"...researchers modeled the health consequences for residents in a two-day, citywide blackout during a heat wave, with electricity gradually restored over the next three days.
The results were shocking: in Phoenix, about 800,000 people — roughly half the population — would need emergency medical treatment for heat stroke and other illnesses. The flood of people seeking care would overwhelm the city’s hospitals. More than 13,000 people would die." #heatwave#disasters#climateemergency#ac#power#heatstroke
"Waters across the Atlantic’s tropical belt — extending from the coast of Africa through the Caribbean — are hotter now than in any other late May on record, with over 90% of the area’s sea surface engulfed in record or near-record warmth. The extent of marine heat has never been greater heading into a hurricane season, outpacing by wide margins the previous late May record-holder in 2005, a year remembered for one of the most active and destructive hurricane seasons in modern history." #climate#disasters#hurricanes
New York Times: ‘New Territory’ for Americans: Deadly Heat in the Workplace
"In the coming months, this team of roughly 30 people at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is expected to propose a new rule that would require employers to protect an estimated 50 million people exposed to high temperatures while they work. They include farm laborers and construction workers, but also people who sort packages in warehouses, clean airplane cabins and cook in commercial kitchens. "
"it is expected to meet stiff resistance from some business and industry groups, which oppose regulations that would, in some cases, require more breaks and access to water, shade and air-conditioning.
But even if the rule takes effect, experts say, the government’s emergency response system is poorly suited to meet the urgency of the moment....
Last year was the hottest in recorded history, and researchers are expecting another record-breaking summer, with temperatures already rising sharply across the Sun Belt...
The surge in deaths from heat is now the greatest threat to human health posed by climate change"
LOL -- not laughing at Texans predicament -- and our own -- but the thoughts here that the insurance costs in Texas are linked to "inflation", and not to billion dollar disasters piling up end-to-end in the state. I wonder if they wrote this article before Houston last week. 🤔 #Texas#Insurance#disasters#climate
Seeing a lot of WEA/EAS messages being sent to Barnsdall, Oklahoma... It appears they have few other communications tools with residents after tornadoes hit the town several days ago. #OKwx#comms#Barnsdall#ef3
Resource list for Barnsdall, OK -- maybe useful for other folks for disaster prep. They were just hit by a tornado. First on the list is "Tetanus shots"! #disasterpreparedness#disasters#disasterprep
WaPo: How a friend’s flood damage could affect your climate change preparedness
A study suggests links between social learning and flood insurance purchases.
"Researchers compared new and renewed flood insurance policies in the wake of the storms, both in areas that experienced active flooding and those unaffected by the hurricanes...People in areas with stronger social ties to flooded areas purchased more new flood insurance policies in the three years after Harvey and Irma, they found. "
..."As a result, they suggest, disaster awareness and climate mitigation efforts should take social learning into account, leveraging people’s tendency to learn about climate change risks from their friends’ experiences..." #disasters#peerpressure#insurance#DisasterPreparedness#disasters
AM Radio is already being phased out of some new vehicles, and that is very bad for Emergency Broadcasts and Disaster Management
According to Markey, AM radio operates at lower frequencies and longer wavelengths, enabling it to pass through solid objects and travel further than other radio waves — a feature not shared by FM broadcasts. As a result, FEMA’s National Public Warning System ...continues
New IRS fact sheet: Disaster relief impacts to retirement plans and IRAs
The IRS released a new Fact Sheet on the impact of SECURE 2.0 provision that provides ongoing disaster relief for certain loans and distributions in federally declared major disasters. Before SECURE 2.0, there was no disaster relief that allowed these loans and distributions for all major disasters.
The FAQs help individuals, employers, retirement plan and Individual Retirement Arrangement service providers with general tax information and details about:
Taxation and reporting of qualified disaster recovery distributions
Repayment of qualified distributions taken for the purpose of purchasing or constructing a principal residence in a qualified disaster area
FEMA update on the tornado outbreak earlier today: "Over the weekend 127 tornado touchdowns, 149 wind reports, and 173 hail reports have been reported in Regions VI and VII. The severe weather threat has diminished greatly." #FEMA#tornado#disasters
WaPo: This hurricane season could be among the worst in decades, NOAA warns
The NOAA outlook calls for 17 to 25 tropical storms, 8 to 13 hurricanes and 4 to 7 “major” hurricanes and is the most aggressive May prediction the agency has made.
From @mattlanza (posted elsewhere, but he has an account here he does respond to occasionally)
"For those of you scoring at home, Houston has endured.
2015: Memorial Day flood
2016: Tax Day flood
2017: Harvey
2019: TS Imelda
2020: TS Beta
2021: Grid collapse due to freeze, Hurricane Nicholas
2022: Extreme summer heat/drought
2023: Hottest summer on record
2024: Derecho"
73,856 people without power in TX; 40,741 people without power in Wisconsin; 19,933 people without power in Illinois per Poweroutage.us #grid#power#disasters