Powerful Storms rake Mo., Ill.; 250,000 thousands lose power

 
Kara Berg, The Indianapolis Star 8:25 PM. EDT July 13, 2016

INDIANAPOLIS — A line of thunderstorms that fired up over eastern Kansas and western Missouri Wednesday morning raked the middle of the country with high winds, leaving thousands without power and homes damaged by downed trees.



In Missouri nearly 200,000 customers were without power as the storm with winds of up to 60 mph swept through the St. Louis area.

According to the Ameren Missouri website, 103,000 people were reporting outages as of 6:10 p.m. CT. More than 90,000 were without power on the east side of the river in Illinois, according to Ameren Ill. Many of those outages were reported in Belleville and O'Fallon.

The Ameren Missouri Emergency Operation Center was activated, but there was not estimate for when power will be restored.

The Missouri outage map showed the most outages were in the Oakville, Kirkwood and Webster Groves areas.

Because of the power outages, MetroLink trains were not able to operate between the Fairview Heights and Shiloh-Scott MetroLink stations in Illinois, MetroLink said in a 5:35 p.m. press release. Shuttles were transporting passengers by bus between stations with 30- to 40-minute delays.

As the quick-moving storm swept into Indiana, almost 15,000 Indianapolis Power and Light Company customers were left without electricity.

Marion County and surrounding counties were under a severe thunderstorm warning, while dispatchers fielded calls for downed power lines.

About 800 Duke Energy customers were also without power.

The Indianapolis International Airport reported wind speeds of 61 mph around 6:45 p.m., but Bethany McFarland, spokesperson for the airport, said there were no reports of ground stops for flights.

The National Weather Service predicted showers and thunderstorms until around 2 a.m. Thursday, potentially causing hail, damaging winds and heavy rain.

Two men were killed when torrential rains flooded eight northern Wisconsin counties Monday night and Tuesday.

In Iron County, the Sheriff's Department said Mitch Koski, 56, of Montreal, Wis., died in the flooding.

Koski served as Montreal Assistant Fire Chief and was a former mayor of Montreal, a city of about 800 near Hurley. He was a member of the Montreal Fire Department for 30 years, according to Montreal Fire Chief Mark Haeger.

"The guy lived his entire life helping other people," Haeger said. "Everything he did revolved around the community."

Haeger said Koski heard people were in distress in Saxon Harbor, so he went to help. He was killed during that effort, Haeger said.

Two creeks spill into Lake Superior at Saxon Harbor, and much of the harbor was washed away, damaging or destroying 85 boats and 100 boat slips, according to the Wisconsin State Emergency Operations Center. Haeger said the harbor area received nearly 14 inches of rain in the storm.

In nearby Bayfield County, an 84-year-old Illinois man died Tuesday when his vehicle became submerged in a flooded ditch, according to Bayfield County sheriff's officials, who identified the victim as Delmar Johnson of Tower Lakes, Ill.

A firefighter was able to rescue the man's wife, also 84, who was a passenger. The firefighter went back in the water and pulled Johnson from the vehicle, but couldn't resuscitate him, officials said.

Also in Bayfield County, sheriff's officials said a deputy's vehicle fell into a washed out section of roadway and was carried away by the powerful current. The deputy got out of the vehicle and clung to a tree for more than two hours before he was rescued, authorities said. The deputy is hospitalized in good condition, according to the Sheriff's Department.

Gov. Scott Walker declared a state of emergency in the Northwoods area on Tuesday night after torrential overnight rains flooded parts of the area, closing roads, swamping harbors and washing out at least one bridge. The governor instructed the Wisconsin National Guard and all state agencies to help those affected by the storms.

The storms, that had dropped tornadoes to Minnesota earlier, brought flash flood warnings to Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Sawyer, Washburn and Price counties, the counties included in Walker's declaration.

A wide swath of the Northwoods recorded rain totals nearing double digits with Wascott in Douglas County topping the official list at 11 inches, according to the National Weather Service.

The National Weather Service said more flooding is likely in northern Wisconsin, where rivers and creeks will continue to rise over the next two days.Nearly 200,000 without power in bi-state after storm


=========================================

Ameren said they do not have a timetable for returning power to all customers.
Sam Clancy, KSDK 9:05 PM. CDT July 13, 2016

(Photo: Tommy Cigno II - Chippewa and Hampton Intersection, Custom)



Nearly 200,000 outages in the bi-state area have been reported as a storm featuring strong winds swept through the St. Louis Area Wednesday.

According to the Ameren Missouri website, 103,000 people were reporting outages as of 6:10 Wednesday evening. More than 90,000 are without power on the east side of the river according to Ameren Ill. Many of those outages are being reported in Belleville and O'Fallon.

The Ameren Missouri Emergency Operation Center has been activated to respond to the storm outages. In an Ameren Missouri press conference Wednesday night, Dave Wakeman,Senior Vice President of Customer Operations, said they still do not have an estimate for when power will be restored to customers.

Wakeman said about 600 employees are working to assess damage done to the power grid and restore power to customers. He said they were prepared for the storm and were able to hold crews at the end of the day to make them available after the storm ended.

The Missouri outage map showed the most outages were in the Oakville, Kirkwood and Webster Groves areas.

MetroLink experienced delays as a result of the outages. The trains are now up and running with just minor delays.

As Scott Connell reported, the storm produced winds of up to 60 mph.

Wildlife officer on bicycle electrocuted to death by downed power line on Courtney Campbell Causeway in Florida

 
Gregory Patterson

 Wildlife officer on bicycle electrocuted by downed power line on Courtney Campbell Causeway

 
A bicyclist died when he came into a contact with a live power line along the Courtney Campbell Causeway just before 7 a.m. Wednesday, investigators said. OCTAVIO JONES | Times


By Tony Marerro
Times Staff Writer
Published: July 13, 2016


 
TAMPA — A live, overhead power line that killed a bicyclist Wednesday morning on the Courtney Campbell Causeway may have been down for seven hours after Tampa Electric Co. first received a report of an electrical outage in the area.

Gregory Patterson, a 47-year-old off-duty officer with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, was riding his bicycle on the paved recreational path near Whiskey Joe’s Bar & Grill around 6:40 a.m. when he came into contact with the downed line, Tampa police said. Patterson, of Tampa, was electrocuted.

Some seven hours earlier, at 10:50 p.m. Tuesday, a manager at Whiskey Joe’s called TECO’s automated help line to report a partial outage at the restaurant, said Marty Duffany, a manager at the restaurant. The power went out in parts of the restaurant about 8:30 p.m. as a fierce thunderstorm raged outside, Duffany said.

A manager first called a private electrician, who said there were no problems at the restaurant. The manager then made the TECO call, Duffany said.

He and his staff were stunned to wake up to the news that a bicyclist had been electrocuted right outside their restaurant.

“It’s really upsetting that happened,” Duffany said. “We did our part and called. I think something definitely went wrong.”

TECO spokeswoman Cherie Jacobs said the company was investigating but acknowledged it’s possible the line went down at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday when the power went out at Whiskey Joe’s. Jacobs said TECO didn’t learn of the downed line until fire-rescue crews trying to help Patterson called the utility.

“It’s possible that the outage happened before the line went down or it’s possible the line went down and caused the outage,” Jacobs said. “It’s clearly something we want to get to the bottom of.”

Whiskey Joe’s power didn’t come on until about 12:20 p.m. Wednesday, after crews removed Patterson’s body.

The downed line was a primary power line for the area and caused streetlight outages on and around the Courtney Campbell Causeway, Jacobs said.

The downed wire was still in contact with Patterson’s body when Tampa Fire Rescue crews arrived, so Tampa Electric workers were called to turn off the power. When rescue workers were able to approach Patterson, he was dead, police said.

The body and bicycle, covered by a pink sheet, were still lying on the side of the trail when Joey Adams, a 50-year-old Clearwater cyclist on his morning ride, rolled up to the scene.

“My first reaction was that could have been me,” Adams said. “I just paused for a minute and grieved because if he suits up and grinds on any type of bike, I feel like I knew him, in a way.”

Eastbound traffic on the Courtney Campbell Causeway was restricted from three lanes to one lane to make room for TECO and emergency crews.

Patterson was an active duty officer with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission and was up for a lifesaving award from Tampa Police Department for rescuing three people Sunday after their jet ski capsized near the Gandy Bridge, police said.

The south side of the causeway is popular among bicyclists as the location of the Courtney Campbell Trail, a paved path that runs 9.5 miles from the Veterans Expressway in Tampa to Bayshore Boulevard in Clearwater.

Nearby Ben T. Davis Beach is a main parking area and access point for bicyclists and pedestrians using the trail.

Tampa police say Patterson made a heroic rescue just three days before he was killed.

Patterson and fellow FWC officer Richard Dearborn responded to a call Sunday afternoon about a capsized jet ski. Three people were struggling in the water near Gandy Bridge and were being carried by the current, according to an account released by Tampa police Wednesday.

While police officers helped keep the people from drifting away, Patterson jumped in to help the person who was struggling the most. Officers helped all three people into the boat and they were taken to shore to be checked out by paramedics.

A statement from FWC called Patterson as “a steadfast guardian of public safety and a champion of conservation law enforcement.” He especially enjoyed teaching children in classrooms about conservation and the natural world, according to the statement.

“Our entire FWC family is in mourning for Greg,” FWC Colonel Curtis Brown said in the statement. “We will never forget his service and sacrifice, and can never repay that debt to his family. He was a true public servant at heart, and we will miss him deeply.”

Patterson’s death marks the second time in two days that contact with power lines delivered a dangerous shock in Tampa.

Two tree trimmers in South Tampa were hospitalized Tuesday afternoon after their ladder came in contact with power lines, Tampa Fire Rescue reported.

1 MAN KILLED, 1 WOMAN CRITICAL, 2 CHILDREN INJURED AFTER A BOAT CRASHES IN AN ISLAND ON LAKE SAM RAYBURN, TEXAS

 
Man killed in boat accident on Lake Sam Rayburn identified

Updated: Jul 13, 2016 3:54 PM EST
By Elizabeth Jimenez, Producer

 UPDATE 11:40 AM: Game Warden Justin Eddins tells 12News that this is the third boating accident this year on this small island and that it is the worst boating accident he has seen in his 15 year career.

Investigators are not sure how fast the boat was going but say the boat did have lights on last night according to Eddins.

The unconscious adults and the two girls, who called 911 to report the accident, were found aboard the boat floating near the island he said

A state boat crash investigation team is on its way to the lake he said.

It is currently unknown if alcohol played a factor in the accident and there is no curfew on the lake according to Eddins.

12News was told earlier by the sheriff's office that Cross and Thibodeaux were dating , however, game wardens are now saying that the pair were friends.

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UPDATE 11:40 AM: Todd Cross, 39, of Orangefield, has been confirmed as the man who died in a boat accident late Tuesday night on Lake Sam Rayburn according to Jasper County Deputies.

Casey Thibodeaux, 34, of Orangefield was critically injured in the accident according to deputies.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

UPDATE 10:40 AM: At about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday night a single boat carrying a man, woman, and two juvenile girls, all from Orangefield, hit a fixed island just of of Rattle Snake Island according to Game Warden Justin Eddins.

The man, who owned the boat, was killed in the accident which did not involve any other boats according to Eddins.

Jasper County Sheriff Mitchell Newman tells us that one girl was his daughter and one was hers.

The woman is in critical condition and the girls will be ok according to Newman.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

From Previous reports...

The Jasper County Sheriff's Office has confirmed to 12News that one person is dead after a boat accident late Tuesday night.

According to a deputy with the Jasper County Sheriff's Office, the accident happened on Lake Sam Rayburn around 10:45 p.m.. Four people were on the boat at the time of the accident. One person is listed in critical condition, and two others are in serious condition.

12News spoke with Jasper County Sheriff Mitchel Newman. He said Two kids are at the hospital in Jasper. One adult was taken by medical helicopter to CHRISTUS Southeast Texas St. Elizabeth in Beaumont. Sheriff Newman said it appears as if the boat ran into an island trying to cross the lake.

The names of the individuals involved has not been released. An official said it is believed they are all from Orange County.

The investigation is being conducted by Texas Parks and Wildlife.

THE DEADLY U.S. ROADS: DRIVER KILLED WHILE CHANGING FLAT TIRE NEAR SPAGHETTI JUNCTION IN GEORGIA

Man, 20, killed while changing tire near Spaghetti Junction
2:27 p.m. Wednesday, July 13, 2016
An accident blocked the ramp from northbound I-285 to I-85 in DeKalb County on Wed., July 13, 2016. JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM

Story Highlights
The man pulled over onto the right shoulder to change the tire, police said.
The wreck blocked the ramp from northbound I-285 to I-85 in DeKalb County.

A 20-year-old man was struck and killed Wednesday morning while changing a tire near Spaghetti Junction, according to DeKalb County police.

David Wesley, of Stone Mountain, was on the I-85 northbound ramp from I-285 north when he pulled over onto the right shoulder around 5:30 a.m., Maj. S.R. Fore said.

Wesley was changing a tire on the driver’s side when he was hit by a Nissan Sentra, driven by a 21-year-old man who stopped at the scene, Fore said.

The investigation into the fatal crash continued Wednesday afternoon.

THE U.S. HAS ONE OF THE MOST DEADLY ROADS IN THE WORLD.  AT LEAST 34,000 PEOPLE DIE EACH YEAR, MILLIONS INJURED.  NEVER GET OUT OF THE CAR IF YOU ARE IN AN EMERGENCY.  YOU MAY GET KILLED, AS IT HAPPENED TO THIS UNLUCKY YOUNG MAN.  RIP, BUDDY.

Worker was killed while mowing grass in Schuylkill County, PA after the riding lawnmower crushed her to death

Township Worker Killed in Lawn Mower Accident
by Clay LePard, Updated at 08:24pm, July 13, 2016
 

WEST PENN TOWNSHIP — A township worker was killed in an accident while mowing grass in Schuylkill County.

It happened along Zions Stone Church Road just before 1 p.m. Wednesday.

The Schuylkill County coroner’s office identified the victim as 54-year-old Tina Hoppes.

According to authorities, Hoppes was cutting grass near Tamaqua at the West Penn Township Community Park when the mower toppled over into a creek and ended up on top of her.

Hoppes was a long-time employee of West Penn Township.

“Great person, the whole family is nice,” said Mark Schwalm of S&L Landscaping. “None of them have a bad bug in them. They’re great people. They’re well known for what they do taking care of the park. They’ve done it for as long as I am old. It’s very sad. It’s a very sad day for the community that’s for sure.”

Schwalm and his crew do a little bit of everything, including cutting grass and they use similar lawn mowers. Shawlm is quick to point out how dangerous those zero-turn mowers can be.

“They slide very easy on a hill,” he added. “I tell [my employees] if there’s any question that they’re in any danger: stay away and get the weed whacker and weed whack where you can’t get the mower.”

A full autopsy is being scheduled to determine an official cause of death.

Coast Guard urges operator safety amidst increase in personal watercraft accidents including high-power personal watercraft, kayaks, and paddleboards.

Coast Guard urges operator safety amidst increase in personal watercraft accidents 

Jul 13th, 2016
 
DETROIT, MI — Over the past month, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Detroit has responded to 14 distress incidents related to personal watercraft including high-power personal watercraft, kayaks, and paddleboards.

These cases include personal watercraft collisions, overturned vessels, and lost or disoriented mariners.

While the Coast Guard’s efforts resulted in eight lives saved and 17 lives assisted, four people suffered serious injuries, and three people lost their lives. While we fully support and encourage people to enjoy the beauty of the Great Lakes and the associated waterways, we urge the boating public to take the following proactive steps to ensure their safety:

-Wear your life jacket. The vast majority of drowning victims were not wearing life jackets. While there are many factors that can contribute to boating/watercraft accidents, a life jacket can save a life even after an accident has occurred.

-Enjoy alcoholic beverages responsibly. Michigan and Ohio’s legal drinking age is 21 years old. The legal blood alcohol content limit for recreational vessel operation is 0.08%. Dehydration and long term exposure to sunlight exaggerates the effect of alcohol on the body and slows cognitive reaction time.

-Use caution when operating personal watercraft and other high-power watercraft. Stay well clear of other vessels, as larger boats are not nearly as maneuverable or capable of altering course quickly to avoid contact.

-Let friends and family know where you are going and how long you plan to be out on the water. In the event of an emergency, this information is crucial in providing an efficient and effective response.

-If you or a family member is in distress on the water, contact the U.S. Coast Guard at (313) 568-9560 or VHF-FM channel 16 immediately.

Six people, including three children, were seriously injured in a multi-vehicle crash in Fairmount Park in Philadelphia

Three children were injured in a multi-vehicle crash in Fairmount Park. (WPVI)





Updated 20 mins ago

FAIRMOUNT PARK (WPVI) -- Six people, including three children, were injured in a multi-vehicle crash in Fairmount Park.

The accident was reported just before 5 p.m. Wednesday on Martin Luther King Drive, just off Strawberry Mansion Bridge.

Police say a 6-year-old, 9-year-old and 14-year-old were injured in the crash involving at least five vehicles.









Police investigate a multi-vehicle crash in Fairmount Park.

The children were rushed to Hahnemann University Hospital as trauma transports. Their conditions are unknown at this time.

Medics also rushed a 33-year-old woman and 36-year-old man as trauma transports to Hahnemann University Hospital. Their conditions are unknown at this time.

A 50-year-old man was taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center with stable vitals.

MLK Drive is closed to traffic as police investigate.

Stick with 6abc for updates in this developing story.

LOW LIGHTING LIABILITY: Poor lighting can contribute to accidents whether workers notice it or not.

Shine a Light on Lighting Hazards by Jennifer Busick Topic: Fire Safety and Emergency Preparedness and Response

Unless they’re working in complete darkness, workers may not pay too much attention to lighting in the workplace. But poor lighting can contribute to accidents whether workers notice it or not. Here’s some advice on lighting the workplace for safety. The good news is that poor lighting is usually an easy fix that enhances safety in critical ways.

Shed Some Light Proper lighting has been shown to reduce both accidents and ergonomic injuries. Here's what the right light can do for your workers: Makes hazards easier to see. Workers are more likely to see obstructions and tripping hazards and to avoid collisions and falls when light levels are adequate. In addition, in an area such as a warehouse where bright light is not usually considered necessary, better lighting can improve workers’ ability to perform tasks like equipment inspections or reading labels, which can enhance safety. Improve alertness. Studies have shown that workers on third shift are more alert under bright lighting than dim—you may need to provide more lighting for them than for workers on first or second shift. Improve security. Improved security lighting can reduce the possibility of assault and reduce theft and vandalism, which can lead to assault or injury. Reduce eyestrain. For tasks requiring attention to detail, bright lighting is a must. Without it, workers will experience headaches, nausea, and other symptoms of eyestrain. The right lighting for this type of task also takes glare into account; glare and insufficient illumination both contribute to eyestrain. Brighten Your Corner Improving lighting doesn’t have to be difficult. Some simple, low-cost ways to improve lighting in your workplace include: Clean your fixtures. The cost is negligible and the benefits can be enormous. Just cleaning your light fixtures can improve the light output from existing bulbs. Paint the walls and ceiling. Light-colored paint will reflect the light from your existing fixtures, improving illumination. Consider whether a lighter color on machinery and work surfaces could also improve overall visibility and illumination. Let the sun shine in. Are there windows in your workplace that have been painted over or walled off? Open them back up! Consider replacing some of your roofing panels with skylights. Natural light is one of the best lighting sources for humans. Install dimmers. After dark, bright artificial light can help workers stay alert. To reduce artificial light when natural light is available, and increase artificial light after the sun goes down, consider installing dimmers or installing new light fixtures exclusively for use by third-shift employees. Install task lighting. Light that would be too bright for comfort (and too expensive for the budget if you tried to provide it everywhere) may be ideal if focused on a small area, such as a worker’s desk. Arrange task lighting based on the job being performed: Backlighting sets an object off from the background. Overhead lighting that hits an object at an angle reveals detail and texture. Front lighting that hits an object directly reveals detail, but can conceal texture. Reduce shadows and glare. Blinds or curtains enable workers to control glare from windows. Flexible arms on task lights permit them to be moved so that they provide the best light with the least glare. Matte paints in the workplace will allow light to be reflected but will minimize glare. Tomorrow, we’ll look at another type of safety-related lighting: emergency lighting.  Inadequate Lighting Injuries Inadequate lighting can present serious safety and health hazards to someone visiting a private residence, business, or other public place. Massachusetts law requires property owners and business owners to provide an environment that as reasonably safe for people who are lawfully on their premises. This includes conducting regular inspections, make necessary repairs, and provide warnings about any unsafe conditions like inadequate lighting. Types of Inadequate Lighting Inadequate lighting can occur in a wide variety of situations. A power outage in a business like a store or other facility can result in an injury from inadequate lighting because there are no emergency lights, or a back-up generator is not available or used. Other examples of inadequate lighting include: Light bulbs that are not properly maintained or are burned out Turning off or lowering the lights in a store or other facility before all of the customers or people inside have had a chance to exit the building Failure to install proper or adequate lighting where needed Failure to replace lights that have been damaged Failure to turn on house lights in a movie theater when patrons are entering or leaving When the lighting is not adequate in an area, a person who is walking or trying to navigate the area may be unable to see certain hazards like potholes, broken stairs, a buckle in the sidewalk, or other obstacles. Furthermore, they often cannot see where they are landing and cannot see to grab anything to break their fall so they tend to fall very hard. Injuries Caused by Inadequate Lighting Injuries that are caused by inadequate lighting are typically injuries from a “slip and fall.” They can be serious, resulting in time lost from work, impact family life, and even impact a person’s quality of life. The CDC reports that one out of five falls results in broken bones, a head injury, or other type of serious injury. More than 700,000 patients are hospitalized each year because of injury due to a fall and 2.5 million older people are seen in the emergency department because of fall injuries. Types of injuries resulting from inadequate lighting can include: Neck, spine, and back injuries – includes broken back or neck, slipped disk, pinched nerve, injury that causes chronic pain, requires surgery, or causes disability. Torn ligaments and tendons – includes torn ligaments or tendons in the wrists, knees, ankles, and feet that may require physical therapy, surgery, permanent disability, and extended time off from work. Head injuries – includes traumatic brain injuries or brain damage which may cause behavioral problems, cognition problems, memory problems, and ongoing mobility issues and require extensive rehabilitation or even surgery. Broken pelvis or broken hip – includes a fracture or break to the hip or pelvis resulting in hip replacement surgery or prolonged stay in a rehabilitative facility or nursing home. Many victims of slip and fall accidents are senior citizens. The elderly are more likely to fall and have an increased chance of sustaining injury when they fall. When an older person is injured, especially when a bone is broken, such as a hip or pelvis, it can be devastating. Legal Rights for Victims of Inadequate Lighting Injuries If you have had an accident on someone else’s property due to inadequate lighting, you may be eligible for compensation. In a liability claim for inadequate lighting, you are required to show that: You were not trespassing; that you were on the property legally or the owner knew you were on the property and you had their permission There was inadequate lighting and the owner should have known or did have knowledge of it and either failed to provide satisfactory warning or fix it. The injuries you sustained were the direct result of negligence on the part of the owner or other party in control.

BEWARE OF DAEMON, SORRY... POKEMON: Pokémon Go is creating yet another reason to take your eyes off the road or not watch where you’re walking in the airport, at the mall or on the street.

Pokémon Go players have reported wiping out in a variety of ways as they wander the real world, eyes glued to their smartphone screens, in search of digital monsters. (Photo: Richard Vogel/AP Photo)

Pokémon Go fantasy game creates real-life vulnerabilities



Jul 13, 2016 | By Patricia L. Harman, PropertyCasualty360.com

 As if texting and e-mail weren’t enough to capture people’s attention as they are walking or driving, now Pokémon Go is creating yet another reason to take your eyes off the road or not watch where you’re walking in the airport, at the mall or on the street.

It’s only been available for a week in the United States, but Pokémon Go has become the latest technology craze to mesmerize gamers of all ages.



The game allows players to cross over from the fantasy world of Pokémon to explore the real world as they look for creatures with names such as Diglett, Ponyta and Doduo, which can appear anywhere ― on someone’s shoulder, along a walkway, in a trashcan or behind a light pole.

The app was created by San Francisco-based software developer Niantic Labs, and can either be downloaded from the Pokémon website or through Google Play, which required users to login via their Google credentials, giving the app access to all of a users’ Google-related information such as Gmail, Google Docs and Google Photos, or through iTunes for the iOS platform.

Niantic Labs issued a statement once they discovered that Pokémon Go accounts on iOS were requesting full permission to access a user’s Google account. They are working on an update that will limit the information requested to only the basic Google profile data the app needs to operate. Users will not have to take any action to fix the flaw.
Information-sharing risk



But this action begs the question, what are the risks of sharing information through third-party apps? Adults rarely bother to read the download permissions and children will click “ok” just to access the app.

Christie Alderman, vice president of Chubb’s personal risk services, says parents and end users should be concerned about the amount of information apps are collecting and sharing with third parties because frequently it isn’t clear who these entities are or how the data collected will be used.

“People should really be thinking about this,” she said. “They don’t have a sense of how the little bits of data they give away are being collected by data aggregators to create a more comprehensive picture of you.”

She explains that “if you add in someone’s age from a survey, social media information from their profiles and geolocation services that track where you are, all of a sudden they have comprehensive information about you that apps are selling to third parties. Overall, that’s a concern with these apps. And is the convenience worth sharing all of that information?”

Because the game is so popular, versions with malware embedded in them have flooded the market. This can create vulnerabilities in a phone and allow hackers access to any information the owner accesses with his or her phone. “Don’t download anything unless it’s through a reputable store,” advises Alderman. “There are a lot of malware distributing apps that use a similar name in order to get you to download them.”



Pinsir, a Pokémon, is found by a group of Pokémon Go players, Tuesday, July 12, 2016, at Bayfront Park in downtown Miami. The "Pokémon Go" craze has sent legions of players hiking around cities and battling with "pocket monsters" on their smartphones. (Photo: Alan Diaz/AP Photo)
Practice safe gaming



It’s not just applications that present a danger to children either.

“In any social media platform where people are interacting with strangers, you have to have a conversation with your children about how to act online such as don’t tell them your name or how old you are,” adds Alderman. She recommends turning off the geolocation services on your phone when not using them because they can become embedded in your photos that might be posted on social media platforms.

She also recommends skipping any in-app purchases ― game accessories such as balls, food, weapons and the like. “When an app holds your credit card information, that makes the game harder and encourages you to spend more money, and that puts more vulnerability in the interaction.”

Alderman says to isolate your activity and provide just the bare minimum of information. “Give just what you have to in order to use the device or app,” she advises. “They don’t need to know your birth date, marital status or relationship status.” If the app links to an account, she says to set up a shadow account that doesn’t pull all of your personal information and contacts into the app.
Dangerous and inappropriate places



Sadly, some will use apps for more nefarious purposes. Pokémon Go encourages people to visit different landmarks, parks and other areas to capture more creatures. In Parkville, Maryland, three people were robbed at gunpoint when they were lured to an area after midnight by the game. The thieves took their phones and money before fleeing the scene.

Since gamers are so intent on their game, they may not pay attention to their surroundings and may be willing to go into unfamiliar areas. The Texas Department of Transportation posted a warning on its Facebook page to remind players to be alert to who and what is around them, to not drive and play, and to watch where they walk.

Alderman suggests that players use common sense. “Travel with friends, don’t go into unfamiliar areas, and think about your physical safety.”

In their pursuit of creatures, some gamers are even venturing into places where it is inappropriate to play, such as cemeteries, museums and churches. A number of institutions such as the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., and Arlington National Cemetery have asked players not to search for Pokémon creatures in those locales.

The game is designed to have Pokémon creatures appear when the gamer is moving at less than 20 mph. That means players shouldn’t be able to see them when they are driving unless they appear on the dashboard or rearview mirror, but drivers still shouldn’t be playing and driving.

Numerous pedestrians have been injured by walking into manholes, trees or tripping over curbs and other obstructions. However, getting injured at work while chasing a Pokémon probably won’t qualify as a workers’ compensation claim.

Chubb says disasters cost $390 million, more than a previous internal projection of $280 million. Canadian fires, Japan earthquake to blame

Jul 12, 2016 | By Agnel Philip




(Bloomberg) -- Chubb Ltd., the insurer led by Chief Executive Officer Evan Greenberg, said second-quarter catastrophes cost more than the company had planned.

The pretax cost was about $390 million, led by events in North America, and compares with a previous internal projection of $280 million, the Zurich-based company said Tuesday in a statement.


Canadian fires, Japan earthquake


Chubb joins Bermuda-based Validus Holdings Ltd. in announcing preliminary catastrophe costs before releasing complete quarterly results. Both companies cited Canadian wildfires along with expenses from an earthquake in Japan.

“The company is providing this estimate in light of the elevated number of natural catastrophes experienced by the industry globally in the quarter, totaling more than 25 events,” Chubb said in the statement.

European floods and an Ecuadorian earthquake also contributed to the sum. The total expense was probably about $315 million after tax, Chubb said. The insurer is scheduled to report results on July 26 and hold a conference call the next day.


Copyright 2016 Bloomberg. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 




==================================


Alberta wildfires costliest insured disaster ever in Canada



Jul 07, 2016 | By Katia Dmitrieva


Destroyed property in Fort McMurray, Alberta, on May 9, 2016. (Photo: AP/Rachel La Corte)

(Bloomberg) — The wildfires that tore across the oil-producing region of Canada this year will cost insurers about C$3.58 billion (US$2.8 billion) in claims, the most costly insured natural disaster in the country’s history, an industry group said.

The fires led to 27,000 personal-property claims averaging C$81,000 each, and 12,000 auto claims averaging C$15,000, the Insurance Bureau of Canada said Thursday in a statement. More than 5,000 commercial claims averaged over C$250,000 and included costs from work stoppages. The estimates come from insurer surveys collected by Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc.



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Japan earthquake toll rises as economic impact expands



Apr 18, 2016 | By Aya Takada, Monami Yui


 

A woman prays in front of the historic Aso Shrine collapsed by powerful earthquakes in Aso, Kumamoto prefecture, Japan, Sunday, April 17, 2016. Two nights of increasingly terrifying earthquakes flattened houses and triggered major landslides. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

(Bloomberg) -- The death toll from earthquakes that struck southern Japan rose to 42 and the economic impact began to reverberate Monday as companies surveyed damage and the potential effects on production from supply-chain disruptions.

The quakes that struck the island of Kyushu since Thursday evening included some of the nation’s most devastating earthquakes since March 2011. There are 201 people seriously injured, 838 have light injuries, and 110,816 have been evacuated to shelters, according to Kumamoto Prefecture’s disaster countermeasures office. There has been additional damage in neighboring prefectures including Oita.