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EDM Friday Briefing: Kentucky Tornado Rated as Possible EF-4 by NWS

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Kentucky tornado Arsenault

Emergency and disaster management briefing for December 17, 2021: Social media threat prompts school districts to take extra precautions on Dec. 17; after the Dixie Fire, Greenville recovery is likely to take years; recent precipitation helps boost California reservoirs; the NWS rated the Dec. 10 Kentucky tornado as a possible EF-4; Southern California Edison reaches a $550 million settlement for five wildfires; 27 people are dead after a fire broke out on the 4th floor of a building in Osaka; over two million pounds of pork products are now being recalled; and high winds caused widespread damage and power outages across Michigan.

1. Threats of school violence on December 17 are floating around on social media, prompting some school districts to take extra precautions. One school district near Chicago has stepped up patrols, even though officials believe the threats are not credible. The posts allegedly encourage violence and reportedly tell students to stay home from school.

2. The Gold Rush era town of Greenville, California, was decimated by the Dixie Fire, which began on July 13, 2021. As of early December, clean up crews have removed the majority of the debris from the town, although just a few businesses have reopened, including the town’s grocery store. Recovery could take years, but efforts to rebuild are underway. The massive wildfire burned for four months across four counties and consumed nearly one million acres. Government agencies spent at least $637 million to fight the fire, which was finally contained on October 30.

3. Recent rainstorms and snowfalls across California in November and December have boosted some reservoir levels. According to reports, even with the additional water, lake levels allegedly remain below historic averages and are still lower than they were a year ago. However, snowfall amounts have been significant, which will further boost lake levels when that snow melts in the spring.

4. The National Weather Service (NWS) has given the December 10 tornado in western Kentucky a preliminary rating of an EF-4. Surveys of the damage continue and a change in the rating to an EF-5 has not been ruled out, pending the survey outcomes. So far, the death toll from the devastating tornado has reached 76 victims, but another 16 people remain unaccounted for.

5. Five wildfires that burned in California over two years were allegedly sparked by utility equipment owned by Southern California Edison. The utility reached a settlement agreement on Thursday with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for $550 million, and $65 million of that settlement must be put toward safety measures. According to reports, faulty equipment likely sparked the Thomas, Woolsey, Rye, Myers, and Liberty fires in 2017 and 2018.

6. A fire broke out on the fourth floor of a building in downtown Osaka, Japan, killing at least 27 people. Fire crews arrived on the scene and quickly doused the flames, using ladders to rescue people from the building. Officials noted that it is possible the fire was set intentionally, after accounts that a man spilled liquid onto the floor near a heater, just prior to the fire’s start.

7. Alexander & Hornung, a part of the Perdue Premium Meat Company, has expanded its recall of pork products due to potential listeria monocytogenes contamination. The recall involves more than two million pounds of pork – including two dozen types of ham – and multiple pepperoni products. The products were distributed to retailers nationwide and include at least 12 brands: Alexander & Hornung, Amish Country Fresh, Amish Valley, Big Y, Butcher Boy, Five Star, Food Club, Garrett Valley Farms, Lancaster, Niman Ranch, Open Nature, and Wellshire.

8. Winds of 50 to 65 mph were reported by the National Weather Service (NWS) across much of west Michigan. According to the NWS, the winds knocked out power to at least 125,000 Consumers Energy customers late Wednesday night, forcing school closures. The winds damaged nearly 150 power lines, knocked down trees, filled streets with debris, and closed or delayed 18 school districts on Thursday.

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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