WV and National Disaster & Weather News - February 19, 2025

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West Virginia

Beware of Scams

• Attorney General McCuskey urges residents impacted by severe storms to watch out for scams  (West Virginia Daily News)

Firefighter dies in line of duty

• McDowell County firefighter dies in line of duty, another injured (WVVA-TV)

Flooding: Response & Recovery

• Gov. Morrisey releases names of 2 McDowell County flood victims, Commissioner Brooks confirms third death (WVVA-TV)
• Gov. Morrisey: Federal aid 'required' for WV flood recovery, stays mum on Trump plan to dismantle FEMA (WV Watch)
• West Virginia lawmakers urge federal disaster declaration after widespread flooding (Lootpress)
• West Virginia governor seeks federal aid after visiting flood-ravaged Mingo County (WCHS-TV)
• Welch, McDowell county continue recovery efforts following severe flooding (WOAY-TV)
• WV Emergency Management mapping disaster damage with survey (WOWK-TV)
• Monroe County Flood Damage Portal Now Open  (West Virginia Daily News)
• Shelters, food distribution centers announced for McDowell County (WVVA-TV)
• Helpline established for McDowell County residents (WVVA-TV)
• 'We all just stick together': residents rally to help flood victims (WSAZ-TV)
• Responding to Deadly Flooding in Kentucky and West Virginia (Samaritan's Purse)
• Huntington mayor addresses Enslow Park flooding but warns of costly, decade-long solutions (WCHS-TV)

 
Weather

• After devastating floods, southern West Virginia communities now prepare for a winter storm  (WCHS-Radio)
• Winter weather creates post-flood concerns in Logan County (WSAZ-TV)
  

National News

Disaster Recovery

• FEMA deemed hundreds of thousands eligible for housing help. Why did so few use it? (Blue Ridge Public Media)
• In NC, hundreds remain in FEMA hotels after Helene. 30% have left since the beginning of February (Asheville Citizen Times)
• Aid available to western NC pales in comparison to need (WRAL News 5)

 
FEMA

• FEMA email: Firings will affect 'majority of our staff' (E&E News)
• FEMA is losing scores of employees. What does that mean for disaster recovery? (The Washington Post)
• Democratic senators ask for details on DOGE access to disaster victims' data (The Hill)
• Senators ask FEMA about DOGE access to disaster survivors' data (Spectrum News 1) - The senators noted that disaster survivors provided personally identifiable information to FEMA and did so with the expectation that their sensitive information would not be “turned over to unvetted, unaccountable DOGE agents." The Hill has reached out to FEMA for comment.

Floods

• At least 14 dead in multi-state floods as rivers rise and rescues continue (CNN)
• Shocking Floods in Southwest Virginia (The Weather Channel)

Plane Crashes

• Plane crashes 2025: How many have there been in the US, how many people have been killed? (USA Today)
• If it feels like there are suddenly way more plane crashes and incidents, here's the truth (CNN)
• Survivors of Delta plane crash in Toronto describe 'hanging like bats' and chaos inside the upside-down aircraft (AccuWeather) 

Weather

• Major snowstorm to bury Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina (AccuWeather)
• Winter storm to bring snow, sleet, ice from central Plains to Mid-Atlantic in coming days (USA Today)
• Life-threatening cold to blast millions across central, eastern US into week's end (AccuWeather)
• Much of U.S. faces subzero temperatures, snow and high winds in coming days (NPR)
• Winter weather warnings in 28 States as 14 inches of snow to hit (Newsweek)
• Major snowstorm to bury Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina (AccuWeather)​ 

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