes will be used, one that survived Charley, and another that did not.
Designers hope the attraction will motivate residents to construct their homes like Chris Webb, whose home on Gulfview Road in Punta Gorda was virtually unscathed.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080518/NEWS/805180626/1661
When we were arranging to come to Florida from Massachusetts, all the homes we wanted to see were in Central Florida. We were told that hurricanes hardly ever hit here and the last one was 30 years before our planned move. It was one thing to put up with Nor'Easters, blizzards, bone chilling cold and sweltering heat in the summer, but hurricanes were something I really wanted to avoid.
We moved in June of 2004. We were greeted with daily rain coming down so hard we had to pull over to the side of the road because visibility was actually worse than driving in a snow storm. I felt lucky these downpours did not last very long and we needed the rain.
By August, I was not happy with the move at all. While we were still meeting the neighbors, we were to be introduced to a bully named Charlie.
The wrath of Charlie was hard to imagine. We were all walking around our subdivision as if some giant decided to bash around trees and beat up some houses. It seemed as if we had just cleaned up from Charlie, put the blue tarps on most of the roofs, when his sister Francis decided to pay a visit as well. Then came Jeanne. Three hurricanes! I called my Mom (as we spent most of the time on the phone because they were all frantic) back home and said she was right again. She said bad things always come in threes. Ivan must have gotten the message because he at least missed the Orlando area. While the Charlie attraction may be helpful to some people, I think it's one I am planning on missing. We still have our plywood all cut in the garage and ready to go back up. My husband treated the wood so that we could save it for when we needed it again. It's dusty but it will do.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published Sunday, May 18, 2008 at 5:13 a.m.
ORLANDO — Hurricane Charley, one of the most destructive storms to strike the United States, is getting the Disney treatment. A new exhibit opening in late August at Disney's Epcot Innoventions pavilion will put visitors in the eye of the storm's lashing Category 4 winds using 3-D technology and surround sound.
Disney officials talked about "StormStruck: The Tale of Two Homes," during the recent Governor's Hurricane Conference. Presenters said visitors would be shown how fortifying a home against a storm can change the outcome for the home. Two examples of homes will be used, one that survived Charley, and another that did not.
Designers hope the attraction will motivate residents to construct their homes like Chris Webb, whose home on Gulfview Road in Punta Gorda was virtually unscathed.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080518/NEWS/805180626/1661
When we were arranging to come to Florida from Massachusetts, all the homes we wanted to see were in Central Florida. We were told that hurricanes hardly ever hit here and the last one was 30 years before our planned move. It was one thing to put up with Nor'Easters, blizzards, bone chilling cold and sweltering heat in the summer, but hurricanes were something I really wanted to avoid.
We moved in June of 2004. We were greeted with daily rain coming down so hard we had to pull over to the side of the road because visibility was actually worse than driving in a snow storm. I felt lucky these downpours did not last very long and we needed the rain.
By August, I was not happy with the move at all. While we were still meeting the neighbors, we were to be introduced to a bully named Charlie.
CHARLEY MAKES LANDFALL AS A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE NEAR
CHARLOTTE HARBOR, FLA.
Aug. 13, 2004 — At 5 p.m. EDT, the center of Hurricane Charley was located near latitude 26.9 north, longitude 82.2 west or about 30 miles west-northwest of Ft. Myers, Fla. This position is also about 115 miles south-southwest of Orlando. Charley is moving toward the north-northeast near 22 mph, and a gradual increase in forward speed is expected Friday night and Saturday. The forecast track moves Charley across Florida and off the northeast Florida coast overnight, according to the NOAA National Hurricane Center in Miami, Fla. (Click NOAA satellite image for larger view of Hurricane Charley taken at 4:15 p.m. EDT on Aug. 13, 2004, after making landfall around Cayo Costa, just north of Captiva Island, Fla. Click here for high resolution version, which is a large file. Please credit “NOAA.”)
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2004/s2293.htm
The wrath of Charlie was hard to imagine. We were all walking around our subdivision as if some giant decided to bash around trees and beat up some houses. It seemed as if we had just cleaned up from Charlie, put the blue tarps on most of the roofs, when his sister Francis decided to pay a visit as well. Then came Jeanne. Three hurricanes! I called my Mom (as we spent most of the time on the phone because they were all frantic) back home and said she was right again. She said bad things always come in threes. Ivan must have gotten the message because he at least missed the Orlando area. While the Charlie attraction may be helpful to some people, I think it's one I am planning on missing. We still have our plywood all cut in the garage and ready to go back up. My husband treated the wood so that we could save it for when we needed it again. It's dusty but it will do.
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