Governor Moore appeals denial of Western Maryland disaster declaration

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Wes Moore announced Tuesday that Maryland is appealing a decision by President Donald Trump to deny a Major Disaster Declaration for Western Maryland following historic flooding in May. The initial request for federal assistance was denied on July 22 by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which stated that aid was “unwarranted.” However, since the denial, FEMA has […]

White House denies Maryland’s request for federal flood aid, Governor Moore responds

ANNAPOLIS, MD—The White House has rejected Maryland’s request for a federal disaster declaration following severe flooding in Western Maryland in May, Gov. Wes Moore announced on Wednesday. The decision denies federal assistance for communities in Allegany and Garrett counties, which suffered millions of dollars in damage. Governor Moore said the state would appeal the decision, asserting that the floods “clearly […]

Maryland AG joins coalition suing Trump administration over disaster mitigation fund cuts

BALTIMORE, MD—Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has joined a coalition of 20 states in a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging its decision to halt the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, alleges the termination of the program, designed to protect communities from natural disasters, is unlawful. The BRIC […]

Governor Moore seeks federal aid for western Maryland flooding

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Following severe flooding in Western Maryland earlier this month, Governor Wes Moore has requested a Joint Preliminary Damage Assessment from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This assessment will help determine if the state meets the criteria for a Presidential Disaster Declaration, unlocking federal aid for communities impacted by the May 13-14 floods. Torrential rainfall and flash flooding caused […]

Nigerian national pleads guilty to FEMA fraud scheme

GREENBELT, MD—A Nigerian national, Newton Ofioritse Jemide, 47, has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of wire fraud conspiracy for his involvement in a scheme to fraudulently obtain federal benefits, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced on Tuesday. Jemide, extradited from France, was part of a group that directed co-conspirators in the United States to purchase […]

Long Green Volunteer Fire Company set to place first ambulance into service

GLEN ARM, MD—The Long Green Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. (LGVFC) has announced that it will soon  place its first-ever ambulance, Ambulance 385, into service. The event coincides with the company’s 95th anniversary and will take place at 5 p.m. on February 25, 2025. Once totally in service, Ambulance 385 will enable LGVFC to have significantly improved response times to those […]

FEMA, FCC plan nationwide Emergency Alert Test in October

WASHINGTON—The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) this fall. The national test will consist of two portions, testing WEA and EAS capabilities. Both tests are scheduled to begin at approximately 2:20 p.m. ET on Wednesday, October 4, […]

NOAA predicts a near-normal 2023 Atlantic hurricane season

BALTIMORE, MD—NOAA forecasters with the Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Weather Service, predict near-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic this year. NOAA’s outlook for the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, which goes from June 1 to November 30, predicts a 40% chance of a near-normal season, a 30% chance of an above-normal season and a 30% chance of […]