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National Situation Update: Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather Forecast

Northeast
Light snow is forecast from southern New England through southeastern New York State (including New York City) into the eastern Mid-Atlantic region. Accumulations of a few inches are possible in Cape Cod, Long Island, New Jersey, and Delaware.

Midwest 
Locally heavy snow is possible along the south shores of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan including northwest Indiana. Some bands may reach parts of Chicago with an inch or so of snow. Portions of southeast Indiana and eastern Kentucky could see an inch or two of fresh snow as well. Much of the region will see temperature highs in the teens and 20s.

South 
As much as six inches of snow is possible across eastern Tennessee, western Tennessee, and north Georgia. Red Flag Warnings are in effect through Tuesday evening from central Florida north into the Panhandle and southeast Georgia due to a sustained period of low relative humidity and gusty west winds.

West 
No precipitation is forecast due to a strong high pressure system over the region.  (National Weather Service and Media Sources)

Winter Ice Storm – Region IV

RRCC Status: activated at Level II, 7:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m. EST. ESFs 1, 3, 6, 7 and 8 are activated.
Region IV ERT-A, 5 FEMA LNOs, and the Regional Administrator is on-site at KY EOC.
Seven PDA teams are on stand-by at the KY EOC.

The Commonwealth of Kentucky was granted an Emergency Declaration (FEMA-3302-EM) on January 28. This Declaration has been amended to include an additional 32 counties for Emergency Protective Measures (Category B), limited to direct Federal assistance, under the Public Assistance Program.

The Governor requested a Major Disaster Declaration on February 2 for the Commonwealth of Kentucky as a result of ice, snow, and rain beginning on January 26 and continuing. The Governor is requesting Public Assistance for 93 counties and Hazard Mitigation for the entire Commonwealth, as well as 100 percent Federal funding for Public Assistance (Categories A and B), including Federal Assistance, for the first seven days. 
Kentucky
State EOC remains activated at Level III (Full Activation).
Fatalities: 24 confirmed fatalities. (RIV SPOTREP Feb 2)
Shelters: 140 / Occupants: 6,244. (RIV ESF 6 as of 12:00 pm EST Feb 2)
Power Outages: 217,645. (DOE Energy Assurance Daily 5:30 pm EST Feb 2)
Four hospitals and six nursing homes remain on generator power; estimated primary power restoration time is unknown.
State Operational Priorities for the next 36 hours include the following:

  • Facilitate power restoration and support generator delivery and installation.
  • Facilitate debris clearance removal.
  • Establish the Initial Operating Facility (IOF) in Kentucky.
  • Position staff and resources to best support the State.
    The Commonwealth of Kentucky has 4,004 National Guard personnel activated with an additional 128 National Guard personnel from Florida, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Indiana providing support. (NGB Info Push)

FEMA Logistics Storm Support inbound to the Fort Campbell National Logistics Staging Area (NLSA): 47 generators (27 FEMA/ 20 Leased) Estimated time of arrival (ETA) is 12:00 p.m. EST February 3; 27 Truck Meals (559,680) with an ETA of 7:00 a.m. EST Feb 4; 52 Trucks of Water (932,000 liters) with an ETA of 7:00 a.m. EST February 4. No shortfalls identified in commodities. (FEMA LOG)

Winter Ice Storm – Region V

RRCC Status: Watch/Steady State, 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. CST (12/7).
Indiana
The SEOC was deactivated on February 1, returning to normal operations.
16 Counties have declared local emergencies; however, the State has not issued any disaster or emergency declarations.
Fatalities and injuries: 3 confirmed fatalities and 12 injuries.
Power Outages: 13,070 customers are without power (DOE, as of 5:30 p.m. EST Feb 2); restoration is expected to be complete February 6, 2009.
Shelters: 7 / Occupants: 52. (Region V DSAR Feb 2)
The Indiana Department of Homeland Security deployed a five person EOC Management Team and 100 National Guard vehicles to Kentucky in response to an Emergency Management Assistance Compact request.
No unmet needs or shortfalls reported; no requests for Federal assistance.


Ohio
The State EOC is not activated.
Eight counties have declared local emergencies; however, the State has not issued any disaster or emergency declarations.
Power Outages: 10,972 customers without power(DOE, as of 5:30 p.m. EST Feb 2); restoration is expected in the next 24 to 48 hours.
No unmet needs or shortfalls; no requests for Federal assistance.
Illinois
The Governor issued a State of Disaster declaration for 7 counties.
Power Outages: 212 customers are without power.(DOE, as of 5:30 p.m. EST Feb 2)
No unmet needs or shortfalls identified; no requests for Federal assistance.

Winter Ice Storm – Region VI

RRCC Status:  activated at Level II; 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. CST
RRCC will transition operations to the IOF as of 7:00 a.m. Feb. 3.
Arkansas IOF will be fully operational on Feb 2; it is located in North Little Rock, AR.
On January 28, the President signed Emergency Declaration FEMA-3301-EM for the State of Arkansas for Severe Winter Storm that occurred January 26 and continuing.
Arkansas:
State EOC activated at Level 1 overnight; will resume Level 4 (Full Activation) from 7:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. EST.
Fatalities: 11 confirmed fatalities. (AR DEM SITREP 10:00 pm Feb 2)
Shelters: 40/ Occupants: 834. (AR DEM SITREP 10:00 pm Feb 2); Total shelter population continues to decrease as power is restored.
Power Outages: 106,212 customers. (AR DEM SITREP 10:00 pm Feb 2)
Piggot Community Hospital in Clay County remains on generator power.
State Operational Priorities for the next 36 hours include:

  • Provide requested resources and generator support as identified by the State.
  • Continue PDAs for Public Assistance operations.
  • Transition RRCC Response Operations to Arkansas IOF today.
  • Identify damage critical facilities and continued support of shelter needs.
    Five PA PDA teams are in the field continuing assessments. 5 PDAs were scheduled for completion Feb 2. PDAs have been completed in 14 counties. A total of 31 counties are requesting PDAs.
    Four IA PDA teams have been identified and are on stand-by.
    Boil water orders have been issued for 29 counties; Public Health labs continue recovery efforts.
    The State of Arkansas has 921 National Guard personnel activated with an additional 14 Louisiana guardsmen providing support

FEMA Logistics Storm Support for Arkansas includes 24 generators (leased) inbound to Jonesboro NLSA and 4 trucks of water (72,000 liters) inbound to Little Rock NLSA with an ETA of 7:00 a.m. EST Feb 3.  (FEMA LOG)
No unmet needs and no issues have been identified.

Winter Ice Storm – Region VII

RRCC Status: activated at Level III, 6:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. CST with minimal staffing; the need for continued activation will be evaluated on an on-going basis. ESFs 3, 6, 8 and 12 are activated; ESFs 3 and 6 will be released at the close of business today. FEMA LNO is deployed to the MO State EOC.
Joint PDAs (IA and PA) for 20 counties are expected to begin today.
On January 30, 2009, the President signed Emergency Declaration FEMA-3303-EM for all 114 counties in Missouri, to include the Independent City of St. Louis.


Missouri
State EOC activated at Level II (24 hour operations).
Fatalities: 6 confirmed.
Shelters: 30 / Occupants: 698.(MS EMA SITREP, 4:30 pm EST Feb 2)
Power outages: 39,650 customers. The majority of power outages are located in the extreme southeastern portion of the State. Estimated power restoration should be in 24 to 36 hours. (DOE Energy Assurance Daily 5:30 pm EST Feb 2)
All Interstate and State roads are operational.
State Operational Priorities include:

  • Begin retrieving generators this week.
  • Commodity operations complete.
    Missouri has 403 National Guard personnel activated for the winter storm response (NGB Info Push)
    No unmet needs or issues have been identified.

Volcanic Activity – Redoubt Update

Redoubt Volcano remains restless. Seismic activity remains elevated and is well above background levels. The volcano has not erupted. A gas/observation overflight on February 2 reported continued changes in the summit glaciers indicative of heating of the summit area. The flight and hut webcam photos showed a small vapor plume at the summit. Military officials relocated key aircraft from Elmendorf Air Force Base (AFB) to McChord AFB near Tacoma, Washington on February 1. The Aviation Color Code remains at ORANGE and the Volcano Alert Level remains at WATCH. (Region X, AVO, USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program)

Fire Management Assistance Grant

No activity. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Western Pacific:
There are no current tropical cyclone warnings.  (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

A Magnitude 3.0 earthquake occurred Monday, February 2 at 10:34 p.m. EST in the greater New York area, two miles south southwest from Rockaway, NJ and 34 miles west northwest of New York, NY at a reported depth of 3.1 miles. There have been no reports of damage or injury. (USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

FEMA-3302-EM-Kentucky; Amendment #1:  Effective February 2, 2009, the emergency declaration for the Commonwealth of Kentucky was amended to include 32 additional counties for emergency protective measures (Category B), limited to direct Federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program.  (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Thursday, 04-Jun-2009 16:27:42 EDT