Hurricane Force Winds: Some Without Power for a Week

Has your usual experience with electrical outages been like mine – power is restored within minutes or a few hours at most.  Rarely power interruptions last into the next day.  

Who could have predicted an Arctic cold front hitting Utah, Idaho and Wyoming at the end of a very hot Summer?  Especially one that brought not only early winterish temps but sustained high winds, some of hurricane force surging to 112 miles per hour? 

First OFFICIAL CDC Stratified US Statistical Profile of COVID-19 Mortality

Click on image to enlarge

Note: This is not new data. This profile has been reported by various researchers/commentators for months, but it has not been officially profiled until now. 

Presented by Steve Deace, on 8/12/20

• Age 85 and older make up 3.2% of the U.S. population but make up one-third of all COVID deaths.
• Age 75 and older make up 7% of U.S. population but 59% of COVID deaths. 
• Age 54 and younger make up 70% of the U.S. population but 8% of COVID deaths.
• Deaths DO NOT register until age 15-24 and even then, kids K-12 make up .02% of the population. Kids K-college undergraduate, according to data released by the CDC, are in no significant danger of dying of COVID-19. 
• The median age of COVID-19 deaths is around 78, which is the average U.S. life expectancy.  

"The CDC coded all deaths "Died with COVID" rather than "Died from COVID," Deace explained.  We do not know how many people were healthy, contracted COVID and died from COVID-19. 

Mask Wearing. Are you Persuaded by Case Studies?

Walgreens has published two examples, sourced to the CDC, that make a persuasive case for wearing a mask in indoor, group environments.

Cloth face masks/coverings can help keep people infected with COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others. COVID-19 is mainly known to be transmitted between people through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. Studies show that these droplets can travel about six feet. However, when an infected person wears a mask that covers their nose and mouth, it can keep most of the droplets from spreading to people who are nearby.

Wear a Mask: YES? NO?

The case for/against wearing masks is not conclusive.  This article is based upon the views of Gov. Herbert, Dr. Angela Dunne and the recent report from BYU researcher, Dr. Benjamin Abbott and his team.

After analysis of 130 studies focused upon the efficacy (or lack thereof), of wearing a mask, the BYU team concluded and hopes to persuade the public that: We are safer wearing a mask when physical distancing is not possible.

Preparing for Wildfire Evacuation: Making a Plan

When you are planning for wildfire evacuation, do so with a clear head. You must consider that in such a disaster, flames could reach your home before firefighters could extinguish them.*

This sobering possibility should inform your planning decisions as to what you would want to gather and take with you in an evacuation.

A warning will usually include how long you are given to safely exit your home.  What will you take with you?  These decisions are the heart of your family plan.

Campfire Basics Will Help Prevent Utah Wildfires

If you think wildfires have become more aggressive and destructive, the professionals agree.
In Utah and all Western states, wildfires are burning bigger, hotter and more intensely because of higher temperatures, low humidity and winds.  A small fire can quickly morph into a huge, threatening Red Flag event.

Summer 2020 has an added threat:  The relaxing of Stay Home directives means Utahns and out-of-staters, eager for recreation, will head to canyons and campsites.  Many of those visitors are inexperienced in outdoor safety – particularly lacking in campfire savvy -- a recipe for heightened wildfire risk.

So, here are the Basics for the novice, and a reminder for the experienced.

What is the Utah National Guard Doing at our Long-Term Care Facilities?

• Governor Herbert and General Burton of the National Guard announced after nearly a week of reduced risk (from Red to Orange) that “Utah is performing well. What we are doing is working, stay strong.”  Here are some highlights starting with National Guard (NG) news.

• 120 NG are being deployed to expand our state’s capacity to: test at long-term facilities and other COVID-19 hot spots; provide needed support to labs; and, do case tracking.