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The Summary FEMA and NOAA have become politicized as the frequency and severity of natural disasters have increased. With the neck-and-neck 2024 election just days away, the futures of the federal agencies responsible for weather forecasting, climate change research and disaster recovery hang in the balance. And with it, they’ve become a target for some conservatives who are skeptical of climate change and want to slash government budgets. “Climate change is a very unique problem in that, like most environmental problems, it doesn’t respect our political boundaries and it doesn’t respect our state boundaries,” he said. “We need centralized federal agencies to respond to climate change, agencies that can handle big, significant, multistate disasters at the appropriate scale.”

Persons: they’ve, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Trump, ”, Craig Fugate, Obama, It’s, “, Helene, Milton . Trump, Jared Moskowitz, Ron DeSantis, Hurricane Michael, ” Moskowitz, Rick Scott, Milton, Hurricane Milton, Pete Beach, Tristan Wheelock, Fugate, ” Matthew Sanders, ” Sanders, Matthew Burgess, ” Burgess, DeNa Carlis, Sanders Organizations: FEMA, NOAA, Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Heritage Foundation, Trump, NBC, National Weather Service, Emergency Management, Gov, North, Hurricane, Bloomberg, Getty, Environmental, Stanford University, College of Business, University of Wyoming, ”, NWS Locations: United States, Milton, U.S, Florida, ”, North Carolina, St, Pete Beach , FL

☆ Elon Musk’s empire of misinformation
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-15 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —At any Tesla event, you have to go in expecting a good amount of smoke and mirrors. This is the company run by Elon Musk, after all — its self-anointed Technoking who’s made overpromising and underdelivering a theme of his career. ICYMI: The robotaxis, Tesla’s fully driverless vehicles that it hopes to put into service next year, were the main event. But Musk’s reality distortion field is something else entirely — hardly limited to overly optimistic timetables or pie-in-the-sky projections for Tesla’s delivery schedule. In a twist, though, X dropped Unilever from the lawsuit on Friday.

Persons: CNN Business ’, Elon Musk, Technoking who’s, Tesla, ” Gordon Johnson, ” Morgan Stanley, Adam Jonas, they’re, Steve Jobs, Donald Trump, ”, Craig Fugate, X Organizations: CNN Business, New York CNN, Elon, Bloomberg, “, Apple, National Guard, FEMA, Washington Post, CNN, NBC, ” Unilever, ”, Unilever Locations: New York, Carolina

☆ 'There's a lot of work to do' to help people understand hurricane impact, says former FEMA admin.
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via Email'There's a lot of work to do' to help people understand hurricane impact, says former FEMA admin. Craig Fugate, former FEMA administrator, joins CNBC's 'The Exchange' to discuss FEMA's response to Hurricane Helene and Milton, the federal government interacts with local organizations to bring relief, and more.

Persons: Craig Fugate, Hurricane Helene, Milton Organizations: FEMA

☆ FEMA was strapped for cash even before America's hurricane double whammy
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-10 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

FEMA for two months had to pause $9 billion meant for communities still recovering from past disasters. In this case, for nearly two months, FEMA hoarded $9 billion to make up for delayed funding from Congress. But Biden-administration officials warn of another shortfall as soon as January, especially after Hurricane Milton slammed into the Tampa area late Wednesday. "So if FEMA delays reimbursements, local governments have to bear those costs, and they may put off recovery efforts. FEMA officials have repeatedly said they have enough resources to respond to Hurricane Helene and now Hurricane Milton but declined to specify how much disaster aid remained available.

Persons: Milton, Helene, Hurricane Milton, Biden, Craig Fugate, Obama, Carlos Martín, Martín, Yucel Ors, Joe Biden, Mike Johnson, Hurricane Helene, Johnson, Ors Organizations: Hurricanes, FEMA, Service, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Hurricane, FEMA doesn't, Harvard University, National League of Cities, White, Republican, Fox Locations: Florida, Hurricane, Vermont, California, Pacific, Tampa, Washington, Louisiana, Milton, North Carolina , Georgia, South Carolina , Florida , Tennessee, Virginia, Asheville , North Carolina, Asheville

“Yes, we have the resources that we need, both for the Helene response and for Hurricane Milton,” Keith Turi, FEMA’s acting associate administrator, said this week. Staffing at the federal disaster response agency has drawn criticism in recent years from the Government Accountability Office, a federal watchdog. In that same report, the GAO found that as of July 2022, FEMA was involved in responding to 500 open disasters. NBC News reported last week that FEMA put out a call for volunteers for a “surge force” in mid-September, citing a “severe shortfall” in some of its disaster response teams. In an interview, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said the numbers cited fail to take into account other full-time staff members who are deployed as needed.

Persons: —, Milton’s, Helene, Hurricane Milton, ” Keith Turi, FEMA’s, “, Milton, Craig Fugate, ” Christopher P, Currie, ”, ” Currie, Deanne Criswell Organizations: Federal Emergency Management Agency, Hurricane, White, FEMA, NBC, Office, Homeland Security, Justice, GAO, NBC News Locations: Florida, ”

☆ Former FEMA administrator on Helene recovery efforts: Money is your best way to help right now
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-30 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailFormer FEMA administrator on Helene recovery efforts: Money is your best way to help right nowCraig Fugate, former FEMA administrator, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene, how the public can help right now, and more.

Persons: Helene, Craig Fugate, Hurricane Helene Organizations: FEMA Locations: Hurricane

☆ Hurricane Helene: Now comes the hard work of recovering
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-29 | by ( Steve Almasy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

Kathleen Flynn/Reuters Boats displaced by Hurricane Helene sit in front of homes in Treasure Island, Florida, on Saturday. Joe Raedle/Getty Images Hurricane Helene is seen in a satellite photo Thursday afternoon. He was briefed Sunday by Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell and Homeland Security Adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall on recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene. Heavy rains from hurricane Helene caused record flooding and damage on September 28 in Asheville, North Carolina. Workers clear Cane Creek Road in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on September 29 in Fairview, North Carolina.

Persons: Joe Biden, “, Meredith Keisler, Keisler, ”, Krista Cortright, Cortright, ” Cortright, Hurricane Helene, Gerald Herbert, Melissa Sue Gerrits, Sean Rayford, Elmira Glover, Kathleen Flynn, Helene, Joe Raedle, Marco Bello, Jonathan Drake, John Falchetto, Cassandra Randall, Jessica Downey, Greg Lovett, Hailey Morgan, Phelan M, Megan Varner, Sarah Cribbins, Michael, Luis Santana, Miguel J, Rodriguez Carrillo, Richard Burkhart, Mike Carlson, Mike Stewart, Candice Ocvil, Jibri Tolen, Erik S, Cristobal Herrera, Candace Redwine, Guy Ford, George G, Tapper, Ricardo Arduengo, Joe Burbank, Carol Poulson, Andrew West, Cynthia Centeno, Reuters Charles Starling, Stephen M, Dowell, Chandan Khanna, Thomas Simonetti, Pete Beach, Ramon Espinosa, Paola Chiomante, Michael Callahan, Duke, ” Callahan, –, Avril Pinder, Craig Fugate, William Ray, ” Fugate, ” Cooper, Biden, Brian Kemp, Roy Cooper, Deanne Criswell, Liz Sherwood, Randall, Criswell, Donald Trump, ” Trump, “ It’s, It’s, Ken Graham, Esther Manheimer, ” Manheimer, Michelle Coleman, CNN she’s, Coleman, ” Coleman, Gary O’Dell, he’s, I’ve, ” CNN’s Robert Shackelford, Sarah Dewberry, Rafael Romo, Jade Gordon, Ashley R, Williams, DJ Judd, Sunlen Serfaty, Lauren Mascarenhas, Eric Levenson, Isabel Rosales, Taylor Galgano, Sara Smart, Conor Powell, Caroll Alvarado, Caroline Jaime, Emma Tucker, Artemis Moshtaghian, Afshar, Raja Razek Organizations: CNN, White House, ” Workers, Hurricane, Getty, Reuters, USA, Tampa Bay Times, AP, AFP, East, Savannah Morning, United States Coast Guard, Walt Disney, Orlando Sentinel, Tribune, Service, Fairview Middle School, Fishel, State Emergency Operations Center, Washington Post, NOAA, Buncombe County , North Carolina –, Emergency, ”, Sunday, Georgia Gov, North Carolina Gov, Federal Emergency Management, Homeland, Weather, National Weather Service, Workers, WLOS, Asheville Dream Center Locations: North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Virginia, Carolinas, Asheville, Marion, Western North Carolina, Hurricane, Steinhatchee , Florida, , North Carolina, Asheville , North Carolina, Treasure Island , Florida, Horseshoe Beach , Florida, Boone , North Carolina, Valdosta , Georgia, AFP, Laurel, Vilas , North Carolina, Crystal River , Florida, Peachtree Creek, Atlanta, , Florida, Savannah , Georgia, Savannah, Shore, St . Petersburg , Florida, Key , Florida, Tarpon Springs , Florida, Watauga, Sugar Grove , North Carolina, Port Saint Joe , Florida, Bay Lake , Florida, Fort Myers Beach , Florida, Tallahassee, Leon County , Florida, Eastpoint , Florida, Villages, Tallahassee , Florida, Gulfport , Florida, St, Cross City , Florida, Guanimar, Artemisa province, Cuba, Panacea , Florida, Puerto Juarez, Cancun, Mexico, Clearwater , Florida, Buncombe County , North Carolina, ”, Washington, North Carolina , Tennessee, Rehoboth Beach , Delaware, Florida , Georgia, Alabama, Bend, Alabama , Tennessee, Erie , Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, Baltimore, Fairview , North Carolina, Vietnam

☆ In Search of Power, Texans Ask: Are the Lights on at Whataburger?
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-09 | by ( Isabelle Taft | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Want to find a working gas station, an open restaurant or someplace with air-conditioning in East Texas after Hurricane Beryl knocked out power to millions on Monday? Users on Houston-area Facebook pages and group chats have suggested checking Whataburger’s online map to see which locations of the homegrown fast-food chain are operating. She looked at the map and headed where “there was a pretty decent concentration of Whataburgers” open. Craig Fugate, a head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency under President Barack Obama, once said: “If you get there and the Waffle House is closed? That’s where you go to work.” The concept is known as the “Waffle House index,” and has even been studied by academics — really.

Persons: Hurricane Beryl, Jais Curry, Craig Fugate, Barack Obama, — Organizations: Federal Emergency Management Agency, Waffle, CenterPoint Energy Locations: East Texas, Hurricane, Houston

They propose a sixth category for storms with winds that exceed 192 miles per hour (309 kilometers per hour). Currently, storms with winds of 157 mph (252 kilometers per hour) or higher are Category 5. From time to time, experts have proposed a Category 6, especially since Typhoon Haiyan reached 195 mph wind speeds (315 kilometers per hour) over the open Pacific. Wehner said that as temperatures rise, the number of days with conditions ripe for potential Category 6 storms in the Gulf of Mexico will grow. “Perhaps I'll change my tune when a rapidly intensifying storm in the Gulf achieves a Category 6,” Corbosiero said in an email.

Persons: Michael Wehner, Brian McNoldy, Haiyan, Patricia, ”, Jim Kossin, Kossin, Wehner, Kerry Emanuel, Jamie Rhome, Simpson, McNoldy, Craig Fugate, Kristen Corbosiero, ” Corbosiero, ___ Read, Seth Borenstein Organizations: National Academy of Sciences, Associated Press, Lawrence Berkley National, University of Miami, dateline, NOAA, First Street Foundation . Pacific, MIT, National Hurricane Center, Emergency Management, University of Albany Locations: Philippines, Gulf of Mexico, United States, Australia, Jalisco, Mexico, Taiwan, China, Asia, Russia, of Mexico, Caribbean, Gulf, AP.org

“I would not expect things to slow down anytime soon.”NOAA has been tracking billion-dollar weather disasters in the United States since 1980 and adjusts damage costs for inflation. Political Cartoons View All 1152 Images“Exposure plus vulnerability plus climate change is supercharging more of these into billion-dollar disasters,” Smith said. NOAA added eight new billion-dollar disasters to the list since its last update a month ago. “This year a lot of the action has been across the center states, north central, south and southeastern states,” Smith said. Stanford University climate scientist Chris Field called the trend in billion-dollar disasters “very troubling.”“But there are things we can do to reverse the trend," Field said.

Persons: Adam Smith, ” Smith, “, Smith, ”, Craig Fugate, Katharine Jacobs, Jacobs, Chris Field, Seth Borenstein Organizations: Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Emergency Management Agency, El Nino, University of Arizona, Stanford University, Twitter, AP Locations: Hawaii, United States, America, California, Midwest, Minnesota, Nebraska , Missouri , Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan , Wisconsin , Ohio , Tennessee, Georgia, Northeast, Pennsylvania, Missouri , Illinois, El

☆ This is how Waffle House stays open during storms — including using a natural disaster playbook, emergency teams, and limited menus
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Mary Meisenzahl | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Waffle House keeps its nearly 2,000 locations open 24/7, even through many natural disasters. Waffle House takes natural disaster preparation so seriously that it's become an unofficial metric to measure the severity of storms for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, known as the "Waffle House Index." "If you get there and the Waffle House is closed? Every location is armed with a "Waffle House storm playbook" that has protocol for keeping the restaurant running in an emergency, including if electricity and running water are unavailable, Waffle House Director of External Affairs Pat Warner told NPR. The company shifts to a grill-only menu during natural disasters, Waffle House said.

Lee County suffered none of the state’s 123 Irma deaths. That experience influenced many people’s decisions not to flee Hurricane Ian. “Hurricane Ian is going to be the strongest outreach messaging for southwest Florida ever,” said Gleason, the Charlotte County spokesman. “When you live through it, then that message sinks in deep and forever.”A view of the Matanzas Pass side of Estero Island, home to Fort Myers Beach, Fla. Fort Myers Beach is expected to take years to rebuild. Thomas Simonetti for NBC NewsMichael Yost's two closest friends in Fort Myers Beach drowned in Hurricane Ian.

Share this -Link copiedFloridians are livestreaming Hurricane Ian on TikTok Floridians are giving TikTok users a front-row seat to Hurricane Ian. Storm surge map, they didn’t have a color for 12 to 15 feet," he said about the historic levels of storm surge expected near where Ian is expected to make landfall. Share this -Link copiedA view of Hurricane Ian from the International Space Station A view of Hurricane Ian from the International Space Station, on Monday. Share this -Link copiedSatellite images show Hurricane Ian approaching Florida Hurricane Ian over the Gulf of Mexico early Wednesday. Share this -Link copiedIan expected to strengthen until making landfall, officials say Hurricane Ian is still forecast to strengthen until the hurricane makes landfall in Florida, the National Hurricane Center said.

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