Connect with us
[the_ad id="89560"]

Disaster

Preparation helping recovery after third Florida hurricane in 66 days

Published

3 minute read

From The Center Square

By 

More than 12,000 miles of state roads are cleared, nearly 2,000 areas on bridges have been inspected and 1,600 people and 140 pets have been rescued following Hurricane Milton’s hit in Florida.

Reports say 16 people have died from the storm, the third to hit Florida this year. Teams have made more than 1,000 water rescues.

Debby made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane near Steinhatchee on Aug. 5, Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in Dekle Beach on Sept. 26, and Milton made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane near Siesta Key on Wednesday night.

“Please exercise caution,” said Gov. Ron DeSantis from St. Petersburg on Friday, where more than 18 inches of rain in 24 hours qualified as a 1-in-1,000 years flood.

Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie and Maj. Gen. John D. Haas, adjutant general of Florida, were alongside the governor as they updated efforts after Milton.

The storm’s damage and the estimated three dozen tornadoes in St. Lucie County led to several deaths due to the destructive force of high winds and significant flash flooding.

“What we’re seeing now are fatalities that are preventable,” DeSantis said, saying fatalities are happening due to interaction with downed power lines and water. “We are in the position where everything is stabilized, and you need to make the proper decisions and just know that there are still some hazards out there.”

The governor stressed the importance of staying out of the flood waters, the safety of using ladders, and the proper operation of generators, adding that they should not be used inside.

Damage from the three hurricanes in 66 days is well into the billions of dollars.

About 2.2 million homes and businesses were still without power across the state Friday afternoon.

DeSantis said the storm weakened enough before landfall to minimize the worst-case storm surge, saying that doesn’t mean there is not a lot of damage, but they have an abundance of resources because of preparation.

He said removing debris from Helene before Milton made landfall also mitigated some of the damages.

In a separate press release, the governor said they are working with FEMA to incentivize more trucks for 24/7 cleanup across the state so Floridians can get through the debris.

Several airports and schools across the state reopened Friday.

The state has volunteer organizations on standby and can be reached by those in the affected areas through 833-Get-Hope to connect them to the needed resources, either food or debris cleanup.

Reporter

Daily Caller

‘This Is So Disgusting’: Joe Rogan Unloads On Gavin Newsom For ‘Creepy’ Behavior In Front Of Wildfire Wreckage

Published on

 

From the Daily Caller News Foundation

By

Podcast host Joe Rogan slammed Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday and condemned remarks that Newsom made amidst the still active and devastating wildfires.

Those fires erupted in the coastal town of Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles County and subsequently spread to Altadena near Eaton Canyon. “The Joe Rogan Experience” host criticized what he said was Newsom’s inappropriate demeanor and how he timed his comments, especially as affected families grappled with the total loss of their homes and personal memories.

“The governor gave this creepy speech where he was talking about speculators coming in. And talking about what to do with the land of all these homes that have been burnt down. It’s still only 6% contained. He did this little dance like I’ve been talking with these, you know, with the governor of Hawaii about what to do. We got some ideas,” Rogan said.

Rogan also said that there are broader issues of mismanagement in California’s approach to wildfire prevention and response. He criticized the state for not taking preventative measures like brush clearing and reservoir management.

“The fire insurance pulled out of California like, I think, like 69% of fire insurance pulled out of California because they’re, like, this is too crazy. Like you guys aren’t doing jack to manage this. You’re not clearing the brush. The amount of money they could have saved by just clearing brush. By filling the reservoir, that 11-million-gallon reservoir was completely empty during the time of full fire season. Like, why didn’t you fix that?” Rogan asked.

As Los Angeles County battles wildfires, Newsom faces intense online criticism for his odd shuffle during a local television interview. On Monday, the governor appeared on Los Angeles’ Fox affiliate, discussing the crisis amidst the scorched ruins.

Newsom, while addressing the likelihood of property speculators targeting fire-stricken neighborhoods, smiled broadly and performed a shoulder shimmy.

Rogan said Newsom behaved in a manner that was “disgusting”

Continue Reading

International

Two major fires continue to burn in SoCal

Published on

From The Center Square

By 

Santa Ana winds to pick up Tuesday morning

As two major fires continue to burn in and near Los Angeles, fire officials warn that major Santa Ana winds are expected to return early Tuesday morning, extending red flag warnings.

As of midday Monday, 26 individuals have died from the fires. Many died because they refused to evacuate their homes, according to fire officials. Gov. Gavin Newsom has deployed a second round of national guard members to assist law enforcement in evacuations and prevent looting of evacuated areas.

“The men and women of the California National Guard have been on the ground since day one – not only fighting fires, but also assisting with public safety efforts in communities devastated by these fires,” a statement from Newsom reads.

As of Monday morning, the fire that began in the Pacific Palisades last week has grown to 23,713 acres with 14% containment and 5,123 firefighters working to contain the fire. Additionally, there are 44 helicopters, 540 engines, 66 dozers, 60 water tenders and 115 crews.

Evacuation zones reach east toward Sherman Oaks and south toward Santa Monica. There remains a mandated curfew in these areas from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. and a “Do Not Drink” notice to Pacific Palisades zip codes and surrounding areas due to the potential of pollutant contamination of the water because of the fire.

The Palisades fire is the most destructive wildfire Los Angeles has ever seen with thousands of structures burning to the ground and tens of thousands of people forced to evacuate.

The other major fire is the Eaton Fire, which also began last week in Eaton Canyon right outside of Pasadena. The fire has grown to 14,117 acres at 33% containment and is spreading into the Los Angeles National Forest, which remains closed. There are hundreds of structures destroyed and thousands of people who have been forced to evacuate. Areas in Altadena and Pasadena near the fire and evacuation zones are under a “Do Not Drink” order and all schools in the Pasadena Unified School District remain closed.

There are currently 3,408 personnel fighting the fire with both air and ground support.

Officials have also issued an air quality warning for the City of Los Angeles and those living in surrounding areas. The pollutants in the air are specifically dangerous, according to officials, because of the structures being burned, including old ones that contain harmful materials such as asbestos.

Continue Reading

Trending

X