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Roane County Drought only "Severe"...So farSubmitted by WhitesCreek on June 28, 2008 - 11:06am.
Some parts of the Southeast are in an "exceptional" drought situation. I've had a report that runoff levels for TVA reservoirs are well below normal and are below last year at this point in time. That doesn't look good for stream flows as the season progresses. So what does Tennessee's State Climatologist have to say about this? Not one damned thing...Tennessee is the only state in the whole freakin' United States of America that does not have a State Climatologist. (Don't need to know if you're waitin' for the rapture, I guess) Here's our drought status, and yes, it looks bad for Roane County.
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Our drought levels are indeed a concern. WestRoane.com has been following the Roane County drought levels since Spring 2007 (Link...); since then we have moved from extreme to exceptional back down to severe, had a brief dip to moderate earlier this summer, and now we are back to severe.
Our woods are full of "excess fuel." It would be a good idea for folks to make do without outdoor burning and to attend a public fireworks display instead of taking chances with private fireworks.
This is especially true now as the fireworks available this year are reported to be more powerful than in previous years.
-- OneTahiti
I was admiring the patriotic decorations down at "Johnny No-Thumbs" Fireworks and thinking that I would probably pass on the bottle rockets this year. I've already had a discussion with a bunch of revelers who thought they were going to celebrate "rockets red glare and bombs bursting in air" on my drive way.
The following is from the U.S. Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) INFOGRAM 24-08, June 26, 2008. These INFOGRAMs are "distributed weekly to provide members of the Emergency Services Sector with information concerning the protection of their critical infrastructures."
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Fireworks’ Power and Popularity
It would be hard to imagine July 4th festivities in the United States without public displays of fireworks. But celebrations can become tragic when someone is seriously injured by consumer fireworks. Despite federal and state regulations on the type of fireworks available for sale to the general public, even those fireworks that are sold legally carry an elevated risk of personal injury.
When researching the dangers of fireworks currently available for sale, the Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) learned that this year’s fireworks are flashier, more creative, and much louder than ever before. Thanks to an increase in the legal limit of the amount of pyrotechnic material allowed in consumer fireworks, a whole new class of recreational explosives has become accessible to amateur enthusiasts according to the fireworks industry.
The American Pyrotechnics Association recently wrote that the use of backyard fireworks has more than doubled since 2000, mainly because of their rise in both power and popularity. The EMR-ISAC considers this fact a matter of concern for Emergency Services Sector (ESS) organizations. The dangerous mix of increased explosive energy, possible alcohol consumption, and a bunch of people in the dark has the potential to make the Fourth of July an incredibly difficult and perilous day to work as first responders (e.g., fire and EMS) and first receivers (i.e., hospitals).
Statistics maintained by the fireworks industry indicate that last year Americans used 280 million pounds of display and backyard pyrotechnics. Industry specialists forecasted a growth in sales during 2008. Therefore, the EMR-ISAC recommends a review of safety procedures when responding to an emergency involving the presence and use of fireworks during the days surrounding our nation’s birthday.
Additional information regarding safety issues and the dangers of fireworks can be seen at:
Link...
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I know this is a secondary source. I am looking for an up-to-date primary source.
-- OneTahiti