Archive for March 8th, 2010
Federal pay exceeds private
(USA): Federal employees earn higher average salaries than private-sector workers in more than eight out of 10 occupations, a USA TODAY analysis of federal data finds. Accountants, nurses, chemists, surveyors, cooks, clerks and janitors are among the wide range of jobs that get paid more on average in the federal government than in the private sector. Overall, federal workers earned an average salary of $67,691 in 2008 for occupations that exist both in government and the private sector, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The average pay for the same mix of jobs in the private sector was $60,046 in 2008, the most recent data available.
Fire causes airport evacuation
(CNS): A small blaze at Owen Roberts International Airport on Grand Cayman led to the evacuation of the entire terminal shortly before 3:00 Sunday afternoon, 7 March, for approximately one hour after smoke was detected by airport security, the Cayman Islands Airports Authority (CIAA) has confirmed. The CIAA says that although the exact location of the fire was not immediately known, passengers and airport personnel were requested to evacuate the terminal.
Air Traffic Services immediately informed the Cayman Islands Fire Service, who responded to the scene within one minute. Within a short time fire officers located the small electrical fire, which was in a non-passenger area, in an enclosed wooden section of the A-Frame breezeway on the second floor. Once the electrical power was isolated by airport electricians in the presence of CUC personnel, the small blaze which was contained within the wooden structure was quickly extinguished. The cause of the fire is being investigated.
Airport operations were resumed at approximately 4:00 pm and the estimated 500 passengers who were evacuated were allowed to return to the terminal to complete the check-in process or to be re-screened before returning to the Departure Hall. Approximately three international flights were affected and scheduled departures were delayed between 15-30 minutes.
The CIAA says it regrets the inconvenience to passengers and other airport users and thanks the Cayman Islands Fire Service and CUC personnel for their prompt response and assistance at the terminal.