IPSWICH — A fire damaged a 2-½ story home on Drumlin Road in Ipswich on Monday night.
At 11:35 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 16, the Ipswich Fire Department responded to a report of smoke coming from the home at 10 Drumlin Road. While firefighters were en route, a police officer arrived on scene and reported fire showing from the house.
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File Photo of 2025 flooding, courtesy of the Burns Paiute Tribe.
Salem, Ore. – An updated Disaster Recovery Plan has been formally adopted by Oregon’s Department of Emergency Management, replacing a plan approved back in 2018.
“Of course, a lot of things have taken place in our state since 2018,” says State Disaster Recovery Program Manager Quinn Butler, “With the 2020 Labor Day fires, COVID, multiple floods, wind storms, etc.” Butler says the Emergency Management Department incorporated lessons learned from those events into the new plan, which is a guide for coordinating efforts. “This new plan helps to better align efforts with our federal partners, as well as provide that framework to support recovery planning at the local and tribal jurisdictional levels.” Butler adds, “What was lacking in that older plan was: We needed to better define the roles and responsibilities of those state partners, beyond the response, beyond those couple of weeks, because we know that recovery from many disasters take 5-10 years.”
The newly approved recovery document is part of a broader State Emergency Management Plan. It’ll be put to the test later this year, “We have a state level exercise taking place in October of this year,” says Butler. “It’s called Lahar’d Times. It’s focusing on a volcanic eruption in the Sisters area. The focus is recovery; what does it look like 30 days after this major disaster?”
He says says now is the time – before a disaster – for Oregonians to make sure they have appropriate insurance, gather supplies to be “two weeks ready,” and are signed up for local emergency alerts.
Appointment of major claims management and technology solutions company chief executive will help increase collaboration between the insurance claims industry and the emergency management community.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., October 30, 2025 (Newswire.com)
– RENFROE, a leading claims solutions and technology company, today announced that CEO Austin Renfroe has been appointed to the board of directors of the Disaster Recovery Coalition of America (DRCA). The appointment was confirmed earlier this month at the DRCA’s annual board meeting.
DRCA, a national coalition dedicated to strengthening disaster response, recovery, and resilience, welcomed Austin Renfroe as its newest board member following a unanimous vote. The addition fills the sole vacancy on the board, reflecting the coalition’s commitment to expanding collaboration between the claims industry and emergency management professionals.
“I’m honored to join the DRCA board and look forward to leveraging RENFROE’s technology and deep experience in the insurance industry to strengthen disaster response, recovery, and resilience,” said Renfroe. “I’m excited to collaborate with fellow board members and partners nationwide to advance our shared mission.”
The DRCA board includes leaders from across the disaster recovery and emergency management sectors. Austin Renfroe’s appointment is expected to foster new partnerships and drive innovation in disaster recovery practices.
RENFROE is a full-service claims management and workforce solutions company with over 28,000 seasonal and full-time employees focused on providing turnkey staffing and technology solutions to the insurance industry. RENFROE is an industry leader and the recipient of numerous awards, including the Inc. 5000 (2023 – #34 in Insurance), America’s Greatest Workplaces (2025, 2023), Newsweek America’s Most Admired Workplaces (2026, 2025), and Newsweek America’s Greatest Workplaces for Gen Z (2025), among others. RENFROE has responded to more than 30 major hurricanes, thousands of severe weather events, dozens of wildfires, and several manmade disasters such as oil spills, explosions, and product recalls. Founded in 1994, RENFROE is proud to be family-owned, privately held, and headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, with a nationwide workforce.
WEST NEWBURY — Looking to make sure they are as prepared as possible during a hostile shooter situation, first responders from nearly a dozen communities spent the weekend training with Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) instructors at Pentucket Regional/Middle High School.
“I think it’s extremely important. You never know when something like this is going to happen, or where, or how, but as first responders, we can control how we prepare and train our people to respond to these types of events,” Merrimac Police Chief Eric Shears said.
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GLOUCESTER — At least one person was taken to the hospital as a blaze ripped through a home at 62 Woodward Ave. on Saturday afternoon.
Fire Chief Eric Smith said the Gloucester Fire Department responded to a two-alarm fire at the waterfront property about 2:20 p.m., finding heavy fire and smoke showing from the building.
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NEWBURY — A 54-year-old man who fell from a boat was rescued Sunday night at Riverfront Marina.
The unidentified man was pulled from the water shortly after 6:10 p.m. as the Newbury Police and Fire departments responded to the marina at 292 High Road, according to Deputy Police Chief Aaron Wojtkowski and Fire Chief David Evans.
Sgt. Jason DaCunha was the first officer to arrive and, along with Officer Manny Terrero, helped hold the man’s head above water until additional emergency personnel responded, the chiefs said in a release.
Police used flotation devices to assist the man. His wife tried to rescue him but could not and called 911.
Fire Department Lt. Keith Grant and firefighter Andrea Ball also assisted with the rescue. The man was taken to Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport for a medical evaluation.
Evans praised first responders from both departments.
“We are very thankful for the outcome this evening and are glad we have a great working relationship between departments, as well as a great group of emergency personnel,” he said in the release.
BEVERLY — Beverly firefighters are heading to North Carolina on Saturday to deliver donations to help victims of Hurricane Helene.
Fire Chief Pete O’Connor said the department put out a request for donations on Wednesday and got a “huge response.”
“It’s been phenomenal,” he said.
People have been dropping off items at Beverly Fire Department headquarters at 15 Hale St. over the last few days. Firefighters loaded the items onto two rental trucks and will drive them to a designated donation drop-off site at the North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina.
Donated items include clothes, fans, charcoal grills, first aid supplies, flashlights, blankets and hygiene products, among other items. Donations are being accepted until 8 p.m. Friday.
O’Connor said the relief effort was the idea of Lt. Mike Kraus. The Peabody and Danvers fire departments also became involved and collected donations.
“It was definitely a team effort,” O’Connor said.
Staff Writer Paul Leighton can be reached at 978-338-2535, by email at pleighton@salemnews.com, or on Twitter at @heardinbeverly.
Members of a Beverly-based search-and-rescue team are continuing to search for victims and help with recovery efforts in North Carolina and Florida in the wake of Hurricane Helene. A total of 61 members of Massachusetts Task Force 1 have responded to the area, including 56 in North Carolina and five in Florida, according to Thomas Gatzunis, a planning team manager, public information officer and structures specialist for the team. Hurricane Helene was one of the deadliest storms in U.S. history and is estimated to have killed more than 150 people in six states. Massachusetts Task Force 1 is one of 28 Federal Emergency Management Agency search-and-rescue teams in the nation. It is based at a compound next to Beverly Airport and is comprised of about 250 volunteers from all six New England states, including firefighters, police officers, doctors, paramedics, canine handlers and engineers. Here are photos provided by the team of their ongoing efforts in North Carolina.
Members of a Beverly-based search-and-rescue team are continuing to search for victims and help with recovery efforts in North Carolina and Florida in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
A total of 61 members of Massachusetts Task Force 1 have responded to the area, including 56 in North Carolina and five in Florida, according to Thomas Gatzunis, a planning team manager, public information officer and structures specialist for the team.
Hurricane Helene was one of the deadliest storms in U.S. history and is estimated to have killed more than 150 people in six states.
Massachusetts Task Force 1 is one of 28 Federal Emergency Management Agency search-and-rescue teams in the nation. It is based at a compound next to Beverly Airport and is comprised of about 250 volunteers from all six New England states, including firefighters, police officers, doctors, paramedics, canine handlers and engineers.
Here are photos provided by the team of their ongoing efforts in North Carolina.
No injuries were reported after a fire broke out in equipment inside a large fish processing building at 3 State Fish Pier late Wednesday morning.
Gloucester fire companies responded to a working fire at 11:05 a.m. in a portion of the expansive industrial complex on the pier with a “Cape Seafoods Gloucester” sign on the exterior. They made quick work of the fire, according to a social media post by Gloucester Firefighters Local 762.
“Another great stop Group 1,” the post read.
“Upon arrival we had some thick, black smoke coming out the windows,” Deputy Chief Andrew McRobb, the Group 1 shift commander. said. “Employees informed me that it was a fiberglass turbine that got going, so it was fiberglass burning.”
“Crews showed up, made an offensive attack with an inch-and-three-quarter (hose), finished putting the fire out and we are in the process of venting the building right now,” he said at 11:45 a.m.
“No injuries,” McRobb said. “Crews did a search of the building,” he said, but nobody was inside when crews arrived.
“A lot of the employees did the bulk of the work prior to our arrival,” McRobb said. When asked what business this was, McRobb said it was “some type of fish processing.”
Fire companies responded to both sides of the large complex; Engine 1 and the deputy chief to the North Channel side of the building, and Ladder 1, Engine 5 and Engine 2 to the South Channel side. Also responding was Beauport Ambulance Service and a Gloucester Fire Rescue squad. The Police Department’s patrol boat was seen on the water in the North Channel.
After the fire was extinguished, a couple of firefighters could be seen opening a high window along the back of the facility to vent smoke. Some workers standing outside said everyone was OK when asked.
The company, Cape Seafoods, Inc., was able to remain open for business after firefighters conducted extensive ventilation of the building.
Two new officers who are also Gloucester natives have joined the ranks of the Gloucester Police Department.
Officers Ryan Muniz and Kalyn Koller bring a wealth of knowledge, enthusiasm, and a commitment to serving Gloucester, the department said.
Muniz graduated from the Massachusetts Police Training Committee Northern Essex Community College Police Academy in May. He attended Gloucester Public Schools and graduated from Gloucester High in 2019. In high school, he played hockey, golf, and tennis, and captained the hockey and golf teams.
After high school, Muniz attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, graduating in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree. Following his graduation, he worked at the Essex County Sheriff’s Department before joining the Gloucester force. Muniz recently completed his field training and is now eager to make a positive impact and engage with the community he has always called home, the department said.
Koller graduated from the MPTC Lynnfield Police Academy last Tuesday and began her field training shortly thereafter. Koller, 24, is a Gloucester native who graduated from Rockport High in 2019, where she played softball and basketball. She earned her criminal justice degree from Endicott College, graduating with dean’s lst honors. During her time at Endicott, Koller interned with the Gloucester Police Department, an experience that solidified her dedication to a career in law enforcement.
“I am honored to announce my appointment as a new officer with the Gloucester Police Department. I look forward to serving and giving back to the community I have always called home,” she said.
Chief Edward Conley expressed his confidence in the new officers, saying, “We are thrilled to welcome Officers Muniz and Koller to our team. Their dedication, local roots, and commitment to service will undoubtedly strengthen our department and enhance our ability to serve the Gloucester community.”
IPSWICH — The Fire Department extinguished a brush fire near a home on Wednesday and no injuries were reported, officials said.
About 4:41 p.m., the Fire Department was called to the area of 19 James Road, near Dix Road and the Ipswich Country Club, for a report of a brush fire, Fire Chief Paul Parisi reported in a news release.
Engine 4, under the command of Lt. Gus McInnis, was the first company to arrive and found an estimated 75-foot-by-75-foot section of brush burning about 100 yards from a home.
An additional engine was called. Mutual aid firefighters from Rowley responded, while firefighters from Essex and Topsfield covered Ipswich stations. Off-duty and call members of the Ipswich Fire Department responded as well.
Through a spokesman, Parisi said the fire was under control within an hour. First responders cleared the scene in less than two hours.
The cause of the brush fire is under investigation and it would be unusual for such a fire to spontaneously ignite, he said.
While the brush fire was being extinguished, Ipswich Police and Action EMS responded to a motor vehicle crash in the area of 80 Linebrook Road, and to medical calls on County Road and Water Street.
“The three-tiered response system we operate under here in Ipswich with police, fire and EMS, as well as our mutual aid partners, were critical in handling these simultaneous emergencies today,” Parisi said in the release. “We thank our partners for helping us when we needed them.”
GEORGETOWN — A woman died early Sunday in a four-alarm house fire on East Main Street.
Firefighters rescued the seriously injured woman from the second story of the burning 2½-story, single-family home but she later died at an area hospital, according to Georgetown Fire Chief Matt McKay.
The woman, whose name was not released, was carried out of a window and down a ladder. Three other occupants were able to safely evacuate after the fire broke out at 238 E. Main St. shortly before 11 p.m. Saturday, he said.
Huge flames engulfing the roof of the wood-frame home were shooting about 20 feet into the sky as firefighters arrived.
Firefighters from more than a dozen communities battled the blaze until bringing it under control at 12:46 a.m. Crews remained at the scene of the burned home, which was declared a total loss.
The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Georgetown Fire Department with assistance from the Massachusetts State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit with the State Fire Marshal’s Office, McKay said.
As the blaze continued to burn out of control, a second alarm was struck shortly before 11 p.m. to bring in firefighters from surrounding communities.
Third and fourth alarms were required to bring in more firefighters. East Main Street (Route 133) was closed in both directions for several hours during the blaze.
Firefighters from the Rowley, West Newbury, Newbury, Boxford, Newburyport, Topsfield, North Andover, Lawrence, Middleton, Haverhill, Groveland, Amesbury, Ipswich and Amesbury fire departments responded to the fire and provided station coverage.
Rehab 5, Cataldo Ambulance Service and Pridestar Trinity EMS also responded. The American Red Cross was notified to assist the displaced residents.
The Georgetown Municipal Light Department responded and turned off power to the home.
Investigators said Sunday that no additional information would be released until further notice.
The DHS competition judges a diverse array of renewable, domestically sourced power solutions that maintain critical emergency operations for at least 36 hours
PHOENIX, February 20, 2024 (Newswire.com)
– Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Clean Power for Hours Competition finalist New Use Energy (NUE) proudly presented the SunKit™ 5050 EXT in the final demonstration round hosted by Daisy Mountain Fire and Medical Citizen Corps (DMFMCC).
The DHS competition judges a diverse array of renewable, domestically sourced power solutions that maintain critical emergency operations for at least 36 hours. The SunKit exceeds this requirement and can operate indefinitely as a stand-alone solar + battery system off the grid.
At the forefront of mobile, rapidly deployable renewable energy solutions, the SunKit plays a critical role in powering DMFMCC’s mobile command center which includes equipment such as an air conditioner, laptops, induction cooktop, lights, fans and radios. Of particular note was the SunKit’s ability to eliminate radio frequency interference (RFI) which had been plaguing the DMFMCC team, limiting their ability to communicate in emergencies. This phenomenon was experienced by the DMFMCC team during an interoperability drill with another CERT team, where their gas generators reduced the effectiveness of their communications equipment.
Now in its third generation, the SunKit™ is widely recognized for its reliability and versatility in settings ranging from emergency operation centers (EOCs) to hospital rooms and even remote construction sites.
About DMFMCC The DMFM Community Emergency Response Team, with its 30-member volunteer force, is committed to supporting first responders in the wake of emergencies. Covering an area home to over 65,000 people, the team emphasizes disaster preparedness and smart resilience strategies, with a focus on wildfires, flooding, and earthquakes.
Situated in the stunning but challenging landscapes of the Arizona mountain foothills, the DMFM CERT team greatly benefits from the reliability and efficiency of the NUE-SolarKit. The system’s design effectively eliminates the logistical challenges of fuel supply, radio frequency interference, and the environmental impact of traditional generators, thus allowing the team to concentrate on their essential services and community education missions.
About NUE NUE is a leader in the development and distribution of proprietary, state-of-the-art, ruggedized mobile solar generator systems that adapt to a diverse set of the most demanding commercial and industrial applications, delivering clean, renewable power wherever needed. For more information, visit https://newuseenergy.com
Extreme weather and climate hazards are becoming more frequent, posing a threat not only for homeowners but for renters.
More than 18 million rental units across the U.S. are exposed to climate- and weather-related hazards, according to the latest American Rental Housing Report from Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies.
Harvard researchers paired data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Risk Index with the five-year American Community Survey to find out what units are in the areas that are expected to have annual economic loss from environmental hazards such as wildfires, flooding, earthquakes, hurricanes and more.
“The rental housing stock is the oldest it ever has been, and a lot of it is not suited for the growing frequency, severity and diversity in environmental hazards,” said Sophia Wedeen, research analyst focused on rental housing, residential remodeling and affordability at the Joint Center for Housing Studies.
In 2023, there were 28 weather and climate disasters with damages totaling $1 billion or more, a record high, according to the latest report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Information. These weather disruptions collectively cost $92.9 billion in damages, an estimate adjusted for inflation, the agency found.
“It’s clear that not only are climate hazards happening more often, but they’re happening more often in places where people live, which is why we’re seeing all of these damages increase over time,” said Jeremy Porter, head of climate implications research for First Street Foundation, a nonprofit organization in New York.
In addition, about twice as many properties in the U.S. have flood risks than what FEMA accounts for, according to research by First Street Foundation.
And flood insurance is only mandated for properties inside official flood zones, Porter said.
“Half the properties across the country don’t know they have a flood risk, which means the building owner may not have flood insurance,” he said.
At a national level, 45% of single-family rentals and 35% to 40% of units in small, midsize and large multifamily buildings are located in census tracts, or neighborhoods, that are exposed to annual losses from climate-related hazards, the Harvard study found.
Units with the highest risk are manufactured housing, such as mobile homes and RVs, said Wedeen. While they’re a smaller share of the rental stock, 52% of manufactured units are located in areas with extreme weather exposure.
As the market already faces a declining supply of low-rent units available, “environmental hazards would really exacerbate the existing affordability concerns,” Wedeen said.
Renters in manufactured housing, low-rent or subsidized units are also often stuck with the housing they have or lack the same level of mobility as wealthier renters, experts say.
“These populations are more vulnerable and don’t have the financial means to protect themselves against the risks that exist,” Porter said. “It’s sort of a compounding risk when we see these increases in climate hazards and start impacting people who can’t afford to move away from the risk.”
Most of the state and local funds that cover post-disaster assistance go to homeowners, not rental property owners.
“That in turn puts a lot of burden on renters who are displaced by natural disasters and who may find it hard to find new housing,” she said.
Low-rent or subsidized units also face preservation issues, leaving them in poor physical condition. According to the Harvard study, units renting for less than $600 per month have higher rates of physical inadequacy from disrepair and structural deterioration.
Manufactured housing units are more likely to be physically inadequate, meaning they are “much less able to withstand the impact of a weather-related hazard,” Wedeen said.
What renters need is greater investment in the existing housing stock and upgrades that can mitigate the damage to a building and improve its resilience to hazards, Wedeen said.
“Without substantial investment, displacements and units becoming uninhabitable is only going to continue,” Wedeen said.
It’s important for tenants to understand that they need renter’s insurance to protect their possessions.
Landlords and building owners are responsible for repairing physical damage to the unit or building from a climate-related hazard, and those repairs will depend on whether the landlord or building owner is covered by property insurance, said Porter.
But the landlord’s insurance on the building does not cover renters’ personal property.
Renters should check what type of disasters are included in their renter’s insurance policy. They may need riders or a separate policy to cover risks such as flooding or earthquakes, experts say.
While a lot of the risks are out of the hands of renters, they can research to make informed decisions and prepare.
Before moving to a new area, renters should research the floodplain, look for a building with resilient features and find out what risks that area is exposed to by using search tools such as the FEMA flood map or riskfactor.com, a search tool backed by First Street Foundation’s data analysis.
In some areas, landlords must disclose to prospective tenants if a property is in a floodplain or has experienced flooding in the past.
Firefighters extinguish a fire in Nanao, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, early on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024.
Soichiro Koriyama | Bloomberg | Getty Images
At least 30 people were killed after a powerful earthquake hit Japan on New Year’s Day, with rescue teams on Tuesday struggling to reach isolated areas where buildings had been toppled, roads wrecked and power cut to tens of thousands of homes.
The quake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck in the middle of the afternoon on Monday, prompting residents in some coastal areas to flee to higher ground as tsunami waves hit Japan’s west coast, sweeping some cars and houses into the sea.
Thousands of army personnel, firefighters and police officers from across the country have been dispatched to the worst-hit area in the Noto peninsula in Ishikawa prefecture.
However, rescue efforts have been hindered by badly damaged and blocked roads and authorities say they are finding it difficult to assess the full extent of the fallout.
Many rail services, ferries and flights into the area have been suspended. Noto airport has closed due to damage to its runway, terminal and access roads, with 500 people stranded inside cars in its parking lot, according to public broadcaster NHK.
“The search and rescue of those impacted by the quake is a battle against time,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said during an emergency disaster meeting on Tuesday.
Kishida said rescuers were finding it very difficult to reach the northern tip of the Noto peninsula due to wrecked roads, and that helicopter surveys had discovered many fires and widespread damage to buildings and infrastructure.
Authorities in Ishikawa said they had confirmed 30 deaths from the earthquake so far, with half of those fatalities in hard-hit Wajima city near the quake’s epicentre.
Firefighters have been battling blazes in several cities and trying to free more people trapped in collapsed buildings, Japan’s fire and disaster management agency said.
More than 140 tremors have been detected since the quake first hit on Monday, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The agency has warned more strong shocks could hit in the coming days.
Nobuko Sugimori, a 74-year-old resident of Nanao city in Ishikawa, told Reuters she had never experienced such a quake before.
“I tried to hold the TV set to keep it from toppling over, but I could not even keep myself from swaying violently from side to side,” Sugimori said from her home which had a large crack down its front wall and furniture scattered around the inside.
Across the street, a car was crushed under a collapsed building where residents had another close call.
Fujiko Ueno, 73, said nearly 20 people were in her house for a New Year celebration when the quake struck but miraculously all emerged uninjured.
“It all happened in the blink of an eye” she said, standing in the street among debris from the wreckage and mud that oozed out of the road’s cracked surface.
Several world leaders sent condolence messages with President Joe Biden saying in statement the United States was ready to provide any necessary help to Japan.
“Our thoughts are with the Japanese people during this difficult time,” he said.
The Japanese government ordered around 100,000 people to evacuate their homes on Monday night, sending them to sports halls and school gymnasiums, commonly used as evacuation centres in emergencies.
Many returned to their homes on Tuesday as authorities lifted tsunami warnings.
But around 33,000 households remained without power in Ishikawa prefecture early on Tuesday morning after a night where temperatures dropped below freezing, according to Hokuriku Electric Power’s 9505.T website. Most areas in the northern Noto peninsula also have no water supply, NHK reported.
The Imperial Household Agency said it would cancel Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako’s slated New Year appearance on Tuesday following the disaster. Kishida postponed his New Year visit to Ise Shrine scheduled for Thursday.
Japan’s defence minister told reporters on Tuesday that 1,000 army personnel are currently involved in rescue efforts and that 10,000 could eventually be deployed.
The quake comes at a sensitive time for Japan’s nuclear industry, which has faced fierce opposition from some locals since the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that triggered nuclear meltdowns in Fukushima. Whole towns were devastated in that disaster.
Japan last week lifted an operational ban imposed on the world’s biggest nuclear plant, Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, which has been offline since the 2011 tsunami.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority said no irregularities were found at nuclear plants along the Sea of Japan, including five active reactors at Kansai Electric Power’s Ohi and Takahama plants in Fukui Prefecture.
Hokuriku Electric’s Shika plant, the closest to the epicentre, has also been idled since 2011. The company said there had been some power outages and oil leaks following Monday’s jolt but no radiation leakage.
The company had previously said it hoped to restart the reactor in 2026.
Chip equipment maker Kokusai Electric said it is investigating further after finding some damage at its factory in Toyama ahead of the planned resumption of operations on Thursday.
Companies including Sharp, Komatsu and Toshiba have been checking whether their factories in the area have been damaged. damage at its factory in Toyama ahead of the planned resumption of operations on Thursday.
