Scientists capture deepest underwater volcanic eruption on film
By Phil Han, CNNAuthor "By Phil Han, CNN"
This is the first time an underwater volcanic eruption has ever been caught on film
Scientists have been trying for 25 years to film an underwater eruption
The West Mata volcano lies 1.2 km below the ocean surface
Scientists hope to study tectonic plate movements and the Earth's crust
Emergency Management Standards and Schools
National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities
2009
There are no nationally-adopted emergency management standards for schools,but the U.S. Department of Education’s Practical Information on Crisis Planning: A Guide for Schools and Communities, which provides a four-phase approach to school emergency planning activities, is widely used throughout the country.
In addition, many states and local school districts have their own emergency management mandates, policies, and procedures, often based on this guide.
A number of emergency management standards intended for voluntary adoption by emergency response organizations are produced by standards-making organizations such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS), and ASTM International (formerly the American Society for Testing and Materials).
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FEMA’s National Incident Management System (NIMS) ― a nationwide, comprehensive approach for addressing all hazards ― recommends the following voluntary standards for emergency management use. Schools are encouraged to review these standards carefully and to adopt, where applicable, those that meet their needs. Questions about their application should be addressed to your local or state emergency response organizations.
Additional Resources
■ NIMS Resource Center. Provides complete information about NIMS and its extensive resources, http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nims/index.shtm
■ National Integration Center, Incident Management Systems Integration Division (IMSID). Manages the NIMS program and publishes the standards, guidelines, and compliance protocols for federal, state, tribal, and local governments to implement NIMS, http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nims/AboutNIMS.shtm
■ NIMS Implementation Activities for Schools and Higher Education Institutions, U.S. Department of Education. Presents a set of key school and campus emergency management activities to enhance the relationship among schools and campuses, their respective local governments, and their community partners as they communicate, collaborate, and coordinate on NIMS activities, http://rems.ed.gov/index.cfm?event=NIMS
■ Introduction to the Incident Command System, I-100, for Schools. A free online, independent study course provided by FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute, developed collaboratively by the Departments of Education and Homeland Security for use by K-12 personnel, http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/IS100sca.asp
Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden warned Americans “to be prepared to receive the consequences of the Obama and Bush administrations.” In a new recorded audiotape aired by Arabic Al Jazeera TV Wednesday, June 3 - as Saudi king Abdullah greeted US president Barack Obama on his arrival in Riyadh - bin Laden said Obama had planted the seeds for “revenge and hatred” toward the United States in the Muslim world.
The warning was issued the day before the US president was to deliver a speech to Muslims from Cairo.
This story comes to us via Homeland Security - National Terror Alert. National Terror Alert is America's trusted source for homeland security news and information.
Secretary Napolitano Dispatches Senior Department Officials to Review Security Procedures With International Airport Leaders
Release Date: December 31, 2009
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010
Secretary Napolitano to travel in the coming weeks to build on these efforts
Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today announced that she is dispatching Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute, Assistant Secretary for Policy David Heyman and other senior Department officials on a broad international outreach effort to meet with leaders from major international airports in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and South America to review security procedures and technology being used to screen passengers on flights bound for the United States.
“As part of the ongoing review to determine exactly what went wrong leading up to Friday’s attempted terrorist attack, we are looking not only at our own processes, but also beyond our borders to ensure effective aviation security measures are in place for U.S-bound flights that originate at international airports,” said Secretary Napolitano. “Because I am fully committed to making whatever changes are necessary to protect the safety of the traveling public, I am sending Deputy Secretary Lute and Assistant Secretary Heyman to work with our international partners on ways to collectively bolster our tactics for defeating terrorists wherever they may seek to launch an attack, and I will follow up on these efforts with ministerial-level meetings within the next few weeks.”
Deputy Secretary Lute and Assistant Secretary Heyman will first travel to Europe , departing on Monday. While there, they will brief European authorities on the findings of President Obama’s aviation security review and then report back to Secretary Napolitano on their discussions on enhancing international security measures.
Following the attempted attack on Christmas Day, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issued a directive for additional security measures to be implemented for last point of departure international flights to the United States , such as increased gate pat-downs and bag searches. At the direction of the flight crew, passengers may also be asked to follow additional instructions, such as stowing personal items, turning off electronic equipment and remaining seated during certain portions of the flight.
Other security measures implemented have included the deployment of additional law enforcement at airports, air marshals, and explosives detection canine teams. TSA will continue to work with airline and law enforcement authorities, as well as federal, state, local and international partners to put additional security measures in place to ensure that aviation security remains strong. For more information on current security measures, visit www.tsa.gov.
2010 Community Breakfast & State of the City Address
Join your city leaders and neighbors at this year's Community Breakfast. The City of San José’s annual Community Breakfast will feature Mayor Reed’s State of the City address. The event will also recognize Outstanding Citizens from each City Council District and present exemplary city employees with the Pride of San José award. The event will be on Thursday, February 18, 2010 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. San José McEnery Convention Center located at
150 West San Carlos Street. Tickets must be purchased in advance of the event. Seats are $25 per person. Tables can be reserved by purchasing 10 tickets ($250). For more information on the event and tickets, please call the Mayor's Office at (408) 535-4800 or click the link below.
From Councilmember Pete Constant's February 2010 newsletter. "Local community leaders nominated by their councilmembers will receive the Good Neighbor Award and the Pride of San José Award is earned by city employees who go above and beyond the call of duty. I am pleased to announce that Ed and Patty Brooks from the Strawberry Park Neighborhood Association have been selected from our district to receive the Good Neighbor Award"
Stanford Report, October 16, 2009
Is Stanford ready for the next big earthquake?
L.A. Cicero
Larry Gibbs, associate vice provost for EH&S
BY ELAINE RAY
As Bay Area residents look back on the Loma Prieta earthquake, Stanford Report asked university emergency officials how things have changed since the magnitude 6.9 temblor rocked the campus in 1989. Larry Gibbs, associate vice provost for Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S), and Keith Perry, emergency manager in EH&S, offered their expertise on how the campus community can prepare for the next Big One.
Q. What lessons have we learned in the past 20 years?
A. Stanford has moved forward in a number of critical areas. The major lessons learned include the need to be better prepared for any type of emergency that may impact the university, from an earthquake to power outages to pandemics. Emergency planning needs to be an integrated aspect of the business operations of every academic and administrative unit.
Another component of effective emergency management is communication. Stanford has made significant improvements in its ability to communicate to staff, faculty and students through the implementation of the AlertSU mass-notification system and the outdoor warning system, both of which were tested on Thursday.
Q. How are our preparations different from what they were 20 years ago?
A. Stanford has made significant investment in the protection of the critical infrastructure of the campus, from completion of seismic retrofitting of many buildings to the development of backup and redundancy systems for our extensive electronic administrative systems and records.
L. A. Cicero
Keith Perry, emergency manager in EH&S
In the area of emergency planning and response, Stanford has developed an emergency management system in which all units of the university participate. During a campus-wide emergency we can activate a central emergency operations center that is led by the president and provost and staffed by the senior university management. In addition, 25 satellite operations centers, which include all the schools and operational units of the university, can be activated. Our all-hazards campus-response capabilities focus on preparing for a major earthquake and at the same time allow us to manage other types of emergencies.
Emergency management is an element of every school and unit at the university. With a focus on personal preparedness combined with an organizational effort, we must be able to respond to the overall needs of the institution. The guiding principles used in development of the overall emergency management program include protection of life safety, securing of the critical infrastructure and facilities, and resuming the teaching and research programs.
Stanford also recently received a significant grant from the Department of Education to further develop programs, strategies and templates for use by other colleges and universities in developing their own emergency plans. This program demonstrates that there is a growing understanding of the challenges and significant efforts required to implement an effective emergency management program on a university campus.
Q. How do earthquake preparations figure into the construction of new buildings?
A. Building codes have changed substantially since 1989, and facilities built since then are constructed with seismic structural considerations as one of the core requirements. Many Stanford buildings are constructed to standards above and beyond basic code compliance. Additionally, Stanford has made significant investment in the protection of the critical infrastructure of the campus, from completion of seismic retrofitting of many buildings to the development of backup and redundancy systems for our extensive electronic administrative systems and records.
Q. How should individual faculty, staff and students prepare for the possibility of an earthquake?
A. One of the main tenets of emergency management is to be personally prepared for an earthquake. Every person should have a personal plan for themselves and their families. Know what to do if you feel the shaking begin, and understand the basic survival needs for having to be on your own without power and other amenities for up to 72 hours. Work out a communications plan with family and friends. If you need assistance developing a plan, Environmental Health and Safety offers a monthly class on personal preparedness. It is open to all staff and faculty. To register, go into STARS via Axess and sign up for EHS-5090, "Personal Emergency Preparedness."
Q. How should departments and other units prepare?
A. All departments on campus should have a basic life-safety plan based on university-provided templates. This plan should be communicated to all staff so that there is a basic understanding of how to respond during an emergency. This includes evacuation procedures, emergency assembly points and staff phone trees. In addition, departments should evaluate their operations to identify mission-critical functions and develop strategies to ensure that those functions can be maintained or quickly resumed after a business interruption. Each local organization will be best positioned to identify where their critical assets lie and what type of interruption will have a significant impact on their operation. For more information on university emergency plans, visit our website or send us an email.
24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Hotline advocates are available for victims and anyone calling on their behalf to provide crisis intervention, safety planning, information and referrals to agencies in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Assistance is available in English and Spanish with access to more than 170 languages through interpreter services. If you or someone you know is frightened about something in your relationship, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or TTY 1-800-787-3224. Website www.ndvh.org/
Surviving Disaster – How To Survive A Nuclear Attack
This week on Surviving Disaster, host Cade Courtley demonstrates the steps you can take to survive a nuclear attack by terrorists on a major U.S. city.
I had the opportunity to assist in the research for this episode and while it’s incredibly difficult to capture all of the information one would need to survive such a scenario in a short/concise format, the writers and producers of Surviving Disaster did an amazing job.
A 10 kiloton nuclear device detonating in a major U.S.city is a catastrophe on a scale that few can even comprehend.
Surviving Disaster strikes an excellent balance between reality and entertainment while providing a level of detail and accuracy that few others have been able to achieve.
Each full episode of this show is available for on week after its on-air premiere. Episodes are added immediately following their premiere date. After one full week of online availability each episode is taken down for one month. After the month has gone by the episode returns and is available for you to watch indefinitely.
Please be aware that selected full episodes and clips are only available for viewing on Spike TV’s site users located within the United States and Canada.
The Big Rumble is an annual event series aimed at providing the residents of San Francisco with the information and knowledge to prepare, respond and recover in the event of a disaster. By engaging the public through a variety of channels, The Big Rumble will offer meaningful opportunities for hands-on experience to help make the concept of disaster preparedness and recovery more tangible to the San Francisco community.
Events are planned through the week of Oct 14 – 17, 2009, including Shake Out SF 2009, a 2-day summit, public/neighborhood events and culminating in a ceremony to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake. A city-wide earthquake drill will be conducted in conjunction with a state-wide drill.
This full day commemorative event on October 17, 2009 will highlight lessons learned from the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, accomplishments in the 20-years since the earthquake, and future initiatives that will continue to make our cities and built environment safer from earthquakes.
Marina Earthquake Memorial
The original 53-year-old, sixteen-foot tower monitor from the Fireboat Phoenix will be incorporated into an urban monument as a permanent memorial to the 1989 Loma Prietaearthquake. It will commemorate the Fireboat Phoenix (built in 1954) and the Portable Water Supply System (PWSS - invented in S.F. by Asst. Chief Frank Blackburn (ret.), SFFD, in 1984) that worked together to save the Marina District from a major fire that followed the 1989 Earthquake.
The monument will be placed on an existing plot of grass by the SFFD reserved parking area adjacent to the Marina Green along the S.F. Bay. It will serve as both a tribute to the San Francisco Fire Department’s response and interaction with neighborhood citizens in 1989, and as an educational tool that can show how the PWSS works using water from the SF Bay.
U.S. counterterrorism officials have authenticated a video by an al Qaeda recruiter threatening to smuggle a biological weapon into the United States via tunnels under the Mexico border, the latest sign of the terrorist group’s determination to stage another mass-casualty attack on the U.S. homeland.
The video aired earlier this year as a recruitment tool makes clear that al Qaeda is looking to exploit weaknesses in U.S. border security and also is willing to ally itself with white militia groups or other anti-government entities interested in carrying out an attack inside the United States, according to counterterrorism officials interviewed by The Washington Times.
The officials, who spoke only on the condition they not be named because of the sensitive nature of their work, stressed that there is no credible information that al Qaeda has acquired the capabilities to carry out a mass biological attack although its members have clearly sought the expertise.
Quote from the video - “Four pounds of anthrax — in a suitcase this big -= carried by a fighter through tunnels from Mexico into the U.S. are guaranteed to kill 330,000 Americans within a single hour if it is properly spread in population centers there,” the recruiter said.
This story comes to us via Homeland Security - National Terror Alert. National Terror Alert is America's trusted source for homeland security news and information.
WHO Says Swine Flu Verging on Pandemic
Posted: 02 Jun 2009 04:41 PM PDT
The World Health Organization said Tuesday it is “getting closer” to declaring a global outbreak of the swine flu virus as the infection appears to be taking hold outside of North America.
WHO flu chief Keiji Fukuda said the disease has reached 64 countries and infected 18,965 people, causing 117 deaths.
The overwhelming majority of cases and deaths have been reported in Mexico and the United States, but increasingly the virus is spreading from person to person in countries as far apart as Britain, Spain, Japan, Chile and Australia.
“We still are waiting for evidence of really widespread community activity in these countries, and so it’s fair to say that they are in transition and are not quite there yet, which is why we are not in phase 6 yet,” Fukuda said.
Phase 6 is the highest alert on WHO’s scale, signaling a pandemic _ a global epidemic. In terms of the geographic spread of swine flu, the world is “at phase 5 but getting closer to phase 6,” Fukuda said.
WHO is now debating whether to add a second measure that indicates how dangerous the virus is _ rather than just how widespread _ after several countries raised concerns that declaring a global pandemic could cause mass confusion and panic even though it is still unclear how dangerous the virus will be.
Some nations have already imposed costly trade and travel barriers, “drastic actions” that Fukuda said WHO would seek to prevent.
This story comes to us via Homeland Security - National Terror Alert. National Terror Alert is America's trusted source for homeland security news and information.
The World Health Organization raised its pandemic alert to 5, its second-highest level Wednesday, indicating the outbreak of swine flu that originated in Mexico is nearing widespread human infection.
Dr. Margaret Chan, the U.N. agency’s director-general, said the decision means that all countries should “immediately” activate pandemic preparedness plans.
“This change to a higher phase of alert is a signal to governments, to ministries of health and other ministries, to the pharm industry and the business community that certain actions now should be taken with increased urgency and at an accelerated pace,” Chan said.
The announcement came as the number of people infected with swine flu increased rapidly across the world, and health officials scrambled to get more information about the virus — which has no vaccine.
Phase 5 alert means there is sustained human to human spread in at least two countries. It also signals that efforts to produce a vaccine will be ramped up.
Did you know blood & Platelet donations are a huge part of emergency preparedness? Most people do not make the correlation between emergency preparedness and blood supply. During any disaster natural or man made, many people often suffer life threatening injuries that require the need for blood transfusions. Keeping an adequate supply of blood & platelets on hand is already a challenge on a daily basis. There are daily occurrences that constantly draw on supplies such as premature births, illness, traumatic accidents and research - just to name a few.
Having an adequate supply of blood immediately after a major disaster is not likely. Many people will come together AFTER a disaster to donate. It takes days to process blood & platelets before it can be utilized, many victims of disaster often don’t have days to wait and their lives can be lost without an adequate supply of blood.
Many people have prepared their family and themselves for a disaster by creating a family plan, keeping a Go Bag or home emergency kit on hand. Often when people prepare for a disaster, a vacation or even just a trip to the grocery store they check their supplies to assure themselves they will have everything they need on hand, but very few people realize that blood & platelets are also a needed supply that should be well stocked.
After a major disaster the Government may be able to provide some supplies after a disaster, usually they can buy trailers, ice, food, blankets to provide for an affected community, but they can not buy blood and platelets or replace a needed supply. Only the community itself can provide a well stocked supply by donating blood & platelets on a regular basis, by holding blood drives within our communities and getting the word out about making the correlation between blood supply and emergency preparedness. This is why I have been working diligently to get disaster preparedness organizations to implement this information into their literature and public announcements.
Often people assume that hospitals will have the blood type they need on hand, how can we be sure that there will be an adequate blood supply available BEFORE the next major disaster? There are a few answers to this question: Donate regularly and teacher your children early on about the importance of blood donations.
I remember going with my mother as a young teenager and watching her donate. I was able to ask her many questions and what she could not answer the person drawing her blood could. This was a wonderful experience for me as I grew into an adult I had no fears about donating blood. I was excited to donate my first time and went on to hold blood drives within my community. Contact your local American Red Cross (www.givelife.org/index_flash.cfm) and donate today. For more information on donating blood clickthe "Donate Blood" tab above.
Do you know where to start when it comes to getting your neighborhood prepared?
By Patty Brooks
After being sent Life Safety Assoc. by my job to be trained as an Emergency Response Team member I was hooked. I went home and began a regimen to prepare my family. I found CERT and completed the course with my husband. My husband went to the local fire station first aid & CPR class offered once a month in our community.
I had my children train through Boy Scouts for first aid & CPR. I taught them through home drills and mock emergencies.
Yet still I worried about my neighbors and my community. I want to do more for them. I started a Neighborhood Association with in my neighborhood. Our second quarterly meeting held we had our local OES program come to teach a 2 hour course on Home & Family Disaster Preparedness. 37 neighbors attended this was a great start.
Six month later we held an Emergency Preparedness Awareness Fair & Blood Drive and 327 more neighbors attended, 120 signed up to learn more. I received many emails from attendees following the event letting me know how they went home and built a family emergency kit.
Contact your Neighborhood Association and promote Emergency Preparedness in your neighborhood.
Contact your council member’s office in your district, They can tell who to contact to find out how to join if you already have one.
If your neighborhood does not have one, it is very simple to start one. Your councilmember's office can help you start one. They can also tell you how to get funding and put in you in touch with others who are seasoned.
What do you need?
- A few people to create a Board i.e. President, Vice President, Secretary & Treasurer. (No worries, I've seen them start with less)
- Meet with your local council member's office.
- Pick your boundaries, (what area of your neighborhood do you wish to represent)
- As a Board, Create your Bylaws. (What is your purpose? what is the definition of a member? What are the names and positions of your board? What are your rules for voting, passing a motions?
- A bank account.
- An EIN (employee identification number) number to open your bank account under the association's name. (This can be done online and at no cost.)
- Your Council member's office will inform you of funding opportunities (if any) to pay for fliers and events. There are others ways such as charging a small yearly fee to join (i.e. $15 whatever amount your board decides), Hold fund raising events (which are free). These are all great ways to raise awareness of your new association.
- Hold Blood Drives and awareness events, take the local CERT course together, invite speakers to speak at your meeting such as your council member, police officers, firemen, this will help bring people in to your meeting and association as well.
- Find out who in your neighborhood are elderly or disabled and who need checking on after a disaster.
I have a template for awareness fairs and great ideas on free events that not only raise awareness of your Neighborhood Association but will also benefit the community as well.
A Family Earthquake drill that will help prepare & educate your family.
By Patty Brooks
Having a plan is a good idea. Actually testing that plan is even better. Knowing your children could survive without you after a disaster because you have prepared an emergency kit and they can locate the kit, food, water, shelter, and call a relative they haven’t seen in years and give them the appropriate information, now that’s a great plan.
Here is a drill I created to help prepare my Family for an emergency in the event an earthquake should hit and they are alone. Knowing my children have been drilled helps me feel for comfortable that my children could survive on their own (for a while) after a disaster.
I run this drill every six months.
I will be honest with you, because my kids are teens and money is their currency, I bribe them with this drill. I tell them that anyone who gets 400 points will receive $20.00 and anyone who earns 300 points will get $10.00. Nothing less pays. You can choose your own reward system. What ever your reward system costs you, rest assured it will be worth the education in the long run.
(Preparation):
First, you should read through this drill and prepare an emergency kit with all the items listed in this drill for your family, store it in an outdoor place that is safe and dry. By the end of your preparing for and going through this drill your family will be better prepared in case of an emergency.
When you run this drill you must follow three rules.
1. This drill must have the element of surprise just as an earthquake, give no warning.
2. Drill each child individually. (No one is to watch or listen).
3. Unannounced, ask the first child to step out to the driveway and say the following.
There has just been an earthquake; (your town) is the epicenter. The magnitude is a 7.1.
You are all alone. It is daylight outside. Your parents are at work.
The house is off its foundation, the frame is tweaked. The windows are unsafe because of the broken glass, the doors won’t open. You cannot go back inside.
Now think, what are you going do first?
Ask them “Do you smell gas?”
If they say “yes”, tell them that they must leave the area, ask them where they plan to go?
(Remember your answer for future reference)
If they say “No” continue below.
Tell your child:
I hope you have your cell phone with you. Because you will need to make 3 phone calls. Do you know who to call? And do you know what to say?
(Preparation) The two calls should be to one out of state relative and one out of town relative.
This is a great opportunity for the kids to get used to speaking to long distance relatives and make sure they have the numbers they need with them. If they don’t have a cell phone, keep a list of numbers with the family emergency kit. Ask them if they know where the nearest phone booth is located? (Place a phone outside they can use if necessary.
(Preparation)) You will need to call the relatives first and clue them in on the drill and the information they should receive during a call, this will give your relatives practice as well.)
(Parents)The information they should give is: Their name, their location, what their current condition is, who else is there with them and what they know about the event and when they will check in again.
(example)Their call should sound something like this:
“Hello Aunt Sherry, This is Austin, I am at my house, I am okay and have no injuries, I am alone, and there has been an earthquake. I will call back in 2 hours.”
You get 20 points for each correct person you call and 10 more for giving the correct information.
For more points find a water supply: There are 2 sources. You will need to find them. Each source is worth 25 points
Now find a food supply so you will have food to eat for 50 points.
How will you prepare it?
Find a cooking source and the fuel to operate it to collect another 10 points.
So you found the Stove.
Remind your child that he/she must be in an open area to do this. Remember Safety first.
After you have shown me that you can make the stove work I will give you another 50 points.
Now lets pretend that you have burned your finger…Do you have a first aid kit? If so, show me how you will care for your injury for 20 points.
It’s almost night fall. You will need shelter for a place to sleep, a way to stay warm & a flash light. Explain to me what you will do for shelter and for a bed, show me a blanket and show me a flash light. For 20 points each.
Total possible points at this point is 300 points
If you own an emergency generator there is one more step.
Locate and start the generator for 100 points bonus points.
CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE SURVIVED.
Talk as a family about the experience and what could have been done differently, make changes to the drill to meet the needs of your family or to be more in depth, have fun with it and learn from it.
S. Bay's Magnitude 4.3 Quake Reveals New Fault
MORGAN HILL (CBS 5) ―
CBS 5 seismograph records the Morgan Hill quake.
A moderate earthquake in Silicon Valley that shook much of the Bay Area late Monday morning occurred on a previously unknown fault, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The magnitude 4.3 temblor occured at 10:40 a.m. and had a depth of 3.9 miles, the USGS said.
It was centered 11 miles north of Morgan Hill, 12 miles east of Seven Trees, 13 miles southeast of Alum Rock and 16 miles southeast from San Jose.
Geophysicist Jack Boatwright of the USGS said the small, unmapped fault that appeared to have produced the earthquake was believed to be a "splay fault" off the Calaveras Fault, which is itself a branch off the San Andreas Fault.
The fault crosses the hills east of San Jose, an area that is difficult to map.
Because the new fault is not considered a major fault, experts at the USGS did not believe Monday's quake was a precursor to a larger temblor.
There were no reports of any damage or injuries from Monday's shaking, authorities said.
Bay Area Rapid Transit and San Francisco municipal transit suspended service for several minutes to do a routine after-earthquake check for damages.
Caltrain spokeswoman Christine Dunn said the quake did not cause any delays for her rail agency and all trains continued running on schedule.
Dispatchers with the Morgan Hill and San Jose police departments described the quake as "short, but strong." Click to read full story
Another moderate earthquake struck today near the San Andreas fault in Imperial County, seismologists said.
The magnitude 4.8 quake hit about 4:55 a.m. two miles south of Bombay Beach on the eastern shore of the Salton Sea, according to the U.S. Geological Survey website. The quake had occurred at a depth of 3.5 miles.
"The only interesting thing about this one is that it occurred at the end of the San Andreas fault," said Kate Hutton, a seismologist at Caltech. "Bombay Beach is considered the southern end of the San Andreas fault. The last swarm of earthquakes similar to this was in 2001. We're watching it closely. We'll be analyzing everything."
There have been at least 23 aftershocks, the largest a 3.1, which struck at 6:52 a.m. in the same area, Hutton said. No damage was reported in the thinly populated area.
Over the weekend, the Salton Sea was struck by 42 smaller quakes during a 48-hour period, beginning Saturday morning and tapering off early Monday. Scientist have been keeping a close watch on the region because they believe an earthquake there could set off a fault movements leading to a major earthquake that would devastate Los Angeles.
Massive Economic Disaster Seems Possible -- Will Survivalists Get the Last Laugh?
By Scott Thill, AlterNet.
With multiple crises on the horizon, survivalist views don't seem as marginal as they did before.
They used to be paranoid preparation nuts who built bomb shelters for a place to duck and cover during nuclear dustups with communist heathens, but their tangled roots go back to the Great Depression for a reason. If you want to get sociological about it, survivalism started out as a response to economic catastrophe. And now, with a cratering stock market, a housing meltdown that has devalued everything in sight, and skyrocketing prices for food, gas and pretty much everything else, survivalists are preparing for -- and are prepared for -- the rerun. In fact, they may be the only people in America feeling good about the prospects of a major crash.
And the interesting thing about the once-fringe movement at this moment in history is that survivalism has now gone green -- at least in theory.
For months now, counterterrorism officials have seen signs that al-Qaida has been looking for new and innovative ways to recruit terrorists, including a new manual that has surfaced on the Internet.
Researchers at West Point recently stumbled on the 51-page manual while they were visiting a jihadi chat room, called Ecles. It’s a Web site that allows members to have interactive discussions, post videos and download manuals. Ecles is the second most popular jihadi chat room on the Web, and al-Qaida often posts things there. Because of that, it is a place counterterrorism analysts track regularly.
So when the West Point analysts discovered a step-by-step primer called “The Art of Recruiting Mujahedeen,” it got their attention. On one level, the manual might be an early indication that al-Qaida is trying to identify new sleeper terrorists. On the other hand, the book is so basic it seems to suggest al-Qaida is getting desperate for new members.
Brian Fishman, the head of research at West Point’s Combating Terrorism Center, says he was struck by the remedial tone of the book. At the end of a chapter, for example, there are questions to judge both the recruiter’s progress and the recruit’s.
“The recruiter himself doesn’t have to use a lot of judgment — they are simply the intermediary for the technique that is being taught in the handbook,” Fishman says.
Here’s how the manual, as translated by the CIA, suggests a recruiter build a rapport with a recruit:
“This stage lasts approximately three weeks,” it says. “You must do something important at this stage. You must identify his interests and relations with people and how he spends the whole 24 hours, meaning you study him secretly to be reassured about your choice.”
This section touches on such things as being nice to the recruit. It suggests the recruiter pretend to be his friend, perhaps even buy him small gifts. It ends with a questionnaire to assess progress. “Is the recruit anxious to see you?” it asks. You get one point for “no” and three points for “yes.” Does he accept your advice and respect your opinion? It reads a little like one of those relationship quizzes in women’s magazines. “If you have received less than 10 points, you are on the wrong path, repeat the stages from the beginning. From 10 to 18, you are on your way.”
Customer Safety Call 911 for Downed Lines Your safety is our first concern. If you see a downed power line, assume it is energized and keep yourself and others away. Call 911 immediately to report the location of the downed line then 1-800-743-5002, PG&E's 24-Hour Emergency and Customer Service Line.
During and after a storm, please keep away from flooded areas and downed trees, as these areas could be hiding an energized power line.
Preparing for Power Outages
* Have battery-operated flashlights and radios with fresh batteries ready. Listen for updates on storm conditions and power outages.
* If you have a telephone system that requires electricity to work (such as a cordless phone or answering machine), plan for alternate communication - have a standard telephone handset, cellular telephone or pager ready as a back up.
* Freeze plastic containers filled with water to make blocks of ice that can be placed in your refrigerator/freezer during an outage to prevent foods from spoiling.
During an Outage
* When the power is out, unplug or turn off all electric appliances to avoid overloading circuits and fire hazards when power is restored. Simply leave a single lamp on to alert you when power returns. Turn your appliances back on one at a time when conditions return to normal.
* If you have a standby generator, make sure that it's installed safely and inform PG&E to avoid risking damage to your property and endangering PG&E line workers who may be working on nearby power lines.
* Avoid the risk of fire by not using candles. If you must use candles, keep them away from drapes, lampshades and small children. Do not leave candles unattended.
Report a Power Outage: 1-800-743-5002
* Before calling PG&E about a power outage, check to see if other neighbors are affected. This would confirm if an outage has occurred in just your residence or within the neighborhood area.
* If only your residence is without power, check circuit breakers and/or fuse boxes to see if the problem is limited to the home electric system.
* After performing the steps above, single or neighborhood outages can be reported to: PG&E's 24-Hour Emergency and Customer Service Line: 1-800-743-5002
* Once your outage has been reported, you can call PG&E's Outage Information Line at 1-800-743-5002 to get a status report on your outage and the anticipated time your power will be turned back on.
* If you lose power overnight, you can call PG&E to request a wake-up call. We'll be happy to give you a wake-up call, as well as up-to-date information on your outage and time of restoration.
Our phone lines may become very busy during major storms, so we ask for your patience if you are trying to reach us.
North Korea put its troops on alert and cut the last hot line to Seoul on Monday as the American and South Korean militaries began joint maneuvers. The communist regime warned that even the slightest provocation could trigger war.
North Korea warned Monday that any move to intercept what it calls a satellite launch and what other countries suspect may be a missile test-firing would result in a counterstrike against the countries trying to stop it.
“We will retaliate (over) any act of intercepting our satellite for peaceful purposes with prompt counterstrikes by the most powerful military means,” the official Korean Central News Agency quoted a spokesman of the General Staff of the Korean People’s Army as saying.
If countries such as the United States, Japan or South Korea try to intercept the launch, the North Korean military will carry out “a just retaliatory strike operation not only against all the interceptor means involved but against the strongholds” of the countries, it said.
“Shooting our satellite for peaceful purposes will precisely mean a war,” it added.
North Korea earlier announced it is preparing to put a communications satellite into space, but outside observers suspect it may in fact be a test-firing of a long-range ballistic missile.
The United States, Japan and South Korea have said that even if Pyongyang calls the launch a missile test, it would violate existing U.N. Security Council resolutions.
The same North Korean statement said the country’s military will cut off communications with its South Korean counterparts during the U.S.- South Korean exercises for the duration of the exercises beginning Monday.
A separate, more rare statement by the KPA’s Supreme Command was quoted by the KCNA as saying that its soldiers are under orders to be “fully combat-ready” during U.S.-South Korean military exercises beginning Monday.
The North’s armed forces have been ordered to “deal merciless retaliatory blows” should there be any intrusion “into the sky and land and seas of the DPRK even an inch.”
The original Duck & Cover Old School Film
Geologist Predicts Earthquake, Meteorologist Says The Pattern is Right
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
January 8, 2009 (SocalWeather.Org) Geologist Predicts Earthquake, Meteorologist Says The Pattern is Right
Earthquakes are unpredictable, however one geologist has a window for them that lands in a dominating January ridge similar to the Northridge quake year.
Jim Berkland, a geologist residing out of Northern California knows earthquakes. Berkland predicted the famous World Series Quake of 1989 that hit the San Francisco Bay area.
Berkland is no stranger to predicting earthquakes. In fact, he gives monthly windows based on moon positions and tidal forces.Berkland has released his January earthquake window. "The first seismic window of the year is only a little less potent than last month's, which had the strongest tidal forces since 1993, "said Berkland. "Jan. 08-15, 2009 is marked by Golden Gate tides of 8.9 ft. only a little below the max. possible range of 9.2 ft.The full Moon of Jan 10 is only 16 hours away from the 2nd closest perigee of the year and 6 days after the Earth/Sun perihelion of Jan 4."While many agree that earthquake prediction is impossible, Meteorologist Kevin Martin of the Southern California Weather Authority begs to differ. "I've noticed that weather patterns affect our fault lines, "said Martin. "In fact, during the Northridge Quake of 1994 a large ridge of high pressure was parked in the exact same spot one will be during our next Santa Ana Wind event.
The window for that is January 9th to the 14th. This is exactly in Geologist Jim Berkland's window. So any bets on the table for a larger quake would be during that window."Martin does not predict quakes, however states that the weather conditions that do help trigger them in his research will be present during Geologist Jim Berkland's seismic window."I'm not saying to my viewers to run because a Northridge style quake is coming, "said Martin. "But I must say the pattern is nearly identical to it, and if weather patterns are any indication of a quake delivery then always be prepared. In light of Mr. Berkland's window falling in this weather pattern, I have taken the measure to prepare in case a quake hits. You always have to be prepared."JTY SoCalWeather.Org Staff Writer
The terrorism threat to the United States over the next five years will be driven by instability in the Middle East and Africa, persistent challenges to border security and increasing Internet savvy, says a new intelligence assessment.
Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear attacks are considered the most dangerous threats that could be carried out against the U.S. But those threats are also the most unlikely because it is so difficult for Al Qaeda and similar groups to acquire the materials needed to carry out such plots, according to the internal Homeland Security Threat Assessment for the years 2008-2013.
The Al Qaeda terrorist network continues to focus on U.S. attack targets vulnerable to massive economic losses, casualties and political “turmoil,” the assessment said.
Earlier this month, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction remains “the highest priority at the federal level.” Speaking to reporters on Dec. 3, Chertoff explained that more people, such as terrorists, will learn how to make dirty bombs, biological and chemical weapons. “The other side is going to continue to learn more about doing things,” he said.
Marked “for official use only,” the report does not specify its audience, but the assessments typically go to law enforcement, intelligence officials and the private sector. When determining threats, intelligence officials consider loss of life, economic and psychological consequences.
Intelligence officials also predict that in the next five years, terrorists will try to conduct a destructive biological attack. Officials are concerned about the possibility of infections to thousands of U.S. citizens, overwhelming regional health care systems.
There could also be dire economic impacts caused by workers’ illnesses and deaths. Officials are most concerned about biological agents stolen from labs or other storage facilities, such as anthrax.
“The threat of terrorism and the threat of extremist ideologies has not abated,” Chertoff said in his year-end address on Dec. 18. “This threat has not evaporated, and we can’t turn the page on it.”
These high-consequence threats are not the only kind of challenges that will confront the U.S. over the next five years.
Terrorists will continue to try to evade U.S. border security measures and place operatives inside the mainland to carry out attacks, the 38-page assessment said. It also said that they may pose as refugees or asylum seekers or try to exploit foreign travel channels such as the visa waiver program, which allows citizens of 34 countries to enter the U.S. without visas.
An intelligence monitoring center reports that Al Qaeda’s No. 2 leader is blaming Barack Obama and Egypt’s president for the Israeli offensive in Gaza.
The SITE Monitoring Service says the audio statement by Ayman al-Zawahiri was posted on militant Web sites Tuesday.
This is al-Zawahiri’s first comment on the crisis since the war began eleven days ago.
In a transcript of the statement released by SITE, he calls the Israeli offensive a “Crusade against Islam and Muslims” and “Obama’s gift to Israel” before he takes office.
Al-Zawahiri also calls Egypt’s president, Hosni Mubarak, a “traitor” for keeping his borders closed to Palestinians.
There probably won't be an earthquake in Southern California today, but five million people will cower under furniture anyway. The Great ShakeOut, the biggest disaster drill in U.S. history, will show us just how prepared the Golden State will be when the big one finally hits….
According to the new forecast, California has a 99.7% chance of having a magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake during the next 30 years. The likelihood of an even more powerful quake of magnitude 7.5 or greater in the next 30 years is 46%. Such a quake is more likely to occur in the southern half of the state (37% chance in 30 years) than in the northern half (15% chance in 30 years) Read more ( http://www.scec.org/ucerf/ )
The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake ended decades of tranquillity in the San Francisco Bay region. It was a wakeup call to prepare for the potentially even more devastating shocks that are inevitable in the future. Since 1989, the work of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and other organizations has improved understanding of the seismic threat in the Bay region, promoted awareness of earthquake hazards, and contributed to more effective strategies to reduce earthquake losses. These efforts will help reduce the impact of future large quakes in the San Francisco Bay region.
Feds Warn Of Possible NYC Terror Plot, FBI: “Plausible But Unsubstantiated” Report Of Al Qaeda Plans To Attack Subway System
The FBI has warned New York area law enforcement of a “plausible but unsubstantiated” al Qaeda suicide bomb attack against the area’s commuter rail systems over the holiday.
An internal memo obtained by The Associated Press says the FBI has received a “plausible but unsubstantiated” report that al Qaeda terrorists in late September may have discussed attacking the subway system.
FEMA Urges Citizens to Stay Ready Until Hurricane Season Ends
Washington, D.C. -- The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is urging citizens to remain ready for the effects of hurricanes as Tropical Storm Paloma churns in the Gulf of Mexico. As with all threats to American lives and property, FEMA is monitoring Paloma's course and taking actions to ensure the Agency is prepared to respond.
Hurricane season officially ends November 30, 2008, but that doesn't always mean the threat of hurricane damage has passed. Storms have materialized well after that date in years past. Staying preparing and paying attention are the best bet to keeping safe in the event of an emergency.
PREPARE NOW
Being prepared can save lives and property. While emergency officials are preparing for and responding to the storms, individuals also should take steps to plan for emergencies. The following are preparedness steps individuals can take now to protect their homes and families:
Senior military leaders took the exceptional step of briefing President Bush this week on a severe and widespread electronic attack on Defense Department computers that may have originated in Russia — an incursion that posed unusual concern among commanders and raised potential implications for national security.
Defense officials would not describe the extent of damage inflicted on military networks. But they said that the attack struck hard at networks within U.S. Central Command, the headquarters that oversees U.S. involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, and affected computers in combat zones. The attack also penetrated at least one highly protected classified network.
Military computers are regularly beset by outside hackers, computer viruses and worms. But defense officials said the most recent attack involved an intrusive piece of malicious software, or “malware,” apparently designed specifically to target military networks.
“This one was significant; this one got our attention,” said one defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity when discussing internal assessments.
Although officials are withholding many details, the attack underscores the increasing danger and potential significance of computer warfare, which defense experts say could one day be used by combatants to undermine even a militarily superior adversary.
Bush was briefed on the threat by Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Mullen also briefed Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates.
BREAKING - Mumbai Under Terror Attack - Live Coverage
Posted: 26 Nov 2008
Mumbai Terror Attack: Hotels, hospital, bus stands, cinema halls attacked. Top policie officials have been killed by terrorists in Mumbai. Taj Hotel reported on fire.
This is a major terror attack. Terrorists are reported to be moving through city in emergency vehicles and staging multiple attacks. Shootings, explosions and other attacks are taking place throughout the city.
There are reports of hostages being held at several locations. Americans and other westerners are reportedly being rounded up by terrorists in several hotels.
All security personal are being called up but are still overwhelmed by the scope of the terror attack.
At least 15 people are reported to have been killed and more than 20 are reported injured as unidentified groups of gunmen opened fire in at least four places across south Mumbai on Wednesday night. Mumbai police confirm it is a terrorist attack. Two five-star hotels - Hotel Oberoi and Hotel Taj - are under siege and gunmen are reported to have held the occupants hostage. The Rapid Action Force is considering storming the hotels. A petrol pump has been blown up in Colaba by armed men and at least 10 people are reported to have been killed
UK - al-Qaeda Buying Ambulances and Other Emergency Vehicles on Online
Posted: 16 Nov 2008 11:49 PM PST
MI5 have warned Britain’s cash-strapped National Health Services that dozens of ambulances–along with old police cars and fire engines past their sell-by date–are being snapped up by al-Qaeda operatives in the United Kingdom to mount suicide bomb attacks.
So serious is the problem that counter-terrorism officials at the Home Office have written to eBay, the Internet auctioneer, asking them to stop selling emergency service vehicles, equipment and uniforms.
But eBay has insisted it can only halt the sales if a new law is passed by Parliament. That could take many months to enact.
Pasco Airport on Orange Alert Posted: 16 Nov 2008 11:35 PM PST
The airport has been on “Orange Alert” all weekend, one step below the highest warning, the “Red Alert.” According to the TSA website, the national threat level was yellow Sunday. Full Story with video
Recent Arizona Incidents Get FBI’s Attention
Posted: 16 Nov 2008 11:01 PM PST
The FBI has sharpened its scrutiny of some Phoenix-area Muslim leaders because of their links to two controversial incidents and a federal probe into the financing of terrorist groups. Read Full Article
Shooting Incident
Shortly before noon on a sunny Sunday in March, two Toyota SUVs rolled to a stop along a dirt road in north Phoenix. About 20 young Muslim males climbed out, armed with assault rifles, a shotgun, a sniper rifle and handguns. The location near Happy Valley Road and 51st Avenue is a desert recreation site for off-road motorists, hikers and bikers, dozens of whom were enjoying the spring-like weather. Source - Read Full Article
140 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE HAYWARD FAULT
October 21, 2008 marks the 140th anniversary of the 1868 Hayward earthquake, which was the first great “San Francisco earthquake” and one of the most damaging earthquakes in the nation's history.The average interval between the past five large earthquakes on the Hayward Fault is 140 years. With the 140th anniversary another large Hayward Fault earthquake can occur at any time.( 1868alliance.org )
TEA FIRE of Montecito CA MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDERS
North of 192 between Hot Springs and Mission Canyon
All of Sycamore Canyon
North of 192 between Sycamore Cyn and Gibraltar Rd
Sycamore Cyn @ Eucalyptus Hill, South to Salinas to 5 Points
Hot Springs (eastern boundary) to Tunnel Rd (western boundary) from Hwy192 @ Hot Springs to Barker Pass to Alameda Padre Serra (southern boundary) to Camino Cielo (northern boundary)
Both sides of Tunnel Rd above Montrose
Only residents on the east side of Tunnel Rd below Montrose
Residents on Gibraltar Rd above the west fork of the Cold Springs Trail should evacuate to the North via Camino Cielo. Residents below the west fork should evacuate South .http://www.montecitofire.com/index.htm
11/15/08 3:00PM
PROPERTIES IN THE MONTECITO FIRE DISTRICT AND/OR
COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA
WITH SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL DAMAGE OR TOTAL
DESTRUCTION See lists of damaged properties
Warning of new bin Laden attack
Paola Totaro, London
November 10, 2008
Osama bin Laden in a speech broadcast last year. He is reportedly planning an attack against the United States that will "outdo by far" September 11. Photo: AFP
OSAMA bin Laden is planning an attack against the United States that will "outdo by far" September 11, an Arab newspaper in London has reported.
- bin Laden 'planning US attack'
- Goal to 'outdo' September 11
- al-Qaeda reinforces training camps
And according to a former senior Yemeni al-Qaeda operative, the terrorist organisation has entered a "positive phase", reinforcing specific training camps around the world that will lead the next "wave of action" against the West.
The warning, on the front page of an Arabic newspaper published in London, Al-Quds Al-Arabi - and widely reported in the major Italian papers - quotes a person described as being "very close to al-Qaeda" in Yemen.
The paper is edited by Abdel al-Bari Atwan, who is said to be the last journalist to interview Osama bin Laden in 1996. According to the report, bin Laden is himself closely following preparations for an attack against the US and aims to "change the face of world politics and economics". The operative is quoted as saying that "this will be shown by the fact that we now control a major part of the south of Somalia".
The ex-operative says he remains in contact with current chiefs of the organisation in Yemen and that only six months ago bin Laden had sent a message to all jihad cells in the Arab world which asked them not to interact with their governments or local political parties and to deny any request for mediation or formal talks.
The source also said that during the next few days the terrorist organisation may send a sign of its violent intentions.
The warning has emerged at the same time as publication of a report leaked to The Telegraph newspaper which reveals that a document drawn up by the intelligence branch of the Ministry of Defence says that thousands of extremists are active in the UK.
The document says the operatives are predominantly UK-born and aged between 18 and 30. Many are believed to have been trained in overseas terrorist camps.
Security officials, The Telegraph reports, are convinced al-Qaeda cells will attempt another "spectacular" inside the UK with major transport centres, such as airports and train stations, the most likely targets. Other targets include the Houses of Parliament, Whitehall and Buckingham and St James' palaces, with the threat level described as "severe".
