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Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued August 24 at 10:34PM EDT expiring August 24 at 11:30PM EDT by NWS Buffalo

ssued By: NWS Buffalo (Western New York)
Affected Jurisdictions: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie Counties

The National Weather Service In Buffalo Has Issued A * Severe Thunderstorm Warning For... Southwestern Allegany County In Western New York Cattaraugus County In Western New York Chautauqua County In Western New York Southern Erie County In Western New York * Until 1130 PM EDT * At 1032 PM EDT...National Weather Service Doppler Radar Indicated A Line Of Severe Thunderstorms Capable Of Producing Quarter Size Hail...And Damaging Winds In Excess Of 60 Mph. These Storms Were Located Along A Line Extending From 16 Miles Northwest Of Angola On The Lake To 10 Miles Northwest Of Dunkirk...And Moving Southeast At 50 Mph. * Some Locations In The Warning Include... Derby... Eden... North Boston... Boston... East Concord... Sardinia... Ashford... Salamanca... Rushford... Olean...

Wind Damage With These Storms Will Occur Well Ahead Of Any Rain Or Lightning. Do Not Wait For The Sound Of Thunder Before Taking Cover. Seek Shelter Immediately Inside A Sturdy Structure And Stay Away From Windows. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch Remains In Effect Until 500 AM EDT Thursday Morning For Western New York.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued August 24 at 10:34PM EDT expiring August 24 at 11:30PM EDT by NWS Buffalo

(CONTINUATION) Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued August 24 at 10:28PM EDT expiring August 24 at 11:00PM EDT by NWS Buffalo

Issued By: NWS Buffalo (Western New York)
Affected Jurisdictions: Erie, Niagara, Orleans Counties

...A Severe Thunderstorm Warning Remains In Effect Until 1100 PM EDT For Extreme Northeastern Erie...Western Orleans And Niagara Counties... At 1023 PM EDT...National Weather Service Doppler Radar Continued To Indicate A Line Of Severe Thunderstorms Capable Of Producing Quarter Size Hail...And Damaging Winds In Excess Of 60 Mph. These Storms Were Located Along A Line Extending From Olcott To Lewiston... Moving East At 50 Mph. Some Locations In The Warning Include... Thirty Mile Point... Pendleton... Rapids... Lyndonville... Middleport... Medina...

If You Are In The Path Of These Storms...Prepare Immediately For Damaging Winds...Destructive Hail...And Deadly Cloud To Ground Lightning. People Outside Should Move To A Shelter...Preferably Inside A Strong Building But Away From Windows. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch Remains In Effect Until 500 AM EDT Thursday Morning For Western New York.

(CONTINUATION) Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued August 24 at 10:28PM EDT expiring August 24 at 11:00PM EDT by NWS Buffalo

Philly CBP Catches up to Port’s First Ever Kentish Snail

Philadelphia – Despite snails being notoriously slow, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agriculture specialists ended the nearly 4,000 mile journey of a Kentish snail Tuesday after it arrived aboard a shipping container from Germany. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) entomologist confirmed today that this is the first time a Kentish snail was intercepted in the Port of Philadelphia.

CBP agriculture specialists discovered the snail while inspecting a shipment of home furnishings, placed a salt ring around the container as a precaution, and submitted the discovery to the USDA pest identifier.

A national USDA entomologist identified the pest as a Monacha cantiana (Montagu), commonly known as a Kentish snail. The Kentish snail is known to occur in Europe and is considered a major threat to agriculture crops, gardens and landscapes.

“Protecting America’s agriculture industry is an enormous responsibility, and Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists take their job very seriously,” said Allan Martocci, CBP port director for the Area Port of Philadelphia. “Each CBP insect pest interception emphasizes the importance of their efforts and a First in Port discovery is worth noting -- as both a significant milestone and as a warning to a new potential agriculture threat.”

CBP issued an Emergency Action Notification that required the container to be thoroughly treated or re-exported.

CBP agriculture specialists have extensive training and experience in the biological sciences and agricultural inspection. On a typical day, they inspect tens of thousands of international air passengers, and air and sea cargoes nationally being imported to the United States and seize 4,291 prohibited meat, plant materials or animal products, including 454 insect pests.

To learn more about CBP agriculture specialists, please visit ( Agriculture Specialist )

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Philly CBP Catches up to Port’s First Ever Kentish Snail

CBP issued an Emergency Action Notification that required the container to be thoroughly treated or re-exported.

To learn more about CBP agriculture specialists, please visit ( Agriculture Specialist )

As Hurricane Irene Approaches, FEMA Urges East Coast Resident to Be Prepared

August 24, 2011

No.: HQ-11-134

FEMA News Desk: 202-646-3272

As Hurricane Irene Approaches, FEMA Urges East Coast Resident to Be Prepared

Residents Should Follow the Instructions of Local Officials and Visit Ready.gov or Listo.gov to Prepare for Hurricanes and Severe Weather

WASHINGTON - As Hurricane Irene moves toward the East Coast of the United States, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is urging all residents in East Coast states to take steps now to prepare their families and businesses for hurricanes and severe weather. Visitwww.Ready.gov or www.Listo.gov for helpful tips on preparing for hurricanes, flash flooding and other disasters.

According to the National Weather Service, Hurricane Irene is now a category three hurricane and will move across the southeastern and central Bahamas today and over the northwestern Bahamas on Thursday. For more forecast information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Hurricane Center, click here.

"FEMA, along with the entire federal family, continues to closely monitor Hurricane Irene," said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. "We remain in close contact and coordination with all of our state and territorial partners in the Caribbean and along the East Coast that have already or could possibly experience impacts from this storm. Hurricane Irene's future path is still uncertain, and I encourage everyone to visit Ready.gov and take steps now to keep their family safe and secure. The most important thing for people to do right now is to listen to and follow the instructions of their local officials. If you are told to evacuate, evacuate."

FEMA continues its support response efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and on August 22, President Obama signed anemergency declaration for Puerto Rico, making federal funding available to supplement commonwealth and local response efforts in the area. In Puerto Rico, federal personnel are joining commonwealth and local officials today to conduct joint preliminary damage assessments, as weather permits. These damage assessments are the first step in helping a governor determine whether the scope of the damages are beyond what the commonwealth is capable of handling, and if additional federal assistance is needed.

Additionally, this past weekend, FEMA proactively deployed regional Incident Management Assistance Teams to the Caribbean to coordinate with territory and local officials to identify needs and shortfalls impacting potential disaster response and recovery. While Hurricane Irene moves away from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, FEMA encourages those in the area to continue to monitor weather conditions and listen to the direction of commonwealth and territorial officials.

As Hurricane Irene approaches the East Coast, FEMA, through its regional offices in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Atlanta, continues to monitor the storm closely and is in close contact with their respective state emergency management agencies.

In advance preparation for the storm, FEMA has deployed National Incident Management Assistance Teams to staging areas in Georgia and Virginia, in anticipation of further deployment to potential impact areas along the east coast of the U.S. Additionally, at all times, FEMA maintains commodities, including millions of liters of water, millions of meals and hundreds of thousands of blankets, strategically located at distribution centers throughout the United States and its territories. In Atlanta, for instance, FEMA has more than two million liters of water, more than 1.3 million meals, and more than 16,000 cots and 56,000 blankets. These resources may be moved to Incident Support Bases, which are distribution centers located closer to the impacted areas, as needed and requested by state partners.

These commodities are meant to supplement state resources if needed, but it is critical that individuals and families that are able build their own emergency supply kits, so that in the event of a disaster, state and local resources can be focused on our most vulnerable citizens.

FEMA is coordinating across the federal government to ensure territorial and state officials have the support they need as they respond to or prepare for Irene. New actions as of today include, but are not limited to:

• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has started deploying members of the 249th Engineering Battalion (Prime Power) to Puerto Rico to assist with restoring power to the island.

• The Federal Communications Center (FCC) has deployed two Roll Call Spectrum Scanning teams to the FEMA regional offices in Atlanta and Boston. These teams conduct post scans after landfall to determine which critical communications systems might have been impacted.

• Health and Human Services (HHS) is prepared to provide public health and medical support to states along the east coast in response to Hurricane Irene. The HHS is also coordinating with public health and emergency management agencies in U.S. territories and states along the projected hurricane path to make information available on how people can protect their health as they prepare for and respond to hurricanes and other natural disasters.

• The U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) has activated a Defense Coordinating Officer to the FEMA Regional Response Coordination Center in Atlanta in preparation for support to civil authorities as Hurricane Irene approaches the East Coast of the United States.

• The Department of Defense has designated Fort Bragg, North C Incident Support Base to support FEMA operations to respond to Hurricane Irene.