#Emergency Services Coordination

[bellmedicaltransport]

How to Choose a Perfect Wheelchair Transportation in NJ

Please consider your family member's physical limitations, medical requirements, and degree of mobility when selecting the best wheelchair transportation for them. Examine various wheelchair kinds, including power, manually operated, and transport-focused models. To lessen the financial burden of buying a wheelchair, consider insurance coverage and financing programs. To get the needed support, collaborate with medical professionals to find relieved pressure pillows, postural support, and designated seating options. For more details click:

https://bnewsnw.com/how-to-choose-a-perfect-wheelchair-transportation-in-nj/ 

[townpostin]

Jamshedpur Gears Up for Flood Preparedness

District administration outlines comprehensive disaster response strategies Jamshedpur’s district administration, led by DM Ananya Mittal, has initiated robust flood preparedness measures for areas prone to waterlogging near the Swarnarekha and Kharkai rivers. JAMSHEDPUR – Ananya Mittal, the District Magistrate, presided over a critical meeting that aimed to develop comprehensive flood…

[northgazaupdates]

10 February 2024

After 12 days with no updates, the PRCS announced the deaths of 6 y/o Hind Rajab and the ambulance team who volunteered to go save her. Despite the PRCS working with the IOF to coordinate safe passage for the ambulance, the ambulance was found destroyed by IOF bombs, with both volunteer crew members Yusuf Zeino and Ahmed Al-Madhoun murdered inside. Hind was murdered inside the car, where she had been trapped for hours with the bodies of her family members.

Hind’s 15 y/o cousin Layan Hamadeh had called PRCS emergency services after the car in which she and her family, including her younger cousin Hind, came under heavy gunfire by the IOF. Layan was shot to death while on the phone with PRCS emergency dispatchers, a fact which is documented via recordings of the phone call. Hind then took the phone and begged the dispatchers to send help to take her away, as the IOF was still showering the car with bullets. Ambulance crew members Yusuf Zeino and Ahmed Al-Madhoun volunteered to go rescue Hind. Dispatchers soon last contact with the child. They then lost contact with Yusef and Ahmed when the ambulance arrived near the location of the vehicle by Fares petrol station in Tal Al-Hawa.

This point cannot be emphasized enough: the PRCS worked with the IOF, getting their agreement not to attack the ambulance as it arrived at the scene. The IOF agreed, and then knowingly bombed the ambulance anyway, while also knowingly killing 6 y/o Hind inside her family’s car. They knew there was a 6 y/o child inside that car, and kept firing until they murdered her. They knew the entire time what they were doing, and lied about cooperating with emergency services in order to maximize the number of lives they could take.

The depravity and impunity of the occupation is truly boundless. Hind’s final hours were spent in absolute terror, and Yusuf and Ahmed’s courage and selflessness were rewarded with their murders. The PRCS did everything right. They coordinated with the IOF and sought their permission for the ambulance to pass, something which was already required under international law. The IOF abused this attempt at cooperation by lying about their compliance, then deliberately murdering Hind, Yusuf, and Ahmed, in addition to Layan and her entire family.

We write this update in tears, having hoped and prayed for a different outcome like everyone else. This round of aggression by the IOF has already seen unimaginable cruelty, suffering, and impunity. The complete, deliberate, and flagrant violation of international law and human decency is a stain on the conscience of the Global North and every president, staffer, soldier, and bureaucrat who made this happen. May the recorded voices of Layan and Hind, begging for rescue before dying alone, haunt them for the rest of their days.

Remember Hind, Layan, Yusuf, and Ahmed. Do not let despair consume you. Fight for them, for a permanent ceasefire, for accountability, and for whatever justice can be achieved, even if it seems small and pointless. Tell the world what the occupation has done, share the recordings and the updates from people on the ground. No matter how bleak things are, it is always worthwhile to tell the truth and fight for what’s right.

Keep Hind’s mother, grandfather, and surviving relatives, and the families of Yusuf and Ahmed in your hearts.

Source

Source

Source

Source

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Recordings: Layan, Hind

Our prior post

[reasonsforhope]

1. More children are surviving today than ever before.

Close to 8 million more children in the world survive to see their fifth birthday than in 1990 — a 60 percent decline in annual under-five child mortality. 

UNICEF and partners have contributed to this remarkable achievement through proven, sustainable solutions for improving maternal and child health care services and strengthening disease prevention — and delivering those solutions at scale...

2. Vaccines have saved 154 million lives in the last 50 years.

As the world’s largest vaccine supplier, UNICEF procures and distributes enough vaccines annually to immunize 45 percent of the world's children. In 2023, UNICEF supplied 2.8 billion vaccine doses to 105 countries, up from just over 2 billion to 102 countries in 2020. Through widespread immunizations, polio is on the brink of eradication.

3. Safe water is available to over 2.1 billion more people compared to 20 years ago.

Consistent access to a sufficient supply of safe water for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene is the foundation for child survival, healthier lives, stronger economies and more sustainable societies. With support from UNICEF and partners, more than a quarter of the world's population gained access to safe and clean drinking water in the past two decades.

UNICEF-supported programs help ensure access to safe water for 35 million people around the world every year. UNICEF also leads coordinated emergency response efforts related to safe water access in roughly 85 percent of countries affected by crises. In 2023, over 42 million people in 73 countries were reached with emergency water services, helping to prevent outbreaks of cholera and other waterborne diseases.

To help build community resilience to climate shocks, UNICEF has also supported the installation of more than 8,900 solar-powered water systems in 56 countries — an important climate adaption measure that also reduces the use of fossil fuels.

4. The number of children with stunted growth due to malnutrition has declined by 40 percent since 2000.

For more than two decades, UNICEF has been the world’s largest procurer of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), procuring up to 80 percent of global demand, ensuring children suffering from severe malnutrition can be treated successfully.

5. Over 68 million child marriages have been averted in the last 25 years, giving girls their childhoods back.

In the late 1990s, 1 in 4 young women aged 20 to 24 were married as children. Today, it's 1 in 5. UNICEF has played an important role in global efforts to end child marriage, supporting 35 countries in implementing action plans, and working at the community level and across the health, education and other sectors to increase knowledge and change attitudes around the practice.

In 2023, UNICEF reached 11 million adolescent girls with prevention and care interventions empowering them to delay marriage and choose their own futures. 

6. Fewer kids are out of school.

The world stands on the cusp of realizing primary education as a basic right of every child. A world where more children learn is a world that is healthier, more prosperous and more resilient.

In the early 1950s, roughly half of all primary school-aged children were out of school. Now it's less than 10 percent. And every year, 23 million more girls are completing secondary school compared to a decade ago...

7. The world is on track to eliminate open defecation by 2030.

In the last two decades, 2.5 billion people have gained access to safely managed sanitation, while the number of people practicing open defecation has also declined by two-thirds — from 1.3 billion in 2000 to 419 million in 2022 — putting the world on track to eliminate the practice entirely. 

Ending open defecation drastically lowers the risks of diseases and malnutrition among children in low-income and lower-middle-income countries. Child deaths from diarrhea — a leading killer of young children — have already decreased by 60 percent...

8. Birth registration rates are way up.

Today, 77 percent of children under 5 are registered, up from 60 percent in the early 2000s — a major leap towards ensuring every child has a legal identity and can access health, education and other essential services...

Countries that prioritize birth registration see rapid progress. In Côte d’Ivoire, birth registration prevalence rose steadily from 65 percent in 2012 to 96 percent by 2021, proving that change at scale is possible.

9. A future free from HIV seems possible, one baby at a time.

An estimated 1.9 million deaths and 4 million HIV infections have been averted among pregnant women and children in the past 25 years...

10. In times of crisis and emergency, UNICEF is there — helping to save more children's lives than any other humanitarian organization.

[Note: Okay, I think they're cheating listing this one, but the article header said 10 things, so if I included only 9 it would be weird. Obviously this is an article from UNICEF, but UNICEF's data, reporting, and statistics are considered to be of high quality.]

-via UNICEF, February 25, 2025

[elumish]

One thing I don't see show up as a consideration in worldbuilding a lot is what things are professionalized.

By that I mean how (and whether) certain activities or focuses are conducted in an organized, professional manner or treated as a career path or industry (often with set standards or training involved) rather than those that are treated primarily as hobbies or conducted in an ad hoc manner.

Standing armies, for example, are professionalized in a way that temporary armies or militias aren't. Being in the military is a profession that is organized and has specific standards and training and that clearly distinguishes between people who are or are not in the military. If we look at a lot of past wars, though, as well as many militias, being in the military was not a career for most people (especially most enlisted) and the time and effort between deciding to join and being on a battlefield was significantly smaller.

A professionalized military will generally be a stronger, more cohesive, more effective military--but it is also far more expensive to maintain, because as it is a profession the military servicemembers pull their salary from the military on a regular basis, and it takes away hands from other tasks such as manufacturing and farming.

Over the last few hundred years a lot of countries have seen (to varying degrees) professionalization of fields like firefighting, policing, pharmacology, emergency response, and search and rescue. In these cases, it reflects 1) a recognized need for a standing trained force that can respond quickly; 2) a recognized need for standards and credentialing; 3) the ability societally to have individuals who might otherwise be contributing to manufacturing or food production not do that indefinitely; 4) a dedicated ongoing effort to maintain standards, trainings, etc.; and 5) organizations (generally governments) that can pay for these services.

We also see the professionalization of other things, like youth sports--the push to treat youth sports as either primarily a system to develop professional athletes or a career on its own.

When you're doing worldbuilding, consider what roles would be treated in this professionalized manner, rather than those that would be viewed as temporary positions or conducted on an ad hoc basis.

Is there a standing professional military? How does the professionalization differ between officers and enlisted?

Is emergency preparedness, response, or recovery a professionalized field? Is the focus of that profession on planning? On search and rescue, triage, or other immediate response activities or coordination? On rebuilding following disasters? On managing grants, tax relief, or other monetary aspects of rebuilding?

Is pharmacology a regulated industry that requires training or credentialing? Is medicine?

Is firefighting generally conducted by individuals in the neighborhood? By private industry? By unpaid volunteers managed by a governmental or non-governmental organization? By full-time paid staff?

Are these positions generally a full-time job or an ad hoc/as needed job that can be called on? If it is an ad hoc position, what are the credentialing requirements to be put on the roster?

[zvaigzdelasas]

“Very aggressive” homeless encampment sweeps, as recently touted by Mayor London Breed, began Tuesday morning in San Francisco following a major U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

The Standard witnessed aggressive enforcement action under the Central Freeway, carried out by police, the Department of Public Works, Department of Emergency Management, Homeless Outreach Team and San Francisco Fire Department.

Homeless people were not notified of the sweeps ahead of time, as has previously been the norm, according to a schedule of encampment clearings and a city official who was on the scene.[...]

“One of the DPW workers started hollering past me, ‘I’m taking everything today,’ ” Tannahill said. “They were adamant that there wasn’t going to be enough time to pack up the tent.”

By 10:30 a.m., all city workers who were clearing the encampment had moved down the block, to the corner of 13th and Harrison streets.

Brandon Cunningham, the fire department’s incident commander at the scene of an encampment sweep near 13th and South Van Ness streets, told The Standard he was unsure whether people living at the site were notified beforehand. Tuesday’s schedule of encampment clearances, obtained by The Standard, does not list the location.[...]

City staff have previously given notice to encampment occupants days before conducting a clearing.

In a video captured by The Standard, a police officer can be heard explaining to a person whose belongings have just been thrown onto a truck bed that encampments are “no more.”

“London Breed, the mayor, Gov. Gavin Newsom says no more on the streets, no more encampments. No more. This is what it’s come down to. This is our laws,” the officer said.

Max Gunn and Kara Sullivan, who have been homeless in San Francisco for roughly two years, told The Standard the city threw away some of their clothes. Gunn said members of the Homeless Outreach Team told him there were no shelter beds available.

“They got my clothes,” Sullivan said. “They laughed at me and did a mocking New York accent and acted like they were tough.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Emergency Management disputed the individual’s account, saying everyone was offered shelter during Tuesday’s action.[...]

Nisha Kashyap, an attorney representing the Coalition on Homelessness in the suit against the city, called the sweeps “alarming” and “unacceptable.”

“The city’s conduct blatantly violates the existing injunction against property destruction and disregards its own laws and policies that mandate advance notice and the provision of shelter and services,” Kashyap said in a statement Tuesday. “By ignoring the injunction, the city is not only acting unlawfully but also stripping people of their basic survival necessities, making it harder for them to exit homelessness.”

A statement from the mayor’s office said the city’s “street response will consist of offers of services and support on a daily basis, targeted encampment resolutions, and coordinated efforts to prevent re-encampments and new areas from being encamped.”

In a memo shared Tuesday by the mayor’s office, officials said they seek to prevent encampments from cropping up again once they have been cleared.[...]

The memo also outlines the consequences homeless individuals may face if they continue to camp on the city’s streets and refuse shelter. These penalties include citations and possible arrest.

“The goal is not punishment, it is compliance,” the memo reads.

30 Jul 24

[stevespookington]

We are heading into severe weather season in the US soon (and by soon I mean tomorrow) (disclaimer, this is all general advice. pay attention to the official weather sources in your area for alerts and important information. I am not an expert, weather info is just a hobby for me.)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/National Weather Service (NWS) has (for now anyways) the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) which is a great source of information to stay weather aware.

The SPC puts out Convective Outlooks. These show where thunderstorms and severe weather have the potential to pop up. (With temperatures warming up, the movement of warm air leads to convection in the atmosphere which results in thunderstorms and sometimes severe weather. There is a good blog post going into more detail here)

Specifically, the outlooks are:

Day 1 Outlook (today and early tomorrow morning)

Day 2 Outlook (the next 24 hours following early tomorrow morning)

Day 3 Outlook (the next 24 hours)

Day 4-8 Outlook (the next days, but these are never too certain due to the way the models work)

These outlooks are timestamped with Zulu time aka Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). You can see how that compares to your local timezone here.

Today (3/13/25), the weather outlook is okay, just a slight risk of thunderstorms across the US. However, Friday (3/14/25) and Saturday (3/15/25) both have a widespread risk of severe weather including strong winds and tornadoes.

If you are in any of these colored regions, stay weather aware! Now, this doesn't mean you have to panic, but keep an eye on the weather reports in your area!

I tend to check the SPC in the morning so I know when I have to really be paying attention to the weather for the day/coming days.

Below is more info on the color coding which you can read more about here. (In addition here is a powerpoint from the NWS with more information "12 Things You Need to Know: Severe Weather Outlooks")

Tips on staying weather aware, it's important to have access to several weather sources.

Check the SPC for updates!

Find your closest NWS Forecast Office via zip code on weather.gov

Keep an eye on the local news and local weather reports

Consider getting a weather radio! (info here from NWS) This is good for if you lose power/internet as you can check the automated radio stations near you

Check the radar (I use the radarscope app) but you can check online with websites like radar.weather.gov or wunderground.com

Ryan Hall Y'all is a youtube channel that livestreams during most severe weather outbreaks

More weather info:

Severe Weather 101

How NOAA Satellites Help Us Stay Ahead of Severe Weather Season

How to Use and Interpret Doppler Weather Radar

TropicalTidbits - Info on hurricanes and other tropical weather

NWS - Emergency Supplies Kit Info

Weather Prediction Center - similar to SPC but more generalized

What to do During a Tornado (via NWS):

Stay Weather-Ready: Continue to listen to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio to stay updated about tornado watches and warnings.

At Your House: If you are in a tornado warning, go to your basement, safe room, or an interior room away from windows. Don't forget pets if time allows.

At Your Workplace or School: Follow your tornado drill and proceed to your tornado shelter location quickly and calmly. Stay away from windows and do not go to large open rooms such as cafeterias, gymnasiums, or auditoriums.

Outside: Seek shelter inside a sturdy building immediately if a tornado is approaching. Sheds and storage facilities are not safe. Neither is a mobile home or tent.  If you have time, get to a safe building.

In a vehicle: Being in a vehicle during a tornado is not safe. The best course of action is to drive to the closest shelter. If you are unable to make it to a safe shelter, either get down in your car and cover your head, or abandon your car and seek shelter in a low lying area such as a ditch or ravine.

NOAA and NWS are under threat from everything going on right now. (Hundreds of weather forecasters fired in latest wave of DOGE cuts.) They provide vital services and do very important research about our weather and climate. While 5calls.org does not currently have a template centered on NOAA/NWS, they have similar ones that you could reference, modify, and use. (I have modified one below that you might consider using.) (5calls.org also has other very important scripts that you might use for other issues.) Please consider calling your representatives and telling them how important weather information is to everybody and that they should be protecting it, not defunding it. Not only for severe weather, but for climate change research and more.

Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m a constituent from [CITY, ZIP]. I'm calling to demand that [REP/SEN NAME] oppose any legislation, or efforts by the executive branch to dismantle or abolish the National Weather Service or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The recent reduction in staff is unacceptable, and will put Americans' lives and property at risk to severe weather. Reduced warning capabilities will put lives at risk and could potentially make response and recovery more hazardous and more expensive. Thank you for your time and consideration. IF LEAVING VOICEMAIL: Please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied.

While this is geared towards the US, a lot of this information can be applied via resources specific to your country. And finally, to quote Ryan Hall, Don't be Scared, Be Prepared.

[harridansibyl]

Personal associations/interpretations of the dark/mystical houses (4th, 6th, 8th, 12th)

4th house

twisted tree roots, cultural practices, heirlooms, photo albums, inherited features, traditions, the mother, past lives, generational trauma, picture books, garden beds, childhood homes, ancestor altars, hand written recipe books, hearth, squeaky wooden floorboards, genealogy archives, caves, oak trees, baby wrap carriers, emotional security, cultural heritage, building foundations, photo albums, genetics, laundry lines, swing sets, property, mines, crops, sanctuaries, the chest and heart, home steads, fields, farms, root cellars, harvests, pots on stoves, brooms, backyards, agriculture, vines on trellises, handmade blankets, grandparents house, laundry baskets, attachment styles, singing lullabies, history, deep emotions, instincts, the unconscious, summer, waxing moon, vase of flowers, bath time, picking berries, celebrating holidays, chicken coops, older sisters, family gatherings, stone paths, forest walks, ancient structures/buildings, ancestral languages, cupboards, staying in

6th house

vitamins and supplements, morning routines, pharmacies, tasks and lists, doctors offices, health food stores, stomach medicine, hygiene practices, journals and planners, schedules, herbal teas, personal rituals, emergency kits, dog walks, lymphatic drainage, caregiving, donating blood, examinations and checkups, meditation, colour coordination, sticky notes, gastrointestinal problems, folded laundry, labels on everything, retirement homes, hand washing, braided hair, herb gardens, filing cabinets, face masks, kombucha, detailed diagrams, volunteer work, medicine cabinets, cleaning supplies, shelves, acts of service, skin care, organic linen, gauze and stitches, stress-induced illnesses, essential oil/herb baths, house plants, instructions, repetition, holistic medicine, giving advice, yoga studios, "gut feeling," bone broth

8th house

altars, divination, near death experiences, candle wax, feeling crushed by a heavy weight, grave dirt, red/dim lighting, funerals, double income, control, the underworld, cheques, insurance, heirlooms, ghost sightings, power imbalances, crime documentaries, ouroboros, bank accounts, grief and loss, shadow work, the womb, manipulation, scrying mirrors, Russian nesting dolls, keys, mortuaries, tests from the universe, pendulums, crime scene tape, the phoenix, projections, credit scores, animal bones on a forest floor, blood stained sheets, metaphysical shops, spiritual attacks, deep emotions, snakes, dead flowers, late autumn, wedding veils, envelopes, full moon, muddy boots, shadows at the corners of your vision, scarab beetles, inner processing, experiencing crisis, inherited possessions, natural disasters, sexual trauma, psychological studies, ancestral connections, cracked dolls, veil between realms, mental illnesses, deep connections, intimacy, reincarnation, torture devices, keys, whirlpools, the sound of sirens, unconscious fears, intense first impressions, pushing limits, feeling bound, scratches on walls, ten of swords

12th house

abandoned places, liminal spaces, long winters, shadowy figures, reoccurring dreams, repeated patterns, fog-filled forests, self analysation, inner worlds, cave systems, unfinished basements, hallucinations, solitary confinement, empty parking garages, spiral staircases, substance abuse, trapped in purgatory, hidden beneath the surface, maladaptive daydreaming, hospital hallways, confines of society, waning moon, moths, wandering aimlessly, disconnection from the world, psych wards, healing others, tired eyes or dark circles, chronic mental illness, suppression, addictions, hiding places, overnight shifts, unexplainable experiences, past life karma, exhaustion, cobwebs, others projections, catacombs, bird cages, premonitions in dreams, prescription bottles, self destructive patterns, late night walks, misty lakes, the feeling of walking out of the movie theater at night, identity crises, blurred faces, empty public transport, astral projection, comas, diary entries, dissociative episodes, shape shifting, generational trauma, observing people, mirrors, padded rooms, the afterlife, chain link fences, paradoxes, feeling misunderstood, repression or memory loss, hikikomori, the freeze response, disappearance, waiting rooms

[babsggordon]

One after another, since about one o clock, pings start popping up on oracle’s devices. Firefighter teams are being dispatched rapidly. Nine-one-one call reports are spiking, police are in complete disarray.. it could be said that it’s nothing Oracles ever seen before— but organized attacks have been seen before.

But this isn’t exactly organized at all, per se. This has the level of coordination that a crime ring would have after months of planning combined with the messiness and brutality that clearly indicates anger and hatred..

Then.. the explosions. Thermite, C4, cherry bombs, roman candles, hydroxide experiments, car bombs, all placed either haphazardly or tucked in places no one would look. In the sewers, underneath mailboxes, tucked between brick and mortar, on top of an a/c unit, behind trash cans, in between fence posts.

Gotham is in chaos.

This one was one of the worsts that she has ever seen. And to say that she panicked was minimize her emotional reaction.

She reached first in the ones who had their comms open, surely someone out there in Patrol had survived the attacks.

Calm, she needs to keep her cool to help everyone through this situation. After a second of deep breathing she finally puts her headset back and opens her microphone.

"To everyone online: report your status, and location. The ones active and in good condition must start rescue labors. The emergency services are on its way"

Tags (with no pressure ofc): @izakk-tiberius-kyle @the-only-real-son @jokerwithcrowbar @imbatman-imtired @brucewayneoffic @the-multiversal-shrink @robin-wing-man @dickgraysonfr @gutter-mage69 @fry-stealing-seagull

[probablyasocialecologist]

The Spanish Meteorological Agency had warned of the severity of this DANA (isolated high-altitude depression) days in advance, yet the government of Valencia–led by Mazón from the Popular Party (PP), which allied with the far-right VOX in the last election–did not raise the alert level or inform residents of the impending danger until it was too late. These climate change-denier parties made dismantling the Valencian Emergency Unit one of their first actions in power, scrapping a unit established by the previous left-wing government to coordinate emergency responses. Such a response could have saved hundreds of lives, as only after five days were fire brigades from other parts of Spain finally allowed to respond, despite being ready from day one, some stationed only a couple of hours away. The staggering dysfunction was made clear when a team of French firefighters, arriving voluntarily and without permission on Saturday, discovered they were the first responders in the area. Employees who received warnings from family and friends about river overflows upstream were not allowed to leave work. Consequently, when the worst of the flood came, countless people were trapped in their cars on the way home, many of them returning from industrial parks on Valencia’s working-class outskirts, caught at the end of their full shifts. Those workers now still lie trapped in their cars, waiting for rescue–if they survived–or decomposing. Meanwhile, the areas hardest hit by the torrent are mostly working-class neighborhoods, built on floodplains near the river’s overflow zone. Construction was permitted there for developers–many friendly with politicians–in a region known for government corruption, particularly under the right-wing Popular Party’s administrations between 1995-2015.

[...]

Capitalist employers put profits before their workers’ lives. Testimonies abound of employees spending the night at work, unable to leave until it was too late. A video has gone viral showing a Mercadona supermarket lorry, owned by a tycoon notorious for ruthless business practices, stuck in the floodwaters–though the servile Spanish media pixelated the logo to protect its reputation. The same employer, while making a show of charitable donations for the flood-affected, has forced affected employees back to work since the very next day. The underground car park of the Bonaire shopping center, one of Spain’s largest, is feared to hold many bodies, as the center stayed open despite the red alert from the Meteorology Service. Public institutions like Valencia’s University sent staff and students home hours before, as did the Valencia government, which sent its workers home because of “a high risk for the population”.

4 November 2024

[theshitpostcalligrapher]

req'd by @decadelongsummer

understood, trucks have been dispatched

text: Emergency Services: Please give your coordinates

Cat: Meow!

[reasonsforhope]

Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson watches at right. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Vice President Kamala Harris announced Wednesday that President Joe Biden has approved Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s request for 100% reimbursement of local costs of responding to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene during remarks in Augusta, Georgia.

Harris said the federal reimbursement will cover costs for services like food, water and shelter provided by local governments, debris removal and emergency services...

Augusta, which is around two hours away from Atlanta, was one of the cities hit hardest by the onset of Hurricane Helene last week...

Sponsor

Augusta, which is around two hours away from Atlanta, was one of the cities hit hardest by the onset of Hurricane Helene last week. 

She also announced that FEMA is providing $750 for people who have immediate needs.

Harris thanked first responders, who she called “the heroes in moments of crisis.”

“Most of them, as it relates to the local folks, are folks who have personally and their families have personally experienced loss and devastation, and yet they leave their home and leave their family to go to centers like where I was earlier to do the work of helping perfect strangers,” she said. “And it really does highlight the nobility of the kind of work that these public servants have dedicated themselves to, which can be in moments of crisis like this so selfless.”

She also thanked Kemp for his leadership and coordination through the storm.

Richmond County is one of the 41 counties in Georgia for which FEMA has approved a disaster declaration. Kemp announced Wednesday that residents of these counties can apply for disaster assistance. FEMA has received more than 60,000 assistance applications, according to FEMA."

-via WABE, October 2, 2024

[thedemoninme141]

Her Heartbeat; Chapter 15: Her Pain.

Summary: Wednesday doesn't understand how she had let this happen...

Warnings: EmotionalOutOfCharacterWednesday! A bit blood! But mostly Angst...

Parings: Wednesday x Fem reader. A bit of Wenclair friendship.

Chapter 1 ------- Previous Chapter

Her Heartbeat's Chapterlist.

Worklist

It had all happened so fast. One second, she’d been on the verge of…something. A confession, a kiss, a surrender—she didn’t know, and now it didn't even mattered. Now she stood in front of the mirror and she hardly recognized herself.

Her dark hair, usually so perfectly groomed, was disheveled, with stray locks framing her face in a way that felt uncharacteristically wild. Her pallor was more pronounced than usual, the ashen tone of her skin bordering on sickly.

But it was her eyes that held her attention—wide, rimmed with a redness that betrayed the tears she refused to shed. She hated them, hated the weakness she saw staring back at her.

Her fingers gripped the edge of the sink so tightly that her knuckles turned white. The world around her had descended into chaos the moment you collapsed in her arms, and now…now you were in this hospital, surrounded by strangers and medical equipment, your fragile body fighting to survive. And Wednesday was here, staring at herself, useless.

“Turn off the damn smokes!” she had screamed, the desperation in her voice so raw and unguarded that it startled even her.

Through the haze of panic, she saw Enid’s ears perk up from across the dance floor. The werewolf immediately darted to the sound booth. In seconds, the artificial smoke dissipated, but it didn’t matter anymore. The damage was already done.

“Wednesday, what the hell happened?” Enid’s voice was panicked as she skidded to a stop beside her. Her wide eyes darted between you, limp in Wednesday’s arms, and the crowd forming around them.

“Get an ambulance, RIGHT NOW.” Wednesday snapped, her voice trembling with fury and fear. She barely noticed the shocked expression on Enid’s face as Ajax fumbled for his phone, dialing emergency services with shaking hands.

Wednesday tried to lift you, her arms wrapping around your frail form. But as she strained to lift you, something inside her cracked. It wasn’t physical weakness—it was deeper, more insidious. Her knees buckled, her body trembling as the crushing weight of helplessness bore down on her.

“Damn it,” she hissed under her breath, her arms refusing to cooperate. The feeling of you slipping from her grip was unbearable, a visceral ache that clawed at her chest. She was strong—she’d always been strong. But now? Now she felt like nothing, like a hollow shell incapable of protecting the one thing that mattered most.

“Let me,” Enid said softly, kneeling beside her. Without waiting for permission, the werewolf scooped you into her arms with surprising ease, cradling your unconscious body as though you weighed nothing.

Wednesday followed her outside, her legs moving mechanically as her mind screamed at her to do something—anything—but there was nothing to be done.

The other students had gathered at the gates, forming a worried, murmuring crowd. Wednesday barely registered them. Her entire focus was on you—on the way your head lolled against Enid’s shoulder, your skin unnervingly pale in the moonlight.

“Wednesday, what happened?” “Is she okay?” “Is she breathing?”

“Quiet!” Luckily it was Weems who silenced them all before Wednesday snapped. She looked at Wednesday, but said nothing. She already understood that words would be wasted. Instead, she focused on the task at hand, her phone in one hand as she coordinated with emergency responders.

She remembers the paramedics rushing to take you from Enid’s arms, their movements swift and efficient. Wednesday tried to follow, her feet moving of their own accord, ready to climb in after you. But the paramedics stopped her.

“You can’t come with her,” one of them said, his tone apologetic “Only family members or authorities are allowed to ride along.”

“I’m more than—” Wednesday began, her voice rising in anger, but Weems cut her off.

Weems intervened immediately, her tone brooking no argument. “I am the Principal of this school. I’ll go with her,”

And just like that, the ambulance doors slammed shut, the wail of its siren tearing through the night as it sped away. Wednesday stood there, rooted in place, her fists clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. You were gone, and she was powerless to do anything about it.

“It’s okay,” Enid said gently, stepping beside her. “Ajax is getting his car. He’ll be here in thirty minutes tops, and we’ll go to the hospital together.”

Wednesday didn’t respond. She barely heard her friend’s words over the deafening roar in her own mind. Thirty minutes felt like a lifetime, and every second that ticked by was another moment where something could go horribly wrong. And she feared she wouldn't be there.

When they finally reached the hospital, it was Weems who met them in the waiting room.

“They’ve taken her to the ER, The doctors are doing everything they can"

And now here she was, standing in front of the bathroom mirror, staring at a version of herself she barely recognized.

God, she was weak. How had this happened? How had she let herself become so vulnerable? So…pathetic? She had spent her entire life building walls, shielding herself from anything that could make her feel this way. And yet, here she was, unraveling piece by piece because of you.

Her reflection mocked her, its hollow eyes and trembling lips a stark contrast to the composed, unflinching image she usually projected. She hated it. Hated herself. How had she let this happen? How had she allowed herself to care so deeply that the thought of losing you made her chest feel like it was caving in?

Her breathing was ragged, her chest heaving as she struggled to remain in control.

How had she become so weak? So…human?

With a growl of frustration, she slammed her fist into the mirror. The glass shattered instantly, cracks spidering out from the point of impact. Pain shot up her arm as shards embedded themselves in her knuckles, but she didn’t care. The blood that dripped down her hand was nothing compared to the storm raging inside her.

The door creaked open behind her, and she stiffened.

“Wednesday?”

It was Enid.

“I’m fine,” Wednesday snapped, her voice like a whip.

But Enid ignored her. The werewolf stepped into the bathroom, her gaze softening as it landed on Wednesday’s bloodied hand. "Oh Wends..."

“Don’t,” Wednesday warned, taking a step back.

But Enid didn’t listen. In one swift motion, she closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms around Wednesday in a firm, unyielding embrace.

“Let go,” Wednesday hissed, struggling against her. “Enid, I swear—”

“You don’t have to do this alone,” Enid interrupted, her voice steady.

“Get off me,” Wednesday hissed, her voice laced with venom. She shoved at Enid’s arms, but the werewolf didn’t budge. “I can rip you apart,” she muttered, her voice low and dangerous.

“I know, but I’m not letting go.” Enid said simply, tightening her hold.

Wednesday’s struggles slowed, her strength waning as the weight of her emotions finally broke through. Her hands, bloodied and trembling, fell to her sides.

“Why?” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “Why did this happen?”

Enid didn’t have an answer, but she held her friend close, her own tears silently falling. “We’ll get through this,” she murmured. “You’re not alone.”

For the first time in her life, Wednesday didn’t push the comfort away. She allowed herself to lean into it if only for a moment, her face pressed against Enid’s shoulder as she struggled to breathe through the ache in her chest.

And for that moment, she wasn’t Wednesday Addams, the girl who thrived on darkness and chaos.

She was just a girl terrified of losing the one person who had managed to break through her walls.

As she followed Enid out of the bathroom, she barely registered her surroundings until she stepped into the waiting area outside the ER.

Her hand still bleeding from her earlier outburst, but she paid it no mind. There were more pressing matters, you.

First, her dark eyes immediately landed on your father, who was speaking with Principal Weems.

But then, just past them, Wednesday’s gaze fell on a cluster of people she did not expect to see.

Her therapy group.

What the hell were they doing here?

Wednesday strode toward them. Blood dripped from her injured hand, leaving small crimson spots on the tiled floor as her fists clenched tighter with every step.

The group turned toward her, their expressions ranging from surprised to concerned.

David was the first to step forward, his gaze landing on her bloodied hand. He let out a long, exasperated sigh. “Wednesday…”

“I don’t want your sighs, David,” Wednesday snapped, her tone dripping with irritation. “I want answers. Why are you all here? Who called you?”

“I did.”

The voice came from behind the group, and Wednesday’s dark eyes narrowed as Brooke stepped into view. She was wearing an intern’s scrubs.

“You?” Wednesday’s voice was sharp with disbelief. “You work here?”

Brooke shrugged nonchalantly, “Yeah. I’m an intern here. Surprise.”

“Why does this matter?” Wednesday demanded, gesturing toward the rest of the group. “Why are they here?”

“I was working the ER when they brought her in,” Brooke explained, her voice softening slightly. "Then after a while I saw you, looking all worried and...I thought I might need some backup so I just called them I guess."

Wednesday opened her mouth to argue, Enid, standing a step behind her, finally found her voice. "Wednesday, who are all these people?”

“The therapy group,” Wednesday muttered, her tone laced with disdain.

“What?” Enid blinked. “These are the therapy people?!”

“Unfortunately.”

“Look,” David said, running a hand through his hair, “we might just be a group of angry psychos who meet in a circle every week to complain about our lives— but Y/n is part of our little group of angry psychos.  And when one of us is in trouble, we show up. She’s one of us. And…” He hesitated, glancing at Wednesday. “Like it or not, you are too.”

“I’m not—” Wednesday began, her voice cold and biting, but Rick interrupted her.

“Yeah, yeah, we get it. I am Batman, darkness incarnate, blah, blah, blah, ” Rick said, waving a hand dismissively. “But here’s the thing, Addams: you’re stuck with us. And if that means standing around a hospital waiting for news, then that’s what we’re gonna do.”

“Also, I got a new car,” Rick added, jingling his keys. “So, Brooke, maybe don’t burn this one if we need to give someone a ride home, yeah?”

Ashley hit Rick with her elbow “Now’s not the time, idiot.”

“Let me see your hand,” Brooke said firmly, her tone more doctor than therapy member now.

“It’s fine,” Wednesday snapped, instinctively tucking her injured hand behind her back.

Brooke raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “That’s not going to fly here. Sit down, or I’ll have security drag you out for bleeding all over the hospital floor.”

Enid put a hand on Wednesday’s shoulder. “You should let her, Wends. I mean, you wouldn't want Y/n seeing that."

With a huff of annoyance, Wednesday relented, sitting down stiffly on the bench as Brooke began cleaning and bandaging her knuckles.

“I still don’t understand why you all care for people you barely know so much.” Wednesday muttered as Brooke worked.

“Like David said,” Brooke replied without looking up, “we take care of our own. You might not like it, but you’ve somehow become part of this dysfunctional little family. And like it or not, we care about you.”

Wednesday was about to retort when the door to the ER opened, and a doctor stepped out. Her sharp eyes immediately locked onto the man, and for the first time that night, her breath caught in her throat.

The doctor’s expression was professional but grave as he approached.

“Are you here for the young woman brought in from Nevermore Academy?"

“I am. How is she?” Wednesday asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The doctor hesitated for a moment, then said, “She’s stable, but…”

“But what?” Wednesday demanded, her voice sharp and trembling.

“She’s in a coma,” the doctor said gently. “For now, her condition is critical but stable. We’ll be monitoring her closely, but it’s too soon to say anything definitive.”

The words hit Wednesday like a physical blow. She felt the air leave her lungs, her vision narrowing as the weight of the doctor’s words settled over her.

A heavy silence fell over the group. Enid placed a tentative hand on Wednesday’s shoulder, but she barely felt it.

“Can I see her?” Wednesday asked, her voice barely audible.

The doctor nodded. “Only one visitor at a time for now. But you’ll need to address that hand of yours before you go in.” His gaze flicked to Brooke, who was finishing up the bandaging.

“It’s taken care of,” Brooke said smoothly, giving the doctor a pointed look.

The Doctor nodded before walking back into the ER.

As soon as he was gone, Brooke handed Wednesday a pair of disposable gloves. “Hide the bandage. You’re not sneaking past anyone with blood all over you.” She gave Brooke a small nod before taking the gloves.

As Wednesday followed the doctor into the ER, the rest of the group exchanged quiet glances. David sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “She’s not gonna take this well,” he muttered. Enid, her gaze fixed on Wednesday, let out a small, humorless laugh. “When does she ever take anything well?”

[Author's note: Back to writing again but its kinda hard to manage time nowadays, Comment how you guys feel about this chapter.]

NEXT CHAPTER

[katerenko]

Merry Christmas?..

Today, on 25 December, the Russian occupiers launched another missile attack on Ukraine - the enemy again targeted critical infrastructure facilities: TPPs, CHPs, and power grids.

According to the command of the Ukrainian Air Force, 184 enemy air targets were recorded:

2 KN-23 ballistic missiles;

10 S-300/S-400 anti-aircraft guided missiles;

12 cruise Kalibr Missiles ;

50 X-101/X-55 cruise missiles from Tu-95MS strategic bombers;

4 X-59/X-69 guided missiles from tactical aircraft;

106 Shahed strike UAVs

The Ukrainian Air Defence Forces shot down 113 targets.

Kharkiv

The Russians launched 12 missiles at the city and targeted critical infrastructure: boiler houses, CHP plant, and electricity facilities.

So far, six people have been reported injured: five men and one woman.

Ivano-Frankivsk

The enemy strike left part of the Carpathian region without power supply - residents of Kalush, Burshtyn and Ivano-Frankivsk were without electricity.

Dnipro

The Ukrainian Air Defense Forces shot down 42 enemy missiles over the Dnipro region.

The missile attack damaged infrastructure in Dnipro. Unfortunately, a TPP worker, 51-year-old Dmitry Petlenko, was killed. His body was found under the rubble.

The windows of a nine-story building were also smashed, and a private house was damaged. An outbuilding caught fire, and rescuers extinguished the fire.

Kirovohrad region

Critical infrastructure in the Kirovohrad region was also targeted by the Russians.

The falling debris caused a fire in a warehouse.

As a result of the strike, the pumping stations of the Dnipro-Kirovohrad water pipeline were de-energized.

Vinnytsia region

At night, the enemy attacked the energy infrastructure. There is damage. As of the morning, thanks to the coordinated work of power engineers, all consumers are supplied with electricity.

Kyiv region

The air alert in the Kyiv region lasted all night. Air defense forces were working in the region. Some enemy targets were shot down. Fortunately, no people were hurt.

As a result of the falling debris of downed enemy targets in two districts of the region, 12 trucks, a cafe and three private houses were damaged.

Kryvyi Rih

An enemy missile strike killed one person and injured 17 others, including two children, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine reports.

"This is definitely not a global war"

Meanwhile, Poland again sent its military aircraft into the sky. As noted by the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces, this step was taken “because of the Russian air attack, which can hit objects located in the West of Ukraine, among other things.”

In addition, one of the Russian missiles entered Ukraine through the airspace of Moldova.

At 07:24, the Ukrainian Air Force reported a cruise missile flying toward Chernivtsi from Moldova. At the same time, monitoring Telegram channels claim that the Russian missile flew about 140 kilometers through the territories of Moldova and Romania.

Не забуваймо, завдяки кому ми зустрічаємо цьогоріч Різдво.

Слава Україні!

Героям слава!

Слава нації!

Смерть ворогам!

[witchofthesouls]

Humans not only from viruses can get sick but from stress alone too

Try to to do something about invisible threat (poor bots)

Funnily enough, they do understand stress-related illness and injury, especially with education on the line, but there's still a huge cultural clash (and arising misunderstandings).

On Cybertron, medical-related frames are regulated to a mid-to-higher caste in the system as Golden Age Cybertron highly values them and those fields. It stems from the Quintesson Occupation since their conquerors greatly valued intellectual pursuits (and ways to control Cybertronian biology and keep the population docile to their leverage).

That doesn't jive well with American business practices. To the Autobots, June Darby is their equivalent of a highly skilled medical practitioner, especially since she's acting as a trainer or as a head of a specialty unit. On Cybertron, she would be afforded more privileges in accordance with her rank and responsibilities: greater pay, final say on her core staff or floats, better access to fuel grades and a greater vareity of flavorings, off-premise housing on a discount, vacation pay, emergency/sick pay, access to parks, libraries, and more places dedicated to pure recreation (like amusement parks or plays), an allowance to decorate her hab to her preference, greater priority if she wanted to mentor a newframe or a sparkling from the Well (granted it had to share her own medical-frame), seating on public transport, discounted/free items and services through the hospital and university networks, and priority on networking and trade within the system.

Shoot, it's how Ratchet kept his clinic in the Underground alive for that long. He utilized all the privileges afforded to him as one of the best of the best until it couldn't be overlooked. Even then, Ratchet was afforded a heads-up about the raid long before it happened so he could clear out and wrap up any illegal treatment or training.

If Ratchet found out how poor the state of medical care in the U.S., especially the mockery it was twisted by insurance and private equity, the mech would be so infuriated that he would skip English and go back into Neocybex to the point all of his 'strongly worded letters' to many local, state, and federal committees would be in Cybertronian.

Plus, Ratchet is incredibly salty, bitter, and frustrated at the current state of the war... so he'll channel those emotions into the political and social scene on bettering healthcare and patient outcomes by coordinating many advocacy groups... and curating ties to organizations and individuals that have beef to pick over the state of things or have no qualms in upsetting social polite fictions.

Bottom line, Cybertronians are very familiar with stress-related injuries and illnesses, but they're absolutely astounded on how Earth (let's be honest, the U.S. since the Autobots seems to only sole ties to them) can be so forward, yet incredibly backward on things.

[rewrittenwrongs]

No thoughts just emergency services working with the bats. Police using a radio frequency they know the bats listen in on to tell them about a car chase so they can keep track of the vehicle. Batman talking to firefighters and checking how many people are left in the building. Batgirl helping people come out of shock. Nightwing doing CPR until the paramedics arrive. Red Robin fishing someone out of the bay and keeping them warm while they wait. Spoiler giving information to detectives and working with undercover cops. Robin comforting children while they wait to talk to police. Red Hood treating drug overdoses and calling for ambulances. Orphan dragging people out of car wrecks before their vehicles explode. Signal transporting supplies for ambulances and hospitals. All of them coordinating with emergency services after tragedies: working with police and fire fighters to find people and bodies, using flares and flashlights to guide people out of danger, recovering pets and documents from collapsing homes, dragging debris off the roads so ambulances can reach people, helping aid relief hand out food and water and blankets and baby formula