Infrastructure_daily_news

Transportation Sector

.August 11, WIBC 93.1 FM Indianapolis (Indiana) Semi explosion kills driver in Boone County.A three-vehicle crash August 11 in a Boone County, Indiana construction zone killed a semi driver and shut down a stretch of the interstate.Indiana State Police said the crash happened about 3:45 am, in the southbound lanes of Interstate 65, near the US 52 exit.Police said the driver who was killed was southbound in a semi and crashed into a semi stopped in construction traffic.It is not immediately clear why he failed to stop.The impact of the crash triggered a chain-reaction crash into a third semi.The crash sparked a fire and explosion in two box trailers being pulled by the middle semi.The fire was tough to extinguish because the trailers were loaded with barrels of petroleum and paint.State highway engineers said the fire did not cause permanent damage to the interstate.Source: http://www.wibc.com/news/Story.aspx?ID=1516410

.August 10, WTVT 13 Tampa (Florida) School bus crashes into pond.Authorities said a bus full of central Florida students crashed into a pond in Melbourne on the way to school.The Florida Highway Patrol reported the 67-year-old bus driver was transporting 26 students to Viera High School August 10 when he apparently experienced some kind of medical episode and lost consciousness.The Brevard County school bus veered off the road and into a retention pond.The front end of the bus went several feet underwater, but the back end remained on land.The students exited the rear emergency door.Rescue workers responded and took the driver to a nearby hospital, where he was in stable condition.The crash remains under investigation.No charges were immediately filed.Source: http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/state/school-bus-crashes-intopond- 08102011 For more stories, see items 2, 27, and 37

Postal and Shipping Sector

.August 10, WGHP 8 Sophia (North Carolina) Woman used fake checks to buy over $12,000 in stamps.A Gastonia, North Carolina, woman has been charged with using fraudulent checks to buy over $12,000 worth of stamps across the Piedmont.The woman allegedly asked for 50 coils of stamps August 8 at the Thomasville, North Carolina, branch of the U.S.Post Office.When employees attempted to verify the check, police said workers discovered the account number belonged to a business in Greensboro, North Carolina.Officers with the Thomasville Police Department responded to the scene and arrested the woman.Officers searched the woman’s car and found numerous postage stamps, receipts and two more fraudulent checks.Police said the postage stamps were worth $12,388.90, and were bought from post offices in Greensboro using fraudulent checks.She has been charged with attempting to obtain property by false pretenses.She received a $15,000 secured bond and has an August 25 court date.Thomasville police are also working with the U.S.Postal Inspector’s Office in the investigation.Source: http://www.myfox8.com/news/wghp-story-gastonia-woman- 110810,0,2392680.story

Emergency Services Sector

.August 10, Ansonia Valley Independent Sentinel (Connecticut) Guns stolen from Ansonia fire chief’s office.Ansonia, Connecticut’s fire chief has been placed on administrative leave after two of his guns were stolen from the fire chief’s office, the mayor said.The fire chief’s office is city property.The guns were stored there without permission, the mayor said in a prepared statement August 10.The guns a Smith and Wesson 9mm semi-automatic handgun and a Smith and Wesson 5.56 caliber rifle were among several items stolen.The office is located at the public works complex off North Division Street.The burglary was reported at 7:54 a.m.August 9, when public works employees arrived at the building and noticed a back door had been forced open.The building is shared by the public works department (DPW) and five Ansonia Fire Department chiefs.Nothing was reported missing from the DPW.In addition to the two guns, $6,000 worth of fire equipment was stolen including a Scott air pack, five scanners, a portable radio charger, five sets of earmuffs, and five sets of safety gla*ses.Source: http://valley.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/guns_stolen_from_ans onia_fire_chiefs_office

.August 10, National Journal (National) FCC may create standards for emergency text programs.The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman has long said he wants the public to be able to contact emergency officials by text message, and August 10 he announced plans to establish technical standards that could govern these programs.The agency will launch a rulemaking proceeding next month to create technical standards for wireless companies and public safety agencies who offer socalled «Next Generation 911в