Rock Slide Shuts Part of Highway 64

A series of rock slides shut down U.S. Highway 64 in Tennessee, and officials are saying it may take up to a week to clear the debris which include rocks as large as some cars.

The route is a major highway in the area and the Tennessee Department of Transportation has set up detours by using I-75 and U.S. Highway 74.

For more information on this or any other TDOT road construction project, or for weather-related road closure information, visit the TDOT Web site's dynamic TDOT SmartWay Information System or travelers in the local area can call 511.

Video of the Second Rock Slide in Tennessee

Events such as these can cause disruptions to your business, make a plan today.

Pakistan and Nuclear Weapons A Big Problem for the United States

As many of you know, I have written numerous times about the possibility of Pakistans nuclear arms falling into the hands of terrorists who plan on using them against the West.

Posts such as these:

Pakistans President Announces Nukes May Fall Into Terrorist Hands

Taliban May Already Hold Some Key Nuke Sites In Pakistan

Al-Qaeda Declares It Will Use Pakistan’s Nukes To Strike Unites States

(For more posts on this topic use the search box on the right)

Weather or not this actually happens is hard to say, but it is not something beyond the realm of possibility.

I am also a big long time fan of National Terror Alert, as they do an excellent job on reporting on some of these issues, and noticed the story on their site yesterday titled: Are Pakistans Nuclear Weapons Safe?

This post on their site points to the article Defending The Arsenal In an unstable Pakistan, can nuclear warheads be kept safe?

My personal views on this is that it is just a matter of time at this point. It could happen 2 weeks from now, or 5 years from now, but the pendulum is swinging in favor of the radicals at this point and they want nothing more than to get their hands on a nuclear weapon.

Make no mistake they are keeping their eyes on the prize, and we in the West are not doing enough to stop it from happening.

Read the articles linked in this post to get up to date on this issue.

Evacuating During a Hurricane and other Hurricane Safety Videos

It is still officially hurricane season, and with tropical storm IDA in the Gulf it I thought I would publish some good materials on Hurricane safety and evacuations.

Evacuating the Area of a Hurricane

Preparing for a Hurricane

Electrical Safety During a Hurricane

Disaster Tip of the Week: Learn How to Shut Off Utilities

During a major disaster, knowing how to turn off your utilities properly is important for your safety and may just save your life and valuables.

Events like earthquakes, tornadoes and even floods can cause gas leaks and shutting these utilities off quickly is important. These same disasters can also cause water to become contaminated so you will want to shut off the water main valve at your home. 

 To shut off your Gas take the following steps:

1. Locate your gas meter and valve.
2. Have a wrench immediately available for turning off the gas supply. (you can buy a special wrench but any adjustable one should do the job)
3. Shut off gas only if you smell gas or hear a hissing noise. Contact the gas company to turn the gas back on.
4. If you smell natural or propane gas, evacuate immediately and leave the area. Go to where you no longer smell gas. Do not use matches, lighters or open flame appliances. Do not operate electrical switches because sparks could ignite gas causing an explosion.
   

To shut off your water take the following steps:

1. Turn off water at the main meter or at the water main leading into the house. This will prevent contaminated water from entering your water heater and plumbing.
2. Turn off the valve — turn to the right. This will require a special valve wrench, available from a hardware store. Make sure you have the tool readily available.
   
3. If there is an active leak and you cannot locate the valve call your local water department.

For more information try this How To Turn Off Utilities form northshorefire.com

ans Turning off your gas from PG&E

House Bill Seeks Terrorist-Proof Chemicals

The House recently passed legislation giving the government the authority to force companies to replace chemicals that terrorists could use in attacks with safer alternatives.

Chemical-industry lobbyists say mandating substitutions in chemicals and manufacturing processes, as the House measure would do, could cause shortages of some products.

The Senate will be taking up a similar version of the legislation sometime next year.