MDEM Newsroom - Page 41 MDEM Newsroom
January 26th, 2012 WASHINGTON, DC – On the one year anniversary of the snow and ice storm that triggered widespread, many hours-long traffic gridlock during the evening commute, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments is reminding D.C. area residents to be prepared for emergencies and sign up for alerts from local governments and transportation agencies. To do this, COG recommends visiting the recently launched CapitalRegionUpdates.gov web site, a “one-stop shop” with guidance and information during emergencies.
At Capital Region Updates, residents can sign up to get emergency text alerts and view real-time news from their local governments through a regional news feed as well as traffic and transit information. During a regional emergency, the site will feature incident updates and regional officials’ recommendations on what to do. The site also has localized weather from the National Weather Service and tips on how to prepare for emergencies.
Capital Region Updates, which was established by Fairfax County for the entire region, is one of several improvements made by regional officials since the 2011 storm.
- The U.S. Office of Personnel Management has updated its employee release policies.
- The region is creating a program with highly trained, regionally focused staff to ensure that area officials better coordinate decisions before and during major incidents. The D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency is hosting this program on an interim basis at its 24/7 Emergency Operations Center.
- In advance of this 2011-2012 winter season, local governments have been sharing with their residents the common message to “Get where you need to be before the weather gets bad.”
In the wake of the January 2011 storm, COG created a Steering Committee on Incident Management and Response. The Committee’s final report, released in November 2011, made several recommendations to improve the region’s response to future emergencies.
COG is a nonprofit association of 22 local governments in the National Capital Region.
One Region Moving Forward
Tags: cog, ice, snow, storm
January 24th, 2012 PIKESVILLE, MD (January 23, 2012) – As the temperatures remain cold outside, we depend on multiple types of heating sources to stay warm inside our homes. State Fire Marshal William E. Barnard provides Marylanders life and home saving heating safety tips.”Elements of home heating continue to be a significant factor in home fires in Maryland,” according to the Fire Marshal. “Following these guidelines, we can work together to reduce the number of
residential fires.”
- Ensure chimneys are cleaned annually or more frequently if used as the primary heating equipment.
- Use properly sized fireplace screens or enclosures. Never use a flammable liquid to start a fire.
- When disposing of cooled ashes, do not use paper or plastic containers to remove them, instead use a metal container. Ashes will insulate hot embers long after the fire is considered out.
- Make sure fuel burning stoves are installed according to local fire codes andvmanufacturer’s instructions.
- Have your furnace inspected and serviced annually.
- Check portable electric heaters for frayed/damaged wires andvensure they are cleanvand placed on a flat level surface. Use only “listed” by an approved testing laboratory equipment and follow manufacturer’s instructions.
- Do not use extension cords with portable space heaters. The extension cord canvoverheat and cause a fire.
- If you use kerosene fuel fired heaters, use only “K-1” kerosene fuel. Never fill the unit inside, remove it to the exterior after it has cooled before refueling.
- Open a window enough to provide proper ventilation.
- Keep combustibles (furniture, curtains, clothing, paper goods, etc.), at least three feet from all heat sources.
- Fuel burning appliances can produce the deadly, tasteless and odorless gas known as carbon monoxide. Install and maintain CO2 alarms inside your home to provide an early warning of carbon monoxide.
- Always turn off portable heating equipment when leaving the room for extended periods. Portable heaters should never be operated unattended.
Along with these heating tips, check to make sure your smoke alarms are in good working
order.
“Routine maintenance and safe operation of heating equipment, combined with
properly installed and operating smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, are a
life-saving combination for all Marylanders,” stated Barnard.
Tags: fire marshal, heating, safety
January 20th, 2012 SHA Cautions Marylanders to Plan Ahead for Forecasted Snow, Freezing Rain
(January 20, 2012) – As a winter storm is poised to strike from far western to central Maryland, the State Highway Administration (SHA) is deploying anti-icing crews and preparing other equipment that may be needed later this evening and throughout the night. Anti-icing is a proactive measure in which crews apply a liquid salt brine solution to interstates, primary routes and bridges to prevent snow and ice from bonding to the roadway at the onset of a storm.
“While SHA has been clearing roads in Western Maryland for most of the winter, this may be the first real storm for the metropolitan area. The specific hazard tonight and through tomorrow morning is the forecasted freezing rain, which could create treacherous conditions for everyone on the roads,” said SHA Administrator Melinda B. Peters. “Since temperatures have been at or below freezing, it will only take a dusting for very slick roadway conditions to develop, so as with all storms please take this seriously and be careful. With the precipitation forecasted to begin just after rush hour, the best advice is to get home this evening and stay there.”
“Since the forecast calls for freezing rain, which can make road conditions particularly precarious even with crews salting, organizations, athletic teams and other groups should keep a close eye on the storm and plan on the possibility of rescheduling evening events,” said Administrator Peters.
During inclement weather it is always best to avoid travel if possible. If you must drive, “Know Before You Go,” especially in ice and snow with 511 – a new tool available to travelers in Maryland this winter. Dial 511 or 1-855-GOMD511 from a land line or mobile phone for traffic, current weather reports and road conditions, including incidents, travel times and road closures. With internet access, visit
www.MD511.org, register with My511 to customize your reports for your most frequent routes and areas of interest.
Just as SHA moves up preparations for winter, drivers should do so as well. SHA advises Marylanders to pack “winter survival kits.”
· Check tire pressure.
Check tire inflation pressures because air contracts as temperatures get colder. For every 10 degrees Fahrenheit change in outside temperature, tire inflation pressure changes about one psi.
· Check car fluids
· Keep an extra mobile phone charger and/or charged extra batteries in the vehicle
· Stock a flash light and extra batteries
· Keep a bag of road salt, sand and/or cat litter in the trunk
· Keep jumper cables handy
· Put a small shovel in the vehicle
· Have a basic tool kit and flares/road reflectors
Truckers can also make use of certain park and ride lots that can accommodate large trucks in the event the snow storm reaches six inches or more instead of parking along highway ramps and shoulders. This brings the total truck parking options during a storm to 45 across the State. A new “mobile app” that gives truckers an easy way to navigate to these six new lots and to existing truck parking can be found on SHA’s web site (
www.roads.maryland.gov) and click on the truck icon in the upper right corner.
Tags: ice, rain, sha, snow, storm
January 13th, 2012 New Web Portal
The jurisdictions of the National Capital Region have a new communications tool to communicate emergency information to residents of the NCR – it’s a Web portal,
http://www.capitalregionupdates.gov/. The site was unveiled today at a meeting of regional communicators, public safety officials and FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. Through this online resource, residents can stay connected to local jurisdictional news (through a combined RSS feed of local news releases), localized weather from the National Weather Service, traffic and transit alerts, tips on how to prepare for emergencies and much more.
Capital Region Updates features day-to-day news from the jurisdictions of the National Capital Region. During a regional emergency or major weather event across the NCR, the site will feature incident updates and life-safety news and instructions. It will serve as an online “one stop shop” for information and guidance during major emergencies.
Winter Preparedness
“Get Where You Need to be Before the Weather Gets Bad”
The National Capital Region has a common message this winter – stay off the roads when it snows!
Overall, most winter storm deaths result from vehicle or other transportation accidents caused by ice and snow. People should avoid driving when conditions include sleet, freezing rain or drizzle, snow, or dense fog. These are serious conditions that are often underestimated, and they make driving – and even walking outside – very hazardous.
“We are coordinating public messaging this year with Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia and the federal government,” said Merni Fitzgerald, director of the Fairfax County Office of Public Affairs and chair of the region’s communicators. “Some already have logos/slogans – such as Maryland’s ‘Ice and Snow: Take it Slow,’ DC’s ‘Plan Today, Plow Tomorrow’ and the federal government’s Office of Personnel Management’s new option of ‘Staggered Early Departure/with Final Departure Time.’ Current campaigns and messages will be continued; this regional campaign is an effort to extend those messages and remind NCR residents and visitors of the dangers and consequences of being on area roads during winter weather,” Fitzgerald added.
The primary message for residents to remember in the “SNOW – Stay off the roads, Not Out in the Weather,” campaign during the upcoming winter weather is:
Get Where You Need to Be Before the Weather Gets Bad!
Winter storms are deceptive killers because most deaths are indirectly related to the storm:
- People die in traffic accidents on icy roads.
- People die of hypothermia from prolonged exposure to cold.
The winter message, “Get Where You Need to Be Before the Weather Gets Bad,” further reinforces the theme that it is safer for everyone if people will stay put – and not travel during inclement weather – whether they be at home, work or school.
By staying off the roads during the worst of the weather, departments of transportation are more easily able to access roads that need treatment; snow plows can more freely clear roads and get to areas needing plowing; and public safety officials can respond more quickly to persons in need of emergency services.
Tags: NCR, portal, preparedness, winter
January 9th, 2012 ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration reminds homeowners, renters, businesses and non-profit organizations of the deadline to submit disaster loan applications for damages caused by remnants from Tropical Storm Lee that occurred from Sept. 6 -14, 2011. The deadline to file an SBA disaster loan application for physical damage is Feb. 6.
Anyone with insured losses should not wait for an insurance settlement before applying to the SBA. “If someone does not know how much of their loss will be covered by insurance or other sources, the SBA will consider making a loan for the total loss up to its loan limits, provided they agree to use insurance proceeds to reduce or repay their SBA loan,” said Frank Skaggs, director of SBA Field Operations Center East.
Low-interest disaster loans are available in Cecil County, and the neighboring counties of Harford and Kent in Maryland, New Castle in Delaware; and Chester and Lancaster in Pennsylvannia.
Interest rates are as low as 2.5 percent for homeowners and renters, 3 percent for non-profit organizations and 4 percent for businesses with terms up to 30 years. The SBA sets the loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
For additional information, call the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955
(800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or send an email to[email protected]. Loan application forms can be downloaded from the SBA’s website at http://www.sba.gov/. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth,
TX 76155.
Those affected by the disaster may also apply for disaster loans electronically from SBA’s website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical damage is February 6, 2012. The deadline to return economic injury applications is September 7, 2012.
Tags: disaster loan, lee, sba
January 6th, 2012 NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Winter weather has arrived in much of the United States. Play it safe by checking if your cold weather-related products have been previously recalled before you use them this season. It could save your life or that of your family.
Note: by clicking on any of the images below, you can view a larger version.
| Product |
Recall Press Release |
Hazard |
Photo |
Meijer Touch Point Oscillating Ceramic Heaters
(13,000 units) |
11-277 |
The oscillating mechanism in the heaters can short out, posing a fire hazard to consumers. |
 |
Flow Pro, Airtech, Aloha Breeze & Comfort Essentials Heaters
(2.2 million units) |
11-069 |
The heaters can malfunction resulting in overheating, smoking, burning, melting and fire. |
 |
Lasko Portable Electric Heaters
(107,500 units) |
11-121 |
An electrical connection in the base of the unit can overheat, causing it to melt and expose the electrical connection, posing a fire hazard to consumers. |
 |
Honeywell Electric Baseboard and Fan Heater Thermostats
(77,000 units) |
11-289 |
The thermostats can overheat, causing them to melt and smoke. This poses a burn hazard to the consumer. |
 |
GE Zoneline Air Conditioners and Heaters
(90,600 units) |
11-247 |
An electrical component in the heating system can fail, posing a fire hazard to consumers. |
 |
Find out more about these recalled products and others that may be in your home by visiting http://www.saferproducts.gov/
January 6th, 2012 In the event of a fire, remember that every second counts, so you and your family must always be prepared. Escape plans help you get out of your home quickly. In less than 30 seconds, a small flame can get completely out of control and turn into a major fire. It only takes minutes for a house to fill with thick black smoke and become engulfed in flames.
Prepare and practice your fire escape plan twice a year with everyone in your household, including children and people with disabilities. It’s also a good idea to practice your plan with overnight guests.
Some tips to consider when preparing your escape plan include:
- Draw a map of each level of your home and show all doors and windows. Find two ways to get out of each room. Make sure all doors and windows that lead outside open easily.
- Only purchase collapsible escape ladders evaluated by a recognized testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratory (UL). Use the ladder only in a real emergency.
- Teach children how to escape on their own in case you cannot help them.
- Have a plan for everyone in your home who has a disability.
- Practice your fire escape plan at night and during the daytime.
December 9th, 2011 Downloads:
WASHINGTON – Low-interest disaster loans are available to Maryland small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small aquaculture businesses and most private non-profit organizations affected by Tropical Storm Lee on Sept. 6 -14, 2011.
SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills made the loans available following a request from Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley on Dec. 1 for a disaster declaration by the SBA. The declaration covers Prince George’s County and the adjacent counties of Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, Howard and Montgomery in Maryland; the Independent City of Alexandria and Fairfax County in Virginia and the District of Columbia.
“The Small Business Administration is strongly committed to providing the most effective and customer-focused response possible to help small businesses and non-profits in Maryland with their federal disaster loans,” said Mills. “Getting our businesses and communities up and running after a disaster is our highest priority at SBA.”
“The SBA can help affected small businesses and non-profit organizations overcome their economic losses by offering working capital loans, but the help cannot start until they submit an SBA Disaster Loan application to us,” said Steve Umberger, SBA’s Maryland district director.
Eligible entities may qualify for loans up to $2 million. The SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. The rates on these loans are 3 percent for non-profit organizations and 4 percent for businesses with terms up to 30 years. The SBA determines eligibility for the loans based on the size and type of business and its financial resources. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.
Applications and program information are available by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at
800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing), or by sending an email to
[email protected]. Business loan applications can also be downloaded from
www.sba.gov. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
The deadline to return economic injury applications is September 7, 2012.
Tags: disaster loans, lee, sba
December 9th, 2011
WASHINGTON – Maryland residents and businesses affected by the remnants from Tropical Storm Lee Sept. 6 – 14, can apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills announced today.
Administrator Mills made the loans available in response to a letter from Gov. Martin O’Malley on Dec. 1, requesting a disaster declaration by the SBA. The declaration covers Cecil County and the adjacent counties of Harford and Kent in Maryland; New Castle in Delaware and Chester and Lancaster in Pennsylvania.
“The SBA is strongly committed to providing the people of Maryland with the most effective and customer-focused response possible to assist homeowners, renters, and businesses of all sizes with federal disaster loans,” said Administrator Mills. “Getting businesses and communities up and running after a disaster is our highest priority at SBA.”
“Loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for loans up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property,” said Frank Skaggs, director of SBA’s Field Operations Center East in Atlanta. SBA’s customer service representatives are on hand at the Disaster Loan Outreach Center to answer questions about the disaster loan program, explain the process, issue and help individuals complete their applications.
The Center is located in the following community and is open as indicated:
Cecil County
Tomes Landing Condos – Community Room
600 Rowland Drive
Port Deposit, MD 21904
Opening: Wednesday Dec. 7 – Thursday Dec. 15 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Saturday Dec. 10 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (closed Sunday)
Closing: Thursday Dec. 15 at close of business
Businesses and non-profit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets,” said Steve Umberger, SBA’s Maryland district director.
The SBA may increase a loan up to 20 percent of the total amount of disaster damage to real estate and/or leasehold improvements, as verified by SBA, to make improvements that lessen the risk of property damage by future disasters of the same kind.
For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small aquaculture businesses and most private nonprofit organizations of all sizes, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.
Interest rates are as low as 2.5 percent for homeowners and renters, 3 percent for non-profit organizations and 4 percent for businesses with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.
Individuals and businesses unable to visit the Center in person may obtain information and loan applications by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing), or by sending an email to
[email protected] . Loan applications can also be downloaded from
http://www.sba.gov/. Completed applications should be returned to the Center or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is February 6,
2012.
The deadline to return economic injury applications is September 7, 2012.
Tags: cecil, disaster loan, lee, sba
December 8th, 2011 JOINT HEARING: FROM EARTHQUAKES TO TERRORIST ATTACKS: IS THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION PREPARED FOR THE NEXT DISASTER?
Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery and Intergovernmental Affairs
MEMA Executive Director Richard’s testimony from Senate hearing on “Preparedness of the National Capital Region for disasters.” Speakers from Maryland, Virginia, and DC joined federal agencies to testify. The prepared statements and the archived webcast from yesterday’s hearing are available here on the Committee website.
Tags: dc, hearing, mema, muth, NCR, preparedness, senate
