The Zone Zero regulations, designed to keep embers from igniting homes, have drawn more than 4,000 public comments and fierce debate over plants, property rights and policy.
Too often local governments aren’t prepared, with well-trained staff in place around the clock. That has big implications for emergency management and homeland security.
The communications system will connect police and medical responders directly with teachers, students and other people involved in mass casualty events to reduce confusion and response times.
After a payment issue nearly shut off power to the Buckfield Fire Station, legislators are considering a ban on disconnecting utilities for public safety buildings without a 60-day warning first.
Delaware County’s outdated emergency radio system is susceptible to hackings, which prevent timely police response and deteriorate public trust. But updating the system could cost as much as $50 million.
A report found that the city’s police department only met its response time goal for high-priority calls 46 percent of the time. Fort Worth has the slowest response time goal of Texas’ five largest cities.
Most of downtown Mayfield was destroyed and dozens of residential blocks have been wiped out. “War zones don’t look this bad,” Gov. Beshear said, but residents were optimistic about rebuilding.
A climate bill that is being negotiated in the U.S. Senate would dedicate $14 billion over the next decade to clearing vegetation and debris to prevent wildfires. More than 7 million acres burned in California in the last two years alone.
Natural gas powers the majority of electricity in Texas, especially during winter. Some power companies say the state’s gas system is not ready for another deep freeze.
The drones will be developed to transport heavy loads, like firefighting supplies, industrial packages and even human transplant organs, and will be able to fly continuously for up to seven hours.
The Western Fire Chiefs Association, a nonprofit that started in California during the 1800s, sees much potential in a new tool that can save substantial time and manpower in wildfire recovery missions.
In light of last winter’s week-long freeze, which took out many city services, Austin’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management released 132 recommendations on how the city should prepare for future disasters.
To combat threats of rising sea levels, officials have decided to raise roads to protect existing infrastructure. But some homeowners claim the elevated roads sent floodwaters into their property, making them unrentable.
After a summer of devastating wildfires, many parts of California are expecting rain over the next several weeks. The early precipitation would end the fire season but could cause severe flooding.
A preliminary estimate shows that the Caldor Fire cost tens of millions in lost economic activity. Wildfires, and the economic disruption they cause, have a large economic impact. But right now, California has a mostly incomplete picture of how much fires cost the state each year.
Four years after Hurricane Maria wreaked havoc on Puerto Rico, federal money to rebuild its electricity system is finally about to flow. But it may not deliver what islanders want.
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