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4. April Is Earthquake Preparedness
Month:
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April is Earthquake Preparedness Month, and people living in
earthquake-prone areas around the country are learning how to better prepare
themselves for an earthquake.
In Arkansas, representatives from ten eastern and northeastern Arkansas
counties attended a seminar on how to respond to earthquake disaster. The
director of the state Emergency Management Department, David Maxwell, suggests
ways that will help better his state's preparedness for earthquakes. His ideas
range from holding exercises to test the emergency response capabilities of
officials to educating families on creating and maintaining an emergency plan
and disaster kit.
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In The
News
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1. Esperanza fire coverage
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2. Jury: Allstate Must Pay $2.8M to Homeowner
New
Orleans, LA 04/16/07
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- A federal jury says
Allstate Insurance Company must pay a Louisiana man who lost his home to
Hurricane Katrina more than $2.8 million in damages and penalties.
Monday's decision came in a case that hinged largely on whether it was
Katrina's winds or storm surge that wiped out his house.
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3. 10 years after flood, Grand Forks touts
recovery
Dave Kolpack, The Associated Press
Article Launched:
04/16/2007 12:00:00 AM PDT
GRAND FORKS, N.D. - Heavy rain and snow still make people nervous along
the Red River of the North, which devastated North Dakota's third-largest city
10 years ago and forced thousands to flee in one of the costliest and largest
U.S. flood evacuations before Hurricane Katrina.
Eleven people died in three states.
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4. A fund for those whose homes burned in the Esperanza Fire is
finding fewer donations
10:00 PM PDT on Friday, April 13, 2007
By STEVE FETBRANDT
The Press-Enterprise
While the public has contributed almost $1.4 million to the families of
five firefighters who died in the Esperanza Fire in October, it has donated only
$2,500 to help rebuild the 34 homes lost in the mountain blaze.
Bob Duistermars, president of the Hemet-based Central County United Way,
said the public's generosity to the dead firefighters' kin far exceeded
expectations. At the same time, the organization's "Rebuild the Hill" fund
remains anemic.
5. Hearing on schedule in wildfire arson case despite new
charges
10:00 PM PDT on Friday, March 16, 2007
By RICHARD K. DE ATLEY
The Press-Enterprise
The attorney for Raymond Lee Oyler said Friday he will press ahead with his
client's scheduled preliminary hearing on Monday despite 19 new arson charges
being added to the case this week.
A new complaint filed Wednesday by the Riverside County District Attorney's
office brings the number of charges Oyler faces to 45, including five counts of
murder.
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6. Expo teaches how to survive a disaster
10:00 PM PDT
on Tuesday, April 17, 2007
By GAIL WESSON
The Press-Enterprise
BANNING - An earthquake or wildfire piques a rash of interest in disaster
preparedness, but Banning community leaders want Pass-area residents to get
inspired by the city's second Disaster Survival Expo.
The free expo takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Banning
National Guard Armory, 2041 W. Nicolet St.
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7. Disaster preparedness training offered
The Jurupa Citizen Corps will hold a three-day training session on disaster
preparedness the first weekend of May.
The training, which is free, will teach participants basic disaster
response skills such as fire safety, search and rescue techniques, team
organization and disaster medical operations.
The training will be at Veterans Memorial Community Center, 4393 Riverview
Drive, on May 4, 5 and 6.
Information and registration: 951-361-2090.
--Sandra Stokley
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8. Lawyers: Emails Can Aid Katrina Case Against State
Farm
The Associated Press
Thursday 12 March 2007
New Orleans - Attorneys for homeowners suing State Farm Insurance Cos.
after Hurricane Katrina have long accused the insurer of pressuring engineers to
alter reports on storm-damaged homes so that policyholders' claims could be
denied.
Now, some of these lawyers claim they have evidence to prove their
allegation - internal e-mails from an engineering firm that helped State Farm
adjust claims after the Aug. 29, 2005, hurricane destroyed thousands of homes on
the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
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9. Lawmakers Seek National Catastrophe Management Solution
Members of Congress from Florida, New York and Louisiana are rallying
around a proposed national catastrophe fund to try to keep homeowner premiums
affordable and protect the nation financially in the event of a large-scale
national catastrophe.
Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., the new chairman of the House Financial
Services Committee, says he supports the creation of a federal backstop for
states hurt by the skyrocketing costs of homeowners insurance in disaster-prone
areas. "It is clear the government has got to step in," said Rep. Frank. "I very
much agree that some federal backup is necessary."