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After a Spanish exit from the euro, there would be nothing left to exit from. I’ve never actually heard the term “total emergency” before, at least not in the context of global economics. It sounds like the title of a disaster movie. When it is uttered in sober tones by the elder statesman of an advanced democracy to describe his country’s financial condition, the effect is rather startling. The man who delivered this apocalyptic judgment, former Spanish prime minister Felipe González, being a socialist, might be expected to detest austerity programmes that require cuts to government spending. But there seemed...

Earlier this month, innovative legislators in the state of Oklahoma voted unanimously to advance a proposed amendment that guarantees Second Amendment protections to law abiding citizens during a state of emergency declared by a state official or agency. Current state riot law is unclear as to how far law enforcement can go with respect to handling disasters, riots, or disorder. In fact, the Oklahoma Riot Control and Prevention Act provide for such wide latitude, that law enforcement, if they wanted to, could effectuate a military, take our guns away operation. Oklahoma Senate Bill 1760 makes it clear that provisions in...

WHAT TO DO ON A 911 CALL or EMERGENCIESThe PreparedNow website was developed to assist the average person on what and how to prepare for emergencies. After responding to emergency calls over the last two decades, these simple points may be difference in an emergency response team saving the life of a loved one. They are quick, simple to remember and easier to implement. The Five Most Important Medical Things to Share with the Fire Department. The Five Most Important Points on Fire Safety. The Five Most Important Things To Do If There Is A Fire. Things You Can Do...

I’m not sure when the tipping point occurred, but at some point recently the “prepper” movement exploded and became mainstream. Preppers are folks who detect the possibility of calamity and decide to increase their odds of surviving it by putting aside supplies. “Putting things by” — essential throughout most of humanity’s existence — was common in the United States up until advances in transportation logistics brought about the “just in time” shipping model. Suddenly, we could get almost any supplies delivered fresh and year-round to massive community stores. What our grandparents called “lean times” became a thing of the past...

SHAWNEE, Okla. — Members of a state House committee have voted to increase the legal protection of citizens’ constitutional rights. Senate Bill 1760, by state Sen. Anthony Sykes and state Rep. T.W. Shannon, would specify that Oklahomans’ Second Amendment rights cannot be taken away during a declared state of emergency. “While government may assume greater police powers to preserve public safety during times of emergency, the government should never be allowed to strip citizens of their most basic constitutional rights,” said Shannon, R-Lawton. “This legislation simply makes clear that Oklahomans will continue to have the right to self-defense during emergency...

"The terrorist threat that led to the declaration on September 14, 2001, of a national emergency continues. For this reason, I have determined that it is necessary to continue in effect after September 14, 2011, the national emergency with respect to the terrorist threat. Barack Obama"

WATCH THE HEARTWARMING VIDEO

House Dems to Obama: Be ready to tap emergency oil reservesBy Andrew Restuccia - 02/22/12 03:20 PM ET Three House Democrats urged President Obama Wednesday to consider releasing oil from the country's emergency stockpiles in order to lower gas prices. The lawmakers warned that tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), a 696-million-barrel stockpile of oil stored in salt caverns along the Gulf Coast, could soon be necessary to combat rising prices they say stem from market speculation. “It is essential that the United States have an aggressive strategy for releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to combat the speculators...

DENVER (AP) -- House lawmakers approved a bill to forbid the state from seizing Colorado residents' firearms during a declared state of emergency. Republican House Leader Amy Stephens says the bill is about emergency preparedness. The proposal passed the Republican-led House Monday with bipartisan support but it's likely to be defeated in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

Emergency powers for president dropped from cybersecurity billBy Gautham Nagesh - 02/14/12 01:55 PM ET A comprehensive cybersecurity bill introduced Tuesday abandons proposals that would give the president emergency powers over the nation's networks. “The nation responded after 9/11 to improve its security. Now we must respond to this challenge so that a cyber 9/11 attack on America never happens,” said Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.). Public apprehension about the possibility of handing the White House a "kill switch" for the Internet has dogged the cybersecurity debate, fueled by a proposal that would have codified emergency powers...

Islamist violence has forced NIgerian President Goodluck Jonathan to declare a state of emergency and order the closure of part of the country's borders. Jonathan announced the emergency measures Saturday, labeling the Islamist sect Boko Haram a "cancer" that threatened to destroy Africa's most populated body after a deadly week in which scores were killed by the radical Islamist terror group Boko Haram. Speaking in a broadcast to the nation, the president said, "It has become imperative to take some decisive measures to restore normalcy in the country, especially within the affected communities..." He listed parts of the states of...

Emergency Sirens Signal False Alarm On MauiPOSTED: 11:18 am HST December 22, 2011 WAILUKU, Hawaii -- Maui police are alerting the public that despite civil defense sirens sounding early Thursday, there is no emergency. Maui officials are looking into why sirens used to alert residents to emergencies such as tsunamis accidentally went off. Police spokesman Lt. Wayne Ibarra says the sirens jolted him out of bed at about 1 a.m.

Today was the first test of the new Emergency Alert System, which is a centrally controlled version of the Emergency Broadcast System whose tests have been annoying the hell out of people for the better part of fifty years. The idea is to give the President a way to alert the entire populace to a national emergency instantly, by seizing control of all TV and radio communications. In the event of a nuclear war, large-scale civil unrest, a massive cyber-attack, or a zombie apocalypse, you’ll hear a headache-inducing tone, followed by emergency instructions. Unless we get attacked by an electromagnetic...

Among the more egregious failings of the Budget Control Act (BCA)—the proxy fiscal plan spawned by the summer’s debt ceiling debate—are a pair of gaping loopholes allowing Congress effectively to blow through the agreement’s advertised spending limit. The Senate has already begun to exploit one of these openings. The House should not let it happen. Loophole No. 1, little noticed when the BCA was enacted, is called “disaster relief.” It allows Congress to “adjust” the BCA’s $1.043 trillion discretionary spending cap for fiscal year (FY) 2012—that is, to simply raise the limit—for weather events the President terms “disasters” (an exceptionally...

If you have ever wondered about the government’s ability to control the civilian airwaves, you will have your answer on November 9th. On that day, federal authorities are going to shut off all television and radio communications simultaneously at 2:00PM EST to complete the first ever test of the national Emergency Alert System (EAS).

Police and emergency vehicles arrived to CBS Television City in Hollywood moments ago ... after someone reported that white powder spilled out of a letter in the CBS mailroom. Law enforcement sources confirm ... cops are investigating the scene. Sources on the lot tell TMZ ... the letter was NOT addressed to anyone on "Dancing with the Stars" ... but so far, it's unclear who the intended recipient was. It's not the first time CBS has had an anthrax scare -- just last year, the studio went on lockdown when production staff found white powder in a letter addressed to...

Is the U.S. government stockpiling huge amounts of food and supplies in anticipation that something bad is about to happen? Is something about to cause a major economic crisis that will require large quantities of emergency food? For a while, I have been hearing things about the government storing food through the grapevine and I have not been sure what to think about those rumors. Well, today I received a phone call that blew me away. I debated for quite a while before I decided whether or not to share this information with you all. Normally I do not like...

Marsh Fires And Smoke Push New Orleans Into A State Of Emergency Robert Johnson Aug. 31, 2011, 8:52 AM Image: AP A second swamp fire outside New Orleans has filled the city with smoke, prompting Mayor Mitch Landrieu to declare an emergency and call in the National Guard. According to The Washington Post, the smoke that's been hazing downtown for days is getting worse and to contain the blaze, the four helicopters dropping water will be joined by five more Wednesday. The National Weather Service reports haze from the fire is reported as far west as Baton Rouge and its...

Tips for Communicating in an Emergency by: Jamie Barnett, Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau August 27th, 2011 I want to share some important emergency information to you for during the storm so that you and your family stay safe.Recommended Practices for All Users It is important for consumers to keep in mind that during an emergency, many more people are trying to use their wireless and wireline telephones at the same time when compared to normal calling activity. When more people try to call at the same time, the increased calling volume may create network congestion. Limit...

FEMA urges those living in hurricane-prone communities to prepare emergency supply kits, or “go bags.” So as a service to all our readers on the Eastern Seaboard, The Daily Caller found out what some notable hacks, flacks, consultants, politicos, operatives, and public figures are packing in theirs. We spoke with Rick Wilson, Bettina Inclan, Paul Begala, Kevin Curran, Scott Rasmussen, Jerri Ann Henry, Brad Woodhouse, Joe Pounder, Courtney Cohen, Wesley Donehue and Roger Stone.

We Are Totally Unprepared – Tremors Caused Mass Confusion, Panic Mac Slavo August 25th, 2011 SHTFplan.com The east coast earthquake(s) are just the latest example of how unprepared we are for an emergency or major disaster. Whether we’re talking about earthquakes, snow storms, hurricanes, floods, electrical outages or terrorist attacks, government officials, as well as individuals, have demonstrated time and again that we have a psychological inability to cope with high stress situations, a lack of foresight to stock emergency reserves, and have failed to prepare effective emergency response plans. Though we hardly felt any movement here in the city...

There may have been no rioting in the Highlands, but no one has been watching the arson and looting of Britain’s cities more closely than the Queen. With fewer than six months to her Diamond Jubilee, when celebrations are planned for the length and breadth of the kingdom, the disorder has alarmed aides planning the extravaganza. Central to their concern is not just the damage to the country’s image overseas, but also how quickly the feelgood factor engendered by April’s Royal Wedding has been lost. From her summer home in Balmoral, the Queen has kept in touch with developments and...

The Entire State Of Texas Has been Declared A Natural Disaster Robert Johnson Jun. 30, 2011, 7:15 AM More than 200 Texan counties have been designated drought disasters by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and all remaining counties now qualify for federal aid. KCBD in Lubbock reports that 213 counties have lost at least 30 percent of their pasture or crops to wildfires and drought. The natural disaster designation allows farmers and ranchers to qualify for low-rate emergency loans. South Plains farmer Scott Harmon told KCBD, "This is a disaster. This is a train wreck. We've never seen anything like...

El Al plane carrying 279 passengers on board takes off en route to New York but forced to return to attempt emergency landing after technical fault found in left wheel; over 70 MDA rescue teams at scene. A state of emergency was announced at Ben Gurion Airport overnight Sunday because of a technical fault on board an El Al flight expected to land at the airport. The El Al flight 027, carrying 279 passengers on board, took off en route to New York but was forced to turn back and perform an emergency landing when it was discovered that there...

A new national alert system was announced by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg this week. The Personal Localized Alert Network – PLAN – will be used to alert the public to emergencies via cell phone. In addition to local emergency messages, PLAN will also carry “presidential alerts.” Cell phone users will be able to opt out of receiving local alerts but not the presidential alerts. The system, which will be rolled out nationwide, is up and running in the Big Apple, where New Yorkers have already begun to receive “emergency” alerts from Barack Obama. ConClub has received a list of...

Think of what it will be like one day if we wake up one morning, turn on the television and find out the Internet and cell phone networks have been shut down due to a financial meldown or some other inconceivable event. Despite having formed "tea party" and similar groups all around the country, we find ourselves isolated and unable to mobilize anyone. With no way to communicate, millions would find comfort in the prospect of gathering somewhere with all those local patriots once again. But where do we meet? What day? What time? It is exactly THAT scenario that...

Might you help in finding her? Marizela Perez was last seen in Seattle on Sat. March 5th... Click to enlarge downloadable MISSING notice: For obvious reasons it's the ongoing lead story  at Michelle Malkin.com -here- You can make a donation to the  Find Marizela search fund -here- Prayers across-the-miles to Marizela and her family at a difficult time... 

Thursday, February 24th, the Arkansas House of Representatives passed SB115, sending this legislation to the desk of Governor Mike Beebe. SB115, sponsored by Senator Bill Sample and Representative Loy Mauch, received a unanimous 89-0 vote from the floor of the House. I blogged about it here, yesterday. Liberal Little Rock gun-haters were not too pleased. They recognize the writing on the wall with this piece of legislation, and they have no ammunition to fight back against it. Heck, they don’t even have the soldiers. Eleven representatives failed to vote on this bill, and they backed out for three reasons; governments...

If you read the Terrorism Daily tag-lines from various newspapers that I sent out this morning - you'll see that Iran is probing into the Mediterranean Sea with it's warships, US citizens have recently been killed by Somali pirates, and the chaos in Egypt/Libya is driving oil Middle Eastern Oil prices up, and all the while the White House sits quiet - no response. I can analyze that the current administration may still have military and civilian forces deployed - that intelligence and counterintelligence officers are conducting missions throughout the world presently - but to what extent are these efforts...

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- In a major concession to Algeria's opposition groups, the government on Tuesday adopted a measure that would lift a 19-year state of emergency that has constrained civil liberties and human rights in the North African oil exporter. A draft law approved by the Cabinet would repeal the emergency law as soon as it is published in the government's official journal, the official Algerie Presse Service reported. An opposition leader last week said he had been assured that the state of emergency would be lifted by the end of February. The emergency measures, long lambasted by...

The Arkansas Senate voted Monday to prohibit local governments from restricting or confiscating firearms during a state of emergency, a move that backers say would protect gun owners' rights during natural and man-made disasters.

The FCC has made it official. It has released an order that requires participants in the Emergency Alert System EAS, namely broadcasters, cable operators, and certain satellite providers, to participate in the first-ever national test of EAS. This test will differ starkly from the monthly EAS tests the public is familiar with. In this instance, the White House will actually activate the test as if the President wanted to take over the air waves to address the nation. No specific date for the test was set, although as it stands, a two-month notice will be provided.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has ordered utilities to begin rotating outages to compensate for a generation shortage due high usage in extreme weather. Rotating outages are controlled, temporary interruptions of service designed to ease the load on the electric grid.  To see recent reports on the grid load, click here. The outages last anywhere from 10-45 minutes and the locations and durations are determined by the local utilities. Critical need customers such as hospitals and nursing homes are generally not included It is not known at this time how long the need for rotating outages will last....

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas has ordered all power providers to shed a portion of their power loads due to strain on its statewide grid.

Solicitation Number: HSFEHQ-11-R-Meals Notice Type: Sources Sought Synopsis: Added: Jan 20, 2011 11:54 am The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) procures and stores pre-packaged commercial meals to support readiness capability for immediate distribution to disaster survivors routinely. The purpose of this Request for Information is to identify sources of supply for meals in support of disaster relief efforts based on a catastrophic disaster event within the New Madrid Fault System for a survivor population of 7M to be utilized for the sustainment of life during a 10-day period of operations. FEMA is considering the following specifications (14M meals per day):...

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of fiscal emergency on Thursday for the government of the most populous U.S. state to press lawmakers to tackle its $25.4 billion budget gap. Democrat Brown's declaration follows a similar one made last month by his predecessor, former Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Democrats who control the legislature declined to act on Schwarzenegger's declaration, saying they would instead wait to work on budget matters with Brown, who served two terms as California's governor in the 1970s and 1980s. Brown was sworn in to his third term early this month and...

The now-criminal investigation of NYC sanitation workers for allegedly delaying slowing snow removal is picking up steam. A video obtained by CBS-2 shows snowplows driving through Queens on the night of the blizzard with plows raised. Other pictures and reports show workers napping on the job, drinking beer, and spending 11 hours at a Dunkin Donuts. All of this evidence has been submitted to prosecutors who are looking into criminal wrongdoing. We're waiting for someone to get fired. See the CBS video here

"As his tiny daughter's skin turned blotchy and her body went limp during a lengthy wait at Methodist Hospital's emergency room, Ryan Jeffers panicked." "The family's ordeal began on a Sunday morning in early December, when the normally rambunctious Malyia developed a fever and became lethargic, Ryan Jeffers recalled."

The L.A. Times reports Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger “is scheduled to welcome the new [California] Legislature on Monday by declaring a fiscal emergency and ordering it into special session.” Boy, it sure would be nice if we could deal with some of these fiscal problems before they explode into “emergencies.” California has been storing highly flammable canisters of unsustainable spending in the basement for decades, while chasing away business with flaming torches made from bundles of expensive regulations and mandates. As George Will put it, back in May 2009: “Under Arnold Schwarzenegger, the best governor the states contiguous to California have...

Ella Abortion Drug, Billed as Emergency Contraceptive, Now Available Washington, DC -- The Ella abortion drug, which has been billed by its distributor, the FDA and abortion advocates as an improved emergency contraceptive pill, is now available across the United States via prescription. http://LifeNews.com/nat-6903

Del Mar High School's principal is under fire after blocking an ambulance from driving onto the school's track to reach a 14-year-old who suffered a concussion during a football game. Emergency workers had to haul a gurney 75 yards downfield to where Keanu Gallardo lay after suffering a blow to his neck and helmet near the end of Del Mar's frosh-soph game on Oct. 29.

Qantas grounded its Airbus A380 fleet after one of the superjumbo jets blew out an engine Thursday, shooting flames and raining large metal chunks before making a safe emergency landing in Singapore with 459 people aboard.

In modern-day America one of the things most of us take for granted is the ability to punch "9-1-1" on any phone and instantly call for help during an emergency. Be it a burglar, a heart attack or a fire, help can be on the way in short order. We all know that medical professionals attend school for years to be able to do what they do. We know that law enforcement requires rigorous training to do the often dangerous work of patrolling our streets and helping us stay safe. But have you ever wondered just what a fire fighter...

Who are “First Responders?” They are the men and women of our local communities who put their lives on the line for each of us on a daily basis by responding to emergency (911) calls. They are Firemen, Police, EMTs and others who have promised each of us that no matter what the emergency, they will be there for us. And it’s a promise they keep every day of their (and our) lives. Dave Carroll knows a lot about this from first-hand experience. He’s been a volunteer fireman in his home town of Waverly, Nova Scotia while building his musical...

As Hurricane Earl seemed to be bearing down on the state, Governor Beverly Perdue (D-NC) declared a state of emergency that included barring anyone from transporting a fire arm off of his private property. “Police need a simple decision-making matrix for when to use deadly force in the event of a breakdown of order during the emergency,” Perdue explained. “What could be simpler than to know that anyone with a gun is a law-breaker. “Poof, all doubt about who’s in the wrong disappears. Officers can act with confidence that they will not be second-guessed if they have to discharge their...

Artist Chad Person wasn't about to sit idly by and wait for the coming robot-zombie apocalypse, so he dug up his Albuquerque, N.M., backyard and built himself a custom survival shelter. Dubbed RECESS (Resource Exhaustion Crisis Evacuation Safety Shelter), Person's project isn't some wonky, conceptual-art stunt, but a genuine reaction to these uncertain times, just like the growing Prepper Movement. "The short answer is fear. Just purely fear," says Person when Asylum asked him why he spends his weekends designing bulletproof doors. Person had recently achieved the adult trifecta of wife-baby-house and found his protective instincts kicking into high gear...

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Increasing pressure on lawmakers to negotiate a state budget that closes a $19 billion shortfall, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency over the state's finances on Wednesday. In the declaration, Schwarzenegger ordered three furlough days per month beginning in August for thousands of state employees to preserve the state's cash to pay the state's debt obligations and for essential services. California's budget is several weeks overdue and Schwarzenegger and top lawmakers are at impasse over how to balance the state's books.

IRBIL – With the official opening of the state-of-the-art Irbil Emergency Hospital here, July 7, a new era in emergency medical care began in this Kurdish region of northern Iraq. The state-of-the-art Irbil Emergency Hospital, an example of U.S. and Iraqi government partnership, officially opened its doors, July 7, 2010. The facility offers nine operating rooms, a comprehensive medical laboratory facility and X-ray, CT scan, MRI capabilities and burn care. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Gulf Region District photo by Mohammed Abdulrazzaq.The new emergency hospital is the primary access point for caring for emergency patients in the area. The only...

Note: The following text is a quote: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/statement-president-national-broadband-plan Home • Briefing Room • Statements & Releases The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release March 16, 2010 Statement from the President on the National Broadband Plan America today is on the verge of a broadband-driven Internet era that will unleash innovation, create new jobs and industries, provide consumers with new powerful sources of information, enhance American safety and security, and connect communities in ways that strengthen our democracy. Just as past generations of Americans met the great infrastructure challenges of the day, such as building the Transcontinental...

Bill provides citizen militia to enforce health careMarch 28, 2010 By Tracy R Twyman The civilian paramilitary force that Obama and Rahm Emmanuel have been talking about since the campaign has been brought into existence finally, buried deep within the 1300+ page health care bill. These are the jack-booted thugs who will be forcing you to take vaccinations with a gun pointed at your head, and anything else the health service deems necessary during a “national emergency.” As NoisyRoom.net notes, page 1312 lays out the “SEC. 5210″, which is “Establishing a Ready Reserve Corps”: (1) IN GENERAL.–here shall be in...