AMU Emergency Management Original Public Safety

EDM Monday Briefing: Texas Workplace Shooting Leaves 2 Dead

Emergency and disaster management briefing for Monday, August 20, 2018: A workplace shooting early Monday in Texas leaves 2 dead and one injured, another major earthquake strikes the Lombok area of Indonesia killing at least 3, firefighters in California achieve full containment of the deadly Ferguson Fire, unprecedented flooding kills 360 and displaces nearly 800,000 in the southern state of Kerala, India, a dangerous rip current at a New Hampshire beach kills 1 and forces the rescue of 6 other people, a third weekend of violence in Chicago sees 50 people shot and at least 6 deaths, rapid growth of the Howe Ridge Fire in Montana forces new evacuations as it nears Glacier National Park, and Hurricane Lane is churning in the Pacific Ocean as a Category 3 storm with 125 mph sustained winds.

  1. Two people were killed and one person was shot in [link url=”https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/20/us/texas-workplace-shooting/index.html” title=”a workplace shooting in Missouri City, Texas, in the Houston area, early Monday morning”]. The incident occurred at the Ben E. Keith food distribution plant and involved a female shooter and a male employee, both of whom were killed, and another employee who was transported to a local hospital with a gunshot wound. According to reports, the female shooter was [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/08/20/several-shot-at-food-distribution-center-in-texas-police-say.html” title=”killed after a parking lot gun battle with police”], but it is unclear if the wound was self-inflicted or as a result of the shootout with police.  
  2. [link url=”https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us1000gda5#executive” title=”A magnitude 6.9 earthquake”] struck the Lombok region of Indonesian on Sunday, an area that had recently been rocked by at least two major quakes within one week, including one that occurred on August 5 that [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/08/19/big-quakes-trigger-landslides-on-indonesias-lombok-island.html” title=”killed more than 450 people”]. The shallow quake struck around 10:00 p.m. at a depth of 15 miles, and caused landslides, toppled buildings, cut power to thousands, and [link url=”https://abcnews.go.com/Travel/wireStory/quakes-cut-power-topple-homes-indonesia-island-dead-57277737″ title=”killed at least three people”]. The strong 6.9 quake [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/08/19/big-quakes-trigger-landslides-on-indonesias-lombok-island.html” title=”followed several earlier earthquakes that were recorded at 6.3 and 5.4 magnitudes”], and several strong aftershocks also rocked the region into the night. 
  3. Firefighters in California [link url=”https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/08/19/california-ferguson-fire-fully-contained/1037121002/” title=”reached full containment of the Ferguson Fire late Saturday night”], after it had consumed nearly 97,000 acres and destroyed a total of 10 structures. The blaze, which began July 13, [link url=”https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/08/19/california-ferguson-fire-fully-contained/1037121002/” title=”killed two firefighters, and injured a total of 19 other people”] during its 36 days of burning. The fire also forced the closure of Yosemite National Park for an extended amount of time due to its close proximity and heavy smoke, however, officials were able to reopen the park early last week. 
  4. Nearly [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/08/19/800000-displaced-in-flooding-in-southern-indian-state.html” title=”800,000 people have been displaced in the southern state of Kerala, in India”], and at least 360 have died, after heavy rainfalls, which began on August 8, have inundated the area. Thousands of rescuers worked to reach those still stranded, many of them in remote areas, and to deliver relief supplies, including drinking water, by boats and helicopters, with a fresh supply of drinking water arriving by two trains from neighboring states. The downpours [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/08/19/indias-monsoon-floods-leave-800000-displaced-thousands-stranded.html” title=”triggered widespread flooding and landslides, caused the collapse of homes and bridges”], and damaged an estimated 6,200 miles of roadways in the region.  
  5. A dangerous rip current at a beach in New Hampshire [link url=”https://www.cbsnews.com/news/seabrook-beach-1-dead-6-swimmers-rescued-dangerous-rip-current-today-2018-08-19/?ftag=CNM-00-10aac3a” title=”claimed the life of one person and required six other people to be rescued”] after being pulled out into the ocean. The incident occurred at Seabrook Beach, a beach where no lifeguards are stationed, just after noon on Sunday. Two police officers arrived on the scene and quickly began rescue efforts, while life guards from nearby Hampton Beach arrived to assist on jet skis and and boats. At least one male and one female were taken to nearby hospitals, where [link url=”https://www.cbsnews.com/news/seabrook-beach-1-dead-6-swimmers-rescued-dangerous-rip-current-today-2018-08-19/?ftag=CNM-00-10aac3a” title=”one person remains listed in critical condition”].  
  6. Fifty people were shot and [link url=”https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-weekend-violence-at-least-50-people-shot-491229181.html” title=”at least six people have died following a third weekend of violence in Chicago”]. Seven people were injured during a mass shooting on Friday night, while another 17 were injured in shootings on Saturday, [link url=”http://insider.foxnews.com/2018/08/19/report-46-people-shot-chicago-friday-night” title=”three of whom were shot during a back-to-school peace picnic”], and 18 were hurt on Sunday. The first weekend fatality occurred Saturday night, and five occurred Sunday, with four of the fatalities reportedly being teenagers.  
  7. Wind-driven rapid growth of the Howe Ridge Fire near West Glacier, Montana, [link url=”https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/wildfire-moves-closer-to-glacier-national-parks-scenic-road” title=”prompted new evacuations across the area on Sunday”], as plenty of heavy lodgepole provided fuel for the swift moving blaze. The Fish Creek Campground, including National Park Service employees, campers, and the ranger residence, were evacuated as fire behavior remained active and moved closer to Glacier National Park. The wildfire, which was believed to have been caused by lightning on August 11, [link url=”https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6135/” title=”has scorched 7,835 acres and is burning in heavy downed/dead, and standing timber”], along with heavy lodgepole regeneration from the 2003 Robert Fire and the 2001 Moose Fire.  
  8. Hurricane Lane–churning in the Pacific Ocean–became a Category 4 hurricane Saturday, [link url=”https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hurriance-lane-category-3-central-pacific-latest-weather-forecast-track-path-today-2018-08-19/” title=”but weakened slightly to a Category 3 storm on Sunday morning”], and is located about 885 east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii. Current sustained winds are at a maximum of 125 mph, and the storms track is forecast to move west-northwest over the next several days, [link url=”http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/38890702/lane-quickly-intensifies-into-a-category-2-hurricane-in-east-pacific” title=”staying just south of Hawaii’s Big Island”], with further weakening predicted. Weather officials indicate that there have already been a large number of strong storms in the Pacific Ocean this season, which they are attributing to higher than normal ocean temperatures.  

Kimberly Arsenault serves as an intern at the Cleveland/Bradley County Emergency Management Agency where she works on plan revisions and special projects. Previously, Kimberly spent 15 years in commercial and business aviation. Her positions included station manager at the former Midwest Express Airlines, as well as corporate flight attendant, inflight manager, and charter flight coordinator. Kimberly currently holds a master's degree in emergency and disaster management from American Public University.

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