Free Republic

President Trump on Saturday declared a California emergency after the Carr Fire that became a tornado and roared into Redding killing 2 firefighters, burning 80,906 acres, causing 38,000 evacuations and threatening another 4,978 structures. In recognition that California is at maximum commitment with 10,000 firefighters battling 21 fires, President Donald Trump granted Gov. Brown’s request and issued an emergency declaration Saturday morning. The move authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency to release disaster response equipment and resources, plus authorizes U.S. military personnel and Defense Department assets to be utilized. Cal Fire reported at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning that 21...

Puerto Ricans who fled Hurricane Maria’s devastation and have been living in temporary housing on the mainland were granted a reprieve Saturday night when a federal judge temporarily blocked the government from ending an assistance program that was set to expire. U.S. District Judge Leo T. Sorokin of Massachusetts ordered that the Federal Emergency Management Agency cannot end its Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program until at least midnight Tuesday, meaning those depending on the aid to pay for hotel and motel rooms should be able to stay at least until check-out time Wednesday, according to online court records. The national...

The meeting was about hurricane preparations, but President Donald Trump unleashed a storm of his own, commandeering the gathering and droning on about his negotiating skills to cut the cost for a new Air Force One, his upcoming summit with the North Korean leader and the California governor race, according to a report on Thursday. Trump let loose with a torrent of comments during a 40-minute, closed-door briefing session at Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters on Wednesday. “It’s an interesting journey. It’s called the land of the unknown — who knows? We’ll maybe make a deal. Maybe not. As I...

For the last two years, Richard and Linda Brown have been living in a shell of a home -- no insulation, drywall or flooring -- while trying to raise four kids. Their house in Louisiana was destroyed by floodwaters in 2016. At the time they didn't panic, because they had a flood insurance policy worth $168,000. To date, they've received less than half of that -- around $62,000. "We pay into this premium, and all I want is [it] just to be fair, and we weren't getting fair," Linda said. Two years later, they're living in a house that's still...

The damage from the actions of citizens of PRC in Primorye amounted to more than 50 million rubles. They face a lengthy imprisonment if convicted. Citizens of China are jailed before trial in Primorye for attempting to illegally export a large batch of wild animal parts, including the endangered Amur tiger, as well as firearms, ammunition and amber to the PRC, PRIMPRESS reports citing the press service of the Amur Tiger Protection Center. According to the experts, the main part of the contraband are the derivatives of at least five individuals of the Amur tiger (clad skins, 18 claws, bones...

In our nation's ongoing quest to show diversity and inclusion as demanded by the left, people who use the race card, especially the now-trendy black-female card, show incompetence in delivering what they promise but are quite competent in absconding with the taxpayer's money. As usual, when it comes to access to millions of taxpayer dollars in Washington, D.C., it all depends on who you know and we've seen it before. Five years later, we apparently still have the incompetent mixing with federal government access to millions of taxpayer dollars and a failure to deliver the goods as promised and a...

The mission for the Federal Emergency Management Agency was clear: Hurricane Maria had torn through Puerto Rico, and hungry people needed food. Thirty million meals needed to be delivered as soon as possible.

The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency “button pusher” who sent a bogus missile alert that triggered panic across the islands on Jan. 13 is not cooperating with either a Federal Communications Commission investigation nor two internal investigations. “We are quite pleased with the level of cooperation we have received from the leadership of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency thus far,” Lisa Fowlkes, the FCC’s Homeland Security Bureau chief, testified today at a Senate hearing on the missile alert incident. “We are disappointed, however, that one key employee, the person who transmitted the false alert, is refusing to cooperate with our investigation....

Excerpt: 8:30 a.m. – Governor posts cancellation notification to his Facebook page. 8:45 a.m. – After getting authorization from FEMA Integral Public Alert and Warning System, HIEMA issued a “Civil Emergency Message” remotely. (Why is this time-consuming authorization needed? NOTE: The UH System was able to correct its cell phone false alarm ten minutes after sending it.-- Editor) The following action was executed by the Emergency Alert System (EAS): 1. EAS message over Local TV/Radio Audio Broadcast & Television Crawler Banner. “False Alarm. There is no missile threat to Hawaii.” “False Alarm. There is no missile threat or danger to...

A New York Democratic assemblywoman was indicted Tuesday for allegedly defrauding government agencies out of tens of thousands of dollars, including the agency in charge of Hurricane Sandy relief. The Department of Justice announced that 'Pamela Harris',57, a New York state assemblywoman, was charged with wire fraud, making false statements, bankruptcy fraud, witness tampering and obstructing justice. The indictment also claims that when Harris learned that law enforcement was investigating her in 2017, she pushed witnesses to lie for her to FBI agents conducting the investigation. “She conducted her schemes victimizing the federal and New York City governments, and then...

Following a lawsuit filed by three churches damaged in Hurricane Harvey last year, FEMA has reversed a policy that prevented houses of worship from accessing disaster relief funds, according to a guidance document published by the agency today. The disputed policy allowed "community centers" and other nonprofits to receive FEMA emergency funds for certain repairs of storm-damaged facilities, but specifically excluded houses of worship like churches, synagogues and mosques used primarily for "religious activities, such as worship, proselytizing or religious instruction." Under the new policy, "private nonprofit houses of worship are now eligible for disaster assistance as community centers, without...

Radioactive Fallout: "Radiological Defense" 1961 US Department of Defense, Civil DefenseOld Time Civil Defense movie for explanation of the effects of nuclear weaponry and radiation. Enjoy!

The Department of Defense took over the distribution of hurricane relief from government officials in Puerto Rico this weekend after local mayors failed to appropriately disperse the emergency items to the territory’s 78 municipalities, The Miami Herald reported Sunday. According to The Herald, food, water, and medical supplies were previously delivered to 10 regional staging sites in Puerto Rico, but the mayors did not coordinate properly to distribute the large containers of relief at the staging sites. Instead, 10 to 20 soldiers will be posted in every municipality with vehicles and logistical support, where they will deliver relief to every...

U.S. federal prosecutor in Puerto Rico Rosa Emilia Rodriguez announced Sunday her investigation into government officials who allegedly did not deliver hurricane relief aid to the island’s residents. During an interview on WAPA Radio, Rodriguez criticized two officials who failed to deliver needed supplies to their constituents, Metro PR reported. “This morning we received information from a town on the Island where a person close to the municipal administration was asking one of our federal agents that the supplies that were there could not be touched because they were for his mayor,” said Rodríguez, noting that the case is currently...

SAN JUAN -- Sen. Bill Nelson doesn’t know how many Puerto Ricans have made their way to Florida since Hurricane Maria ravaged the Caribbean island on Sept. 20. And he doesn’t know how many plan to stay on the mainland as their home slowly recovers. But if they plan to stick around the Sunshine State, the Florida Democrat wants them to go to the polls in 2018, when he’s up for reelection. “If they will register to vote, which I’m certainly going to encourage, because I can tell you among the Puerto Rican community in the greater Orlando area, they...

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating a decision by Puerto Rico’s power authority to award a $300 million contract to a tiny Montana energy firm to rebuild electrical infrastructure damaged in Hurricane Maria, according to people familiar with the matter. Agents from the FBI’s San Juan field office are looking into circumstances surrounding the deal that the public power monopoly known as Prepa signed with Whitefish Energy Holdings LLC, according to the people familiar with the matter.

Be very skeptical of the screeching media, demanding to know why aspects of FEMA recovery efforts aren't happening as fast as they determine it should be. Lying to the American people is something expected. Intentionally causing misery for political gain is also expected of Democrats, no matter how benign-to-lethal that misery will be.

The FBI is investigating multiple allegations of Puerto Rican government officials withholding FEMA supplies meant for hurricane victims. The bureau received several complaints that local officials are distributing supplies to their friends and political supporters instead of people in need. So far, the FBI is aware of six areas in Puerto Rico where supplies are being misappropriated. This comes as President Trump hints he will pull first responders from the island.

FEMA Administrator Brock Long ripped San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz for her attacks on the agency Sunday, saying "we filtered out the mayor a long time ago" and he didn't have time for "political noise." President Donald Trump visited the Hurricane Maria devastation in Puerto Rico on Tuesday and praised relief efforts there, but Cruz criticized him for his "abominable" behavior when Trump threw paper towel rolls to storm survivors and said his visit was a publicity stunt. It was the latest in the war of words between the two after Trump said last weekend she had exhibited poor...

8:22PM on 10-2-17: Text from my Dad in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico - "Today gas lines are short!!! Mail is arriving for the first time! Tito's batteries are not yet here but the POffice explained the problem is that the USPS hadn't sent the mail to PR! They expect this week it will get back to normal! The Army is controlling all Airports and Port of San Juan! More efficient by far. Trump will arrive Tuesday! We Welcome him for all the help from USA!" He can't wait to see AF1 flying over Old San Juan today. He lives...