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disaster support and planningStep by Step Foundation Benefit for Haiti Raises $65,000 Photo by David Candido: Hosts Margie Engle & Liliane Stransky Poker Tournament & Benefit Raised over $65,000 to Assist in Relief & Rebuild Following Earthquake Wellington, FL – February 4, 2010 – Olympic show jumping medalist Margie Engle and Liliane Stransky, the founder and CEO of the Step by Step Foundation (www.stepbystepfoundation.com), welcomed of slew of equestrians and supporters to the All In for Charity Poker Tournament to raise funds for Haitian relief at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center on January 29 in Wellington, FL. Organized by Kathy Andersen, CEO of Development Connect, the benefit raised more than $65,000 during the evening, with donations still coming. International Olympians Chris Kappler and Jimmy and Danielle Torano, accompanied by their lovely little girl Natalia, joined ESP’s CEO Mark Bellissimo and his wife Katherine, Denise and Kayla Patreganani, Dave and Julie Burton, Phillip Dutton, Regina Ventura, Felix and Polita Altaras, Paulo and Jennifer Santana and their daughter Isabella at the fun filled charity event. Mike Belisle, Iliana Levy, Chris Burnett, Daniela and Franklin Hoet, Stone Bridge Farm’s Katrina Weinig, Sandra Ciolla, Ronnie Mutch Scholarship recipient Haley Webster and mom Rona, Andrew Bourns, Freddy and Ketty Montenegro, Ruben Valdebuena, Sandra Ciolla, Gustavo Spinelli, Rodolfo Maya, Michelle Navarro and Eric Zimmerman all checked out the auction items, art, equestrian jewelry and fine fare being served throughout the evening. The children especially enjoyed the abundance of toys and candy up for auction. Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=10125 The Animals in Haiti Need Our Help
Nations and nonprofit organizations around the world are rallying to provide food, water and medical care to people who are suffering – a major challenge given the massive destruction and widespread poverty in Haiti. But we know you are asking yourself: What about the animals? United Animal Nations has joined the Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti (ARCH), an international group of professional animal welfare organizations working together to help the animals affected by this tragedy. Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=9822 WEF Emergency Aid Drive for HaitiJanuary 14, 2010 – In response to the horrific damage caused by the recent earthquake in Haiti, Equestrian Sport Productions has created a drop-off site for emergency aid donations. The Step by Step Foundation, a non-for-profit organization that provides funding and supplies to Haiti, will be working with ESP and the Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Program to secure both monetary as well as other donations to send to Haiti. A trailer will be located at the Exhibitor entrance guard house and available to accept the much needed relief donations. The most necessary item at this point is bottled water. In addition clothing, non-perishables, and personal hygiene items are welcome. Persons wanting to make a monetary donation may do so through the relief fund established by The Step by Step Foundation, at www.stepbystepfoundation.com, specifically at http://shop.stepbystepfoundation.com/product.sc. Thank you, Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC TROPICAL STORM DANNY ADVISORY NUMBER 5BULLETIN TROPICAL STORM DANNY ADVISORY NUMBER 5 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL052009 1100 AM EDT THU AUG 27 2009 …CENTER OF DANNY WOBBLES WESTWARD… INTERESTS FROM THE CAROLINAS NORTHWARD TO NEW ENGLAND SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF DANNY. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MAY BE REQUIRED FOR PORTIONS OF THIS AREA LATER TODAY.
AT 1100 AM EDT…1500 UTC…THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM DANNY WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 27.5 NORTH…LONGITUDE 73.1 WEST OR ABOUT 320 MILES…510 KM…NORTHEAST OF NASSAU AND ABOUT 550 MILES… 885 KM…SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA. DANNY IS MOVING SOMEWHAT ERRATICALLY TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 13 MPH…20 KM/HR. THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY…WITH A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH AND AN INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED FORECAST ON FRIDAY.
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 205 MILES…335 KM FROM THE CENTER. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1006 MB…29.71 INCHES. …SUMMARY OF 1100 AM EDT INFORMATION… LOCATION…27.5N 73.1W MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…60 MPH PRESENT MOVEMENT…NORTHWEST OR 310 DEGREES AT 13 MPH MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…1006 MB THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 500 PM EDT. This information is provided as a public service from the National Hurricane Center HURRICANE BILL INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 25ANWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL032009 200 PM AST FRI AUG 21 2009
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN EFFECT FOR BERMUDA. INTERESTS ALONG THE COAST OF NEW ENGLAND AND IN THE CANADIAN MARITIMES SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF BILL. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA IN THE UNITED STATES PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES…PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE. AT 200 PM AST…1800 UTC…THE CENTER OF HURRICANE BILL WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 28.5 NORTH…LONGITUDE 66.8 WEST OR ABOUT 290 MILES… 465 KM…SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF BERMUDA AND ABOUT 695 MILES…1115 KM…SOUTHEAST OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA. BILL IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 18 MPH…30 KM/HR. A GRADUAL TURN TO THE NORTH-NORTHWEST AND THEN NORTH IS EXPECTED LATER TODAY AND SATURDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK…THE CORE OF HURRICANE BILL IS EXPECTED TO PASS OVER THE OPEN WATERS BETWEEN BERMUDA AND THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES ON SATURDAY. DATA FROM AN AIR FORCE PLANE CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING BILL SUGGEST THAT THE MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 110 MPH…175 KM/HR…WITH HIGHER GUSTS. BILL IS NOW A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY ARE LIKELY TODAY AND SATURDAY. BILL REMAINS A LARGE TROPICAL CYCLONE. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 115 MILES…185 KM…FROM THE CENTER…AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 290 MILES…465 KM. RADAR FROM BERMUDA SHOWS MORE RAINBANDS APPROACHING THE ISLAND. THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE RECENTLY REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT IS 957 MB…28.26 INCHES. BILL IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES OVER BERMUDA…WITH MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 5 INCHES. THE BERMUDA WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST THAT THE STORM TIDE WILL RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS MUCH AS 3 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL ALONG THE COAST…ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES…IN ADVANCE OF BILL. LARGE SWELLS GENERATED BY THIS HURRICANE ARE AFFECTING PUERTO RICO…HISPANIOLA…THE BAHAMAS…AND BERMUDA…AND SHOULD BEGIN AFFECTING MOST OF THE U.S. EAST COAST AND THE ATLANTIC MARITIMES OF CANADA DURING THE NEXT DAY OR TWO. THESE SWELLS WILL LIKELY CAUSE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SURF AND LIFE-THREATENING RIP CURRENTS. …SUMMARY OF 200 PM AST INFORMATION… LOCATION…28.5N 66.8W MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…110 MPH PRESENT MOVEMENT…NORTHWEST OR 325 DEGREES AT 18 MPH MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…957 MB THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 500 PM AST. $$ FORECASTER AVILA Atlantic Weather Advisory – 3 Tropical StormsIt looks like we have 3 storms that have formed over the weekend and heading our way. Where the heck did the Tropical Depression (becoming a Tropical Storm) come from in the Gulf ovenight? I am on the National Hurricane/Weather Advisory email list so I get these notices in. I have been monitoring TS Ana for a few days to see which direction she is heading. Now we have TS Bill and TD 4. TS Ana looks like it is heading towards the Atlantic East coast and TS Bill is heading towards the Atlantic/Gulf West coast. But, now we have a TD right off the Gulf coast. So, it looks like Florida will be surrounded by some bad weather or if the storms head to the East and West, it could suck the bad weather into them. Below is a map of the Atlantic basin active storms. And, just as an FYI, there’s a Hurricane Guillermo formed in the lower Atlantic, so I will track that storm to see if it comes our way. We have been lucky these past few ‘hurricane’ months, but now I guess it’s our turn to deal with the storms; although we sure have had our share of the rainfall, at least in our area, which is normally high and dryish.  Atlantic Basin Storm Overview
Be sure to subscribe to my blog posts via my Feedburner account so you will get new posts. They will come to you in a digest format like a newsletter. This way you don’t have to wait for me to send out a newsletter! For timely information and so you can track these storms yourself, go to the National Hurricane Center at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ or http://hurricanes.gov/ TROPICAL DEPRESSION FOUR ADVISORY NUMBER 2 – JUST BECAME TS CLAUDETTE Tropical Depression 4 - 5 day Tracking Cone (click on image for larger picture) TROPICAL DEPRESSION FOUR ADVISORY NUMBER 2 – UPDATE! IT JUST BECAUE TS CLAUDETTE! NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL042009 1100 AM EDT SUN AUG 16 2009 …DEPRESSION APPROACHING TROPICAL STORM STRENGTH…AIRCRAFT RECONNAISSANCE WILL INVESTIGATE SOON… A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA BORDER EASTWARD TO THE SUWANNEE RIVER FLORIDA. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 24 HOURS. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA IN THE UNITED STATES…INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS…PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES…PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE. AT 1100 AM EDT…1500 UTC…THE CENTER OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION FOUR WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 28.7 NORTH…LONGITUDE 84.6 WEST OR ABOUT 75 MILES…120 KM…SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF APALACHICOLA FLORIDA AND ABOUT 200 MILES…320 KM…SOUTHEAST OF PENSACOLA FLORIDA. THE DEPRESSION IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 14 MPH… 24 KM/HR. THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY…AND ON THE FORECAST TRACK THE CENTER WILL BE NEAR THE NORTHERN GULF COAST OF FLORIDA BY THIS EVENING. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 35 MPH…55 KM/HR…WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED…AND THE DEPRESSION IS FORECAST TO BECOME A TROPICAL STORM PRIOR TO REACHING THE COASTLINE. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1011 MB…29.85 INCHES. RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES…WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 10 INCHES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE…THE BIG BEND REGION OF FLORIDA…SOUTHERN ALABAMA…AND SOUTHWESTERN GEORGIA NEAR THE PATH OF THE CENTER.  Tropical Depression 4 - click on image for larger view STORM TIDE IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE MAXIMUM WATER LEVELS OF 3 TO 5 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL ALONG PORTIONS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE… INCLUDING THE BIG BEND. …SUMMARY OF 1100 AM EDT INFORMATION… LOCATION…28.7N 84.6W MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…35 MPH PRESENT MOVEMENT…NORTHWEST OR 320 DEGREES AT 14 MPH MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…1011 MB AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 200 PM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 500 PM EDT. FORECASTER BRENNAN/ROBERTS —————————————————————— This information is provided as a public service from the National Hurricane Center PLEASE NOTE: Timely delivery of this post is NOT GUARANTEED. TROPICAL STORM ANA ADVISORY NUMBER 18
 Tropical Storm Ana 5 day Tracking Cone TROPICAL STORM ANA ADVISORY NUMBER 18 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL022009 1100 AM AST SUN AUG 16 2009 …ANA CONTINUES WESTWARD…AIRCRAFT RECONNAISSANCE TO INVESTIGATE THIS AFTERNOON… AT 11 AM AST…1500 UTC…A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR DOMINICA. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA…GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PUERTO RICO…THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS…THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS…MONTSERRAT… ANTIGUA…BARBUDA…ST. KITTS…NEVIS…ANGUILLA…ST. MAARTEN…SABA…AND ST. EUSTATIUS. INTERESTS ELSEWHERE IN THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND THE NORTHEASTERN CARIBBEAN SEA SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF ANA. ADDITIONAL WATCHES AND WARNINGS MAY BE REQUIRED FOR PORTIONS OF THESE AREAS LATER TODAY. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA IN THE UNITED STATES…INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS…PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES…PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE. AT 1100 AM AST…1500 UTC…THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ANA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 14.8 NORTH…LONGITUDE 55.8 WEST OR ABOUT 430 MILES…690 KM…EAST-SOUTHEAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS. ANA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 23 MPH…37 KM/HR. IS EXPECTED WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS AND ON THIS TRACK ANA SHOULD REACH THE LEEWARD ISLANDS BY EARLY MONDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 40 MPH…65 KM/HR…WITH HIGHER GUSTS. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 50 MILES…85 KM FROM THE CENTER. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1005 MB…29.68 INCHES. ANA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES OVER THE LEEWARD ISLANDS…INCLUDING PUERTO RICO…AND THE U.S. AND BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS…WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 6 INCHES OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. …SUMMARY OF 1100 AM AST INFORMATION… LOCATION…14.8N 55.8W MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…40 MPH PRESENT MOVEMENT…WEST OR 275 DEGREES AT 23 MPH MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…1005 MB AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 200 PM AST FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 500 PM AST. FORECASTER BRENNAN/ROBERTS This information is provided as a public service from the National Hurricane Center PLEASE NOTE: Timely delivery of this post is NOT GUARANTEED. TROPICAL STORM BILL ADVISORY NUMBER 5 Tropical Storm Bill 5 day Tracking Cone as of 8/16/09 (click for larger image) TROPICAL STORM BILL ADVISORY NUMBER 5 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL032009 1100 AM AST SUN AUG 16 2009 …BILL STRENGTHENING OVER THE CENTRAL TROPICAL ATLANTIC OCEAN… AT 1100 AM AST…1500 UTC…THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM BILL WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 12.1 NORTH…LONGITUDE 38.4 WEST OR ABOUT 1555 MILES…2500 KM…EAST OF THE LESSER ANTILLES. BILL IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 16 MPH…26 KM/HR… AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 60 MPH…95 KM/HR…WITH HIGHER GUSTS. STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS AND BILL COULD BECOME A HURRICANE ON MONDAY. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 140 MILES…220 KM FROM THE CENTER. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 997 MB…29.44 INCHES. …SUMMARY OF 1100 AM AST INFORMATION… LOCATION…12.1N 38.4W MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…60 MPH PRESENT MOVEMENT…WEST-NORTHWEST OR 285 DEGREES AT 16 MPH MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…997 MB THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 500 PM AST. FORECASTER BERG —————————————————————— This information is provided as a public service from the National Hurricane Center PLEASE NOTE: Timely delivery of this post is NOT GUARANTEED. A Horse Blog – Request to Florida VeterinariansBy Dr. Thomas Holt, State Veterinarian/Director The Florida Veterinary Medical Association, The College of Veterinary Medicine, and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services are working together to establish a volunteer corps of veterinarians and veterinary technicians who will support response measures in the event of an emergency involving animals and animal health. Florida is continually threatened by natural disasters such as hurricanes and forest fires, by the introduction of foreign emerging animal diseases, and by potential acts of bioterrorism. These threats all affect animal health, public health and safety, and our state and national economies. In the aftermath of any emergency, veterinarians and veterinary technicians may be needed to assist local, state, and national response teams in meeting the needs of our animals and people. These professionals would be a part of our State Agriculture Response Team (SART), serving under Emergency Support Function (ESF) 17 and our State Emergency Response Team. Veterinary staff may serve in assessing veterinary response capabilities and provide for emergency animal treatment in the aftermath of a natural disaster or may serve in support of disease surveillance and control efforts in combating devastating diseases affecting Florida’s animals. Although this program is unable to provide salary or benefits to its volunteers, volunteers working in an official capacity would be covered under state liability and workers’ compensation programs. Florida has a very strong veterinary community and this program is intended to provide greater resources to build our animal emergency response capacity. Please consider joining the Florida Veterinary Medical Association, the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine, and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in support of this program. Links to our brochure and a printable application are provided for your convenience. We hope that you will give serious consideration to volunteering for this program. Please print the application and after competition mail to: Joe Kight, ECO-ESF-17, Room 333, Mayo Building, Division of Animal Industry, 407 South Calhoun Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0800. |
