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Un Aid to Myanmar

5 May 2008 – The United Nations has offered its assistance to Myanmar authorities in responding to the deadly cyclone which struck the South-East Asian nation on Friday, leaving death and widespread devastation in its wake.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Cyclone Nargis made landfall in the Irrawaddy delta region, some 250 kilometres southwest of Yangon around 4 pm on 2 May.
With winds of over 190 kilometres per hour, the storm hit Yangon later that same night, tearing down tears and power lines and causing widespread flooding.
Thousands have reportedly been killed. In addition, “the numbers in need of assistance are expected to be sizeable,” OCHA said.

Buildings have been badly damaged throughout Yangon, and a significant number of people have been left without shelter. Electricity is unlikely to be restored for several days and water supplies are expected to be a major problem. Many roads remain impassable and the airport has been closed until further notice.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today he is “very much alarmed” by the news coming out of Myanmar’s Foreign Ministry that casualties have risen to over 10,000. Speaking to reporters in New York, he added that lack of communications has made it difficult to ascertain the extent of the casualties and damage.

A UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team has been organized and is on stand-by to assist the Government in responding to humanitarian needs, according to a statement issued by the UN on Sunday.
“The United Nations is also prepared to extend other necessary assistance and to mobilize international aid in support of the Government, if needed,” the statement added.

The most immediate needs include food, plastic sheeting, water purification tablets, cooking sets, mosquito nets and emergency health kits.

In addition, Mr. Ban’s chief of staff today discussed possible UN assistance with Myanmar’s Ambassador to the world body, who stressed the need for the immediate delivery of supplies.

The two conferred on communications and coordination in providing assistance as well as the possibility of the release of funds from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).

FEMA ACTS ON FORMALDEHYDE KATRINA TRAILER FINDINGS

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today February 14,2008, its intent to expedite the agency's plan to provide for the safety and well being of residents living in FEMA provided temporary housing units.  The re-doubling of efforts come amid preliminary findings from formaldehyde testing of temporary housing units in the Gulf Coast conducted for the agency by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

"As a result of preliminary findings FEMA will be taking additional actions to provide for the safety and well being of the residents of these travel trailers by finding them alternative housing," said FEMA Administrator David Paulison said. "FEMA is leaning forward and will continue to act and to provide information to our residents in an expedited manner."

FEMA is taking steps to expedite the relocation of residents from temporary housing units to apartments or other alternative housing such as hotels, motels, and "Katrina cottages." 

As part of the relocation system currently in place, and its expansion, FEMA will carry out the following actions where necessary:
• Enter in to direct contracts with hotels in order to obtain the needed hotel/motel capacity.
• Utilize contract resources to support local relocation.
• Provide food vouchers and stipends.
• Enter into direct lease agreements with landlords.
• Contract for temporary storage and/or shipping of household property.
• Contract for the boarding and care of household pets for families relocated to hotels or apartments that don't allow pets.
• Provide furniture for rental units by working with Voluntary Agencies where possible, and will purchase the furniture when necessary.
• Contract for moving teams and equipment to assist in the movement of households with special medical needs.
• Provide additional staff to our offices on the ground to facilitate and manage the expedited relocation of households. 

The priority in relocation will be those occupants expressing a health concern and those most susceptible to health risk such as the elderly, households with young children and those with respiratory challenges.  FEMA previously announced a plan to close all group sites and relocate residents by June 1 of this year and will continue this activity as part of our ongoing efforts.

In providing proper health information to residents, FEMA will coordinate with CDC to provide occupants with additional public health information.  Specifically, CDC and FEMA teams will also visit "each" of the 519 CDC tested units to provide occupants with the specific results for their home and advise them on a course of action. 

In addition, FEMA will provide caseworker assistance to occupants to ensure best access to information and programs that can lead to self sufficiency and a sustainable future. 

The indoor air quality assessment is one of several actions CDC has initiated to assist FEMA in protecting the health of temporary housing residents.  The other public health activities include:
• Reconvening a panel of experts to identify and advise on health issues that could be associated with long-term residence in temporary housing units, such as travel trailers.
• Assessing formaldehyde levels across different models and types of unoccupied trailers to identify the factors that reduce or heighten those levels. This assessment also involves identifying cost-effective ways to reduce or lower formaldehyde levels and concentrations in temporary housing environments. This series of tests includes conducting an emissions study of building materials in conjunction with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
• Conducting a study that looks at the health of children currently living in trailers along with a long-term study of children born while their families resided in FEMA trailers and mobile homes in Mississippi and Louisiana.
• Providing educational materials and information to trailer residents about the CDC studies as well as steps that can be taken to improve indoor air quality.

The two agencies have established toll-free hotlines to respond to public inquiries.  FEMA employees are available to discuss housing concerns at 1-866-562-2381, or TTY 1-800-462-7585.  CDC specialists will respond to health-related concerns at 1-800-CDC-INFO.

Red Cross Assistance to Oregon, Washington state

WASHINGTON, Tuesday, December 04, 2007 — The Red Cross is responding to severe flooding in Oregon and Washington State caused by back-to-back storms on Sunday and Monday. Bringing hurricane force winds along with inches of rain, the storms have caused mudslides and extensive power outages in addition to the flooding. Current reports estimate that several thousand homes have been affected by either power outages or flood waters across both states., and with sections of major roads unsafe for travel, residents and responders alike are challenged to move to shelters or send needed resources into the affected areas.

With careful pre-positioning of supplies and by working with local businesses, Red Cross chapters were able to respond immediately, opening shelters, or supporting community shelters with supplies. The Red Cross is coordinating with officials at state and county emergency operation centers to monitor the changing situation and commit and ensure the movement of additional supplies and people into the affected areas. Even without additional rainfall, the flood waters and inaccessible roadways will continue to have a serious impact on residents for the foreseeable future.

Residents who have been, or may be impacted by these floods should take additional safety precautions. For those who must, or have already evacuated their homes, register on the Red Cross Safe and Well site, where you can leave behind a message for your loved ones. If you are unable to register, but are able to contact a family member, ask them to register on your behalf. Family and friends will be able to search the Safe and Well site with specific identifying information and view the message you have left behind.
Following a disaster, the short message left on this site can be enough to give your friends and family peace of mind.

To register a family member on Safe and Well, visit www.redcross.org, or call 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767) for assistance from a Red Cross agent.

In addition to registering on the Safe and Well site, residents should complete these additional steps to prepare for flooding:

• Head for higher ground and stay away from floodwater.
• Know the difference between a flood watch and a warning. Listen to the news for updates about your area. A flood watch means a flood is possible in your area. A flood warning means flooding is already occurring, or will occur soon.
• If you haven’t done so already, get a disaster supplies kit together with necessary items including a 3-day supply of water (1 gallon/person/day), non-perishable food, flashlight, battery-operated or crank radio, first aid supplies, and your important documents (for example, birth certificates, passports, insurance policies, deed/title to home).
• Listen to and follow the directions of local authorities. If you are told to evacuate, grab your disaster supplies kit and leave immediately. If you are driving and see floodwater, turn around and go a different way. Never drive through floodwater.
Residents in homes without power should also be aware of the following safety tips:
• Only use a flashlight for emergency lighting. Never use candles!
• Turn off electrical equipment you were using when the power went out.
• Avoid opening the refrigerator and freezer.
• Do not run a generator inside a home or garage.
• If you use a generator, connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator. Do not connect a generator to a home's electrical system.
• Listen to local radio and television for updated information.

For detailed information on what to do in case of flooding and power outages visit www.redcross.org. If you are in the impacted areas and need assistance, call your local Red Cross chapter, or 1-800-RED-CROSS (800-733-2767.

Our Natural Heritage at Risk

New Report Shows Critical Need for Land Conservation Funding Environment Maryland Research and Policy Center released its new report, “Our Natural Heritage at Risk: Threats Facing Seven of Maryland’s Most Special Places.”  The report highlights seven places across Maryland that are at risk from development, and the environmental importance of preserving those places before they are lost forever.

“This report demonstrates the critical need for a renewed focus on preserving our open spaces in every region of the state,” said Jennifer Bevan-Dangel, staff attorney for Environment Maryland.  “Our forests, farms, and parks are essential, whether to improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay, to sustain our drinking water supplies, or to protect natural habitat.”

The seven locations include the Prettyboy Reservoir, a key source of drinking water for the Baltimore region; the Annapolis Neck, which helps protect the Chesapeake Bay; Assawoman Bay and Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, both critical sources of habitat; Terrapin Run, which flows through one of Maryland’s largest forests; and Cayots Corner and the Patuxent River Rural Legacy Area, both farming districts of historic and environmental significance.  All seven of these areas are threatened by development.

“Development is one of the most significant threats facing the Chesapeake Bay,” said Terry Cummings, Manager of Advocacy for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.  Poorly planned growth paves over our open spaces, creating polluted runoff and destroying natural filters that help clean the Bay.  We must do more to better manage development and protect our open spaces.”

These programs protect not just forests and farms, but help create public parks and recreation centers as well. “Program Open Space is an essential tool in preserving and protecting park and recreational opportunities for future generations of Marylanders.  Our quality of life is directly tied to our parks, our recreation, and our natural and cultural heritage,” said Tom Ross, Director of the Maryland Recreation and Parks Association.

Red Cross and California Wildfires 10-24-2007

Members of the Annual Disaster Giving Program help provide the funding to rush relief to disaster victims before the first donations have been given in response to a disaster. Since the first sign of trouble in Southern California, Red Cross volunteers and employees have opened shelters, providing displaced residents with a safe place to stay, and have mobilized tens of thousands of cots, blankets and comfort kits to the affected areas.

Volunteers are staffing 75 Emergency Response Vehicles, providing hot meals and snacks to residents, firefighters and first responders. Red Cross mental health counselors are also available to help residents and emergency workers in the affected areas manage the stress and fear that accompanies all disasters.

As winds are forecasted to spread flames across the state over the next several days, the Red Cross will remain on the ground providing emergency assistance. In the coming weeks, the Red Cross will continue working with community partners to identify resources that can aid in the recovery of individuals and families affected by the wildfires.

"Donations from our Annual Disaster Giving Program members enable the Red Cross to have the resources to respond to disasters before they even strike and to deliver hope to disaster victims," said Kathleen Loehr, interim senior vice president of Development at the American Red Cross. "These funds are essential to the organization’s ability to provide life-saving support in affected communities like Southern California."

Red Cross
Immediate DonationsNeeded to Provide Relief to Flood Victims of the Midwest, and SouthCentral US 9-6-2007

Heavy rain and flooding continued to plague the Midwest and South Central US submerging thousands of residences and businesses and leaving 22 people dead. The American Red Cross was among the first on the ground and continues to respond to the torrential storm systems throughout Minnesota, Ohio,

Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin by providing food, shelter, counseling and other assistance made possible by funds from the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

The Red Cross asks the public to please give generously to the Disaster Relief Fund in support of these disasters. The Disaster Relief Fund is the financial resource through which the Red Cross can provide immediate relief to disaster victims before the first donations have been given in response to these disasters. Donations from the Disaster Relief Fund have enabled Red Cross volunteers and employees to be stationed across the affected areas providing flood victims, families, children and elderly with essential resources needed to cope with the immediate aftermath of the floods.

The Red Cross has opened shelters, providing residents with a dry place to stay and hot meals. Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) are driving through flooded communities distributing food, clean-up kits and comfort kits to families, individuals and rescue workers who cannot make it to a shelter or are involved with clean-up efforts. Licensed Red Cross mental health professionals are helping families and individuals cope with the fear and stress from the trauma of flood disasters.

Financial contributions are still needed to support Red Cross relief efforts, and more hazardous weather is forecasted for already flooded areas. The Red Cross response in Minnesota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin is expected to cost millions of dollars.

"The Red Cross will continue to work with community partners to identify resources that can aid in the recovery of individuals and families affected by the floods," said Kathleen Loehr, Interim Senior Vice President of Development at the American Red Cross. "It is only through the public's continued support of the Disaster Relief Fund that we are able to provide lifesaving services during these times of multiple disasters."

Americans can support the Disaster Relief Fund and help provide food, shelter, counseling and other assistance to the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year by visiting www.redcross.org or call 1-800- RED CROSS to make a donation.

September is National Preparedness Month yet only 7% of Americans have taken the steps necessary to get prepared, according to the American Red Cross

1 . Why? Many people just don't have the time. In fact, an American Red Cross survey indicates that 82% of Americans say they would get prepared if it were easier to do

2. Additionally, among Americans who had not put together a disaster kit, 65% agreed that they would be more likely to have a kit if one were available for sale and contained basic items to get them started

3.The Red Cross is using National Preparedness Month to urge every family to "Be Red Cross Ready": to get a kit, make a plan and be informed. One way the American Red Cross has made it easier for families to get prepared is by offering a variety of first aid, health, safety, and emergency preparedness items.

"We've tried to make it as simple as possible for everyone to get prepared," said Laura Howe, spokes-person for the Red Cross. "In purchasing these items, the public can feel good about not only preparing their families but also supporting the humanitarian mission of the Red Cross."

Red Cross items available to the public include first aid kits, disposable and heavy-duty work gloves, hand sanitizer, emergency preparedness kits, hand-crank radios, auto safety kits, and a variety of essential education guides.

Additionally, the Red Cross has a line of infant health and wellness products that help par-ents get prepared, encouraging them to take Red Cross courses in infant first aid and CPR. These items are available online, at many Red Cross chapters, and at a variety of retail locations nationwide.

Proceeds from the sale of these items go directly back into supporting the mission of the organization. Over the last few months, the Red Cross has responded to meet the needs of thousands of disaster victims affected by severe summer floods in nine different states; every dollar helps.

The public is also invited to take a free online education module available at www.redcross.org/BeRedCrossReady, which walks visitors through the three simple preparedness actions: to get a kit, make a plan and be informed.

The Red Cross Reports

Response operations continue in Peru following the massive 8.0 earthquake that struck on Wednesday, August 15. The latest reports estimate:
• Nearly 500 fatalities
• Approximately 1,050 people injured
• More than 33,600 houses destroyed
• Severe infrastructure damage to roads, highways, hospitals, public buildings, churches, communications networks, and water and power systems
• One-third of people affected by the earthquake are reportedly children and adolescents.
Pisco and Ica remain the most severely affected towns. In Pisco, an estimated 80 percent of the infrastructure was damaged or destroyed, while 25 percent of the homes and buildings were destroyed in Ica.
Powerful aftershocks continue to be felt in the affected region. Limited telecommunication networks and lack of water supplies and electricity in the affected areas are significant challenges of the response efforts.

Red Cross and Red Crescent action

The American Red Cross is deploying Corey Michaud, a delegate in Ecuador, to Peru to assist with the relief operation. Michaud will work closely with the Peruvian Red Cross to conduct assessments and distribute relief items. His deployment is in addition to a contribution of 1,500 hygiene kits and 1,000 tarps, which arrived in Peru today.

The Peruvian Red Cross (PRC) has deployed 60 volunteers to the field. PRC response activities include ongoing needs assessments, search and rescue, distribution of relief items, and medical care. Four vehicles are available to be dispatched, and four ambulances are in Pisco in support of medical activities.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has allocated an initial $205,000 from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to immediately start relief operations. The Federation's Pan American Disaster Response Unit (PADRU) has deployed two disaster management delegates, a disaster management officer, two regional logisticians, a regional telecommunications specialist, a regional relief delegate, and a communications officer. A logistics coordinator and the head of PADRU will be arriving in-county today.

Ten national Red Cross societies are also in-country assisting the PRC response activities. Two planes containing pre-positioned relief items were sent from Panama to Peru.

President Bush Declares Maine as a Federal Disaster Area

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that federal disaster aid has been made available for the state of Maine to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by flooding during the period of March 16-18, 2007.

FEMA Administrator David Paulison said the assistance was authorized under a major disaster declaration issued for the state by President Bush. The President's action makes federal funding available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the flooding in the counties of Hancock, Knox, Lincoln, and Waldo.
Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Paulison named Albert L. Lewis as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Lewis said that damage surveys are continuing in other areas, and more counties and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are complete.

WHO Water Shortage and Sanitation Issues

More than 1.1 billion people in both urban and rural areas currently lack access to drinking water from an improved source and 2.6 billion people do not have access to even basic sanitation, the report shows. The health impact of this can be seen particularly in children. WHO estimates that in 2005, 1.6 million children under age 5 (an average of 4500 every day) died from the consequences of unsafe water and inadequate hygiene.

Children are particularly at risk from water-related diseases such as diarrhoeal and parasitic diseases. Lack of sanitation also increases the risk of outbreaks of cholera, typhoid and dysentery.

The populations of urban areas in the developing world are growing rapidly and, if the MDGs are to be met, a huge amount of work will have to be done simply to maintain the proportion of those living in cities with access to improved drinking water and adequate sanitation. Currently, 95% of city dwellers have access to an improved source of drinking water, while 80% have access to sanitation services.

Meeting the water and sanitation targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) will be one of the most effective means of raising the health and general living standards of many of the world's poor. But reaching the water and sanitation targets will require much greater efforts by policy makers, funding and training agencies, planning and construction. These solutions must focus on poor and underserved people worldwide, WHO warns. In 2000, the world pledged to reduce by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. According to the report, MDG Drinking Water and Sanitation Target - The Urban and Rural Challenge of the Decade, to meet the sanitation MDG will require a doubling of current efforts. A one-third increase in efforts will be needed to meet the MDG drinking water target.

"It is a tragedy that the world may not reach the water and sanitation MDGs. Safe drinking water and basic sanitation are so obviously essential to health that they risk being taken for granted," said Dr Anders Nordström, Acting Director-General of WHO. "Efforts to prevent death from diarrhoea and other diseases are doomed to failure unless people have access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. This report underlines the importance of the new WHO strategy on public health and environment to radically reduce the global burden of disease through preventive health measures. Only by tackling the root causes of diseases such as water and sanitation can we reduce the 24% global burden of global disease caused by the environment."

Sub-Saharan Africa is still the main focus of concern. An estimated 80% of people without access to an improved drinking water source live in sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Asia and Southern Asia. Due to population growth over the period from 1990–2004, the number of people without access to drinking water in Sub-Saharan Africa increased by 23%. Currently, just 56% of the population has access to an improved water supply. Just 37% of people in sub-Saharan Africa had access to basic sanitation in 2004, compared to a global average of 59%.

In rural areas, access to an improved source of drinking water and to basic sanitation services was very low in 1990 (the baseline year for measuring the MDGs): only an estimated 64% had access to a drinking water source, while 26% had access to sanitation services. While those percentages rose substantially by 2004 - to 73% and 39% respectively - these numbers still fall way short of what is needed to achieve the MDGs.

From the report comes one example of a success story in terms of raising coverage. In Ethiopia, the Amhara region had a coverage rate for access to sanitation services of only 3.8% in 2003, and only 100 latrines were being constructed annually in each district. In that year, the government initiated a social marketing campaign which increased community knowledge and understanding of sanitation and its linkages to health. Community demand for latrines sky-rocketed, and by 2005, the average number of latrines constructed per district was 26 400.

For more information contact:
Nada Osseiran
Advocacy & Communications Officer
Public Health and Environment
WHO Geneva
Telephone: +41 22 7 91 44 75
Fax: +41 22 7 91 41 27
E-mail: osseirann@who.int

 

NASA Satellite Captures Image of Cyclone Nargis Flooding in Myanmar

The first cyclone of the 2008 season in the northern Indian Ocean was a devastating one for Myanmar (Burma). According to reports from Accuweather.com, Cyclone Nargis made landfall with sustained winds of 130 mph and gusts of 150-160 mph, which is the equivalent of a strong Category 3 or minimal Category 4 hurricane. News reports stated that several thousand people have been killed, and thousands more were missing as of May 5.

NASA's Terra satellite captured this image of the Myanmar coast on April 15, 2008, before Tropical Cyclone Nargis flooded the region. Credit: NASA/MODIS Rapid Response Team

Flood water can be difficult to see in photo-like satellite images, particularly when the water is muddy. This pair of images from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite use a combination of visible and infrared light to make floodwaters obvious. Water is blue or nearly black, vegetation is bright green, bare ground is tan, and clouds are white or light blue.

On April 15, rivers and lakes are sharply defined against a backdrop of vegetation and fallow agricultural land. The Irrawaddy River flows south through the left-hand side of the image, splitting into numerous distributaries known as the Mouths of the Irrawaddy. The wetlands near the shore are a deep blue green. Cyclone Nargis came ashore across the Mouths of the Irrawaddy and followed the coastline northeast. NASA's Terra satellite captured this image of the Myanmar coast on May 5, 2008, showing the devastation of flooding caused by Tropical Cyclone

NASA's Terra satellite captured this image of the Myanmar coast on May 5, 2008, showing the devastation of flooding caused by Tropical Cyclone Nargis. Credit: NASA/MODIS Rapid Response Team

The entire coastal plain is flooded in the May 5 image. The fallow agricultural areas appear to have been especially hard hit. For example, Yangôn (population over 4 million) is almost completely surrounded by floods. Several large cities (population 100,000–500,000) are in the affected area. Muddy runoff colors the Gulf of Martaban turquoise.
The high-resolution image provided above is at MODIS’ maximum spatial resolution (level of detail) of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response Team provides twice-daily images of the region in additional resolutions and formats, including photo-like natural color.

Disaster Response Center Opens in Suffolk 5-2-2008

RICHMOND, Va. - A Disaster Response Center to help people
affected by the tornadoes and severe storms that struck April 28
opens at 10 a.m. today (Thursday, May 1) in the Suffolk City
Recreation Center located at Kings Fork Middle School, 350 Kings
Fork Road in the city of Suffolk.

The center houses representatives from several state and local
agencies and organizations, including but not limited to:
* SCC - Bureau of Insurance
* Several major insurance carriers
* Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and
Substance Abuse Services
* Virginia Department of Emergency Management
* American Red Cross
* City of Suffolk
* United Way

People visiting the center also will be able to pick up
information from the Internal Revenue Service. Information from
the Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster also will be
available.

Services available at the Disaster Assistance Center include:
* Crisis counseling
* Guidance regarding disaster recovery
* Assistance available to victims
* Temporary housing information
* Referrals to local and state agencies that can provide
further assistance

Hours of operation for the center are 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. daily.
The center will remain open at least through Sunday, May 4. For
more information about the center and its services, call (757)
514-7244.

Tornado Safety Saves Lives 4-30-2008

Virginia Twisters Remind Residents to Get Ready --
RICHMOND, Va. - Yesterday's tornadoes chased away any doubt that tornadoes can and do strike Virginia. All Virginians should know what to do and where to go to stay safe.

"This is the time for all of us to review basic tornado safety,"
said Michael Cline, state coordinator for the Virginia
Department of Emergency Management. "Knowing basic safety rules saved a lot of lives yesterday."
Know the difference between a tornado watch and warning:
Tornado watch: Tornadoes could develop in your area. Stay tuned to your local radio, TV or NOAA weather radio for further information and possible warnings. Be prepared to take cover if necessary.

Tornado warning: A tornado has been sighted or has been
indicated by NWS Doppler radar. Warnings are given to individual counties or cities and include the tornado's location, direction
A weather alert radio is an important part of being ready for an emergency. These radios will deliver weather watches and
warnings from the local National Weather Service offices, 24
hours a day. They can be programmed to receive alerts for
specific areas, and some have a tone alert that will activate a
weather radio even if the audio is turned off.

If a Tornado is Headed Your Way:
Shelter immediately in the nearest substantial building. Go to
the building's basement. If there is no basement, move to a
small, windowless interior room such as a closet, bathroom or
interior hall on the lowest level of the building. Be sure to
use the stairs to reach the lowest level, not an elevator.
Protect your body from flying debris with a heavy blanket or
pillows.

Take precautions if you can not get to a substantial buildings.

If you are in:
* Open buildings (shopping malls, gymnasiums or civic
centers): Try to get into the restroom or an interior
hallway. If there is no time to go anywhere else, protect
yourself right where you are by getting up against something
that will support or deflect falling debris. Protect your
head by covering it with your arms.
* Automobiles: Get out of your vehicle and try to find shelter
inside a sturdy building. A culvert or ditch can provide
shelter if a substantial building is not nearby ? lie down
flat and cover your head with your hands. Do not take
shelter under a highway overpass or bridge, because debris
could get blown under them or the structures themselves
could be destroyed.
* Outdoors: Try to find shelter immediately in the nearest
substantial building. If no buildings are close, lie down
flat in a ditch or depression and cover your head with your
hands.
* Mobile homes: Do not stay in mobile homes. You should leave immediately and seek shelter inside a nearby sturdy building or lie down in a ditch away from your home, covering your head with your hands. Mobile homes are extremely unsafe during tornadoes.

Families and businesses should practice yearly tornado drills.
Guidelines for creating a tornado safety plan and conducting
drill are available at http://www.vaemergency.com.

911 for Your Mortgage 4-26-2008

WASHINGTON - Nearly a quarter of a million more families could be eligible this year to purchase or refinance their homes using affordable, FHA-insured mortgages, thanks to the economic growth package signed into law by President Bush last month. The Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 will allow HUD's Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to temporarily increase its loan limits and insure larger mortgages at a more affordable price in high cost areas of the country.

"The stimulus is providing immediate relief to homeowners," said HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson at a Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors keynote speech. "It raises the Federal Housing Administration's loan limits, enabling more families to qualify for a safe, affordable FHA mortgage. This is important. Families in high-cost states have been priced out of FHA-backed loans. This has created a vacuum, filled by exotic subprime loans. Families with home loans up to $729,750 will now qualify for an FHA loan, depending on where they live."

HUD will offer temporary FHA loan limits that will range from $271,050 to $729,750. Overall, the change in loan limits will help provide economic stability to America's communities and give nearly 240,000 additional homeowners and homebuyers a safer, more affordable mortgage alternative. The maximum amount of $729,750 will only be applicable to extremely high-cost metropolitan areas such as: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.  HUD also calculated new limits for loans to be purchased by Government-Sponsored Enterprises (GSE) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

"Many families all over the U.S. will benefit from this access to credit, and increasing these loan limits will inject much-needed liquidity into the housing market," said FHA Commissioner/Assistant Secretary for Housing Brian Montgomery. "Even moderate-cost areas like those in the South and Southwest such as Dallas, Houston, Augusta and Tallahassee will be helped, with most loan limits there rising to $271,050."

There are 75 areas in the U.S., out of a total of approximately 3200, that will be eligible for the highest loan limit of $729,750. Previously, FHA's loan limits in these very high-cost areas were capped at $362,790.

The Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 permits FHA to insure loans on amounts up to 125 percent of the area median house price, when that amount is between the national minimum ($271,050) and maximum ($729,750). The new minimum and maximum loan limits are based on 65 percent and 175 percent of the conforming loan limits for Government-Sponsored Enterprises in 2008, which is $417,000. The FHA used a combination of existing government data sets and available commercial information to determine the median sales price for each area, and released the data approximately two weeks after the President signed the stimulus bill. The change in loan limits are applicable to all FHA-insured mortgage loans endorsed after HUD publishes the increased loan limits today, and it lasts until December 31, 2008.

By increasing loan limits nationwide, FHA will provide much needed liquidity and stability to housing markets across the country. Already, as conventional sources of mortgage credit have been contracting, FHA has been filling the void. From September to December 2007, FHA facilitated more than $38 billion of much-needed mortgage activity in the housing market, more than $15 billion of which was through FHASecure, FHA's refinancing product. By focusing on 30-year fixed rate mortgages, FHA helps homeowners avoid and escape the risks associated exotic subprime mortgage products, which have resulted in rising default and foreclosure rates.

In January 2009, FHA's maximum loan limit will return to $362,790, unless the U.S. Congress approves bipartisan legislation to permanently increase loan limits as part of the FHA Modernization bill, which is still awaiting final approval on Capitol Hill.

"In January 2009 the loan limits will return to their previous setting," Jackson said. "We need a more permanent solution. So our next step must be to modernize the 74-year-old FHA. Two years ago, before the downturn, we introduced an FHA modernization bill to Congress. Our plan offers flexible down payment requirements and higher loan limits. It would also enable the FHA to fairly price premiums, taking risk into account so the market makes rational decisions. We don't want anyone caught by surprise again. FHA modernization could help a quarter of a million families this year alone. It passed the House and Senate in overwhelmingly bipartisan fashion. But a final bill has yet to reach the President. Congress must act-now!"

Jackson noted that the Administration could not wait for Congress to act. "Last August, the President and I introduced FHASecure. It helps responsible families who, having paid their bills on-time under the original interest rate, find themselves falling behind under the reset rate. For the first time, these delinquent families would be able to qualify for an FHA loan. 'Underwater' borrowers and those in the process of foreclosure may also qualify." Since August, FHA has helped 110,000 homeowners who were current or past due on their loans refinance with an additional 200,000 expected by year's end.
Jackson also discussed the Administration's efforts with the Hope Now Alliance, and industry-led effort that has been reaching out to borrowers in trouble. Hope Now members have contacted over a half million homeowners. Their hotline now receives more than 4,500 calls a day. Industry has modified 1 million loans since the second half of last year, keeping homeowners in their homes.

"We can create the conditions for recovery," Jackson said. "We can make the boom-bust cycle shorter and shallower. We can replace gimmicks and shortcuts with transparency and honesty. And we can take the necessary steps to prevent foreclosure. That's right, foreclosure is not inevitable, it's preventable. And we have the tools to prevent it."

Discussing recent efforts in Congress to bail out lenders, which the Administration opposes, Jackson said" Americans are a fair people. They want to help. But they understand that the answer to an economic challenge must ultimately come from the people who drive the economy. They want the tools of recovery in their own hands. And they do not want to kill the spirit of opportunity that made this country great."

FHA loan limits are based on the county in which the property is located. However, for properties located in metropolitan or micropolitan statistical areas, the limit is set at that of the county with the highest limit within the metropolitan or micropolitan area.
The new temporary FHA loan limits are posted on the HUD website: https://entp.hud.gov/idapp/html/hicostlook.cfm and www.fha.gov. Read the loan limits mortgagee letter for additional details

Prince Albert II of Monaco and the Prime Minister of New Zealand

Environmental Leaders 4-22-2008

Singapore/Nairobi, 22 April 2008 - Seven leading lights in the battle against global warming who are also catalyzing the transition to a greener and leaner global economy were acknowledged as the 2008 Champions of the Earth. The winners, ranging from His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco and the Prime Minister of New Zealand to a Sudanese climate researcher who has been successfully piloting climate-proofing strategies in some of the most stressed communities on Earth, received their trophies at a gala event in Singapore.

Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme ( UNEP ) who presented the awards which are hosted in conjunction with the annual Business for the Environment Summit ( B4E ) said: "The golden thread that links each one of tonight's winners is climate change, the challenge for this generation and the disaster for the next unless it is urgently addressed". "Our winners for 2008 light an alternative path for humanity by taking responsibility, demonstrating leadership and realizing change across a wide range of sustainability issues. These include more intelligent and creative management of natural and nature-based resources from waste and water to biodiversity and agriculture," he added. "Thus each one is living proof that the greening of the global economy is underway and that a transition to a more resource efficient society not only makes environmental sense but social and economic sense too. I am sure their leadership and their achievements will inspire many others to act as it inspired us at UNEP to name them the 2008 Champions of the Earth," said Mr Steiner.

In thanking UNEP for awarding the prize, the His Serene Highness pledged to "carry out missions to raise the alarm and heighten awareness in the field. The world is facing an unprecedented threat. We must assume our responsibilities without delay and rise to the challenge that history has placed upon our path".

Abdul-Qader Ba-Jammal, the former Prime Minister of Yemen who was awarded the prize for West Asia, said it was vital to make the connection between improved management of nature and natural resources and the "upgrading of peoples quality of life". A staunch advocate of more intelligent management of water resources and the need to address sustainable agriculture in dry-lands, he said the awarding of the UNEP prize was not only a personal delight but a "high responsibility".

Timothy E. Wirth of the United States, whose professional and public life has been shaped by climate change and fostering support in his home country for greater action to cut emissions, said: "With each passing month, each passing year we learn more about the urgency of the task".

Fishwatch 2-25-2008

American consumers seeking information about which seafood is sustainable, safe,and healthy need to look no further than the new government-run online consumer education tool, http://www.fishwatch.noaa.gov. Visitors to the site will learn about sustainable seafood and how to distinguish science-based fact from fiction.

retired Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, NOAA administrator. “Consumers are rightfully confused given all the misleading and conflicting information available to them, but FishWatch will help them become better educated and prepared seafood consumers.”
Mutton snapper broodstock in Florida Keys.
+ High Resolution (Credit: NOAA)
FishWatch.noaa.gov features information about 50 of the most commonly harvested and farmed species that are consumed in the United States. The species-specific pages offer the most accurate information available on population size, annual landings, management goals and milestones, life history and habitat, fishing practices, photos, factoids, and nutritional content. The public also will find import/export statistics and a whole page devoted to seafood and human health.
The seafood and human health page will be of particular interest since it includes facts about mercury and offers helpful hints about selecting, buying, storing and preparing seafood to ensure quality and safety.
Electronic data storage tag being placed on a Pacific cod.
+ High Resolution (Credit: NOAA)
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service is the U.S. authority on marine fisheries science, conservation, and management. A critical element of the agency’s mission is to make fisheries data and information available to all its audiences, including seafood consumers. FishWatch provides consumers with relevant, factual data to assist in decisions about sustainable seafood. These data are taken from a variety of NOAA sources, including stock assessments, fisheries surveys, fisheries management plans and amendments, environmental analyses, and cooperative research. Information on FishWatch is the most timely and accurate information available on U.S. fisheries.
Health guidelines on FishWatch are consistent with existing government seafood consumption guidance developed by the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency. Following these guidelines will allow the public to enjoy seafood and benefit from its vast nutritional value while minimizing any health risk associated with environmental contaminants.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of our nation's coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners, more than 70 countries and the European Commission to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects.

Volunteers Support Each Other through Emotion, Stress of Tennessee Tornado Response

By Melanie Sanders, Communications Manager, American

Red Cross Bay Area, San Francisco
Tuesday, February 19, 2008 — If you ask Red Cross disaster mental health supervisor Aggie Ternasky, she will tell you that the aftermath of the Tennessee tornadoes has been particularly stressful for volunteer workers, especially those who live in the region.Red Cross volunteers manage stress while helping those affected by disaster.

“There are a great number of people affected here because it’s a small community,” said Ternasky, herself a Red Cross volunteer from Gilroy, Calif. “Even if they’re not personally touched, a neighbor was affected or a friend or a brother. The entire community is sharing in the sorrow.”
Stress naturally comes with the job of being a Red Cross volunteer. Individuals manage stress and react to what they see depending on their own past experiences, how often they’ve been out on disaster assignments and their own emotional state when they arrive.
First Time Responders

For first-time responders, witnessing the devastation caused by tornadoes – buildings and trees smashed and tossed like toothpicks, children’s toys, cribs and clothing littering a field, hearing story after story of family members missing or dead – can be overwhelming.

Red Cross volunteer Sandy Loftis hugs a girl affected by tornadoes in Macon Country, Tenn. following one of the worst tornado outbreaks in U.S. history. (Photo credit: American Red Cross)

“I didn’t think that I was going to be as emotionally involved as I was,” said Jamie Kendall, executive director of the Southeastern Coastal Georgia Chapter, who is in Tennessee on her first disaster assignment as a public affairs service associate.

Visiting the scene of a house, six days after it was destroyed by the tornadoes, Jamie and a photographer came upon a young woman searching the rubble near the cement-block foundation where her home had stood. The woman survived with cuts and lacerations, probably thanks to her husband of three months who threw her into a bathtub moments before the tornado hit and protected her with his own body.
As she was treated in a hospital she learned her husband was also there, in a coma. She had left his bedside for the first time that afternoon to return to the house.
“As we were listening to her, I broke down and cried at how raw the situation was,” Jamie said. “That’s the word that I keep coming back to. Everything was so raw. For me, the recovery will be in sharing the power of these experiences.”
Dealing with Stress

Emergency response vehicle (ERV) drivers have been making rounds through devastated neighborhoods for more than a week now, providing meals and comfort to families working to clean up their homes and yards. At every stop, they hear about a grandfather who died after being pulled from the rubble or a four-year-old child next door who didn’t survive. They offer what comfort they can and try to sort out the impact at night, when they are alone with their thoughts.
“You can’t let the people you’re visiting see how stressed you are,” said ERV driver Betty Drinkard, a volunteer from Macon, Ga. “When I find myself about to lose it, I usually just give them a hug.”

Shelter manager and volunteer Marione Gaines’ own home in Lucedale, Miss., was battered by Hurricane Katrina. She started performing community service afterward and is currently working at the Red Cross shelter at the armory in Lafayette, Tenn., with her friend Gloria Lawrence, also a volunteer from Lucedale.

“Everyone in this community has been running on adrenaline, and now that things are settling down, they really need our help,” said Marione. “I have been there. I know what they’re feeling and I can tell them that it does get better.”

Red Cross Efforts Continue After Storms
Red Cross opens service centers throughout the region to offer services to those affected by last week’s deadly storms.

Monday, February 11, 2008 — A line of thunderstorms and tornadoes swept across the midsection of the United States last week, killing more than 50 people, injuring scores of others, and destroying dozens of homes and buildings.
Haleigh Brook, 4, smiles with her comfort kit from the Red Cross. Jackson, Tennessee.

Red Cross chapters responded immediately during the night, opening shelters and providing comfort to those forced from their homes. Almost a week following the storms, the Red Cross relief effort begins to switch focus.

To date, the Red Cross has opened 14 shelters, welcomed 492 overnight guests, and served 9,263 meals. While many of the shelters have since closed their doors, information is still available on a blog (http://redcrosstn.wordpress.com) dedicated to the tornado relief effort.

While the majority of Red Cross disaster assessment has been completed, Red Cross volunteers will remain hard at work in the region to assure that everyone who needs support can receive it. Several Red Cross service centers are open throughout the affected areas of Tennessee for individuals and families who need assistance.

At the service center, each individual or family will have an opportunity to meet one-on-one with a trained interviewer to help determine needs and provide urgently needed assistance. Assistance may include providing them with the means to pay for what they need most — from groceries, new clothing, and rent to emergency home repairs, transportation, household items, medicines, and tools. Red Cross may also be able to refer victims to other agencies which can assist with their needs.
Due to the scale of destruction caused by the many storms, including loss of life, trained Red Cross mental health volunteers and grief counselors will remain available to lend emotional support to those affected and help them begin to work through the powerful emotions they may be experiencing.

Local chapters were truly at the heart of this disaster response and continue to work with support from the Red Cross' national network of resources and supplies.