Reposted from EMR-ISAC

The National Operational Center of Excellence (NOCoE), supported by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, September 25 at 1:30 p.m. EDT as part of its Talking TIM webinar series. This webinar will feature information on an innovative tool and system for safer, quicker incident clearance on roadways from practitioners within the fire and transportation disciplines:

• Effective Tool for Removing Crash and Disabled Vehicles from the Roadway — Assistant Chief Thayer Smith, Austin Fire Department.
• Missouri’s Rural Automated Queue Warning System — Mark Sommerhauser, Intelligent Transportation Systems Project Manager, Missouri Department of Transportation.

All webinars in the Talking TIM series pertain to traffic incident management (TIM), with a focus on successful programs, best practices, and technology that advances the profession of TIM. Topics covered in this webinar series are often relevant to anyone with a role in emergency dispatch, emergency medical response to traffic incidents, emergency traffic management, or anyone with an interest in ensuring first responder safety on roadways. Webinars are typically held on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Those interested in attending the September 25 webinar can register by going to NOCoE’s Zoom registration page for the Talking TIM series and selecting the September 25 date in the registration form. You can also view recordings of past webinars in the series and sign up for updates, so you can be alerted via email when upcoming webinars are announced.

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Reposted from EMR-ISAC

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has partnered with Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA), and Big City Emergency Managers (BCEM) to conduct the Emergency Management Organizational Structures, Staffing, and Capacity Study. This study aims to provide insight on how state, local, tribal, and territorial emergency management agencies and organizations are structured and staffed, where they get their funding, and how staff time is focused across the spectrum of emergency management activities. Key insights about the capacity and challenges facing emergency management agencies across the nation will help FEMA, IAEM, NEMA, BCEM, and others identify strategies to better support emergency management efforts and increase community resilience. To accomplish the first part of this study, IAEM will be launching four surveys—state, local, tribal, and territorial. The state, local, and territorial surveys are now available. A tribal-specific survey will be available in the coming weeks. If you are the chief emergency management official of a local jurisdiction such as a municipality or county and did not receive an email from IAEM or your state director with a link to the Local Emergency Management Capacity Survey, please complete the Local Emergency Management Capacity Study - Contact Information Form. The study will include elicitation sessions to collect qualitative information and follow-up on survey responses, as well as a review of existing research and data from FEMA, emergency management associations, and other publicly available materials. Argonne National Laboratory will be conducting the analysis.

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Reposted from EMR-ISAC

On Sept. 13, Hawaii state officials released a report on the tragic fire that destroyed much of Lahaina, Hawaii, on August 8 and 9, 2023. The Lahaina Fire Incident Analysis Report is the second in a series of three reports commissioned by the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General. The report was prepared by the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI), part of UL Research Institutes. This Phase Two report focuses on the events that occurred prior to, during, and immediately following the Lahaina PM fire, including preparedness efforts, weather and its impact to infrastructure, and other fires occurring on Maui for the time period beginning at 14:55 (2:55 p.m. HST) on August 8, 2023, and concluding at 08:30 (8:30 a.m.) on August 9, 2023. Using a systems analysis methodology, the Lahaina Fire Incident Analysis Report presents relevant background information; discusses weather, fuel, and infrastructure conditions; describes communication, incident management, fire suppression, and evacuation efforts; and details the impact of the fire on Lahaina’s built environment. It also considers these factors in the context of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy. This report does not include an analysis of recovery efforts or the fire’s cause and origin, which is being investigated by the County of Maui with assistance from the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). This report is the follow up to the Lahaina Fire Comprehensive Timeline Report released on April 17, 2024. These two reports will serve as the foundation for the Forward-Looking Report (Phase Three). The forthcoming Phase Three report will include a standards of cover (SOC) analysis to assess the capabilities of the County of Maui Fire Department, a Community Risk Assessment (CRA) to analyze natural- and human-caused risks to Maui, a community risk reduction plan to help mitigate risk, and a review of fire and building codes.

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Reposted from The Art Newspaper

Dimitri Simes and his wife Anastasia have been charged with three counts of violating US sanctions, including money laundering through the acquisition of art A commentator for Russian state television and former adviser to Donald Trump’s first presidential campaign has been charged by the US Department of Justice with various schemes to violate sanctions, including laundering funds through the acquisition of art and antiques. In one of the two indictments unsealed on 5 September, Dimitri Simes and his wife Anastasia Simes allegedly laundered money through Channel One Russia, a state-owned TV station. In a second indictment, Anastasia, who designs jewelry, has been accused of helping a prominent businessman, Aleksandr Y. Udodov, circumvent US sanctions by purchasing art and antiques on his behalf and storing the items at her home in Huntly, Virginia.

According to the Department of Justice, the Simeses have allegedly participated in these activities since early June of 2022, receiving $1m, a personal car and driver, a stipend for an apartment in Moscow and a personal team of ten employees from Channel One Russia. The couple has been charged with violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a federal law passed in the late 1970s that US President Joseph Biden has used to enforce punitive embargoes on Russian goods during Putin’s war in Ukraine. The couple’s combined sentences could carry a maximum penalty of 240 years in federal prison. The Simeses' indictments are the latest example of the Biden administration cracking down on Russian efforts to influence American voters through undisclosed telecommunications campaigns (and circumvent sanctions imposed on Russian individuals and organizations in connection to Russia's war in Ukraine). On 3 September, two employees of a Russian state broadcaster, RT, were charged with spending upwards of $10m to plant pro-Russian messages in a right-wing Tennessee-based podcasting company’s content. The FBI raided the Simes home on 13 August, seizing art and furniture over the course of four days. “They took a lot of the furniture," Dmitri said in an interview with The New York Times. “They took practically all of the paintings and icons, which are where now—who knows?” Various pieces of art were named in the indictment against Dimitri, who is now in Russia, including Lake of the Four Cantons, a 19th-century painting by the German artist F.C. Welsch, and a statue of the Ancient Greek goddess Minerva by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, the French sculptor best known for designing the Statue of Liberty. “We got most of them before we moved to this house,” Dimitri told the Times. “Most of them belonged to our parents. How could they be of any concern to the US government?” Dimitri emigrated to the US in 1973, becoming an advisor to President Richard Nixon before serving as the head of a think tank called Center for the National Interest. During President Trump’s 2016 campaign, Dimitri introduced the candidate at an event, a choice that raised eyebrows among some Washington officials due to concerns about Russia's campaign to interfere in the US presidential election. Dimitri disputed the Biden administration’s allegations, telling the Times: “I assumed that what I was saying on Russian TV would not be to the liking of the Biden administration, [...] but I also assumed that as long as it was just my opinion and was presented as such, it was not something for which I could be prosecuted.”

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Reposted from Tim Richardson

“Throw me a life vest!”

I yelled at Kelly who was quickly moving through the Gulf of Mexico without me. Aided by a strong wind, the the boat we had been sailing on was headed away from me. It was quickly moving toward shore leaving me stranded in the middle of the ocean. She was distressed and paralyzed with fear. I couldn’t blame her; she had never sailed before, and I hadn’t bothered to give her any sailing instruction in case of an emergency. I was in trouble. I was without a life vest a mile or more away from the beach in rough waters just before sunset. Fortunately, I was in my early 20’s, in excellent shape, and had been a swimmer and surfer in high school. I was able to swim toward shore and eventually was rescued after 45 minutes of swimming. Though my story ended well even without a life vest, many other stories of accidents without them do not. Life vests are important. They help save lives. Sadly, someone in your circle may feel like they are about to drown but they are too afraid or embarrassed to ask for a life vest (if that’s you, reach out to someone who can help!). Because their struggles aren’t physical or outward, the situation continues unnoticed by those around them. So, they suffer in silence and may become so despondent that they may consider taking their own life. Our community tragically lost a young teenager recently. Were there signs? Had he asked for help? Could it have been prevented? Did anyone have an opportunity to intervene? There are so many questions that those affected by suicide face. Similarly, a very good friend of mine lost his brother several years ago. I remember telling his brother once that he was going to either implode or have a conversion experience. I saw the signs and yet I didn’t get involved. No one knew that his internal troubles were so severe. No one offered a life vest. September is suicide prevention month and a reminder of the serious issue which has increased in frequency over the last several years. I read about it almost weekly on LinkedIn. Check in on friends, family or co-workers in your life. If someone in your life is struggling, get involved. Be more intentional with those who may seem less like themselves. Think about how you could help if someone you knew was really struggling. If you notice the warning signs, maybe you can be the one to throw the life vest and save a life.

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Reposted from MCSC

On September 19, during the G7 Culture Ministerial, the United States announced the contribution of $1 million to the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) to safeguard Ukraine’s cultural heritage. The grant agreement was signed by Acting under Secretary of State Lee Satterfield and ICCROM Director-General Aruna Francesca Maria Gujral. This initiative is an important step in strengthening international partnerships aimed at preserving Ukraine’s cultural heritage, which has been under threat since 2022. “We are very pleased to share this announcement of substantial additional funding to ICCROM so they can continue the good emergency response and recovery work they are doing in Ukraine. This partnership represents a vital milestone in the effort to preserve Ukraine’s cultural identity and historical heritage, and the U.S. looks forward to continuing our strong support for ICCROM and its mandate of preserving cultural heritage around the world,” said Ambassador to the UN Agencies in Rome, Jeffrey Prescott. 

The project “Resilient Heritage”, which is set for 30 months and funded through the U.S. Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), aims to establish a national framework for risk and emergency management. It will enhance coordination among Ukrainian government institutions, local authorities, and cultural heritage custodians. This funding is part of a broader $7 million U.S. program aimed at assisting in the preservation of the country’s cultural heritage. Ukraine highly values the support of the U.S. government, ICCROM, and other partners in efforts to protect and restore cultural and historical sites that are part of the world’s heritage.

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Reposted from Reuters

ROME, Sept 21 (Reuters) - A man shattered a sculpture by Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei on Friday during the opening of his exhibition at Palazzo Fava in the Italian city of Bologna, a spokesperson for the show said. Footage from CCTV cameras - posted on Ai Weiwei's Instagram account - showed a man vigorously pushing the sculpture over, breaking it and then holding a piece of it over his head. The sculpture targeted was the artist's large blue and white 'Porcelain Cube', the spokesperson said. The exhibit's curator, Arturo Galansino, said the perpetrator was well-known in the art world. "Unfortunately, I know the author of this inconsiderate gesture from a series of disturbing and damaging episodes over the years involving various exhibitions and institutions in Florence," said Galansino. The police in Bologna told local media a 57-year-old Czech man had been arrested after being stopped by the museum's security. The police could not immediately be reached for comment. The spokesperson said the art show, entitled "Who am I?" had opened on Saturday as normal and that the oeuvre will be replaced by a life-size print of the cube. The exhibition is due to run until May 4. "Ai Weiwei worried that no one was hurt and then asked that the remains of the work be covered and taken away," he said. It was not clear how the man had entered the building during the invite-only event on Friday.

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Reposted from Penticton Herald

Radium King, a boat on display outside the museum on King Street, was built in 1937 to haul radium and uranium along the Mackenzie River. "We are so disappointed to discover that the Radium King has been vandalized and broken into," the museum wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday. "We found that the cabin door was kicked in and litter inside and graffiti on the walls, where no one should be. This is senseless and dangerous." The museum warned people about the dangers of walking over the vintage boat's unstable "rotten wood" floorboards. In addition to the risk of falling, the museum stated spending time inside the boat could pose a "serious health hazard." "We care about your safety and the preservation of our artifacts. It is disheartening to see the senseless destruction of a piece of Fort Smith history," the museum added. This is at least the second vandalization incident in Fort Smith that has been brought to light this past week. The town recently announced that its skate park was damaged just two weeks after it reopened following repairs by volunteers. 

On Monday, the town's director of community services Emily Colucci said the skate park is closed to prevent injuries while the town works on a repair plan and seeks quotes for the installation of cameras. Colucci said she understands how regular use of public equipment can result in wear and tear, though the town is "happy to maintain, repair, and replace items that have been enjoyed by the community." "When we see purposeful damage caused for who knows what reason, those are harder to accept because we see the impact that the actions of the few have on the many," she wrote in an email. "We will continue to be boldly optimistic in our repair of the skate park, because our community wants this facility, and hope that better choices will be made next time."

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Reposted from Scarlet & Black

For the Department of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies (TDPS) and the Grinnell College Museum of Art (GCMoA), mold-related issues have become a source of disruption, with parts of Bucksbaum sealed off and two artworks from the museum damaged from mold. Erik Sanning `89, technical director for the TDPS department, said that the primary affected areas within the purview of the TDPS department are the Flanagan Studio Theatre and the costume and recording studios located in the basement. Sanning first discovered the mold problem late this summer. “I was doing work in the Flanagan and getting ready for the start of classes, and I began to notice that on the curtains and things like that, I could see mildew and mold growth.” After informing Facilities Management of the issue in the Flanagan Theatre, Sanning surveyed all of the areas belonging to the theater department and found that the costume studio and recording studio also had obvious and extensive mold growth. Within a day of being informed of the problem by Sanning, the College also surveyed the affected areas to analyze the extent of the contamination. From Sanning’s understanding, the nature of the mold contamination was “fairly benign, just extensive,” he said.

For this reason, contaminated areas have been sealed off to prevent any mold from spreading further. In an email to the S&B, Amy Van Manen, Facilities Management office manager, wrote that the reason for the high mold levels in Bucksbaum was “high humidity levels in the building over an extended period.” Van Manen added that the main types of mold found were penicillium and aspergillus. These genera of mold are commonly found in the environment. According to Mayo Clinic, most strains of these types of mold are harmless, but some can cause aspergillosis, a respiratory infection, if their fungal spores are inhaled. People with mold allergies or asthma may also have adverse reactions to inhaling spores. “Mold types and levels (spore counts) were sampled/tested in suspected areas within the building, along with outdoor samples used as a baseline,” Van Manen wrote. Van Manen wrote that the methods used to address the mold were “dehumidification, air filtration, sanitizing surfaces, cleaning fabrics and replacing items that can’t be feasibly sanitized.”  According to Sanning, the first and biggest effect of the mold issue on the theater department has been on the series of staged readings, which is unable to perform at the Flanagan as originally intended. The lack of stable alternative spaces for rehearsals and performances due to the closure of Flanagan has been a hassle for the cast and crew of these plays. “The cast is having to hop from space to space depending upon what day of the week it is, depending upon what we can find,” said Sanning.

In addition to the spaces themselves being shut down, the closed-off spaces also contain important equipment that has become inaccessible. This has caused problems for classes, rehearsals and performances. “Our guest artists would come up to us and be like, ‘Hey, I need a cable,’ and I’d be like, ‘That’s great! We have ten of them! I can’t get to any of them, because they’re in the space that’s a … microbial danger zone, ’Sanning said.  Currently, the costume and recording studios in the basement have been cleared of mold and are now accessible to the department, Sanning wrote in an email to the S&B. According to Sanning, there are around one to two weeks left in the cleaning process before the Flanagan can be safely reopened, which he expects will be in around three weeks GCMoA has also faced issues due to its own mold problem at Bucksbaum.  Due to the conversion of the heating system at Bucksbaum from central steam heating to hot water heating, work on the building caused humidity issues, affecting certain works in the Museum’s gallery. The two works affected were Red Dream and Blue Dream by Ingrid Lilligren, according to Museum director Susan Baley. The sculptures, intended as commentary on issues of climate change, consist of “ice placed in the upper ceramic structure that was intended to drip down a wooden structure as the ice melted,” Baley wrote in an email to the S&B. However, due to a sudden humidity spike in the building, mold grew on the wet wood of the sculptures.

The mold on the sculptures was first discovered on the morning of June 21 by Jocelyn Krueger, GCMoA collections manager. “The two sculptures were immediately removed from the gallery and treated–in consultation with the artist,” Baley wrote. The sculptures were also wrapped in plastic and kept separately from art storage to prevent any spread of the mold to other areas of the Museum or artworks in its collection.  “After multiple treatments, the mold was remediated,” Baley wrote. No other works or areas have experienced damage, but Museum staff and Facilities Management staff are still collaborating to keep an eye on the issue. “A new HVAC system will be installed in the Museum in Summer 2025,” Baley wrote. This system should be able to provide more precise control over humidity in Museum spaces.

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