UP Ibalon Bicol: emergency

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California wildfires burn 21 homes and threaten 12,000 more

9/01/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post

The wildfire in the Angeles National Forest has raged for days and grown more than twice its original size burning at least 21 homes in the foothills and endangering 12,000 more.

Firefighters are battling the huge blaze which darkens the sky in the last 6 days, destroying 164 square miles of trees and vegetation. Using fire retardants and water, they try to protect Mount Wilson on whose slopes several edifices rest.

Defying evacuation orders, three people sustained significant burns. Five people have called for help near Gold Creek, Los Angeles, but rescuers find it hard to reach them.

On Monday, August 31, 2009, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in the counties of Monterey, Placer, Los Angeles, and Mariposa. The conflagration of about 20 miles fed on brush and inched through the terrain to threaten communication lines and an astronomy observatory in Mount Wilson.

Close to 7,000 homes were given evacuation orders as the wall of fire raged. Two of the 2,500 firefighters who battled the blaze were killed in line of their duty. (Photo Credi: Justin Sullivan/ Getty Images; Jason Redmond/ AP) =0=

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Labels: calamity, California, emergency, environment, fire, firefighters, Los Angeles, Totie Mesia, wldfire

Emergency landing on icy Hudson River in NYC after birds knocked down plane’s engines

1/16/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post

On my way for a doctor’s visit this Thursday afternoon, January 15, 2008, I wondered why my usual route in Manhattan was closed to traffic. Noisy police horns and ambulances blared for some emergency that I couldn’t understand. Yet, when I entered the phlebotomy room in NYU Clinical Cancer Center at 34th Street, my pals in that office were talking about a plane which plunged in the frigid Hudson River, just a few blocks from were we stood. Our surprise and concern could just be felt by the momentary silence.

I could see alarm on the faces of the phlebotomists and a few patients inside the room. Blood drawing temporarily stopped. There were those who instinctively opened their cell phones to call friends and relatives to ask what was going on. After 911, most of us felt trauma each time news of this nature crossed our lives. We thought of the passengers’ condition and we hoped that the incident wasn’t terror-related.

Only a little later that we learned of the 150 passengers and 5 crew of US Airways Airbus A320--- all survived, but about 78 passengers suffered body injuries of varying severity. Some were rushed to nearby hospitals to be treated for hypothermia. We were relieved to know the rescuers were on top of the situation. The passengers were reportedly calm and didn’t show panic as they abandoned the sunken plane.

According to the information, the plane en route to Charlottesville, NC went down upon bumping on a flock of Canadian geese soon after take-off which caused both engines to stop a few minutes upon leaving La Guardia airport. The astonishing “miraculous” survival was mainly attributed to divine providence, the help of rescuers, the quick-thinking and skill of pilot Chelsey B. Sullenberger III and his crew who steered the plane into the ice-cold river. Many are overjoyed that no one died in this scary brush with eternity. (Photo Credits: Freeman; NYC Travis; Freeman) =0=