Reported Death Toll from Winter Storms Up to 27

As of Sunday, 27 people are dead after Tennessee was pummeled with winter weather last week, as confirmed by the Tennessee Department of Health (TDOH). 

As part of a release from the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), TDOH said eight people in Shelby County, four in Knox County, two in Marshall County, two in Washington County, and two in Roane County had died as a result of the storms. 

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Death Count from Extreme Winter Weather in Tennessee Rises to 19, Department of Health Confirms

Snow Nashville

The Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) confirmed 19 Tennesseans died as of Friday evening due to the winter weather and extreme cold in the state.

“The Tennessee Department of Health has confirmed 19 weather-related fatalities. Seven in Shelby County, one in Hickman County, one in Madison County, two in Washington County, one in Carroll County, one in Knox County, one in Van Buren County, one in Lauderdale County, one in Henry County, two in Marshall County, and one in Roane County,” the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) wrote in its  Flash Report.

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Clarksville Mayor: State and Federal Government ‘Have Been Helpful’ in Wake of Deadly Tornadoes

The mayor of Clarksville Monday told The Tennessee Star that his city is receiving help from the state and local levels after several deadly tornadoes ripped through middle Tennessee over the weekend. 

“The Governor and Mrs. Lee, along with TEMA were on the ground with us yesterday,” Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts told The Star Monday. “The White House reached out to me and offered any help we needed.  So, yes, state and federal government have been helpful.”

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TEMA Director Elected to Lead National Emergency Management Association

The head of Tennessee’s Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) has been tapped to lead the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), according to the Tennessee Department of Military, TEMA’s parent agency. 

“Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) Director Patrick Sheehan was named president of the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA), for a one-year term leading the professional organization of emergency managers,” according to a press release. 

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Tennessee Emergency Management Agency Sends Teams to Florida in Response to Hurricane Ian

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) plans to send support to Florida as expected Category 3 Hurricane Ian bears down on the Sunshine State. 

“As Florida braces for the impact of Hurricane Ian, Tennessee emergency service professionals are traveling to the area to help the state prepare and to provide support after the storm,” said Gov. Bill Lee (R) in a press release. “We are proud of men and women who have stepped up to represent the Volunteer State and provide critical, life-saving services to Floridians in need.”

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Governor Bill Lee Holds Press Conference After Surveying Tornado Damage: Sees ‘A Great Deal of Hope in the Midst of Real Devastation’

Gov. Bill Lee speaking about tornado damage on Dec. 11

Governor Bill Lee held a press conference Sunday following the devastating tornadoes that ripped across Tennessee. Damage spanned the state, and left a trail of destruction through parts of 19 counties, according to preliminary reports from the National Weather Service.

Lee’s remarks followed an aerial surveillance of the damage from the storms. He called it, “A very heartbreaking and difficult day for the state of Tennessee.”

The governor continued that there was extensive devastation in the areas that he toured. He said it’s been a difficult day for Tennessee, and neighboring states.

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Tennessee Comptroller Faults Seven Counties for Not Filing Emergency Operations Plan

  Seven out of eight counties tested did not submit a Basic Emergency Operations Plan to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency for 2018, as state law requires, according to an audit Tennessee Comptrollers just released. County officials who don’t submit a BEOP endanger their own communities’ safety and well-being, auditors said. “Without the ability to obtain all counties’ BEOPs, TEMA management and staff cannot review and approve the plans to ensure the counties are prepared in the event of a disaster,” auditors wrote. “It is important for counties to revise and adapt their plan to address new hazards, and failure to update these plans and to coordinate with TEMA could affect the state’s ability to effectively respond to and recover from disasters.” The audit did not name the seven counties. According to the audit, officials in these seven counties did not even request an extension to submit their plans late. TEMA spokeswoman Maggie Hannan did not name the seven counties either in an emailed statement to The Tennessee Star. “All 95 counties in Tennessee have Basic Emergency Operations Plans,” Hannon wrote. “Over the last two years, our planning team has developed tools and practices to streamline and simplify the planning…

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Some Tennessee Emergency Management Agency Coordinators Skip Vital Training, Audit Reveals

  Tennessee Emergency Management Agency officials did not make sure all coordinators completed all required training courses, according to a performance audit state Comptrollers released late last week. Specifically, TEMA officials did not make sure between 26 to 60 Emergency Services Coordinators completed training courses, as required by the agency’s Training Policies and Procedures, auditors wrote. State officials task TEMA with coordinating, preparing, responding to and offering recovery from man-made, natural, and technological hazards. According to the report, various state employees and volunteers did not complete courses pertaining to Incident Command Training, Intra-State Mutual Aid, Emergency Management Software Training, and Emergency Worker Training, among various other required courses. According to the report, TEMA management told auditors they remind ESCs about monthly training requirements and provide them with annual reports detailing their completion or incompletion of required training courses. Some of the ESCs tell TEMA “they do not attend all of the required trainings due to other requirements such as their own jobs or busy working emergencies.” Also, they “might not attend training because they are volunteers and are not reimbursed for being an ESC.” “Furthermore, based on our discussions, TEMA seems to place emphasis on its required training courses; however, TEMA…

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