CURRENT SITUATION

• All life-safety measures have been met. No deaths reported.
• There are no requests for state assistance at this time.
• U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (ACOE) and Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) River Operations expect river levels to remain high for the next 10 days, even with no rain.
• ACOE and TVA releasing water to lower river storage pools and accommodate additional rain.
• ACOE monitoring levee conditions in Lake County, due to rain forecast for the Mississippi River.

COUNTY UPDATES

Stewart County – Local officials report 100 homes impacted (28 destroyed, 22 with major damage, and 36 with minor damage) with an estimated $2 million in road damage.

Houston County – Damage assessments from local officials report five to 10 homes with minor flood damage. Houston County Middle School also received minor flood damage. County officials estimate about $800,000 in road damage, including three impacted bridges.

Henry County – Officials report five mobile homes destroyed with road damage estimated at $100,000.

Fayette County – One reported injury and a damaged rural church from a confirmed EF-1 tornado with 105 mph wind speeds on April 27.

Tennesseans are encouraged to monitor broadcast news and electronic media for the latest weather information.

News media can call TEMA at (615) 741-0482. More updates will be posted as they become available. Also, weather information, road conditions and shelter information is available on the ReadyTN smartphone application, available for Android phones, and on iPhone and iPad.

CURRENT SITUATION, as of April 30, 2013 – 0900 Hrs. CST

• All life-safety measures have been met. No deaths reported.
• There are no requests for state assistance at this time.
• Currently, river flooding has crested, however river levels remain elevated.
• More rainfall is expected later this week in Tennessee and other watersheds that impact the state.
• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Tennessee Valley Authority’s River Operations each report releasing water from dams in anticipation of more rainfall into the system.
• TVA has activated its Emergency Phase of the Tennessee River Waterway Management Plan due to the volume of water being released from Chickamauga Dam, which is expected to continue through at least Wednesday.
• Rainfall in the Upper Midwest on the Mississippi River is expected to impact Tennessee. Currently, several river gauges in Tennessee on the river are forecast to reach into moderate flooding.

INCIDENT OVERVIEW

From April 26-28, a weather front brought heavy precipitation into middle Tennessee and parts of west and east Tennessee. National Weather Service (NWS) reports that rainfall totals of up to 6 inches or more locally. Many counties reported receiving minimal damages mainly in the form of flooded roadways and with minimal residential home impacts. Stewart and Houston Counties reported more severe flooding damages.

NWS confirmed an EF-1 tornado touched down in Fayette County on April 27 at 2115 hours. The tornado had wind speeds of 105 mph. It was on the ground for approximately 1 mile with a debris path 250 yards wide. There was one reported injury. A rural church also suffered damage when it was moved about 15 feet from its foundation.

• Damaged structures:

Fayette Co.
(EF-1 Tornado damage)
Destroyed: 3
Major: 0
Minor: 4
Affected: 6

Stewart Co.
Destroyed: 21
Major: 24
Minor: 20
Affected: 0

Houston Co.
Destroyed: 0
Major: 0
Minor: 0
Affected: 5 to 10

Henry Co.
Destroyed: 4 (mobile homes)
Major: 1
Minor: 4
Affected: 0

In Stewart County, several residents had to be rescued using swift-water boat crews on Saturday, April 27. Stewart County reports that some 70 to 100 homes are still inaccessible due to flooded access roads.

Houston Co. reports the Houston County Middle School received minor flooding and clean-up is in process. A nursing home relocated residents during the flooding. Twenty-one residents were put up overnight in an emergency shelter and are in the process of returning. The city of Erin has three bridges with flood-related damage.

STATE RESPONSE ACTIVITIES

• TEMA Area Coordinators continue to assist local governments.
• TEMA is monitoring current flood levels with an expectation of more rainfall later this week.
• Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency officers are assisting with wellness checks by boat on homeowners cut-off by flood waters in Stewart County

TEMA has issued this final situation report on the state’s response actions in East Tennessee to support Monroe County.

CURRENT SITUATION, as of 1500 Hrs. CST,

• All life safety measures have been met, the response phase has ended we have entered recovery phase.

• The State Emergency Operations Center will scale back to Level IV at 1800 Hrs. Friday. There are no further requests for state assistance at this time.

• Damaged structures in Monroe Co.:

Destroyed: 2 (both rental trailers)
Major: 5
Minor: 14
Affected: 14

• A TVA transmission tower which serves the Englewood community was damaged.

RESPONSE ACTIVITIES

• On April 11 at about 2023 Hrs. EDT, Monroe County EMA Director requested state assistance due to damage from a possible tornado in Madisonville. Monroe County 911 received about 100 tornado related calls in a two‐hour time frame. The reported damage path began south of Madisonville in the Gudger community and progressed 5‐10 miles to the Oak Grove community west of Madisonville. The 911 center was initially operating on backup power. About 2,500 customers were without power at the height of the storm, but most power has now been restored.

• Initial State response included a TEMA Area Coordinator and THP strike team. The THP strike team was released at about 0330 Hrs. EDT on April 12.

• A shelter remains open at the First United Methodist Church in Madisonville with no occupants.

• TEMA delivered fifty tarps to Monroe Co.

• Lowes and Home Depot have offered to donate supplies to help affected citizens.

• The debris in the City of Madisonville is being chipped in an industrial park. The debris from the county is being taken to a landfill, with the county tracking the amount.

• Three TEMA Area Coordinators assisted local damage assessment teams at 1030 EDT. The teams completed damage assessment at about 1330 Hrs. EDT.

• TEMA provided FEMA Region IV with situation update.

The State of Tennessee has declared a State of Emergency, as of 9:25 p.m., CST, on Thursday, April 11, 2013, due to a possible tornado and report of damage in Madisonville.

The State Emergency Operations Center currently is activated to Level III.

At this time, the state has received no requests for assistance from local governments.

Download the ReadyTN app to get immediate weather updates and information on road conditions directly to your smartphone: www.tnema.org/ReadyTN/mobile-app.html.

For more information view www.tnema.org or follow us on T_E_M_A on Twitter or TNDisasterInfo on Facebook for the latest updates.

Please listen closely to weather warnings and take appropriate actions immediately.

Further updates will be posted Friday morning.

• The State Emergency Operations Center is remaining at a Level III-State of Emergency for continued monitoring of the situation.

• TN Division of Forestry has 17 personnel and five engines on the fire grounds in Sevier County to patrol, monitor and watch for hot spots and flare-ups.

• All other State personnel and resources have demobilized. The American Red Cross has closed the shelter at Pigeon Forge Community Center.

• The National Weather Service issued a fire weather advisory for East Tennessee today due to forecasted westerly winds of 15 to 20 m.p.h. and low humidity that will lead to dryer conditions.

• Forestry is also limiting or restricting burn permits in its East Tennessee District today. More information available at www.burnsafetn.org.

• The Fire Management Assistance Grant Declaration requested by TEMA was denied by FEMA due largely to the diminishing scale of the wildfire threat.

• A lightning fire and an arson fire occurred last night in Hancock County, Tenn. Fire crews have returned to the lightning fire this morning to put in containment lines. The arson fire is out.

PRIORITIES

• Support local government and state agencies in the firefighting effort.
• Capture and document response efforts and costs.
• Transition from response to recovery phase.

News media can call TEMA at (615) 741-0482. More updates on the fire will be posted as they become available. Also, weather information, road conditions and shelter information is available on the ReadyTN smartphone app, available for Android phones, and on iPhone and iPad.

• Though there are no unmet needs at this time for the fire response in Sevier County, the State Emergency Operations Center will remain at a Level III-State of Emergency for continued monitoring of the situation and to support local government efforts.

• Fire crews will continue to watch the fire’s perimeter, digging and burying any materials still burning or smoldering, watching for hot spots and flare ups, and removing burned trees that could fall and cause injuries.

• Weather forecast for tonight says slight chance of showers with lows around 20 degrees.

• The Pigeon Forge Command Post has closed for the evening.

• The American Red Cross shelter at the Pigeon Forge Community Center has closed.

• The TN Division of Forestry anticipates pulling teams out this evening and returning tomorrow morning.

• All TN Highway Patrol strike teams have demobilized.

• All four (4) TN National Guard helicopters have demobilized.

• The Fire Management Assistance Grant Declaration requested by TEMA was denied by FEMA due largely to the diminishing scale of the wildfire threat.

News media can call TEMA at (615) 741-0482. More updates on the fire will be posted as they become available. Also, weather information, road conditions and shelter information is available on the ReadyTN smartphone app, available for Android phones, and on iPhone and iPad.

• Rain and cooler temperatures have brought relief to the fire in Sevier County, resulting in a reduced threat of blazes and flare ups.

• The fire fight is not over, yet, as fire crews today will be monitoring the fire’s perimeter, digging and burying any materials still burning or smoldering, watching for hot spots and flare ups, and removing burned trees that could fall and cause injuries.

• The fire has impacted 65 homes – 59 destroyed and 6 damaged – and covers approximately 161 acres.

• About 150 people have been evacuated from the area.

• The Tennessee National Guard has demobilized its four helicopters used for reconnaissance and water drops.

• THP has also demobilized its strike team and personnel from the area.

• There are no unmet needs at this time, according to the local responding agencies.

• At one point more than 50 local and state agencies, and 200 personnel were involved in the fire response.

• Weather forecast for the area says a cold front will keep temperatures in the mid-forties, with lower humidity today, and a slight chance of showers tonight with lows around 20 degrees.

• The wildfire began and spread rapidly around 4:20 p.m., EDST, on Sunday, March 17, 2013, at the Black Bear Ridge Resort in the Wears Valley area of Sevier County.

• TEMA activated to a Level III- State of Emergency at 7 a.m., CDST, on Monday, March 18, 2013.

CONFIRMED FATALITIES & INJURIES (By County)

• Two (2) minor injuries reported, but not transported to hospitals.

• No reports of fatalities.

SHELTER INFO

• One (1) shelter remains open at the Pigeon Forge Community Center.

• Hotels in the area are still letting evacuees stay for free.

RESPONSE ACTIVITIES

• TEMA submitted the request for Fire Management Grant to FEMA on 3/18/13. FEMA has denied the request.

• Incident Command Post open today at Wears Valley Road.

• Tennessee Division of Forestry keeping 50 personnel, six fire engines and eight tenders at the scene.

PRIORITIES

• Support local government and state agencies in the firefighting effort.

• Capture and document response efforts and costs.

• Evaluate criteria to transition from response to recovery phase.

News media can call TEMA at (615) 741-0482. More updates on the fire will be posted as they become available. Also, weather information, road conditions and shelter information is available on the ReadyTN smartphone app, available for Android phones, and on iPhone and iPad.

CURRENT SITUATION

The State Emergency Operations Center is activated to a Level III-State of Emergency, as of 7 a.m., CDST, on Monday, March 18, 2013.

• A wildfire began and spread rapidly around 4:20 p.m., EDST, on Sunday, March 17, 2013, at the Black Bear Ridge Resort in the Wears Valley area of Sevier County.

• The fire has damaged or destroyed about 58 buildings and covers approximately 161 acres.

• The fire was contained until around 1 p.m. EDST, but has breached containment and is now threatening 15 to 20 homes in the Priscilla Heights area, and threatens the Pine Crest and Pine Ridge areas.

• About 150 people have been evacuated from the area. More evacuations are underway with the fire containment breach.

• With the dry and very windy conditions, the potential exists for the fire to jump a ridgeline and threaten Pigeon Forge.

• The wind speed in the area is expected to be 24 mph around 3 p.m., EDST, and could go higher, which may ground air assets.

• Propane tank explosions are also a hazardous materials concern.

• A storm front is moving across Tennessee and is expected to bring an inch of rain to the East TN area by Tuesday morning.

CONFIRMED FATALITIES & INJURIES (By County)

SHELTER INFO

• One (1) shelter open at the Pigeon Forge Community Center. Currently no occupants.

• Many hotels in the area are letting evacuees stay for free.

RESPONSE ACTIVITIES

• Sevier County has activated its Wildland Fire Group.

• 25 fire departments responding, including Jefferson, Cocke, Blount and Anderson Counties and the cities of Wallace Creek, Wares Valley, Sevierville and Oak Ridge.

• Tennessee Division of Forestry coordinating fire response and personnel.

• TEMA has deployed East TN Regional Director Bill Worth and four Area Coordinators to the scene to assist local emergency responders with requests for resources.

• Tennessee National Guard deployed four helicopters to the area for reconnaissance and water drops.

• Tennessee Highway Patrol strike team re-deployed strike team to assist with local response.

• Sevier County has taken over road closures.

• Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance deployed Incident Management Team.

• American Red Cross has deployed an emergency relief vehicle at the scene to help with emergency needs.

News media can call TEMA at (615) 741-0482. More updates on the fire will be posted as they become available. Also, weather information, road conditions and shelter information is available on the ReadyTN smartphone app, available for Android phones, and on iPhone and iPad.

CURRENT SITUATION

• State Emergency Operations Center remains at Level-3 and a State of Emergency is in effect.
• Snow fell across portions of Tennessee on Thursday, Jan. 31, and one county (Sumner) reported icing impacting road conditions.
• Impacted counties continue to survey storm damage
• The National Weather Service has confirmed 12 tornado touchdowns. NWS may combine tornado tracks so the number may change.

UPDATED INFORMATION
This information is current as of 10:00 a.m. Central Time on Friday, Feb. 1, 2013.

CONFIRMED TORNADOES

• Tornado 1: An EF2 in Mt. Juliet in Wilson County near the intersection of Mount Juliet Road and Lebanon Road.
• Tornado 2: An EF0 from south of White Bluff in southeast Dickson county to Kingston Springs in southern Cheatham county.
• Tornado 3: An EF0 across the Fairview Plantation area in southwest Gallatin in Sumner county.
• Tornado 4: An EF2 has been confirmed in Hickman County near the Coble Community.
• Tornado 5: An EF0 has been confirmed in Sumner County, between Millersville & Gallatin
• Tornado 6: An EF1 has been confirmed in north-central Wilson County from along Mann Rd. to southern Trousdale County near Highway 141.
• Tornado 7: An EF0 has been confirmed in southwest Macon County about 7 miles southwest of Lafayette.
• Tornado 8: An EF0 has been confirmed in northeast Macon County about 7 miles northeast of Lafayette.
• Tornado 9: An EF1 has been confirmed in eastern Robertson County near Highway 76 between Springfield and White House…including the Pinson School Rd area to Bethlehem Rd and Baggett Rd. This tornado continued into western Sumner County.
• Tornado 10: An EF0 has been confirmed in Cheatham County in Ashland City.
• Tornado 11: An EF1 has been confirmed in Rutherford County near Eagleville.
• Tornado 12: An EF0 has been confirmed in Williamson County in Franklin

CONFIRMED FATALITIES & INJURIES (By County)

• One (1) confirmed fatality in Davidson County.
• Henderson County: One (1) transported critical injury and two (2) transported serious injuries.
• McNairy County: One (1) transported minor injuries
• Chester County: Four (4) transported minor injuries
• Hickman County: 1 transported minor injuries

POWER STATUS

• Currently there are 3,148 customers without power in Tennessee.

TRANSPORTATION ISSUES

All Interstates are open at this time.
• Hickman County reports priority roads are cleared of debris.
• Claiborne County re-opened roads impacted by flooding on 1/31/13.

SHELTER STATUS

• Blount County shelter open for residents displaced due to flooding of the Little River in Townsend.
• No Red Cross shelters are open in Tennessee.

RESPONSE ACTIVITIES

• National Weather Service will send another survey team out on 2/1/13.

REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE

• TEMA West secured 24 cots and 50 blankets from RedCross, and bottled water from Walmart and others, for Henderson County.
• There are no reports of unmet needs, from TEMA Regions or individual counties.

PRIORITIES

• Continue assisting with preliminary damage assessments
• Monitoring power outages
• Maintaining communications with impacted counties
• Responding to county requests for assistance

]]> http://www.tnema.org/news/tema/?feed=rss2&p=1505 0 http://www.tnema.org/news/tema/?p=1499 http://www.tnema.org/news/tema/?p=1499#comments Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:44:58 +0000 TEMA Spokesman Jeremy Heidt http://www.tnema.org/news/tema/?p=1499

CURRENT SITUATION
• State Emergency Operations Center remains at Level-3 and a State of Emergency is in effect.
• Impacted counties continue to survey storm damage
• The storm system has moved out of Tennessee leaving behind a mass of cold air and some rain showers. As a result of the system, flooding reports are coming in from Blount, Claiborne, Cocke, Greene, Henderson, Jefferson (schools closed), McMinn and Sevier counties.

UPDATED INFORMATION
This information is current as of 10:00 a.m. Central Time on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013.

• At 4:30 p.m., CST, on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013, Tennessee’s State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) activated to a Level-4 Elevated operation due to an approaching severe weather front, that the National Weather Service predicted would cause heavy rain, damaging winds and possible tornadoes as it crossed the entire state.

• Since Tuesday, TEMA Operations issued 38 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings, 35 Tornado Warnings, six Tornado Watches, and 14 Flash Flood Warnings for multiple counties statewide.

• The National Weather Service has confirmed 8 tornado touchdowns:

• Tornado 1: An EF2 in Mt. Juliet in Wilson County near the intersection of Mount Juliet Road and Lebanon Road.
• Tornado 2: An EF0 from south of White Bluff in southeast Dickson county to Kingston Springs in southern Cheatham county.
• Tornado 3: An EF0 across the Fairview Plantation area in southwest Gallatin in Sumner County.
• Tornado 4: An EF2 has been confirmed in Hickman County near the Coble Community.
• Tornado 5: An EF0 has been confirmed in Sumner County near Bledsoe Creek Camping State Park.
• Tornado 6: An EF0 has been confirmed in Sumner County near the intersection of Harsh Lane and HWY 25.
• Tornado 7: An EF0 has been confirmed in Sumner County, between Millerville and Gallatin.
• Tornado 8: An EF1 has been confirmed in Robertson and Sumner County, roughly 3 miles Southeast of Cross Plains

• The SEOC activated to Level 3-State of Emergency as of 10 a.m., CST, on Wed., Jan. 30, 2013.

CONFIRMED FATALITIES & INJURIES (By County)

• One (1) confirmed fatality in Davidson County.
• Henderson County: One (1) transported critical injury and two (2) transported serious injuries.
• McNairy County: One (1) transported minor injuries
• Chester County: Four (4) transported minor injuries
• Hickman County: 1 transported minor injuries

POWER STATUS

• Currently there are 10,833 customers without power in Tennessee.

TRANSPORTATION ISSUES

• All Interstates are open at this time. State Highways 200, 22, 22A and 104 are closed due to downed trees and power lines south of Lexington, TN, in Henderson County. A number of county roads are closed in Chester, Henderson, Hardin and McNairy counties.

SHELTER STATUS

• Blount County shelter open for residents displaced due to flooding of the Little River in Townsend.

RESPONSE ACTIVITIES

• State Emergency Operations Center remains at Level-3 State of Emergency.
• Impacted counties continue to survey damage
• TEMA dispatching Area Coordinators to assist counties with damage surveys.
• Tennessee Department of Transportation dispatching crews to counties to assist with road cleanup.
• TEMA’s East Tennessee Regional Coordinator Center activated to monitor storm’s progress.
• National Weather Service surveying storm damage in Hardeman, McNairy and Henderson counties today.

REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE

• TEMA West provided 100 tarps for Henderson County EMA
• Forestry assisted with road clearing for Henderson County power company
• McNairy County requested two THP troopers to assist with traffic control
• TDOT dispatched crews to several counties to assist with road cleanup.

PRIORITIES

• Preliminary damage assessments
• Monitoring power outages
• Maintaining communications with impacted counties
• Responding to county requests for assistance

Tennessee has experienced wide-spread damage from tornadoes and straight-line winds overnight and this morning.

TEMA activated the State Emergency Operations Center to Level 3 this morning at 10 a.m. and a State of Emergency is now in effect for the state.

CURRENT SITUATION
This information is current as of 11:30 a.m. Central Time on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013.

• At 4:30 p.m., CST, on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013, Tennessee’s State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) activated to a Level-4 Elevated operation due to an approaching severe weather front, that the National Weather Service predicted would cause heavy rain, damaging winds and possible tornadoes as it crossed the entire state.

• Overnight, TEMA Operations issued 26 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings, 27 Tornado Warnings, four Tornado Watches, and six Flash Flood Warnings for multiple counties statewide.

• The National Weather Service confirmed an EF-2 tornado touchdown in Mt. Juliet, TN (Wilson County), with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph.

• Weather spotters also indicated possible tornado touchdowns in Cannon, Hardeman, Henderson, Hickman, McNairy, Robertson and Rutherford counties.

• The storm system moved through East Tennessee today.

• The SEOC activated to Level 3-State of Emergency as of 10 a.m., CST, on Wed., Jan. 30, 2013.

PRIORITIES

• Monitoring power outages
• Updating shelter status
• Maintaining communications with impacted counties
• Responding to county requests for assistance

CONFIRMED FATALITIES & INJURIES (By County)

• One (1) confirmed fatality in Davidson County.
• One (1) reported critical injuries and two (2) reported serious injuries in Henderson County

• Minor injuries reported in other counties.

POWER STATUS

• Currently there are 23,476 customers without power in Tennessee.

TRANSPORTATION ISSUES

• All Interstates are open at this time.
• State Highways 200, 22, 22A and 104 are closed due to downed trees and power lines south of Lexington in Henderson County, Tenn.
• A number of county roads are closed in Chester, Henderson, Hardin and McNairy counties.

EMERGENCY SHELTER STATUS

• No emergency shelters are open at this time.

RESPONSE ACTIVITIES

• State Emergency Operations Center remains at Level-3 State of Emergency activation due to widespread storm damage and many counties conducting preliminary damage assessments.
• TEMA dispatching Area Coordinators to assist counties with damage surveys.
• Tennessee Department of Transportation dispatching crews to counties to assist with road cleanup.
• TEMA’s East Tennessee Regional Coordinator Center activated to monitor storm’s progress.
• National Weather Service surveying storm damage in Hardeman, McNairy and Henderson counties today.

REQUESTS FOR STATE ASSISTANCE

• Henderson County requests for chain saw crew (in process) and tarps (fulfilled).

Tennessee has experienced wide-spread damage from tornadoes and straight-line winds overnight and this morning.

The state’s Emergency Operations Center activated to Level 3 this morning at 10 a.m. and a State of Emergency is now in effect for the state.

Local governments and state personnel are currently conducting preliminary damage assessments and will continue to do so throughout the day. The state is responding to requests from local governments for emergency resources, such as tarps or debris clearance.

Currently, there is one confirmed fatality in Davidson County.

TEMA anticipates issuing a status report shortly with updated information on the current situation.

Tennessee has terminated a state of emergency enacted on Jan. 25 to respond to the winter storms in Middle and East Tennessee.

The state emergency operations center will return to normal operations – Level V – at 12 p.m. Central Time on Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013.

Local emergency personnel will continue to support recovery from the impact of the severe weather.

Under state law, a state of emergency exists for 60 days from its declaration, unless extended for another 60-day period or terminated.

Due to ice and wrecks, TEMA has gone to a level 3 activation and a state of emergency is in effect as of 9 a.m. this morning.

Current situations:

The TDOT smartway system reports 6 roadway incidents and 69 ice/snow covered highways and 2 extremely hazardous highways.

I-24 Multiple wrecks (approx. 20) in Montgomery Co., one lane is now open. Road is a sheet of ice, according to Tennessee Highway Patrol. Kentucky has been alerted to warn drivers heading south about the icy conditions.

On I-40 in Knoxville, there is heavy freezing rain now.

The Tennessee Departments of Safety and Transportation are working with county first responders to clear wrecks and check on motorists.

For highway emergencies, motorists should call *THP (*847) via mobile phone to be connected to the Tennessee Highway Patrol Headquarters nearest their location.

Icing is moving in to East Tennessee and this morning’s weather forecasts increased the ice accumulations to up to .50-inches. Icy conditions will be prevalent in the higher elevations and on the Cumberland Plateau.

There are currently seven (7) emergency shelters open in parts of East TN. There is no one in those shelters yet.

Safety Message:

In the event of a power outages, people should use caution when running portable generators to avoid any buildup of deadly carbon monoxide inside structures. Never run a generator inside your home.

The State of Tennessee has declared a State of Emergency, as of 9 a.m., CST, on Friday, Jan. 25, 2013, due to freezing rain and icy conditions in East Tennessee.

The State Emergency Operations Center currently is activated to Level III.

Tennesseans should remember to “Take it Slow in Ice and Snow” and to limit travel as much as possible, and to never drive or venture into standing water.

If travel in unavoidable, be sure to have an emergency kit in your automobile to include blankets, warm and sturdy boots, a flashlight, and a hand-powered charger for mobile devices.

Download the ReadyTN app to get immediate weather updates and information on road conditions directly to your smartphone: www.tnema.org/ReadyTN/mobile-app.html.

For more information view www.tnema.org or follow us on T_E_M_A on Twitter or TNDisasterInfo on Facebook for the latest updates.

Tennessee has terminated a state of emergency enacted on Jan. 15 to respond to the winter storms and flooding of Jan. 15 to Jan. 22, 2013.

The state emergency operations center will return to normal operations – Level V – at 6 p.m. Central Time on Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2013.

Local emergency personnel will continue to support recovery from the impact of the severe weather. Damage assessments from the flooding experienced by several counties in East Tennessee will be conducted as the water recedes.

Under state law, a state of emergency exists for 60 days from its declaration, unless extended for another 60-day period or terminated.

A fast-moving winter storm system impacted the East and Upper East areas of Tennessee on Tuesday, Jan. 17, in afternoon and evening hours, dumping 1” to 4” of snow in the lower elevations of the area and 8” and greater in the higher elevations.

The snowfall has impacted traffic on Interstates, State Routes and secondary roads from Knoxville to the Tri-Cities.

This area of Tennessee already had flooding issues from a weather system that began moving across the state earlier in the week. Some areas had freezing rain before the snow started falling.

Traffic accidents and power outages are primary concerns of emergency response efforts.

There are no reports of injuries or fatalities, and the American Red Cross has shelters on standby if needed.

ROAD ISSUES

- No reports of stranded motorists.

- I-28, I-81 and numerous State Routes received heavy snowfall, with many counties reporting wrecks and abandoned vehicles.

The Tennessee Departments of Safety and Transportation are working with county first responders to clear wrecks and check on motorists.

For highway emergencies, motorists should call *THP (*847) via mobile phone to be connected to the Tennessee Highway Patrol Headquarters nearest their location.

POWER OUTAGES

81,098 total customers without power

- 20,467- Knoxville Area
- 10,000 – Johnson City Area
- 12,522 – Sevier County
- 5,000 – Mountain City Area
- 28,000 – Appalachian Electric*
- 1,000 – Chattanooga Area
- 1,200 – Bristol, TN
- 2,000 – Elizabethton
- 900 – Bristol, VA

* Appalachian Electric serves customers in Tennessee and Virginia.

The State Emergency Operations Center in Nashville, TN, remains at Level III and a state of emergency was declared on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013, due to freezing rain and ice impacting West and Middle TN, and flooding conditions in East Tennessee.

The State of Tennessee has declared a State of Emergency, as of 4 p.m., CST, on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013, due to freezing rain and icy conditions in West and Middle Tennessee, and because of the possibility of severe flooding in East Tennessee from the rainfall that continues to move across the state.

The State Emergency Operations Center currently is activated to Level III. The National Weather Service has Ice Storm Warnings currently in effect for West and Middle Tennessee, and Flood Warnings in effect for portions of East Tennessee.

Tennesseans should remember to “Take it Slow in Ice and Snow” and to limit travel as much as possible, and to never drive or venture into standing water.

If travel in unavoidable, be sure to have an emergency kit in your automobile to include blankets, warm and sturdy boots, a flashlight, and a hand-powered charger for mobile devices.

Download the ReadyTN app to get immediate weather updates and information on road conditions directly to your smartphone: www.tnema.org/ReadyTN/mobile-app.html.

For more information view www.tnema.org or follow us on T_E_M_A on Twitter or TNDisasterInfo on Facebook for the latest updates.

All times are listed in Central Time. Times are as information was reported to TEMA Operations Center in Nashville and may not reflect the actual time of the event listed.

Tuesday, Nov. 27

1015 Bledsoe County EMA reported a bomb threat to its County Courthouse.
1017 Decatur County EMA reported a bomb threat to its County Courthouse.
1020 Crockettt County EMA reported bomb threat to Courthouse.
1024 Cheatham County EMA reported bomb threat to Courthouse.
1025 Dept. of Safety (THP) and State Fusion Center notified of bomb threats.
1033 TEMA Director Bassham notified.
1035 Hamblen County reported bomb threat at Courthouse.
1037 Giles County reported bomb threat at Courthouse.
1039 Blount County reported bomb threat at Courthouse.
1040 Governor and Adjutant General notified.
1041 Carroll and Hardin County to the list.
1042 Fentress County reported bomb threat.
1043 Operations conducted a Statewide NAWAS roll call to determine which counties have received bomb threats.
1045 Clay and Hamblen Counties reported an all clear.
1048 Cheatham County reported bomb threat.
1049 Hancock County reported bomb threat.
1051 Greene County reported bomb threat.
1053 PIOs were notified.
1055 THP sending a trooper to each courthouse.
1057 Update from the Fusion Center. Oregon, Washington and Nebraska have received this kind of threat.
1104 Memphis Courthouse has been searched and given the all clear. Initial threat was called in at 0830.
1123 Franklin County reported a bomb threat to the Courthouse.
1135 Hamilton County reported a bomb threat to the Courthouse.
1150 Carter County reported bomb threat at Courthouse.
1152 Hardeman County set up a command post in Boliver, TN.
1153 Giles County reported all clear.
1202 Cheatham County is searching the Courthouse.
1212 Cumberland, Fentress and Clay are reported as all clear.
1212 Bomb and Arson reports the addition of the following counties as having received a bomb threat: Henderson, Benton, Bradley and Bedford.
1213 Cheatham County stated that the Courthouse is clear.
1214 Operations confirmed updated county list. Bradley County confirmed a bomb threat and reported all clear. Benton County confirmed bomb threat. Bedford County confirmed a bomb threat. Henderson County stated that they had not received a bomb threat.
1221 Decatur County stated that the Courthouse is clear.
1230 The following counties are clear: Benton, Carroll, Decatur, and Gibson.
1237 Hardeman County reported all clear.
1239 Bedford and Giles have been cleared.
1245 Bledsoe County Courthouse is all clear.
1247 Benton County EMA reported all clear.
1253 The following counties have all cleared: Claiborne, Hamblen, Carter, Greene and Hancock.
1254 THP Nashville reports that all District 3 Counties are clear.
1255 Hardeman County reports an all clear.
1301 Bledsoe County reports all clear.
1304 Cannon County 911 reported a bomb threat.
1426 Grundy County received a bomb threat.
1545 All counties in the THP Memphis District have been cleared, which includes Shelby County and Crockett County.
1530 Cannon County all clear.
1534 Franklin County all clear.
1535 Grundy County all clear.
1537 Chester County all clear.
1537 Anderson County all clear.
1537 Blount County all clear.
1538 Hardin County all clear.
1538 Campbell County all clear.
1539 Grainger County all clear.
1543 Hamilton County all clear.
1545 Governor notified that all counties have been cleared.
1602 Mission is closed.

***THIS MISSION IS CLOSED***

As of 2 p.m., bomb threats have been received in 29 counties. These threats have resulted in evacuations of government offices or county courthouses. At this time there have been no explosive devices discovered.

A list of current counties that have received threats includes:

West: 9
Benton
Carroll
Crockett
Decatur
Gibson
Hardeman
Hardin
Shelby
Chester

Middle: 6
Bedford
Cannon
Cheatham
Clay
Franklin
Giles

East: 14
Anderson
Fentress
Bledsoe
Grainger
Blount
Greene
Campbell
Hamblin
Carter
Hamilton
Claiborne
Hancock
Cumberland
Bradley

As of 2 p.m., the following county buildings have been searched by local law enforcement, which found no explosive devices:

Clay
Hamblen
Cumberland
Fentress
Cheatham
Bradley
Decatur
Benton
Carroll
Gibson
Hardeman
Bedford
Giles
Bledsoe
Claiborne
Carter
Greene
Hancock

Additional information may be posted later in the day, as the situation develops.

At this time, there are not reports of damage in Tennessee or Kentucky from the earthquake.

Washington County

Washington County Courthouse
100 East Main Street
Jonesborough, Tennessee 37659

Hours: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. weekdays
Closed: Sept. 1-3
Reopen: Tuesday, Sept. 4
Closing: Thursday, Sept. 6 at the close of business

Although the Center will cease operations at the close of business Thursday, Sept. 6, applicants may still apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

Individuals and businesses unable to visit the Center can obtain information and loan applications by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing), or by sending an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan applications can also be downloaded from the SBA’s website at www.sba.gov. Completed applications should be returned to the Center or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is October 15, 2012. The deadline to return economic injury applications is May 16, 2013.

Situation Summary:

The State of Tennessee has declared a State of Emergency due to heavy rainfall and flooding in Northeast Tennessee.  The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) was activated at a Level III on August 6, 2012 at 0600 CST to respond to the significant flooding. The National Weather Service radar indicated as much as 6 inches of rain fell overnight and more rain is expected today. Most of East Tennessee remains under a current flood watch until approx. 7 p.m. EST.

No fatalities have been reported.

State Actions:

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency has received initial reports from Carter, Greene, Johnson, Sullivan, Washington and Unicoi Counties.

TEMA’s Area Coordinators have been deployed to the affected counties to assist the County Emergency Management Agencies with damage assessments.

Counties reporting major damage:

Washington Co.

•                 Multiple bridges and culvert wash outs
•                 Johnson City bus garage flooded; 2/3 of school transportation buses out of service
•                 Public Schools are closed today.
•                 Johnson City public works building flooded
•                 Worst hit areas are around Dry Creek Road area
•                 Portion of Highway 81 washed out; TDOT repaired road with 20 tons of rock
•                 Between 50-to-60 persons were rescued by swift water rescue teams from Woodlyn Road area, Dry Creek Road area and Cash Hollow Road. Sullivan and Carter Counties sent swift water rescue teams to assist under mutual aid. Three EMS responders experienced minor injuries when their craft overturned; they were treated and released.
•                 One shelter opened at Lamar Elementary School.

Unicoi Co.

•                 Significant damage to four county roads
•                 Highway 81 washed out; TDOT repaired road with 20 tons of rock
•                 Evacuations and rescues reported
•                 Four shelters opened on Sunday night. All shelters are now closed.

Carter Co.

•                 Multiple sinkholes and washed out roads reported
•                 Half-a-dozen roads are barricaded due to flooding damage

Johnson Co.

•                 A nursing home experienced flooding damage; no danger to residents

For media inquiries, please call 615-741-0482 or email info@tnema.org to contact a public information officer at TEMA.

At this time, there are no reports of injuries or deaths.

Local emergency officials are assessing damage from the flooding today. County governments have not made any requests for state resources.

Much of East Tennessee remains under flood watch today, as more rain is expected. In preparation, TEMA has staffed its regional coordination center in Knoxville and dispatched several area coordinators to meet with county emergency management directors today.

This status report is current as of 0800 CST. Further information will be posted when it becomes available.

Media inquiries can be made to 615-741-0482 or info@tnema.org.

The exercise, known as TNCAT ’12 (pronounced TEN-CAT) will begin on the morning of July 9, when Tennessee will experience a simulated 7.7 magnitude earthquake inside the New Madrid Seismic Zone near Memphis.

This will initiate the start of an emergency that, were it real, will involve numerous state and local agencies, and private-sector concerns, and would affect thousands of Tennesseans and inflict hundreds of millions of dollars of damage across the state.

“We’re talking about a life-altering event, for all of us who live in Tennessee and for the economic prosperity of our nation,” said Jim Bassham, director of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), the agency responsible for the state’s catastrophic earthquake plan and TNCAT ’12’s exercise design.

“Tennessee has many years of experience responding to tornadoes, floods and ice storms,” Bassham said. “A catastrophic earthquake will present a set of very large challenges, such as damage estimation, search and rescue operations, and generally being able to move supplies into the affected area. We have to practice to be ready and to identify any gaps we need to fill in our response.”

TNCAT ’12 will focus on three areas of the state’s catastrophic earthquake plan: managing the process of obtaining and transporting life-saving supplies into the affected area; establishing emergency communications at the state and local level; and tracking the movement of medical supplies from a distribution point to a hospital.

Other state agencies participating in TNCAT ’12 include the Tennessee Departments of Health, Safety, Transportation, Environment and Conservation, and Health and Human Services. Local agencies playing in the exercise include the Dickson County Emergency Management Agency, Hamilton County Emergency Management Agency, Humphreys County Emergency Management Agency and Three Rivers Hospital in Waverly, Tenn.

“Preparedness is really everyone’s responsibility,” said Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH. “Along with emergency agencies, every able person should do all he or she can do to be ready for the major earthquake none of us wants to see — but we all know may happen one day. This exercise demonstrates the strong commitment by TEMA, and other critical response and recovery agencies and organizations, to help Tennesseans be aware of the challenges we’ll face and how we all need to be prepared.”

This year marks the 200th anniversary of a series of catastrophic earthquakes that struck New Madrid, Mo., and changed the geography of the central U.S. forever. Since 1973, United States Geological Survey data shows there have been 163 earthquakes within 155 miles of the New Madrid Seismic Zone.

For more information, visit www.tnema.org.

###

Memphis, Tenn. – As 2012 marks the bicentennial of a series of strong earthquakes that struck the New Madrid seismic zone in late 1811 and early 1812, earthquake experts and emergency managers from around the U.S. will gather in Memphis for the National Earthquake Conference (NEC), April 10 to April 13 at the Peabody Hotel.

“The Institute is absolutely thrilled to hold in annual meeting in Memphis this year,” said Jay Berger, executive director of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI). “As the nation’s leading technical society for earthquake professionals we understand the seriousness of the seismic risk in the central US and the vulnerability of a built environment insufficient to the meet the expected intensity of shaking. We hope that bringing our nation’s leading earthquake risk reduction experts from academia, practice and government to Memphis will encourage local planners and officials to elevate their efforts at addressing the exposure to the seismic risk. Joining forces this year with the National Earthquake Conference increases the diversity of the participants and adds an increased emphasis on preparedness and mitigation, especially applicable to communities like Memphis and in the surrounding region.”

Sessions at this year’s NEC, themed Learning from the Past to Protect the Future, will provide participants opportunities to learn lessons from recent and historic earthquakes, and how to apply them to reduce future impacts and build resiliency.

NEC plenary and breakout sessions will cover:
• The vulnerability of aging, large infrastructure;
• Information on tools for earthquake risk reduction;
• Successful earthquake mitigation and response programs in the public and private sectors; and
• The latest information on seismic safety improvements for schools.

Among the NEC’s featured speakers will be: Timothy Galarnyk, host of the History Channel’s Inspector America; Tom O’Rourke, professor at Cornell University and EERI Distinguished Lecture; Conevery Bolton Valencius, professor at University of Massachusetts; Kathleen Tierney, director of the University of Colorado Natural Hazards Center; Chris Poland, chairman and senior principal of Degenkolb Engineers; and Sandra Knight, deputy federal insurance and mitigation administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

“As one of the lead organizations coordinating the NEC, I’m delighted Memphis was chosen to be serving as the host city for the 2012 National Earthquake Conference,” said Jim Wilkinson, executive director of the Central United States Earthquake Consortium (CUSEC). “CUSEC, which has been headquartered in Memphis since 1987, has worked tirelessly with its many partners across academia, government, and private sectors to increase not only the awareness of the earthquake risk, but to demonstrate effective risk reduction methods while simultaneously planning to respond and recover from a damaging earthquake. Hosting the NEC will allow us the opportunity to highlight the many positive changes that have taking place in Memphis and throughout the central U.S.”

The National Earthquake Conference (NEC) brings together hundreds of geoscientists, engineers, insurance regulators, building officials and emergency management professionals to discuss advancements in earthquake theory, mitigation, preparedness and education.

Besides EERI and CUSEC, other members of the NEC organizing executive committee include the Western States Seismic Policy Council (WSSPC), Northeast States Emergency Consortium (NESEC), and Cascadia Region Earthquake Workgroup (CREW).

FEMA, U.S. Geologic Survey, National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program and National Institute of Standards and Technology are lending their support to this year’s NEC, too.

For registration and event information, visit www.earthquakeconference.org.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has terminated a state of emergency enacted to respond to the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding of Feb. 29 to March 2, 2012.

This termination was achieved through a proclamation, signed by the Governor on March 23, 2012. Emergency personnel will continue to support recovery from the impact of the severe weather.

On March 17, 2012, Gov. Haslam announced 10 Tennessee counties would be receiving individual assistance under a federal disaster declaration. The counties include Bradley, Claiborne, Cumberland, DeKalb, Hamilton, Jackson, McMinn, Monroe, Overton and Polk.

Under state law, a state of emergency exists for 60 days from its declaration, unless extended for another 60-day period or terminated by the Governor using a proclamation or executive order.

Please use this TN.Gov disaster recovery web page as a guide to help you find resources on the following topics:

Federal Disaster Aid
Resources and Consumer Tips for recovery
Transportation
Drinking Water Safety
Clean-up Safety, Procedures and Services
Agriculture
Volunteering and Donating to Help Flood Victims
Visiting Tennessee
Courts and Justice
Other Resources

Residents in the Tennessee counties affected by recent storms and flooding are urged to be careful of scams during recovery efforts.

In a typical scheme, someone pretends to be employed by the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) or other government agencies, such as the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) or Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). A TEMA, SBA or FEMA shirt, jacket or hat is not proof of someone’s affiliation with these agencies. Authorized personnel wear a laminated photo identification card at all times.

Anyone who notices suspicious activity in his or her neighborhood or who suspects that someone is trying to commit fraud by going door-to-door or by making contact by phone or mail should immediately call the local police at 9-1-1.

Tennesseans who suspect anyone of committing disaster fraud, whether as a contractor, inspector, or even a disaster survivor offering to do work-for-hire, or who suspect someone is posing as any of these, either in person or on the phone or on the Internet, should call the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs toll free at 1-800-342-8385.

For media inquires only, please call 615-741-0482 to reach TEMA’s public information officers during normal business hours or use e-mail.

February 29-March 2, 2012

MIDDLE & EAST TENNESSEE – MULTIPLE COUNTIES

OVERALL SITUATION

New Information in Bold

Tennessee experienced two, significant waves of severe weather outbreaks on Friday, March 2, 2012.  The first outbreak the morning of March 2, impacted East Tennessee primarily and after a two-hour lull, the second wave hit Middle Tennessee and East Tennessee was impacted a second time.

A total of 75 tornado warnings were issued between 9:25 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., CST, on March 2, 2012.  Several counties reported tornado touchdowns.

No fatalities have been reported in Tennessee from the severe weather of March 2.

Injury numbers have not changed. There have been 45 people injured and transported to hospitals.  County emergency managers report an additional 8 people injured but not transported.   All injuries county-by-county:  Hamilton-24; Cumberland-4; Bradley-3; McMinn-7; Davidson-2; Knox-6; Monroe-3; Claiborne-4.

There are three reported fatalities (Cumberland – 2 and DeKalb –1) from the Feb. 29 tornadoes.

National Weather Service confirms the following tornado touchdowns:  EF-1 in southern Cheatham; EF-2 in Harrogate in Claiborne Co.; EF-2 in southeastern Jackson Co.; EF-2 in southeastern Jackson Co., northern Putnam and southwestern Overton; EF-2 in Monroe.  Damage in Dickson Co. and Humphreys Co. was from straight-line winds.

5,900 customers are without power statewide.  Affected counties include:  Overton, Bradley, Dickson, Hamilton & McMinn.

The State Emergency Operations Center remains at Level 3 and the state of emergency continues due to severe weather across much of Tennessee.

County-by County Reports:

• Anderson – One home with minor damage; hail damage around Claxton area.

• Bradley – 6 homes destroyed; 13 homes with major damage & 20 minor; 48 homes affected.  87 homes total.

• Cheatham – Report of 50 homes and 2 businesses with damage.

• Claiborne – 5 homes destroyed; 8 homes major damage & 21 minor; 29 homes affected. 63 homes total.

• Cumberland – 2 homes destroyed; 4 homes major damage. 6 homes total.

• DeKalb – 2 homes destroyed; 5 homes major damage & 9 minor; 95 homes affected. 111 homes total.

• Dickson – Damage to Hamilton Inn.

• Franklin – Minor damage reported.

• Hamilton – 30 homes major damage & 20 homes minor; 100 homes affected.  150 homes total.  TDEC deployed to Island Cove Marina for 1,000 gallon fuel spill.  Clean up is ongoing.

• Jackson – 13 homes destroyed; 10 homes major damage & 7 homes minor; 33 homes affected. 63 homes total.

• McMinn – 11 homes destroyed; 10 homes major damage & 7 homes minor; 33 homes affected. 38 homes total.

• Monroe – 33 homes destroyed; 28 homes major damage & 38 minor damage; 65 homes affected.  164 homes total.

• Moore – One mobile home destroyed.

• Montgomery – One mobile home had roof blown off. Several signal lights down.

• Overton – 18 homes destroyed; 12 homes major damage & 2 homes minor; 24 homes affected.  56 homes total. Upper Cumberland Electric and Twin Lake Electric both report damage.

• Roane – Report of a Tornado touch down in Kingston confirmed 2 homes roof blown off. Multiple power outages. Debris management and damage assessment underway.

• Smith – Two road closures near Carthage

• Polk – 7 homes destroyed; 8 homes major damage & 7 minor; 2 homes affected.  24 homes total.

• Putnam – Minor damages reported

OVERALL SITUATION
New Information in Bold

Tennessee experienced two, significant waves of severe weather outbreaks on Friday, March 2, 2012. The first outbreak the morning of March 2, impacted East Tennessee primarily and after a two-hour lull, the second wave hit Middle Tennessee and East Tennessee was impacted a second time.

A total of 75 tornado warnings were issued between 9:25 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., CST, on March 2, 2012. Several counties reported tornado touchdowns.

No fatalities have been reported in Tennessee from the severe weather of March 2.

There have been 45 people injured and transported to hospitals. County emergency managers report an additional 8 people injured but not transported. All injuries county-by-county: Hamilton-24; Cumberland-4; Bradley-3; McMinn-7; Davidson-2; Knox-6; Monroe-3; Claiborne-4.

There are three reported fatalities (Cumberland – 2 and DeKalb –1) from the Feb. 29 tornadoes.

National Weather Service confirms the following tornado touchdowns: EF-1 in southern Cheatham; EF-2 in Harrogate in Claiborne Co.; EF-2 in southeastern Jackson Co.; EF-2 in southeastern Jackson Co., northern Putnam and southwestern Overton. Damage in Dickson Co. and Humphreys Co. was from straight-line winds.

6,675 customers are without power statewide. Affected counties include: Overton, Bradley, Dickson, Hamilton & McMinn.

The State Emergency Operations Center remains at Level 3 and the state of emergency continues due to severe weather across much of Tennessee.

County-by County Reports:

• Anderson – One home with minor damage; hail damage around Claxton area.

• Bradley – 6 homes destroyed; 13 homes with major damage & 20 minor; 48 homes affected. 87 homes total.

• Cheatham – Report of 50 homes and 2 businesses with damage.

• Claiborne – 5 homes destroyed; 8 homes major damage & 21 minor; 29 homes affected. 63 homes total.

• Cumberland – 2 homes destroyed; 4 homes major damage. 6 homes total.

• DeKalb – 2 homes destroyed; 5 homes major damage & 9 minor; 95 homes affected. 111 homes total.

• Dickson – Damage to Hamilton Inn.

• Franklin – Minor damage reported.

• Hamilton – 30 homes major damage & 20 homes minor; 100 homes affected. 150 homes total. TDEC deployed to Island Cove Marina for 1,000 gallon fuel spill. Clean up is ongoing.

• Jackson – 13 homes destroyed; 10 homes major damage & 7 homes minor; 33 homes affected. 63 homes total.

• McMinn – 11 homes destroyed; 10 homes major damage & 7 homes minor; 33 homes affected. 38 homes total.

• Monroe – 33 homes destroyed; 28 homes major damage & 38 minor damage; 65 homes affected. 164 homes total.

• Moore – One mobile home destroyed.

• Montgomery – One mobile home had roof blown off. Several signal lights down.

• Overton – 18 homes destroyed; 12 homes major damage & 2 homes minor; 24 homes affected. 56 homes total. Upper Cumberland Electric and Twin Lake Electric both report damage.

• Roane – Report of a Tornado touch down in Kingston confirmed 2 homes roof blown off. Multiple power outages. Debris management and damage assessment underway.

• Smith – Two road closures near Carthage

• Polk – 7 homes destroyed; 8 homes major damage & 7 minor; 2 homes affected. 24 homes total.

• Putnam – Minor damages reported

For media inquires only, please call 615-741-0482 to reach TEMA’s public information officers or use e-mail.

If you need emergency assistance, please dial 9-1-1 to be connected to the nearest emergency dispatch center.

To make donations or volunteer goods or services, please call 2-1-1 from any county in the state.

February 29-March 3, 2012
MIDDLE & EAST TENNESSEE – MULTIPLE COUNTIES

OVERALL SITUATION

New Information in Bold — This will be the final update for March 3.

Tennessee experienced two, significant waves of severe weather outbreaks on Friday, March 2, 2012.  The first outbreak the morning of March 2, impacted East Tennessee primarily and after a two-hour lull, the second wave hit Middle Tennessee and East Tennessee was impacted a second time.

A total of 75 tornado warnings were issued between 9:25 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., CST, on March 2, 2012.  Several counties reported tornado touchdowns.

No fatalities have been reported in Tennessee from the severe weather of March 2.  There have been 45 people injured:  Hamilton-23; Cumberland-4; Bradley-4; McMinn-9; Davidson-2; Knox-3

There are three reported fatalities (Cumberland – 2 and DeKalb –1) from the Feb. 29 tornadoes

Four shelters are open with one each in Bradley, Cumberland, Hamilton and Monroe, with no current occupants.

All requests for assistance and resources have been met and there are no unmet needs at this time.

8,680 customers are without power statewide.  Affected counties include:  Bradley, Hamilton, Knox, McMinn, Polk & Monroe.

The State Emergency Operations Center remains at Level 3 and the state of emergency continues due to severe weather across much of Tennessee.

Goals:  Support local resource requests and efforts, ensure coordination between all levels of government, and continue to meet local government needs.

County-by County Reports:

• Anderson – One home with minor damage; hail damage around Claxton area.

• Bradley – Five homes with major damage, 18 homes minor damage and a total of 45 homes affected.

• Cheatham – Report of 50 homes and 2 businesses with damage.

• Claiborne – Reports of two homes destroyed, four homes with major damage & six homes with minor damage.

• Dickson – Damage to Hamilton Inn.

• Franklin – Minor damage reported.

• Jackson – Minor damage in county. Debris removal operations ongoing.

• Hamilton – Reported 50 homes damaged and 21 injuries. Island Cove Marina sustained significant damage with 30 to 50 boats overturned and a reported 1,000 gallons of petroleum spilled.  EPA contacted and agent dispatched. EMA reported damage to a Fire Dept. Fire Boat and power outages due to power lines.

• McMinn – 30 homes destroyed or with major damage (15 homes and 15 trailers), many others with minor or affected damage.

• Marion – EMA reports that the only reported home damage is one RV blown over.

• Monroe – Damage includes about 60 homes, eight businesses & 2 churches around Tellico Plains. Search and rescue conducted March 2 and will resume March 3.  Hwy. 360 is closed due to debris.

• Moore – One mobile home destroyed.

• Montgomery – One mobile home had roof blown off. Several signal lights down.

• Overton – 17 homes destroyed, 13 other homes with major and minor damage

• Roane – Report of a Tornado touch down in Kingston confirmed 2 homes roof blown off. Multiple power outages. Debris management and damage assessment underway.

• Smith – Two road closures near Carthage

• Polk – Damage reported in Delano and Cog Mill Road areas; EMA still working damage assessments 3/2/12.

• Putnam – Minor damages reported

For media inquires only, please call 615-741-0482 to reach TEMA’s public information officers or use e-mail.

If you need emergency assistance, please dial 9-1-1 to be connected to the nearest emergency dispatch center.

To make donations or volunteer goods or services, please call 2-1-1 from any county in the state.

OVERALL SITUATION

Tennessee experienced two, significant waves of severe weather outbreaks on Friday, March 2, 2012. The first outbreak the morning of March 2, impacted East Tennessee primarily and after a two-hour lull, the second wave hit Middle Tennessee and East Tennessee was impacted a second time.

A total of 75 tornado warnings were issued between 9:25 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., CST, on March 2, 2012. Several counties reported tornado touchdowns.

No fatalities have been reported in Tennessee from the severe weather of March 2. There have been 33 people injured: Hamilton-21; Bradley-3 & McMinn-9. There are three previously reported fatalities (Cumberland – 2 and DeKalb –1) from the Feb. 29 tornadoes

Five shelters are open with one each in Hamilton, Bradley, Loudon, Cumberland and Cookeville, with no current occupants.

All requests for assistance and resources have been met and there are no unmet needs at this time.

18,650 customers are without power statewide, with the largest outages in Bradley, Dickson, Hamilton and McMinn.

The State Emergency Operations Center remains at Level 3 and the state of emergency continues due to severe weather across much of Tennessee.

Goals: Support local resource requests and efforts, ensure coordination between all levels of government, and continue to meet local government needs.

County Reports:

• Bledsoe – Possible tornado touchdown with minor damage to buildings.

• Bradley – Reports of up to 20 homes and businesses damaged, with three homes destroyed.

• Cheatham – Report of 50 homes and businesses with damage. Kingston Springs impacted significantly.

• Claiborne – Reports of three homes destroyed, three with major damage.

• Dickson – Possible multiple tornado touchdowns with damage to homes and buildings reported.

• Davidson – Building and property damage due to hail reported.

• Fentress – Damage to homes and several injuries reported.

• Franklin – Possible tornado touchdown with minor damages to buildings.

• Jackson – Damage to homes and several injuries reported.

• Hamilton – Reported 50 homes damaged and 21 injuries. A fuel spill reported at the Tennessee River marina. U.S. Coast Guard has closed a section of Tennessee River, near Harrison Bay, due to debris in the channel. EMA reported damage to a Fire Dept. Fire Boat and power outages due to power lines.

• Humphreys – Minor home damage South of Waverly, trees down and power out in some areas.

• McMinn – 30 homes destroyed or with major damage (15 homes and 15 trailers), many others with minor or affected damage.

• Marion – Island Cove Marina sustained significant damage with 30 to 50 boats overturned and a reported 1,000 gallons of petroleum spilled. EPA contacted and agent dispatched. EMA reports that the only reported home damage is one RV blown over.

• Monroe – Damage includes about 60 homes, eight businesses & 2 churches around Tellico Plains. Search and rescue conducted March 2 and will resume March 3. Hwy. 360 is closed due to debris.

• Montgomery – One mobile home had roof blown off. Several signal lights down.

• Roane - Report of a Tornado touch down in Kingston confirmed 2 homes roof blown off. Multiple power outages. Debris management and damage assessment underway.

• Putnam – Requested assistance with debris removal. Forestry providing chain saw crews.

For media inquires only, please call 615-741-0482 to reach TEMA’s public information officers or use e-mail.

If you need emergency assistance, please dial 9-1-1 to be connected to the nearest emergency dispatch center.

Current Situation Report, as of 7 p.m.

March 2, 2012

The State Emergency Operations Center remains at Level 3 and the state of emergency continues due to severe weather across much of Tennessee.

A total of 75 tornado warnings were issued between 0925 and 1900 hrs. Numerous tornadoes were reported in several counties across the state.

There are no reported deaths. A total of 29 injuries were reported statewide.

15,700 customers are without power statewide.

Surveys of damage are still being conducted and storms are still moving through the state. The next update will be published on Saturday morning at approximately 0900 hrs.

County Reports:

• Cheatham County – Trees have been reported across CSX railroad tracks at Kingston Springs.

• Humphreys County – Minor home damage South of Waverly, trees down and power out in some areas.

• Montgomery County – One mobile home had roof blown off. Several signal lights down. Less than 1,100 customers without power.

• Fentress County – Damage to homes and several injuries reported.

• Jackson County – Damage to homes and several injuries reported.

• Hamilton County – Reported 50 homes damaged and 24 injuries as of 1600 hrs. A fuel spill reported at the Tennessee River marina. U.S. Coast Guard has closed a section of Tennessee River, near Harrison Bay, due to debris in the channel. EMA reported damage to a Fire Dept. Fire Boat and power outages due to power lines.

• Bradley County – Reported up to 20 homes and businesses damaged by possible tornadoes and five non-life threatening injuries Power outages reported.

• McMinn County – Reporting damage to up to 30 homes and businesses and six non-life threatening injuries. Roads were blocked with debris and power outages were reported.

• Franklin County – Possible tornado touchdown with minor damages to buildings.

• Bledsoe County – Possible tornado touchdown with minor damages to buildings.

• Dickson County – Possible multiple tornado touchdowns with damage to homes and buildings reported. No injuries reported.

• Cheatham County – Report of 50 homes and businesses with damage.

• Davidson County – Building and property damage due to hail reported. Power outages reported.

For media inquires only, please call 615-741-0482 to reach TEMA’s public information officers or use e-mail.

The media office will be available until 10 p.m. It will be staffed again at 7 a.m.

If you need emergency assistance, please dial 9-1-1 to be connected to the nearest emergency dispatch center.

Current Situation Report, as of 3 p.m.

The State Emergency Operations Center remains at Level 3 and the state of emergency continues due to severe weather across much of Tennessee.

As of March 2 at 1500 hours, there have been numerous tornado warnings issued in counties primarily in Middle and East Tennessee. More severe weather is expected to continue throughout the evening and into Saturday morning.

At this time, there are no fatalities reported from Friday’s storms. There have been reports of injuries in the following counties: Bradley, Hamilton, Polk, McMinn and Monroe.

There are reports of possible tornado touchdowns in the following counties: Bledsoe, Bradley, Franklin, Grundy, Hamilton, Polk, McMinn and Monroe.

Damage reports are still coming into the State Emergency Operations Center from local officials. At this time, it is too soon to give exact figures or damage estimates.

A Tennessee Highway Patrol strike team is being deployed to assist Bradley and Monroe Counties.

EMS ambulance mutual aid is currently being deployed in Bradley, McMinn, and Monroe counties.

There are no additional requests for state resources at this time.

For media inquries only, please call 615-741-0482 to reach TEMA’s public information officers or use e-mail.

If you need emergency assistance, please dial 9-1-1 to be connected to the nearest emergency dispatch center.

A State of Emergency remains in place in Tennessee due to the severe weather of Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012, and the expectation of further storms crossing the state on Friday.

The following is the Current Situation Report as of 5 p.m., CST, on Thursday, March 1, 2012.

Cumberland County
2 fatalities
5 injuries
95 homes affected
2 homes destroyed
1 shelter open at Bethlehem Baptist Church

DeKalb County
1 fatality
50 homes affected
7 homes destroyed

Damage assessments are continuing in the affected counties.

The State of Emergency is in effect until the situation causing the emergency is concluded or 60 days from the initial has expired, unless renewed in writing by the Governor.

For media inquries only, please call 615-741-0482 to reach TEMA’s public information officers or use e-mail.

If you need emergency assistance, please dial 9-1-1 to be connected to the nearest emergency dispatch center.

The State Emergency Operations Center in Nashville moved to a Level 3 activation on Thursday morning at 6 a.m. CST due to severe weather impacts in the state. The primary goal at this point is to provide any requested assistance to local government and conduct preliminary damage assessments in affected counties. More severe weather is expected on Friday.

At Level 3 activation, there is a declared state of emergency. This declaration is in effect until the situation causing the emergency is concluded or 60 days from the initial has expired, unless renewed in writing by the Governor.

Current Situation Report, as of 9 a.m.

The State Emergency Operations Center is continuing to take reports of damage from counties. At this time, two fatalities in Cumberland County have been confirmed by both state and local authorities. Additional deaths are expected to be confirmed later today.

Another situation report will be posted later this afternoon after 3:30 p.m. CST.

For media inquries only, please call 615-741-0482 to reach TEMA’s public information officers or use e-mail.

If you need emergency assistance, please dial 9-1-1 to be connected to the nearest emergency dispatch center.

Tennessee Emergency Management Agency launched Ready TN, an internally developed smartphone application, to give real-time community-level situational information before, during and after emergencies. The Ready TN app became available on Feb. 1 in the Android Market and it has nearly 7,000 active users in its first month.

Ready TN uses GPS location and public data sources to provide users with relevant weather alerts and warnings, storm spotter reports, emergency shelter locations and the full range of traffic incidents, road conditions, traffic cameras and construction information from the state’s Smartway highway information system.

The app promotes individual emergency preparedness with hazard information and emergency preparedness checklists. The app provides the ability to directly contact all county and city chief elected officials and local public safety officials (EMA, LEPC chair, Sheriff, Police & Fire Chiefs) in the state by phone or email. Users can also engage with the Governor and state departments through social media links in the app.

The app was also designed for the Apple iOS platforms and will be available shortly in the iTunes store for iPads and iPhone users.

Check out Ready TN’s FAQ here.

Get Tennessee’s 2012 Severe Weather Book here:
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/images/ohx/PDF/swx2012brochure.pdf

The Great Central U.S. ShakeOut earthquake drill will be at 10:15 a.m., CST, on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012. This will be an opportunity for individuals at home, at work and at school to practice the Drop, Cover and Hold On technique, the recommended procedure for what to do during an earthquake.

The ShakeOut will be held across Tennessee and is open to anyone willing to participate. More than 2.2 million people have registered to participate so far.

The goal of the ShakeOut is to provide a sense of urgency about earthquakes, encourage participates to get prepared and practice what to do to be safe.

The ShakeOut also coincides with the 200th anniversary of the 1811-12 New Madrid earthquakes that created Reelfoot Lake in northwest Tennessee and destroyed the town of New Madrid, Missouri. Were these earthquakes to happen today, there would be widespread damage and disruption.

Individuals, families, schools, families, organizations and businesses can register for the ShakeOut at www.ShakeOut.org/centralus/register.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) hopes these earthquake safety series of videos tips helps you prepare during Tennessee’s Earthquake Preparedness Week.

The videos are available on TEMA’s website at TEMA’s Flickr site and Facebook page at TNDisasterInfo. The earthquake preparedness videos highlight topics such as having emergency procedures for children during disasters, creating a home evacuation plan and eliminating earthquake hazards.

Proclamation for 2012 Earthquake Awareness Week

WHEREAS, Feb. 7, 2012, marks the New Madrid Bicentennial remembering the series
of earthquakes in 1811 and 1812 that forever changed the mid-western landscape of
the United States, including the creation of Reelfoot Lake in Tennessee; and

WHEREAS, recent disasters in Tennessee, in the United States and around the world
are remind us of the natural threats we face on a daily basis; and

WHEREAS, earthquakes present a constant threat of catastrophic damage and loss of
life to Tennesseans, and preparation and awareness of the dangers by the public may
help mitigate these losses; and

WHEREAS, on Feb. 7, 2012, at 10:15 a.m., Tennesseans are asked to participate in
the Great Central U.S. Shake Out, a voluntary earthquake exercise, by practicing the
“Drop, Cover &Hold” technique that could help prevent injury during an earthquake;
and

WHEREAS, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, the West Tennessee
Seismic Safety Commission, the University of Memphis Center for Earthquake
Research and Information, the Mid-South Association of Contingency Planners, and
many other groups and individuals are joining in this campaign to promote earthquake
awareness and safety for all Tennesseans;

NOW THEREFORE, I, Bill Haslam, Governor of the State of Tennessee, do hereby
proclaim the week of February 5 to 11,.2012, as
EARTHQUAKE AWARENESS WEEK
in Tennessee and encourage all citizens to join me in this worthy observance.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set
my hand and caused the official seal of the
State of Tennessee to be affixed at Nashville
on this 24th day of January, 2012.

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Residents should prepare for severe weather predicted to move through the state today and continuing through the night.

Meteorologists with the National Weather Service say the system will be capable of producing severe thunderstorms, damaging winds, tornadoes and golf-ball sized hail. See the Storm Prediction Center forecast here: http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/day1otlk.html

Please check your weather radios to ensure you receive any warnings for your area tonight during the late evening and overnight hours.

As 2011 – one of the most active years for disasters in recent history – comes to a close and Americans get ready to ring in a new year, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and Federal Emergency Management Agency are encouraging people to Resolve to be Ready in the new year by making a resolution to be prepared for emergencies.

“Every family, community and state are susceptible to disasters,” said TEMA Director Jim Bassham. “The most effective way to protect our homes, businesses and loved ones is for everyone to take preparedness as an individual responsibility.”

Tennessee had five presidentially declared disasters for severe storms, tornadoes and flooding in 2011.

FEMA has launched its annual campaign, Resolve to be Ready in 2012. The campaign urges Americans to make preparedness a priority during the holiday season by making a new year’s resolution to be ready for disasters.

“One of the most important lessons we can take away from this year is that disasters can impact all of us, no matter what part of the country we live in,” said FEMA Regional Administrator Phil May. “Resolving to be Ready in 2012 could be the most important pledge you make this year.”

By making a resolution to take a few simple steps in advance, Tennesseans can minimize the impact of an emergency on their families, homes or businesses. To take the pledge, visit www.ready.gov/resolve or www.listo.gov, which includes free information, checklists, and guidelines about how to put together a kit, make a plan, and stay informed. For information on Tennessee, visit www.tnema.org.

Resolve to be Ready in 2012 is a nationwide effort to increase awareness and encourage individuals, families, businesses, and communities to take action and prepare for emergencies in the New Year. This effort is led by FEMA’s Ready Campaign in partnership with Citizen Corps and The Advertising Council. For more information, visit Ready.gov and CitizenCorps.gov or follow the campaign on Twitter using the hashtags #ready2012 and #resolve.

National Weather Service calls 2011 the second deadliest year on record for tornadoes

An assessment from the April 27 tornado outbreak was recently completed and is now available to the public. The assessment team traveled to the impacted areas to interview weather service staff, emergency managers, the media, other government agency personnel and the public.

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/assessments/pdfs/historic_tornadoes.pdf

During a 4-day period from April 25-28, 2011, more than 200 tornadoes occurred in five southeastern states. The deadliest part of the outbreak was the afternoon and evening of April 27, when a total of 122 tornadoes resulted in 313 deaths across central and northern Mississippi, central and northern Alabama, eastern Tennessee, southwestern Virginia, and northern Georgia. Three additional lives were claimed by tornadoes in the pre-dawn hours of April 27 bringing the daily total to 316.

There were 15 violent (Enhanced Fujita Scale 4 or 5) tornadoes reported. Eight of the tornadoes had paths lengths in excess of 50 miles. Two of the tornadoes – one in northern Alabama and another that struck the Tuscaloosa and Birmingham areas in Alabama – each claimed more than 60 lives.

In addition to the death toll, more than 2,400 people were injured and the area experienced more than $4.2 billion in property loss.

December 16, 2011 – Two hundred years ago today, a major earthquake struck the New Madrid Seismic Zone. This earthquake was the first of several major seismic events that rocked the central U.S. during the winter of 1811-12. These events destroyed the town of New Madrid, Mo., and created Reelfoot Lake in northwest Tennessee. Were they to happen today, a repeat of these earthquakes could cause widespread damage and disruption to the region.

If an earthquake did happen today, would you be prepared? Would you or your family members know how to respond? Take time now, to become better prepared for earthquakes and other disasters. What we do now, before the next big earthquake, will determine what our lives are like afterwards.

If you haven’t yet, please sign up for the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut, which is scheduled for February 7, 2012 at 10:15AM. Take the time now, to ensure that you are properly prepared for earthquakes and other disasters.

Ten hospitals from East Tennessee recently participated in training for a mass casualty incident at FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston, Ala.

On November 9th at 2:00 PM Eastern, Tennessee will participate in a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System.
It will be heard on the radio and seen on local, cable, and satellite TV.
This test will last for approximately three minutes.
The National EAS is a public alert and warning system that enables the President to address the American public during emergencies.
The test will serve as a reminder that everyone should establish an emergency preparedness kit and a plan.
This message brought to you by the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters and this station.

The conference will also conclude with a regional response tabletop exercise involving all participants.

You can follow along on Twitter by using the #EMAT hashtag. TEMA is also posting pictures and information on Facebook for TEMA and EMAT.

Representatives of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency will be attending two upcoming forums on emergency management.

Tennessee Association of Broadcasters
On August 4 from 3-4 p.m., TEMA spokesman Jeremy Heidt will participate on a panel discussing the Next Generation Emergency Alert System (EAS) at the annual Tennessee Association of Broadcasters convention in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Next Generation EAS will include new and innovative technologies and distribution systems that will provide increased redundancy and resiliency for the delivery of emergency alerts. The Federal Communications Commission identified four cornerstones of the Next Generation EAS: (1) maintaining the existing EAS network; (2) utilizing Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), which all EAS Participants will implement following its adoption by FEMA; (3) incorporating new authentication and security requirements; and (4) fostering the deployment of new, redundant EAS delivery systems, including satellite, Internet, and wire line networks.

Oak Ridge Emergency Management Forum
TEMA will also have a significant role in the 2011 Oak Ridge Emergency Management Forum in partnership with the Department of Energy. The forum will be held on Sept. 8 at the Y-12 National Security Complex, New Hope Center. A tentative agenda is available online.

Scheduled TEMA speakers and presenters include: TEMA Director James Bassham; Assistant Director for Recovery Elgan Usrey; Assistant Director for Response Charles Bryant and agency spokesman Jeremy Heidt.