Latest news with #EmergencyManagementAgency
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
FEMA cuts costing central Florida millions in grant money to aid storm survival
The official start of hurricane season is days away, and central Florida counties are set to lose millions of dollars that could have been used for the most vulnerable people. One example is how the Office of Emergency Management in Seminole County requested funds to help people who depend on medical machines survive any storms. But the federal Emergency Management Agency canceled the program the center requested the grant money from. Now if the federal government doesn't cover it, it will fall on the counties or state - and taxpayers - to cover the costs those grant dollars typically would. Seminole County's Office of Emergency Management director, Alan Harris, described those affected as 'our most vulnerable populations.' Seminole County asked FEMA for $300,000 to add a generator to a shelter for those with special needs and those who depend on medical machines that need electricity. Marion County asked for $3.7 million while Sumter County asked for $3 million to improve electrical infrastructure to avoid outages during storms. But now that money won't be coming from FEMA's Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program. It was canceled in April, as Republicans focus on handling the nation's deficit 'We're going to do everything we can,' said U.S. Sen Rick Scott. 'Now let's realize where our federal government is right now, OK? We are running two trillion-dollar deficits. How many of you want your interest rates to come down? We all do. How many of you want inflation to come down? It will not happen if we don't balance the budget.' U.S. Rep. Cory Mills says he will look for other ways to fund Seminole County's generator. These cuts are happening as FEMA's acting chief says h wants to place responsibility of hurricane recovery on states and local governments, including financial responsibility. 'It's about getting responsiveness. It is about getting funding there quicker,' Mills said. Sumter County's EMA director, David Casto, said the BRIC program could not be the only cuts. There are other grants that fund equipment and supplies that are still uncertain. The state and some local governments are reportedly prepared to dip into their reserves as FEMA tightens its belt even more this hurricane season. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mayor: Village won't replace non-working tornado sirens
MOUNT GILEAD, Ohio (WCMH) – Mount Gilead, the county seat of Morrow County, is currently without a tornado siren. Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Nelson maintains nine tornado sirens in the county, including two in Mount Gilead, but those two sirens haven't worked in years. According to Mayor Donna Carver, that hasn't been a problem for the community. Intel CFO: Division responsible for Ohio plant remains on track; layoffs have dual purpose 'We've had, maybe, a handful of people with some concerns about us not having the tornado sirens, and we're very sensitive to that, you know?' Carver said. 'We all reside in the village as well. We're all concerned for our safety. It's just not financially feasible for the village. We had a siren company come in and do an analysis. They told us that the two sirens we had were not adequate to cover the entire village. We would need five. And we were looking at about a half million dollars in sirens. Our entire budget is $1.5 million. It's just not feasible.' Still, Carver has fielded concerns for nighttime storms and overnight storms. 'Technically, sirens are only meant to alert you if you're outdoors,' she said. 'They're not really meant for you to hear them indoors.' Instead of a traditional tornado siren, the village and much of Morrow County rely on modern technology to get warnings out. 'We do have several ways for people to get alerts,' Carver said. 'One is through the county, the Hyper Reach program, which will call a cell phone, a landline, it will send you a text message. It will email you. There's also the sheriff's app which will text you or call you. Recently, the village purchased NOAA weather radios for those people who don't have a cell phone or, maybe they can't hear a landline from where they are. They are free. The batteries are free. All they have to do is contact our fire department to set up an appointment to come pick it up. Ohio congressman introduces bill to study 'Trump Derangement Syndrome' 'For those folks who are concerned about perhaps a tornado in the middle of the night, and maybe they can't hear their cell phone go off at night, we can put that weather radio right where they are and believe me, they'll hear it,' she added. The two tornado sirens in Mount Gilead are located at the water tower off of Douglas Street and next to the courthouse in the village square off of High Street. Carver said those stopped working around six years ago when emergency alerts went digital, and the analog towers weren't operational anymore. Are people in the village as safe now as they were when the sirens worked? 'I actually believe they're safer,' Carver said. 'When we had a recent warning, the five members of my family, we all had our cell phones. They all went off at once. And we were very alerted to what was going on. I believe we're safer now.' Morrow County Emergency Management Director Michael Nelson has been on the job for a year. He's been pushing everyone in the county to sign up for Hyper Reach notifications from the county. $250 million facility opens down the road from Intel in New Albany, creating 225 jobs 'It will automatically notify anybody in the affected area, so, it actually uses a geo reference,' Nelson said. 'So if you are actually in the warned area, you will get a notification on your phone or your landline or your email, or text. So, it does all of those. There's many ways, and people just need to be, need to use those different ways. The other one that we talk about is… weather radios — having a NOAA weather radio in your house, and you'll get notified as a warning goes out.' Nelson said there are over 5,000 people signed up for Hyper Reach in Morrow County, a thousand of those within the last year. He also reached out to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to get a bulk deal on weather radios for residents, free of charge. 'The village ended up buying some, radios, 100 at this point, to give out to citizens that really would like them,' Nelson said. He said there are accommodations for hearing-impaired residents as well. 'There's a pillow shaker that you can connect to it,' Nelson said. 'There's a flashing light that you can do it. So, there's other ways that can get notified when those go off if they're needed to.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Yahoo
Gallatin PD: 'Children of all ages' at Easter party with alcohol, drugs before shooting
Gallatin police have arrested two men they say have gang ties after gunshots rang through a neighborhood on Easter Sunday, injuring two. Police say the shooting happened during an Easter egg hunt and party hosted by Henry Apple, 66, also known as Skully. Alcohol and drugs were present at the party, which was attended by adults and children of all ages, all of whom are long-standing Gallatin residents, a news release said. Officers were called to the shooting at Apple's home in the 100 block of South Maple Avenue at about 7:30 p.m. on April 20. Two people were found with gunshot wounds, and both were taken to local hospitals for treatment. Investigators identified Ladavious Antonio Henriontez Williams, 22, as a suspect in the shooting. Williams was found at 122 South Ford St. and arrested by the Gallatin Police Department and Sumner County Sheriff's Office. Emergency Management Agency personnel provided support during the search, the release noted. Police said Williams is a long-time Gallatin resident and confirmed gang member with a lengthy history of criminal activity. He faces several charges including attempted criminal homicide, aggravated assault and reckless endangerment committed with a deadly weapon and was booked into the Sumner County Jail on $4.5 million bond. Apple was also arrested, booked in the Sumner County Jail and charged with simple possession of Schedule VI and possession of drug paraphernalia. Authorities said he has a long history of narcotics trafficking and gang involvement. The investigation is continuing. Police ask anyone with information to contact the Gallatin Police Department at (615) 452-1313. Katie Nixon can be reached at knixon@ This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Gallatin police arrest 'confirmed gang member' in Easter shooting
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Study to focus on hazardous materials passing through Luzerne County
Apr. 13—Luzerne County is updating a study that tracks hazardous chemicals passing through the county by highway, rail, air and pipelines. Known as a "hazardous materials commodity flow study," the assessment must be completed periodically to identify unique hazmat transportation hazards that may be present in a community and prepare emergency responders, said county Emergency Management Agency Act 165 Coordinator Ronald Smith. Hellerton, Pennsylvania-based Emergency Management Consulting LLC completed the county's last 436-page study in 2019. The county is seeking proposals from qualified companies to prepare the next study, with submissions due April 25, according to the solicitation on the purchasing page at After the report is completed, the county will hold special training sessions to brief municipal emergency responders on the findings, said county Deputy Director of Emergency Services David Elmore. Local fire departments and emergency responders must use the report to prepare training, equipment and plans for each potential hazardous material, Smith said. The county also stocks containment materials, dry absorbents and other resources that are available upon request from municipalities in an emergency, Smith said. If the county runs out, it would seek supplies from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and then the Federal Emergency Management Agency, he said. Separate from hazardous materials on the move, Smith also enforces a requirement for all facilities with hazardous materials on site to file an emergency operations plan. He has hundreds of facilities on his list with information on company contacts, the materials, where they are stored inside and the mitigation measures necessary to address them if a problem arises. "It's information to basically keep emergency responders alive. The first thing a firefighter is going to want to know is what's in the building and whether there are materials that are explosive and toxic," Smith said. "Going in blind could be fatal." The new countywide flow study will be available for public inspection at the EMA building on Water Street in Wilkes-Barre, Smith said. In the last report from 2019, Emergency Management Consulting highlighted the "constant potential" for hazardous materials incidents due to "extremely heavy truck traffic" on state roadways and highways cutting through the county, including Interstates 80 and 81 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The top municipalities with hazardous materials, according to the 2019 report: Hazle Township, Wright Township, West Hazleton, Pittston Township and Plains Township. Sulfuric acid was identified as the top hazardous material present within the county, followed by diesel, gasoline, fuel oil, propane, kerosene and chlorine. "With the construction of new highways, changes in the composition of local industry and the enactment of new federal, state and local laws, there may be a change in the flow of hazardous shipments through the County of Luzerne," the 2019 report said. Elmore said his agency has been reaching out to all municipal emergency officials to ensure they are aware of the latest data. Proactivity is necessary due to the network of transportation infrastructure and types of facilities housed in the county, he said. "We have quite a lot to worry about and stay focused on," Elmore said. Another report required every five years is underway: a hazard mitigation plan that reassesses natural and man-made threats to residents and possible ways to reduce the risks. Philadelphia-based Michael Baker International Inc. was retained to update this plan, which should come before county council for adoption later this year. The general hazards in this report will include earthquakes, flooding, ice jams, hurricanes, tropical storms, Nor'easters, landslides, infectious disease, mine subsidence and sinkholes, tornadoes, wildfires, cyber-terrorism, levee and dam failure and hazardous materials releases. Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Yahoo
Encrypted messaging apps promise privacy. Government transparency is often the price
As a devastating wildfire burned through a Maui town, killing more than 100 people, emergency management employees traded dozens of text messages, creating a record that would later help investigators piece together the government's response to the 2023 tragedy. One text exchange hinted officials might also be using a second, untraceable messaging service. 'That's what Signal was supposed to be for,' then-Maui Emergency Management Agency Administrator Herman Andaya texted a colleague. Signal is one of many end-to-end encrypted messaging apps that include message auto-delete functions. While such apps promise increased security and privacy, they often skirt open records laws meant to increase transparency around and public awareness of government decision-making. Without special archiving software, the messages frequently aren't returned under public information requests. An Associated Press review in all 50 states found accounts on encrypted platforms registered to cellphone numbers for over 1,100 government workers and elected officials. It's unclear if Maui officials actually used the app or simply considered it — a county spokesperson did not respond to questions — but the situation highlights a growing challenge: How can government entities use technological advancements for added security while staying on the right side of public information laws? How common is governmental use of encryption apps? The AP found accounts for state, local and federal officials in nearly every state, including many legislators and their staff, but also staff for governors, state attorneys general, education departments and school board members. The AP is not naming the officials because having an account is neither against the rules in most states, nor proof they use the apps for government business. While many of those accounts were registered to government cellphone numbers, some were registered to personal numbers. The AP's list is likely incomplete because users can make accounts unsearchable. Improper use of the apps has been reported over the past decade in places like Missouri, Oregon, Oklahoma, Maryland and elsewhere, almost always because of leaked messages. What's the problem? Public officials and private citizens are consistently warned about hacking and data leaks, but technologies designed to increase privacy often decrease government transparency. Apps like Signal, WhatsApp, Confide, Telegram and others use encryption to scramble messages so only the intended end-user can read them, and they typically aren't stored on government servers. Some automatically delete messages, and some prevent users from screenshotting or sharing messages. 'The fundamental problem is that people do have a right to use encrypted apps for their personal communications, and have those on their personal devices. That's not against the law,' said Matt Kelly, editor of Radical Compliance, a newsletter that focuses on corporate compliance and governance issues. 'But how would an organization be able to distinguish how an employee is using it?' Are there acceptable government uses of end-to-end encryption apps? The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, or CISA, has recommended that 'highly valued targets' — senior officials who handle sensitive information — use encryption apps for confidential communications. Those communications are not typically releasable under public record laws. CISA leaders also say encrypted communications could be a useful security measure for the public, but did not encourage government officials to use the apps to skirt public information laws. Journalists, including many at the AP, often use encrypted messages when talking to sources or whistleblowers. What are states doing? While some cities and states are grappling with how to stay transparent, public record laws aren't evolving as quickly as technology, said Smarsh general manager Lanika Mamac. The Portland, Oregon-based company helps governments and businesses archive digital communications. 'People are worried more about cybersecurity attacks. They're trying to make sure it's secure,' Mamac said. 'I think that they are really trying to figure out, 'How do I balance being secure and giving transparency?'' Mamac said Smarsh has seen an uptick in inquiries, mostly from local governments. But many others have done little to restrict the apps or clarify rules for their use. In 2020, the New Mexico Child, Youth and Families Department's new division director told employees to use the app Signal for internal communications and to delete messages after 24 hours. A 2021 investigation into the possible violation of New Mexico's document retention rules was followed by a court settlement with two whistleblowers and the division director's departure. But New Mexico still lacks regulations on using encrypted apps. The AP's review found at least three department or agency directors had Signal accounts as of December 2024. In Michigan, State Police leaders were found in 2021 to be using Signal on state-issued cellphones. Michigan lawmakers responded by banning the use of encrypted messaging apps on state employees' work-issued devices if they hinder public record requests. However, Michigan's law did not include penalties for violations, and monitoring the government-owned devices used by 48,000 executive branch employees is a monumental task. What's the solution? The best remedy is stronger public record laws, said David Cuillier, director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida. Most state laws already make clear that the content of communication — not the method — is what makes something a public record, but many of those laws lack teeth, he said. 'They should only be using apps if they are able to report the communications and archive them like any other public record,' he said. Generally, Cuillier said, there's been a decrease in government transparency over the past few decades. To reverse that, governments could create independent enforcement agencies, add punishments for violations, and create a transparent culture that supports technology, he said. 'We used to be a beacon of light when it came to transparency. Now, we're not. We have lost our way,' Cuillier said. ___ Boone reported from Boise, Idaho. Lauer reported from Philadelphia. Associated Press reporters at statehouses nationwide contributed to this report.
