Newszine

Wild Weather Around the World

Frozen assets

Winter weather has wreaked havoc from the U.S. to the U.K. as the coldest months of winter grip the northern hemisphere.

The crippling ice storm that swept from Texas to Maine last week resulting in 55 deaths was one of the first significant tests for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) after the agency’s poor response to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The ice storm knocked out power to millions of homes and businesses including more than 700,000 in worst-hit Kentucky. A disaster declaration was made by President Obama on Jan. 29, two days after the storm hit and within hours of Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear’s request for the classification needed to receive federal assistance. FEMA started moving in supplies that Thursday and by the weekend had 4,600 soldiers including all of Kentucky’s National Army Guard going door-to-door checking on people to make sure they were OK. In an interview with The Associated Press, Trina Sheets, executive director of the National Emergency Management Association, based in Lexington, Ky., said she hasn’t heard any complaints about FEMA’s response.

“The governor’s declaration request for an emergency was turned around very, very quickly by FEMA and the White House,” Sheets said.

FEMA’s thus far timely and organized response to this natural disaster is pivotal step towards rebuilding the public’s trust in the organization and ultimately trust in the federal government. However, the long-term performance of FEMA in the Kentucky ice storm has yet to be seen. Hopefully the agency will continue to focus on its mission to help U.S. citizens endure and recover from disasters and not get bogged down, like so many other government agencies, with bureaucratic red tape and unaccountability.

While the U.S. federal government has been doing its part to help state and local governments cope with the aftermath of this winter storm, some places have other problems. Two of Rhode Island’s largest cities have run out of budgeted money for the removal of snow following the recent snow and ice storms. The cities of Cranston and Warwick have spent a combined $1 million of funds designated for snow removal, with Warwick using over $110,000 on ice alone, television station WPRI of East Providence, R.I. reported. Both cities are scrambling to find the money to fund snow removal for the next two months of winter.

Things aren’t much better across the pond. Activity froze in London Feb. 2 following the largest snowstorm to hit the city in 18 years. The storm dumped 10.6 inches of snow and prevented 6 million people from reporting to work on Monday. Disruption from the storm could cost the U.K. economy $5 billion, according to analysts interviewed in a Cnn.com article. Thousands of schools were closed Monday and Tuesday and travel was severely limited by stopped bus and rail service, closed airports and treacherous roads. With news of such acute economical problems due to lost productivity, many people are decrying the city of London for suspending all bus and subway service and also saying that parents should have gone to work to set a good example for their children.

Wild, wintry weather is having a significant economical impact across the world, and it doesn’t seem like it will be letting up anytime soon. At least that’s the forecast from Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog who saw his shadow Monday signifying at least six more weeks of winter.