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• Clean up begins in Oklahoma as relief worker prepare for lengthy stay

  May 24, 2013 9:01 PM

  MOORE, OKLAHOMA - Thousands of volunteers spent the day clearing debris and trying to salvage any personal belongings from the wreckage of the Monday's deadly tornado. An estimated 2,000 people signed up at a staging area organized by the recently formed group servemoore.com . They joined a group of... more »

• Source of persistent Gulf sheen remains a mystery

  December 18, 2012 6:17 PM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Officials say underwater inspections at the site of BP's Deepwater Horizon rig disaster have failed to identify the source of a persistent sheen on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico. The Coast Guard said Tuesday that the recent inspections confirmed BP's Macondo well remains secure... more »

• Disaster ready child-care

  August 27, 2012 4:21 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Colorado State University is leading a study on whether child-care centers in the state are prepared for disasters. The Federal Emergency Management Agency said Monday it is funding the two-year study with a $30,000 grant. FEMA says it's the first of its kind in the nation. Lori... more »

• Most counties in Colorado eligible for disaster relief

  July 4, 2012 7:28 AM

  DENVER (AP) - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says 62 of Colorado's 64 counties qualify for federal disaster relief due to drought conditions. Gov. John Hickenlooper says Vilsack notified him Tuesday that he was designating all of the state's counties, except Delta and San Juan counties, as primary disaster areas. The... more »

• Emergency exercise planned for Wednesday

  April 30, 2012 11:16 AM

  Every year emergency workers in Pueblo County run a large emergency drill to test readiness in case of a disaster. The scope is large because of the proximity of the Pueblo Chemical Depot, where thousands of obsolete chemical weapons are stored. This year the drill is scheduled for Wednesday.... more »

• Disaster drill underway in Colorado Springs

  October 1, 2011 12:48 PM

  A large scale disaster drill is underway in Colorado Springs. Emergency responders from 35 city, county, state and federal agencies are participating in the drill in which a mock wildfire is burning on the west side of Colorado Springs. Police cars and fire trucks are driving to the Broadmoor... more »

• New type of commander may avoid Katrina-like chaos

  July 3, 2011 12:53 PM

  PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AP) - The U.S. military hopes a new type of commander can avoid some of the failures that plagued the response to Hurricane Katrina. The military is training high-ranking officers to command both active-duty and National Guard troops in a domestic emergency. Normally... more »

• Flooding shouldn't get any worse in Memphis

  May 10, 2011 2:06 PM

  MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - The Mississippi River has hit its high point in Memphis, Tenn., so things shouldn't get any worse. But there's still quite a mess to clean up. The National Weather Service says the river crested early this morning at just under 48 feet, falling short of... more »

• CO snowpack sampled after Japan disaster

  April 3, 2011 5:47 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Officials have stored samples of Colorado mountain snowpack just in case they're needed to measure any fallout from Japan's nuclear disaster. Denver's KCNC-TV reports that collectors took samples at 10 locations, from Cameron Pass to the north to La Veta Pass in the south. Officials stress... more »

• Disaster training offered

  January 12, 2011 3:58 PM

  The City of Colorado Springs is offering training for citizens who want to be prepared for an emergency. A series of classes are planned this year. The first happens January 22 and 23 at the Fire Department Complex on Printers Parkway. The class provides training in disaster preparedness... more »

• Federal disaster declared for farmers

  September 16, 2010 6:02 PM

  Fremont County farmers should be harvesting a huge crop of apples right now, but a late freeze damaged the crop. On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture declared Fremont County a natural disaster area. The freeze occurred between April 30 and May 3. Also included in the disaster... more »

• Otero County gets disaster designation

  August 24, 2010 2:02 PM

  Gov. Bill Ritter announced Tuesday that Otero and Montrose counties have been designated primary federal disaster areas due to severe frost, freezing temperatures, and high winds that caused significant damage to melon and cherry crops. Ten other counties were designated contiguous disaster areas. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack approved the disaster... more »

• Death toll in China landslide disaster tops 700

  August 10, 2010 8:06 AM

  China says the death toll has jumped to 702 people, with more than 1,000 still missing in a landslide disaster in Gansu province. Local government officials released the new death toll - up from 337 on Monday - at a news conference Tuesday. The landslides hit a remote... more »

• Disaster declaration sought for Colorado counties

  August 9, 2010 3:40 PM

  Half of the melon crop in Otero County was destroyed by a freeze in May or hail in June. Montrose County lost its entire cherry crop because of a freeze in April. Gov. Bill Ritter has requested federal disaster assistance for both counties because of the crop damage. ... more »

• Haiti, 6 months later

  July 12, 2010 8:02 PM

  Six months after a devastating earthquake rocked Haiti, there's still a lot of work to be done. "People think the worst is over in Haiti, but it's really not." explains Katherine Redmond of Colorado Springs bases Compassion International. The already poor country is struggling to get back on its feet... more »

• Disaster drill planned in El Paso County

  June 4, 2010 1:44 PM

  More than two dozen agencies will run a disaster exercise Saturday in El Paso County. The exercise, referred to as NOAA's Ark, is sponsored by the South Central Homeland Security Region and Pikes Peak Metropolitan Medical Response System. The event is designed to simulate a weather emergency, in this... more »

• Anniversary of Pueblo's "Great Flood of 1921"

  June 3, 2010 8:03 PM

  It's the 89th anniversary of the worst natural disaster in the history of Pueblo. We're talking about the Great Flood of 1921. "It was so devastating," said Deborah Espinosa, Director of El Pueblo Museum. It happened on June 3, 1921. Streets in downtown Pueblo were flooded. The Arkansas River overflowed,... more »

• Hispanic ranchers lawsuit drags on

  May 28, 2010 7:13 PM

  U.S. Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennet say they want a resolution soon on a 2000 federal lawsuit filed by Hispanic farmers and ranchers who allege unfair treatment during the distribution of disaster loans. The senators' statements Friday came during the week the government began discussions to resolve the... more »

• Investors suing over West Virginia mine disaster

  April 28, 2010 1:36 PM

  More institutional investors in Massey Energy Co. are suing the company's board of directors over the recent underground disaster that killed 29 coal miners. The New Jersey Building Laborers Pension Fund blames failures by Chairman Don Blankenship and other board members for the April 5 explosion at the Upper... more »

• No response to pipe banging by rescuers at W.Va. mine

  April 7, 2010 11:59 AM

  There has been no response from any survivors to rescuers banging on pipes in a West Virginia coal mine where four miners are missing after a blast that killed 25 people. Gov. Joe Manchin told an early morning briefing that rescue workers have finished drilling a first vent hole... more »

• Haitian boy right at home with new family

  March 8, 2010 12:29 AM

  You may remember the Thomas family. We first spoke to them 6 weeks ago after they were finally able to bring home their adopted son Jeffry from Haiti. Already you'd think he's always been part of the family. "You would never know that he hasn't been in our family for... more »

• UPDATE: Death toll tops 700 in Chile earthquake

  February 28, 2010 12:06 PM

  Chilean President Michelle Bachelet says the death toll has now reached 708 dead. Rescuers edged their way toward residents trapped in a toppled apartment block early Sunday and survivors huddled around bonfires in the rubble of their homes as the death toll in Chile continued to rise after one... more »

• 5 CU students accounted for in Chile

  February 28, 2010 8:54 AM

  Five University of Colorado students studying in Chile have been accounted for following Saturday's magnitude 8.8 earthquake. University officials say three students are in Santiago and two are in Valparaiso. A sixth student who planned to travel to Chile on Sunday will wait until officials review the study program in... more »

• US offers help to Chile

  February 27, 2010 1:05 PM

  The U.S. pledged to help Chile after a powerful earthquake struck Saturday and kept watch on a tsunami heading for Hawaii. All 118 employees of the U.S. Embassy in Chile were accounted for, State Department spokeswoman Megan Mattson said. She had no immediate information on the status of other... more »

• Update: Death toll over 200

  February 27, 2010 12:20 PM

  A devastating earthquake has struck Chile, killing at least 214 people. The magnitude-8.8 quake has collapsed buildings and bridges and sent a tsunami racing across the Pacific Ocean. Roads have been destroyed, and electricity, water and phone lines have been cut to many areas. In the town of Talca,... more »

• Handful of troops contract malaria

  February 27, 2010 10:17 AM

  A U.S. military spokesman in Haiti says six American soldiers involved in the aid mission have come down with malaria. The illness is transmitted by mosquitoes An Army spokesman says one of the soldiers was evacuated for treatment. The soldier is said to be improving. The other five soldiers are... more »

• Local filmmaker returns from Haiti

  February 22, 2010 7:37 PM

  Robbie Repola, a Colorado Springs filmmaker just returned from the earthquake torn country of Haiti where he spent a week capturing images from the ravaged nation. He tells us it's a trip he won't ever forget. "You go into one neighborhood and you look at it and it's bombed out.... more »

• Study: Haiti quake may have caused $14B in damage

  February 16, 2010 12:36 PM

  The main development bank for Latin America says the Jan. 12 earthquake that ravaged Haiti's capital might have caused nearly $14 billion in damage. The preliminary study released Tuesday says the magnitude-7 earthquake could be the deadliest and costliest disaster on a list that dates back four decades. Economists with... more »

• Haiti workers hand out 'women-only' aid coupons

  January 31, 2010 9:38 AM

  Officials say they are still far short of reaching all Haiti earthquake victims who need food, but relief workers are changing the distribution method in hopes it'll be less cutthroat. Relief workers are handing out women-only food coupons to ensure that families and the weak get supplies following Haiti's devastating... more »

• Haitians tire of waiting, start own rebuilding

  January 30, 2010 9:29 AM

  Haitians are taking matters into their own hands as officials say it could take another month to get the 200,000 tents needed to shelter those left homeless by the Jan. 12 earthquake. With fewer than 5,000 donated tents currently in Haiti, families are now trying to build new homes on... more »

• Haiti from eyes of local relief workers

  January 29, 2010 12:27 AM

  Each day gets a little better, but the scope of the devastation in Haiti remains too massive to describe. That's the word from a local doctor and a missionary who have joined the ongoing relief efforts there. Dr. Tiffany Willard and a team of surgeons from Memorial Hospital are... more »

• Pueblo nurse returns from rescue work in Haiti

  January 25, 2010 8:14 PM

  He was among the first medical volunteers on the ground, and today a Pueblo nurse is back home and getting some much deserved rest. Eric Miller works in the intensive care unit at Saint Mary Corwin Hospital. He is one of several volunteers the hospital has sent to join... more »

• Celebrities unite to help Haiti in telethon

  January 23, 2010 10:24 AM

  Grim-faced celebrities and musicians with mournful tunes set the tone for the all-star, international "Hope for Haiti Now" telethon, which featured two hours of desperate pleas for an even more-desperate nation. But it ended on a hopeful note, with a buoyant call for Haiti's revival by native son, Wyclef Jean.... more »

• Haiti gov't says rescue phase over

  January 23, 2010 9:12 AM

  The United Nations says Haiti's government has declared the search and rescue phase for survivors of the earthquake over. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says 132 people were pulled from the rubble alive by international search and rescue teams. Spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs said Saturday that humanitarian relief... more »

• Puebloan will help coordinate relief efforts in Haiti

  January 22, 2010 2:33 PM

  A Pueblo man who's an expert in digital mapping and analyzing satellite images will be lending his expertise to help the relief effort in Haiti. Chris Markuson, the Geographic Information Systems Director for Pueblo County, will volunteer for two weeks at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Markuson was... more »

• Magnitude 6.1 aftershock hits Haiti

  January 20, 2010 7:06 AM

  A strong aftershock hit Haiti on Wednesday morning, shaking buildings and sending people running into the streets. The 6.1 magnitude quake hit at 6:03 a.m., about 35 miles northwest of the capital of Port-au-Prince, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The quake struck at a depth of 13.7 miles. The... more »

• Pueblo surgeon will lend aide in Haiti

  January 13, 2010 6:49 PM

  A surgeon from Pueblo is headed to Haiti this weekend. He was already scheduled to be there next week but, in the wake of the deadly earthquake he's ready to lend his services to the relief effort. "I think Port au Prince is going to be unrecognizable," said Dr. James... more »

• U.S. scrambling to help Haiti after quake

  January 13, 2010 7:20 AM

  The U.S. is gearing up to help Haiti in the aftermath of its 7.0 earthquake. The U.S. Agency for International Development says it's sending a disaster assistance response team, and is activating its search and rescue partners in Virginia and Los Angeles. The State Department and the U.S. Southern Command... more »

• 1,000 people homeless on Solomons after tsunami

  January 5, 2010 9:48 AM

  A disaster management official says an earthquake and a tsunami have destroyed 200 homes on one island in the Solomons leaving about one-third of the population homeless. Disaster management office director Loti Yates says visual assessments from the air Tuesday show extensive damage after a 7.2-magnitude temblor struck. No injuries... more »

• Most of California designated drought disaster

  September 23, 2009 10:48 AM

  The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated 50 of California's 58 counties as natural disaster areas because of crop losses due to ongoing drought. The declaration will clear the way for emergency loans to farmers who have suffered financial losses this year from the drought. Farmers will be... more »

• Tennessee ash spill community getting $40M from TVA

  September 14, 2009 12:19 PM

  The Tennessee Valley Authority will provide $40 million to help restore the image and economy of a Tennessee community that suffered a massive coal ash spill from a TVA power plant. Roane County and TVA officials announced the award Monday from the steps of the county courthouse. The TVA payment... more »

• Texas city ravaged by Ike marks 1 year anniversary

  September 13, 2009 9:10 AM

  A Texas island city ravaged by Hurricane Ike is set to mark the storm's one year anniversary with a sunrise church service. Ministers of different faiths are expected to speak in Galveston today during a service at one of the city's historic hotels along the beach. The service is part... more »

• Obama vows not to forget lessons of Katrina

  August 30, 2009 7:52 AM

  President Barack Obama is promising that his administration will not forget what he called a tragic response to Hurricane Katrina. And in his weekly radio and Internet address he says he will visit the still-recovering New Orleans before the end of the year. Obama says "None of us can... more »