Center for Domestic Preparedness looking at changes following ricin mixup

When Anniston's Center for Domestic Preparedness resumes offering training for first responders around chemical and biological material, there will be some changes in procedures, officials said today. The changes are part of the response to the disclosure last month that almost 10,000 first responders were exposed to toxic ricin at the center over a five-year period.

FEMA exposed hundreds to potentially fatal toxin

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has acknowledged that hundreds of Ohio emergency responders were exposed to a potentially fatal toxin while training at a FEMA facility in Alabama, according to an Associated Press report. The federal agency released a statement Wednesday saying that they had received no reports of illness as a result of the ricin exposure.

Anniston’s Center for Domestic Preparedness suspends use of toxins in training

Anniston's Center for Domestic Preparedness has suspended use of all chemical and biological material until further notice as officials continue to probe how almost 10,000 first responders were exposed to toxic ricin over a five-year period. In addition, the Department of Homeland Security's Inspector General is investigating how people at the center may have come in contact with the poison.

Flooded Glen Oaks High returning to campus but to temporary classrooms

Students from Glen Oaks High School in Baton Rouge are set to return their school grounds for classes sometime in the spring, but they will be moving back into a sea of temporary classrooms because a return to the permanent buildings will have to wait another two more years at least. East Baton Rouge Parish Superintendent Warren Drake said he's received preliminary approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to purchase and install at least $7.5 million worth of temporary buildings at the high school, including a cafeteria, career-and-technical building and 30 classrooms.

County needs storm debris ordinance to qualify for FEMA funds

One of the first orders of business for the Chatham County Commission in the new year, or sooner, is to enact a local ordinance that gives clear legal responsibility for storm debris clean-up to the county government. The lack of such an ordinance, according to U.S. Rep Buddy Carter and others, has apparently been a stumbling block in getting the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reimburse Chatham County for clearing storm debris from inside gated communities.

Emergency trainees mistakenly exposed to deadly ricin

Shipping mistake with bioterror pathogen ricin exposes almost 10,000 trainees over about five years at Alabama terrorism response center. Emergency trainees mistakenly exposed to deadly ricin Shipping mistake with bioterror pathogen ricin exposes almost 10,000 trainees over about five years at Alabama terrorism response center.

Heating problem closes FEMA office –

FEMA's Disaster Recovery Center at the old Kmart in Lumberton will be closed for at least part of the day on Thursday because of a problem with the heating system. Nate Custer, media relations specialist with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said today it's unclear exactly when the system would be fixed and the center would reopen, but was hopeful it would be later in the day Thursday.

Remaining FEMA flood recovery centers shutting down across south Louisiana

Advocate staff file photo by STACY GILL -- Zachary resident Mandie Barnes, left, applies for flood assistance through FEMA representative Rebecca Thurman, of Texas, at the Disaster Recovery Center inside the Zachary Men's Club on Rollins Road in September. Advocate staff file photo by STACY GILL -- Zachary resident Mandie Barnes, left, applies for flood assistance through FEMA representative Rebecca Thurman, of Texas, at the Disaster Recovery Center inside the Zachary Men's Club on Rollins Road in September.

Virginia Flood Damage from Matthew Costliest Since Isabel, Officials Say

Virginia suffered only a glancing blow from Hurricane Matthew last month when unprecedented amounts of rain fell, but on Wednesday officials estimated flood damage to be hundreds of millions of dollars, making it the costliest storm since Hurricane Isabel in 2003. Emergency management officials are now renewing calls for residents to get flood insurance, saying a vast majority of homeowners in areas vulnerable to major hurricane storm surge lack coverage.

Officials outline flood insurance offerings

If Jefferson City residents want flood insurance, it's available at an affordable premium, according to state and federal emergency management officials who led a Flood Insurance Open House at City Hall this week. Floods, flood insurance, stormwater and the municipal infrastructure that handles stormwater have been issues of citywide concern since the flash floods of August and September.