Tag Archives: Death count projections

COVID UPDATE – What it’s like now – are we in the endemic stage?

Is the virus endemic?

New York Times, August 3, 2022

Even though people across the world are trying to move on from Covid, it’s still here, all around us.

Case in point: Half of all infections during the pandemic have taken place this year, as noted by my Times Opinion colleague David Wallace-Wells. Given the current pace, it’s possible that more than 80 percent of all Covid cases will ultimately take place in 2022, he said.

David writes a newsletter for Times subscribers that explores science, climate change, technology and the pandemic. He recently wrote about what endemic Covid would be like. (It’s not good.) I caught up with him to learn more. Continue reading COVID UPDATE – What it’s like now – are we in the endemic stage?

New Death Count Projections for Bakken Oil Train Disasters?

Repost from The Coalition for Bakken Crude Oil Stabilization

New Death Count Projections for Bakken Oil Train Disasters?

By Ron Schalow, January 13, 2015
The Coalition for Bakken Crude Oil Stabilization
Facebook: The Coalition for Bakken Crude Oil Stabilization

Firefighters, Emergency Personnel, Lawmakers, and Media:

Last June (2014), North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple called disaster agencies and emergency personnel together for a “tabletop exercise” to practice a response to a possible Bakken oil train derailment, and the subsequent explosions. They estimated there would be more than 60 deaths if such an incident occurred in Bismarck, ND (65,000 pop.) or Fargo, ND (110,000 pop.).
http://www.prairiebizmag.com/event/article/id/19629/
http://news.prairiepublic.org/…/inside-energy-making-bakken…

I don’t know the times, locations, or other variables, in the exercise calculations, but I can envision places in Bismarck and Fargo where the death count might be zero at certain times of the day. I could also think of cases, especially in downtown Fargo, when thousands would be in the blast zone.

There were 47 deaths in Lac-Megantic (6,000 pop.) after a Bakken oil train derailed on July 6, 2013. Dozens of downtown buildings were incinerated, but due to the late hour, most of the people who died were assembled at one place of business.
http://www.bing.com/videos/search…

Then, on December 9th, 2014, all three North Dakota Industrial Commission members signed Order No. 25417.
http://www.nd.gov/ndic/ic-press/dmr-order25417.pdf

“This order will bring every barrel of Bakken crude within standards to improve the safety of oil for transport,” said Governor Jack Dalrymple, Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring, in a joint statement.

Considering the improved safety, North Dakota officials should have updated projections of fatalities for Fargo and Bismarck. They would know the June variables and the change in composition of the contents of the tanker cars, due to the new Order. You could extrapolate the information to predict the deaths and damage for your community.

What’s the new number for casualties? These people should know…

North Dakota Industrial Commission
701-328-3722
ndicinfo@nd.gov

Governor Dalrymple’s Chief of Staff
Ron Rauschenberger
701-328-2222
rrausche@nd.gov

Governor Dalrymple’s Director and Policy Advisor
Jeff Zent
701-328-2424
jlzent@nd.gov

Lynn D. Helms, Director
Department of Mineral Resources
701-328-8020
lhelms@nd.gov

Oil and Gas Division
701-328-8020
oilandgasinfo@nd.gov

North Dakota Department of Emergency Services
701-328-8100
nddes@nd.gov

Cass County (Fargo) Emergency Management
Dave Rogness
701-476-4065
rognessd@casscountynd.gov

Fargo Fire Department
Steve Dirksen Fire Chief
701-241-1540
sdirksen@cityoffargo.com

Burleigh County (Bismarck) Emergency Management and Homeland Security
Mary H. Senger Emergency Manager
701-222-6727
msenger@nd.gov

Bismarck Emergency Management Division
Gary Stockert Emergency Manager
701-221-6804
gstockert@bismarcknd.gov

Bismarck Fire Department
Joel Boespflug Chief
jboespfl@bismarcknd.gov