Entries by Tim Karney
COVID-19 Forces California Nursing Home Evacuation
According to an article by Cheri Mossburg of CNN, the Magnolia Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center in Riverside, California was evacuated after the staff didn’t show up for work. The nursing home had been hit hard by the coronavirus with at least 34 of 84 patients and five staff members testing positive. This is not […]
Save a HazMat Team. Send a Drone.
Every minute in a hot zone puts your operators’ lives at risk. But whenever a HazMat incident occurs, the cause of the problem must be found and the threat neutralized. Up to now, the only way to find the problem was to don PPE and enter the hot zone. But increasingly, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) or […]
American Firefighters in Australia Face Unique Challenges
Over 170 American firefighters have been deployed in Australia to assist in combating the country’s worst fire season. In addition to the unfamiliar vegetation, dangerous wildlife, and searing heat; these crews are finding that the enormous scale of these fires, and the vast distances covered, complicate sustained operations. Operating half a world away from home […]
Massive 6.4 Earthquake in Puerto Rico Forces Hospital and Nursing Home Evacuations
A series of powerful earthquakes on January 7, 2020 destroyed or damaged many buildings and knocked out power across the island. As a result, at least one hospital and several nursing homes had to be evacuated. During a major disaster, the pool of available ambulances is usually completely engaged in responding to emergency medical incidents. This […]
At Least 1,680 Dams Across the US Pose Potential Risk
There are more than 90,000 dams in the United States. On average, the nation’s dams are over 50 years old. “A more than two-year investigation has found scores of dams nationwide in even worse condition, and in equally dangerous locations. They loom over homes, businesses, highways or entire communities that could face life-threatening floods […]
11 Treated After Chemical Reaction Causes Problem at Plant in Montgomery, Alabama.
A chemical reaction occurred in a production facility in Montgomery Alabama, causing the building to be evacuated. Montgomery Fire and Rescue treated 11 patients, with 3 being transported to local hospitals for conditions that are considered non-life-threatening. Montgomery Fire and Rescue Special Ops (HazMat) processed the chemical situation. Toxic industrial chemical (TICs) incidents are among the most frequent […]
Is Evacuation of Vulnerable Citizens Our Achilles Heel?
California Post-Fire Audit Shares Important Lessons The recent devastating wildfires in California have created a greater awareness of the problem of evacuating vulnerable individuals during fast-changing disaster situations. A new report from the Auditor of the State of California examined some of the factors that hampered county and state emergency managers in evacuating access and functional needs individuals. […]
