WV and National Disaster News - December 19, 2023

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Gather and celebrate safely during the Holidays - click on links below for tips and ideas: 

• Holiday Safety Tips 
• Preparedness Gift Ideas 
• Stay Healthy: General Tips and Respiratory Health Tips 
• Road Travel Safety Tips
  

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WEST VIRGINIA

Health

• KCHD: Hospitalizations for respiratory illnesses up ahead of winter holidays  (WSAZ-TV)

Infrastructure

• OPINION: Grid warnings continue, but who is paying attention?  (MetroNews-Radio)
• Wind And Solar Set to Overtake Coal Next Year, Government Predicts (West Virginia Public Broadcasting-Radio) - Natural gas will continue to be the nation's dominant fuel for electricity, at 42%.

Winter Prep

• PETS! Experts give tips to keep pets safe and warm in frigid temperatures (WVVA-TV)
• Driving! Stay safe while driving in winter weather (WTAP-TV)
• Highways! West Virginia Division of Highways crews prepare for winter weather (WOWK-TV)

Other

• Wood County Commissioners defend Resiliency Center  (WTAP-TV)
• Remembering the fatal Elk River Bridge collapse 119 years later (WOWK-TV)

 
NATIONAL NEWS
 
Disaster Recovery Tennessee

• FEMA disaster recovery center opens in Madison, TN (WSMV News - Tennessee).
• Metro Nashville sustains $3M in damage after deadly tornadoes, nearly 900 properties hit (WZTV News – Tennessee) 

Disaster Recovery Vermont

• Gov. Phil Scott holds emergency update on flooding in Vermont (WPTZ - NBC News 5)
• Gov. Phil Scott urges caution as floodwaters crest through the night (Vermont Public Media)

Food Recall

• Fresh Express bagged spinach recalled in 7 states over potential listeria concerns  (USA Today): Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia

 New Alert System

• ClearCaptions Launches New Emergency Alert System (The Hearing Review)

• Christmas travel forecast for the US (AccuWeather)
• Deadly storm batters Northeast, knocking out power, grounding flights and flooding roads (Associated Press)
• Dangerous snow squalls to accompany cold blast from Midwest to Northeast (AccuWeather)
• Deadly East Coast storm pummels Northeast with 90-mph winds, widespread flash flooding (FOX Weather)
• At least 4 dead after powerful Northeast storm knocks out power, floods roads and prompts an evacuation (CNN)
• Storm batters Northeastern US, knocking out power, grounding flights and flooding roads (El País)
• Pacific storm to spin heavy rain across Southern California, Southwest deserts (AccuWeather)​​