1 Biden Declares California "State Of Emergency" Due To Heavy Rainfall
President Joe Biden has declared a state of emergency in California due to powerful storms that have caused extensive damage, flooding and killed at least 12 people. Biden ordered Federal assistance to help state efforts to deal with the problems brought on by the storms in 17 counties, including Los Angeles. The National Weather Service warned of a “relentless parade of atmospheric rivers” with two major storms expected to bring heavy rainfall over the next couple of days. As for the rich and famous, Oprah, Ellen, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been ordered to evacuate, along with all Montecito, California residents. The Montecito Fire Department has told the community in no uncertain terms to "LEAVE NOW!" and with good reason. The community has been hit with more than 8 inches of rain in 12 hours.
2 Over 7k Nurses Walk Off Job In NY
More than 7,000 nurses walked out at two major New York City hospitals yesterday over major staffing shortages, long hours and low pay, which they say is compromising patient care and leaving them burned out. The walkouts occurred at Mount Sinai and Montefiore hospitals, which are the last of 12 hospitals left at the bargaining table, forcing them to halt nonemergency surgeries, divert ambulances, and assign temporary staffers. Why is this the breaking point for nurses? Doreen Chulon, who is a nurse of 15 years in Montefiore’s neurology department says they are forced to work without breaks or time for meals. “We’re burned out. We’re exhausted the next day,” she said. She added that the ratio has gone from one nurse for every four patients to one for every six, “which is a safety problem for the department’s patients who are often confused or in altered mental states and at a high risk of falling.” The hospitals and nurses resumed contract talks yesterday afternoon .
3 Damar Hamlin Released From Hospital In Ohio
Damar Hamlin has been released from an Ohio hospital and is starting the next phase of his recovery at Buffalo General Medical Center. The Buffalo Bills safety was released yesterday and tweeted how grateful he is for the care he received after collapsing last week during a Bills-Bengals game. Dr. William Knight IV, a professor of emergency medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine said Hamlin “still has a little bit of a ways to go in terms of his ongoing recovery.” Doctors at the University of Cincinnati Hamlin may have experienced "commotio cordis," which is a rare phenomenon where blunt force to the chest “can cause a healthy heart to stop beating during a narrow window of the cardiac cycle.” Doctors said the decision to send Hamlin to Buffalo came after his condition improved from what they considered “critical” to “fair or good” yesterday morning.