Latest news with #EmergencyOperations
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Storm Team 2 releases 2025 Hurricane Ready Guide
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD) – Hurricane season is here, and Storm Team 2 has a plan to help keep your family and property safe from any storm that may head our way. The Hurricane Ready Guide is back in its downloadable form for the 2025 season. This allows you to print the guide out, or download it to your phone or iPad, and take it with you while creating your hurricane preparedness kit. DOWNLOAD IT: Get your copy of the Storm Team 2 Hurricane Ready Guide In this guide, you will find vital information to assist in planning and readiness, including checklists to follow before the storm, what to add to your hurricane preparedness kit, hurricane evacuation maps, what you should bring to a storm shelter, and what steps to take when the storm passes. What else is in the guide? Find an emergency operations phone list How to prepare for high winds Steps to make a family evacuation plan Pet and animal shelter information Yard safety and protecting your property Restoring electrical services How to document for insurance Hurricane tracking map The 2024 hurricane season saw 18 named storms, two of which had major impacts on South Carolina — Tropical Storm Debby and Hurricane Helene. Both brought high winds, flooding, and tornadoes to much of the state. 'As we put 2024 in our rear-view mirror, we now look ahead. Early indications are pointing to another busy year, with forecast numbers close to those from last year. As you know, we can't predict where storms will make landfall before the season, but we continue to make strides in forecasting how many storms could form,' said Storm Team 2 Meteorologist Rob Fowler. Preseason forecasting is just that — a forecast, and as Storm Team 2 often reminds, it only takes one storm to make it a bad season. Your best action right now is to ensure your family has a plan that could activated at anytime during hurricane season. Your safety is always our top priority. You can count on Storm Team 2 and the entire News 2 team to be there for you before, during and after any storm that threatens our area. 2025-Storm-Team-2-Hurricane-Ready-GuideDownload Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
What's next for St. Louis after deadly tornado? City leaders outline recovery plans
ST. LOUIS – St. Louis leaders and officials are now focused on recovery efforts after a deadly tornado tore through the city and region on Friday, killing at least five people, injuring 38, and leaving widespread destruction in its wake. During a Saturday afternoon news conference, city leaders detailed ongoing emergency response efforts and outlined key next steps in recovery, cleanup, and community support. One Day Later: Shocking new photos reveal widespread tornado damage in St. Louis The news conference included the following notes and remarks: Mayor Cara Spencer noted that city employees have been working around the clock from the city's Emergency Operations Headquarters. Spencer acknowledged various challenges in moving forward, noting that roadways and buildings are still in dangerous conditions. As for debris cleanup, she says the city is hauling massive amounts of tree debris and working to clear roadways and alleys. Dumpsters are a key concern, and coordination is ongoing. Spencer confirmed that St. Louis has declared a local emergency and is now pursuing a federal disaster declaration from the White House. Spencer expressed gratitude to local, state, and federal partners while describing the community response as 'heartwarming and truly incredible.' St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson says fire crews have completed an extensive sweep, covering 62 square miles of the city and ensuring that every street has been check. A final sweep began late Saturday afternoon in the northern part of the city. Officials aimed to complete it by 7 p.m. Saturday. Jenkerson says there are no changes in the number of injuries reported as of the previous update on deaths and injuries Saturday morning. St. Louis police chief Robert Tracy confirmed that SLMPD has identified three of the five victims killed in the tornado. Officials are currently working to notify their families. The five victims are believed to be between the ages of 30 and 82, according to Tracy. Tracy emphasized the importance of the citywide curfew in districts 5 and 6, stressing the need for public safety. Friday's St. Louis tornado believed to be an EF-3, says NWS Missouri U.S. Sen. Wesley Bell voiced support for a federal disaster declaration from President Donald Trump, noting he would work with locals and pledged to use any resource available. Bell was quoted as saying, 'Faith without works is dead,' and recovery wouldn't simply be an 'overnight fix.' Bell called for community donations and volunteerism, encouraging residents to donate to United Way of Greater St. Louis, volunteer through Red Cross and check local food banks for needs. HOW TO HELP An Ameren Missouri spokesperson urged patience from residents as crews work to restore power. He noted restoration was being prioritized for crticial facilities, like hospitals, nursing homes, police and fire stations. From there, he added crews are focusing on areas with the highest outage clusters to restore power as efficiently as possible. A Red Cross spokesperson noted that three city shelters are helping residents, though the one at Grace Methodist Church is full. For now, residents in need should seek shelters at the Friendly Temple Outreach Center or the 12th & Park Recreation Center. She noted Red Cross teams are on the ground helping with food, shelter and assessing property damage. In the upcoming days, the additional Red Cross teams will be deployed to evaluate household needs across the city. Urban League noted its disaster relief site has been set up at 1408 N. Kingshighway Blvd. On Saturday, volunteers delivered food and water to 75 families. In the near future, the nonprofit hopes to work with the regional council to conduct neighborhood walk-throughs and assess ongoing needs. Gentry Trotter with Cool Down/Heat Up St. Louis urged Ameren and Spire to consider a four-month moratorium on utility shutoffs in response to severe storms. Trotter also announced support to use ARPA federal funds to help impacted families and relieve financial pressure. He also encouraged donations to Cool Down/Heat Up St. Louis to help residents in need. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Express Tribune
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Over 120 dead in Dominican Republic nightclub disaster
Rescue workers raced Wednesday to find any remaining survivors under the rubble of a Dominican Republic nightclub, a day after the roof collapsed, killing at least 124 people in the country's worst disaster in two decades. The death toll continued to climb Wednesday as emergency crews pulled more bodies from the ruins of the Jet Set club in the capital Santo Domingo. Juan Manuel Mendez, director of Emergency Operations, said rescue crews had "24 to 36 hours" of work left to find survivors of the disaster, which left at least 155 people injured. Renowned Dominican merengue singer Rubby Perez was performing on stage when the roof collapsed with a thunderous noise on hundreds of revellers. Perez was among a handful of celebrities killed in the tragedy, along with two former Major League Baseball players, Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco. Dozens of relatives gathered outside the club as well as at hospitals and the city morgue for news of their loved ones as forensic teams continued to identify the dead.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Yahoo
Over 120 dead in Dominican Republic nightclub disaster
Rescue workers raced Wednesday to find any remaining survivors under the rubble of a Dominican Republic nightclub, a day after the roof collapsed, killing at least 124 people in the country's worst disaster in two decades. The death toll continued to climb Wednesday as emergency crews pulled more bodies from the ruins of the Jet Set club in the capital Santo Domingo. Juan Manuel Mendez, director of Emergency Operations, said rescue crews had "24 to 36 hours" of work left to find survivors of the disaster, which left at least 155 people injured. Renowned Dominican merengue singer Rubby Perez was performing on stage when the roof collapsed with a thunderous noise on hundreds of revellers. Perez was among a handful of celebrities killed in the tragedy, along with two former Major League Baseball players, Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco. - Help from Israel, Puerto Rico - Dozens of relatives gathered outside the club as well as at hospitals and the city morgue for news of their loved ones as forensic teams continued to identify the dead. Mercedes Lopez was looking for her son in a tent next to the nightclub where bodies retrieved from the rubble were being brought. "We haven't heard anything, they haven't given us any information, we haven't found him on the lists or in the hospitals," she said, adding she was in "a lot of pain." Antonio Hernandez was also awaiting news of his son, who worked in the club. "Yesterday, I was certain (of finding him), I had hope, but in the early hours of the morning... they pulled four dead people out of there in a flash, and mine wasn't there," he told AFP, his voice breaking. Over 300 rescue workers combed mounds of fallen bricks, steel bars and tin sheets, supported by personnel from Puerto Rico and Israel. Octavio Dotel, a 51-year-old baseball pitcher who won the World Series with the St Louis Cardinals in 2011, was rescued alive on Tuesday but later died of his injuries. Local media said there were between 500 and 1,000 people in the club when disaster struck at around 12:44 am (0444 GMT) Tuesday. The club has capacity for about 1,700 people. A video posted on social media showed the club suddenly being plunged into darkness while Perez was performing. Perez's daughter Zulinka managed to escape but her father did not. Mendez, the emergency services director, said Perez's body was recovered at dawn on Wednesday. Tributes to the singer, known for hits such as "Volvere" and "Enamorado de Ella," poured in from musicians across Latin America. "Maestro, what a great pain you leave us," Puerto Rican Grammy-winning singer Olga Tanon wrote on social media. His former band leader Wilfrido Vargas said he was "devastated." "The friend and idol of our genre has just left us," he wrote. The governor of Monte Cristi municipality, Nelsy Cruz, was also killed. President Luis Abinader, who visited the scene, has declared three days of national mourning. - 'Dirt started falling' - Iris Pena, a woman who had attended the show, told SIN television how she escaped with her son. "At one point, dirt started falling like dust into the drink on the table," she said. "A stone fell and cracked the table where we were, and we got out," Pena recounted. "The impact was so strong, as if it had been a tsunami or an earthquake." Helicopter images revealed a large hole where the club's roof once was. Authorities issued a call for Dominicans to donate blood. - Worst disaster in 20 years - The Instagram page of the Jet Set club said it has been in operation for more than 50 years, with shows every Monday until the early hours. Its last post before Monday's event invited fans to come and "enjoy his (Perez's) greatest hits and dance in the country's best nightclub." The club issued a statement on Tuesday saying it was working "fully and transparently" with authorities. The roof's collapse was one of the biggest tragedies the Caribbean nation and top tourist destination has faced in recent years. In 2005, more than 130 prisoners in the east of the country died in a fire caused by a fight between inmates. burs-jt/cb/des
