Biden picks familiar faces for top roles at FEMA, CIA
President-elect Joe Biden speaks about the COVID-19 pandemic during an event at The Queen theater, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021, in Wilmington, Del. Biden also is tapping former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner David Kessler to help lead the COVID-19 vaccine drive. Nancy Ward served as the agency's acting administrator in the early months of the Obama administration before his pick, Craig Fugate, could be confirmed. Miller was steeped in manufacturing policy in the Obama administration, including an update of automobile fuel efficiency standards. She also served as the head of the Office of Emergency Management for the city of Aurora, Colorado.
Damage from whopper hurricanes rising for many reasons
The Atlantic is increasingly spawning more major hurricanes, according to an Associated Press analysis of NOAA hurricane data since 1950. The Atlantic now averages three major hurricanes a year, based on a 30-year running average. A study by Kossin found that, once a storm formed, the chances of its attaining major storm status globally increased by 8% a decade since 1979. Such a busy period started in 1995 and might end soon as northern Atlantic waters shift to a cooler regime, he said. In addition, he said: Climate change will be a bigger driver of losses in the future.___Follow Seth Borenstein on Twitter at www.twitter.com/borenbears.
Hurricane seasons big question: Where will people fleeing storms go, amid coronavirus pandemic?
Everything that we do will be affected in one way or another, big and/or small, by COVID-19, Florida Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz said. Our biggest change to our hurricane plan is sheltering. There are multiple ideas that we are considering right now, Mississippi Emergency Management Agency Director Greg Michel said. During tornadoes in April, the state used hotels as shelters, which was good practice for hurricane season, he said. By August and September, typically the height of Louisiana's hurricane season, the number of infections and social distancing requirements may have changed, he said.