Hamilton County Emergency Services
Field Services

 

 

 


EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
NEWS RELEASES

Amy Maxwell, PIO

amym@hamiltontn.gov

 

September 29, 2011

Tennessee American Water Company HazMat Exercise

By: Bruce Garner, PIO Chattanooga Fire Department

 

       

 

Picture #1: Chattanooga Haz-mat personnel, dressed in full protective encapsulated suits, bring in special equipment and successfully stop the leak. The white fog is actually a harmless theatrical smoke often used for haz-mat exercises.

 

Picture #2: The haz-mat personnel get the mock victims away from the leak and hand them off to medics with Hamilton County EMS.

Local emergency responders converged at the Tennessee American Water Company this morning to participate in a hazardous materials exercise. Tennessee American volunteered to host this annual exercise to test its own risk management plan, and to see how it works in conjunction with local responders. Other participants included area hospitals and Hamilton County Schools, with representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) serving as exercise facilitators and evaluators.

The drill scenario called for the release of a hazardous substance. There were three mock victims who pretended to be overcome by the hazardous fumes. It was up to haz-mat technicians with the Chattanooga Fire Department to assess the situation and determine the best course of action to rescue the victims and stop the leak (see attached photos).  Meantime, Chattanooga police determined which roads to block off and Hamilton County EMS made preparations to treat the victims, who may be contaminated. Much of the action was monitored and in some cases coordinated through the Emergency Operations Center on Amnicola Highway.

While responders did their work at the scene, other response personnel sent a test message to the 911 Communications Center to test the public warning systems.  Hamilton County Emergency Services tested its Alert Hamilton County system, commonly called Reverse 911, and also the Emergency Alert System (EAS).  The results were mixed.

Two television stations successfully participated in the exercise and relayed the test message to its viewers. The primary EAS station, WUSY US 101, successfully sent out the test message, but apparently no other radio stations received the test message, or they chose not to participate.

The Alert Hamilton County system called several hundred phone numbers in the test area. Over a period of three attempts to deliver the test message, the system was successful 35.7% of the time. The vast majority were calls to hard-wired (land-line) telephones, but there were a few mobile devices as well. Operators of the alert system point out that it’s difficult to keep the numbers current, and the system will call the same bad numbers over and over again, which makes the success rate look worse. The operators also pointed out that the success rate was much higher for mobile phones, because those numbers were entered voluntarily by residents who want to receive the alerts.

Area residents are encouraged to enter all of their phone numbers into the Alert Hamilton County system, especially their cell phone numbers, so that they will receive free, timely alerts in the event of a real emergency. Operators of the system assure everyone that the system will be used sparingly, and their phone numbers will be kept confidential and will not be turned over to any marketing firms.

Photos from the Emergency Operations Center during the exercise. (By: Amy Maxwell)

                       

                  


 

 

April 12, 2011

 

2011 Hamilton County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan

 

Hamilton County NHMP 2011.pdf

The public is invited to review and comment on a draft of the 2011 update of the Hamilton County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan (NHMP).

The purpose of the Plan is to outline a strategy with specific programs and policies that can be implemented by Hamilton County and local units of government within Hamilton County to reduce the impact of natural hazards on people and property.

For more information, contact Greg Helms at 423-209-6917 or by e-mail, gregoryh@hamiltontn.gov


October 26, 2010

EF2 Tornado Hit the Chattanooga/Hamilton County Area

In afternoon and into the evening, severe storms blew through the Chattanooga/Hamilton County area.  At 6:50 pm, a confirmed tornado touched down at Highway 153 and Access Road. Several 9-1-1 calls were received reporting a multi-car crash on the North end of the Chickamauga Dam. Hamilton County EMS responded and arrived on the scene confirming 7 vehicles involved and 6 patients with minor injuries. All 6 patients were transported to several hospitals for further observation.

According to Hamilton County Emergency Management, the following reports of storm damage are as follows :

·         Lakeshore Terrace at the “Round About” several mobile homes used for Construction Contractors for the Chickamauga Dam had significant damage and debris on the road.

·         The tornado traveled from Access Road to the Lakeshore area and Gann Store Road (Hixson area). Several reports of trees down on homes and 1 home with the roof completely removed from the storm.

·         Lakeshore Apartments received damage to several apartments. The American Red Cross responded to the scene to assist those residents with temporary housing. No confirmed numbers have been accounted for at this time.

·         Besides the injuries from the multi-car crash on the Chickamauga Dam, no injuries have been reported.

 

Hamilton County Emergency Management estimate the preliminary damages to cost $1.5 - $2 Million Dollars

 

(Photos are listed in the Photo Gallery)


September 22, 2009

Flooding in East Ridge cause evacuations

East Ridge officials activated a Local Mutual Aid response to support the evacuation of a retirement center with 120 people to a shelter. Some went to local hospitals due to health reasons, others were met by family members and most of the other residents were transported to designated shelters provided by the American Red Cross. Some of these photos show residents being moved on a flatbed tow truck to safety through the water.

                          

                       


November 2, 2007


Winter is approaching. Hazardous weather can strike with little notice. Tornadoes strike with unwanted regularity. As winter approached five years ago, Tennesseans experienced the secondary severe weather maximum at its worst with the Veterans Day Tornado outbreak. Severe thunderstorms with downburst winds and large hail occur even more frequently. Even with the current drought in East and Middle Tennessee, floods and flash floods can wash people and property away with little notice.


The National Weather Service and the State Emergency Management Agencies would like to bring another weather threat to the forefront and heighten everyone’s awareness of this significant weather threat – Winter Weather.


Last winter was somewhat mild with a few small snow events and several significant snow events across the southern Appalachians. January 16th 2003 saw a snowstorm move across the southern Appalachian region with 4 to 8 inches of snow in many areas. Ample forecast and warning time allowed road crews to react an prevent major problems. The winters the past few years have been relatively mild across the region and lulled everyone into a feeling that those were what a ―Normal winter is like. The Christmas Eve 1998 ice storm caused over 17 million dollars of damage and wide-spread transportation problems. The winter of 95-96 saw many areas of the Southeastern U.S. experiencing a number of very heavy snow and ice storms. Heavy snow or ice can trap people in their homes or automobiles. People are inconvenienced, injured or even killed. Even without snow or ice, intense cold can injure or kill before a person is aware they are at risk. Fatalities from hypothermia have occurred in air temperatures of 40-50 degrees. Persons with certain chronic health conditions and those over 65 are more at risk for hypothermia, even within the home.


One hazard we do not often associate with winter is flooding. Floods occur when too much rain or melted snow fill river or creek basins too quickly. Along Tennessee’s rivers and streams, flooding is a natural part of life and most common during winter and early spring. Frozen ground, sparse vegetation, and less evaporation are all factors that allow water to run off the land and reach the rivers quickly during the cold months.
The States of Virginia and North Carolina will highlight Winter Awareness during the week of December 2nd-8th. The National Weather Service in Morristown and the Tennessee State Emergency management Agency will highlight November 13th-15th to bring these hazards to the attention of the public. We will be sending information through our communications network including the National Weather Service’s NOAA Weather Radio during this period. We hope you will all join in this effort to make this the safest winter possible.


From the Meteorologist in Charge—George Mathews


Winters are always Interesting With the approach of Winter, we all feel a little excitement in the air--will we get hammered with a big snow storm, ice storm, or other crazy weather? I think we all hope we're ready at home for a big winter storm and of course we're preparing for winter here at the NWS. A few years ago, our training would consist of refreshing ourselves with some of the old forecasting techniques and rules of thumb and going over our operational guidelines, etc. Usually, we would depend on a few minor events in November in the higher terrain to get us ready for the bigger storms in the heart of the Winter. Now we're fortunate to actually train on real winter weather with our Weather Event Simulator (WES) from Winter storms in previous years in our area or or from somewhere else. This simulator is essentially a mock-up of one of our work-stations that plays incoming weather information of an event from a previous Winter. Getting to actually go through the processes of analyzing and forecasting a real (recorded) event with real data is priceless. We're going through our paces with our training right now--practicing forecasting winter storms before the first snowflake has landed on top of ol' Smoky. One twist this year is that we are also training on forecasting extreme wind events in the mountains and foot-hills. David Gaffin, one of our Senior Forecasters, has been researching mountain wind events, and we're applying what he has learned in his research to our training. More Snow in the Forecast this Winter Okay, did that get your attention??? This winter we're adding another 24 hours to our actual snow forecast (that's what I mean in the title above--we'll be offering more fore-casting of snow). Last year, the snow accumulation fore-casting extended out to 48 hours, so our forecast issued at 4pm on Monday would potentially address snow accumulations through Wednesday. Of course, our forecast might mention snow in the forecast for Friday (four days away), but accumulations were not included. For this Winter we will add another "day" and "night" period to pass along accumulations. In the example above (forecast issued Monday afternoon), the snow accumulation would also be included (as needed) for Wednesday Night and Thurs-day. Since this is pretty far-reaching and winter forecasting can be very challenging, this part of the forecast will not be numerical, rather it will be qualitative, with phrases such as, "heavy snow accumulations possible", etc. The actual numerical snow accumulation forecast is set for the first three periods, so once again, in the example of the forecast issued on Monday afternoon, the forecast for Tuesday Night would be the last one mentioning numerical accumulations.

Know the Threat!!


Snow and Freezing Rain
Heavy snow and/or freezing ran can immobilize a region and paralyze a city. Accumulations of snow can collapse buildings and knock down trees and power lines. Rural areas may be isolated for days. It is recommended that each household have provisions and the ability to remain self-sufficient for at least 3 days without power, or help, as it may take this long to reopen main roads and reestablish vital services.


Wind Chill
Wind Chill is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by the combined effects of wind and cold. As the wind increases, heat is carried away from the body at an accelerated rate, driving down the body temperature. Animals are also affected by wind chill. The biggest question that always comes up with wind chill is, does it affect water pipes and car radiators. The answer is no, the accelerated loss of heat occurs on exposed skin only.
Hypothermia, Warning Signs, uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness and apparent exhaustion.


Detection
Take the person’s temperature. If below 95 degrees F, immediately seek medical care. This is a life threatening situation. If care is not immediately available, begin warming the person slowly. Warm the core first. Get the person into warm clothing and wrap them in a warm blanket covering the head and neck. Do not give the person alcohol, drugs, coffee, or any very hot beverage or food, warm broth is better. Do not warm the extremities first, this drives cold blood toward the heart and may cause heart failure.


Flooding
Winter is approaching and in addition to being cold and possibly snowy, it’s also the flood season. Leaves are beginning to fall off the trees, and the ground will either freeze or potentially become substantially wet. Leaves trap rain and regulate the rater at which it hits the ground and sinks in. Less leaves = more rain hit-ting the ground faster. Wet or frozen soils can hold much less water than dry ones, and so more water hitting the ground means more runoff, instead of percolating down into the water table. More runoff = more flooding.
The summer of 2005 was relatively wet, however late summer into fall has been pretty dry. The overall rainfall for the year 2005 to date has been much below normal over most of the area. Hence, soils are dry and there is more room for water storage in the reservoirs and water table than in normally available. The out-look for autumn and early winter flooding is lower than normal.


Frostbite
Frostbite is damage to body tissue caused by the tissue being frozen. Frostbite causes the loss of feeling and a white or pale appearance in extremities, such as fingers, toes, earlobes, or the tip of the nose. If symptoms are detected, get medical help IMMEDIATELY. If you must wait for help, slowly re-warm affected areas. If the person is also showing signs of hypothermia, warm the body core before the extremities. Remember the autumn of 2004 when four tropical storms moved across the region and soaked us down good. You always need to be on the lookout for potential flood problems. Even very dry top soil will enable flooding if enough rain falls at once. Rules of safety in rain events are:  Keep an eye on bodies of water at all times Pay attention to the weather where you are AND upstream from you NEVER drive through water running over the road Even after the rain, flooding may have secretly undermined roads beds. If you come to a closed or flooded road, TURN AROUND! DON’T DROWN! Don’t make law enforcement officials have to go looking for you next of kin. If you follow these simple rules, you will never have to say, ―The flood came up so fast, we had no warning!


Be Prepared – Keep a battery powered radio and flash-lights in working order, stock extra batteries.
Store drinking water and have food that can be prepared without an electric or gas stove. Stock emergency water and cooking supplies. Have candles and matches available in case of a power outage. Be careful how you use them.
Be certain that needed medications are available. Be Prepared for isolation at home – Make sure you have sufficient heating fuel; regular fuel sources may be cut off. Have some kind of emergency heating equipment and
fuel so that you can keep at least one room warn, but do NOT use a gas fired grill inside the home. Take measures to protect plumbing from freezing. Contact local utilities for winter tips.Keep your car or truck “winterized” - Winterizing includes being certain about antifreeze protection levels and use a gasoline additive to reduce gasoline freezing. Carry a “Winter Car Kit” that includes high energy foods, a windshield scraper, flashlight, tow rope or chain, shovel, tire chains, blanket, bag of sand or salt, fluorescent distress flag and an emergency flare – all in case you’re trapped in your vehicle by a winter storm. Keep extra gloves, mittens, hats, earmuffs and outerwear in the vehicle throughout the winter.
A Winter Weather Advisory is is-sued when ice or snow is expected to hinder travel, but conditions are not serious enough to require warnings.
Freezing rain is forecast when expected rain is likely to freeze as soon as it strikes the ground, potentially creating a coat of ice on roads and walkways. Sleet consists of small particles of ice mixed with rain. Sleet causes roads to freeze and become slippery.
A Winter Storm Watch means that severe winter weather is possible within the next
day or two.
A Winter Storm Warning means that severe winter weather conditions are expected within the next 24 hours. A blizzard warning means that heavy snow and winds of 35 mph or more are expected.
Be Prepared – Keep a battery powered radio and flashlights in working order, stock extra batteries.
Before the Storm—Preparations
Before the Storm—Know the Terms


Stay Informed – Listen to radio or television for up-dates on weather conditions. With early warning, you may avoid being caught in the storm, or at least be better prepared to cope with it.
Dress for the season : Avoid getting wet – Many layers of thin clothing are warmer than a single layer of thick clothing. Mittens are warmer than gloves. Wear a hat; most body heat is lost through the top of the head. Cover your mouth to protect lungs; don’t directly inhale extremely cold air.
Overexertion can bring on a heart attack – a major cause of death during and after winter storms – If shoveling snow isn’t critical, don’t do it. If you must shovel, don’t overexert yourself.
If you are isolated at home – Conserve fuel by keeping your house cooler than usual and by “closing off” heat to some rooms. When kerosene heaters are used, maintain ventilation to avoid toxic fumes. Use only the fuel recommended by the manufacturer and follow operating instructions. Use a carbon-monoxide detector/alarm and a smoke alarm.
Do Not Drive into Worsening Conditions – If you must travel, take winter driving seriously. Travel by daylight, and keep others informed of your schedule. Drive with extreme caution. Never try to save time by driving fast or by using back-road short-cuts.
If a Blizzard traps you in your vehicle – Pull off the highway, stay calm and remain in your vehicle where rescuers are most likely to find you. Set your directional lights to “flashing” and hang a cloth or distress flag from the radio antenna or window.
Do not set out on foot unless you can see a building close by where you know you can take shelter. Be careful: distances are distorted by blowing snow. A building may seem close, but actually may be too far away to walk to in deep snow.

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During the Storm

(1) Before evacuating your home, establish a contact person (and phone number) out of the potential disaster area where friends and relatives should “check-in” with each other.


(2) When you evacuate, consider leaving a note, securely
attached to the front door, telling where you can be reached – but only if you have reason to believe someone might come looking for you.


(3) If widespread damage occurs, insurance adjusters or others might have trouble identifying your home or finding you. After the danger is over, therefore, consider spray painting the following information somewhere that is highly visible: Name, address, insurance company, policy number and contact number
If you run the engine to keep warm, open a window slightly for ventilation. This will help protect you from possible carbon monoxide poisoning. Periodically clear away snow from the exhaust pipe.
Exercise to maintain body heat, but avoid overexertion. In extreme cold, use road maps, seat covers, and floor mats for insulation. Huddle with passengers and use your coats as blankets.
Never let everyone in the car sleep at one time. One person should always be awake to look out for rescue crews.
Be careful not to use up all battery power. Balance electrical energy needs – the use of lights, heat and radio with supply. At night, turn on the inside dome light, so work crews can spot you.


If in a remote area:
Spread a large cloth or the vehicle floor mats on the snow to attract rescue personnel who may be surveying the area from above. Once the blizzard passes, you may need to leave the car and proceed on foot to better shelter.
Keeping in Touch After any disaster, friends, relatives, insurance adjusters, etc. may need to locate you and your family.
 


September 28, 2007

DROUGHT 2007 TASK FORCE

SITUATION REPORT No. 11

      DROUGHT 2007

 

TENNESSEE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

DATE: September 28, 2007

Operational Period:  September 28,  thru October 5

Published: September 28, 2007

COMPILER: NICK FIELDER  TDEC ESC  Nick.Fielder@state.tn.us

________________________________________________________________________________________

 

CURRENT SITUATION SUMMARY:  

US Drought Monitor, September 25, 2007


September 4, 2007

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will hold its fourth annual National Preparedness Month in September and encourage Americans to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and communities.

Hamilton County Emergency Services (HCES) wants the citizens of Hamilton County to know it is vital to take steps to prepare for emergencies at home, work or school. HCES encourages residents of Hamilton County to get an emergency supply kit, make a family emergency plan, be informed about the different types of emergencies and get involved in preparing their communities.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security developed a nation-wide website for anyone to access and obtained information on emergency preparedness, www.ready.gov . This website is designed to educate Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies, including natural disasters and potential terrorist attacks.

Personal preparedness is paramount to effectively reacting to the effects of a disaster. By preparing yourself, your family and your businesses, you allow emergency personnel to prioritize efforts and aid.

In partnership with HCES, the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department encourages others to plan, prepare, and protect themselves and their loved ones in the event of an emergency. The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department is offering individual and family information to help residents prepare for a flu pandemic. Call (423) 209-8074 for more information.


June 18, 2007

Lightning—The Underrated Killer

In the United States, there are an estimated 25 million lightning flashes each year. During the past 30 years, lightning killed an average of 66 people per year . This is more than the average of 65 deaths per year caused by tornadoes. Yet because lightning usually claims only one or two victims at a time and does not cause mass destruction of property, it is underrated as a risk. While documented lightning injuries in the United States average about 300 per year, undocumented injuries likely much higher.

Watch for Developing Thunderstorms: Thunderstorms are most likely to develop on spring or summer days but can occur year round. As the sun heats the air, pockets of warmer air start to rise and cumulus clouds form. Continued heating can cause these clouds to grow vertically into towering cumulus clouds, often the first sign of a developing thunderstorm.

An Approaching Thunderstorm: When to Seek Safe Shelter: Lightning can strike as far as 10 miles from area where it is raining. That's about the distance you can hear thunder. If you can hear thunder, you are within striking distance. Seek safe shelter immediately.

Outdoor Activities: Minimize the Risk of Being Struck: Most lightning deaths and injuries occur in the summer. Where organized outdoor sports activities take place, coaches, camp counselors and other adults must stop activities at the first roar of thunder to ensure everyone time to get a large building or enclosed vehicle. Leaders of outdoors events should have a written plan that all staff are aware of and enforce.

Indoor Activities: Things to Avoid: Inside building, stay off corded phones, computers and other electrical equipment that put you in direct contact with electricity or plumbing. Buy ground fault protectors for key equipment. When inside, wait 30 minutes after the last strike, before going out again.

Helping a Lightning Strike Victim: If a person is struck by lightning, call 911 and get medical care immediately. Cardiac arrest and irregularities, burns, and nerve damage are common in cases where people are struck by lightning. However, with proper treatment, including CPR if necessary, most victims survive a lightning strike. You are in no danger helping a lightning victim. The charge will not affect you.

Summary: Lightning is dangerous. With common sense, you can greatly increase your safety and your surroundings. At the first clap of thunder, go a large building or fully enclosed vehicle and wait 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder to back outside.

When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!


02/09/06

February 19th - 24th is Tennessee Severe Weather Awareness WeekClick here for more information.

download pamphlet


02/02/06

Click here for news release "NOAA’S NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IMPROVES TORNADO RATING SYSTEM"


 

02/02/06

NOAA SAYS LA NIÑA HERE AS PREDICTED - Expect Northwest Storminess and More Drought in South/Southwest. Click here for more information