DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, CLEAN-UP OPERATIONS CONTINUE TODAY
Harrisburg, PA – Mayor Stephen R. Reed this morning said clean-up and clearance operations are continuing today without interruption, with priorities of clearing streets and restoring electrical power.
A citywide damage assessment during the morning hours showed extensive damage from last night’s fierce storm, which blew into the area just after 6:00 p.m.
Reed said it is likely it will take until late Friday just to get highways, streets and alleys open to normal traffic flow. Crews are also working to remove downed trees and utility poles that struck buildings and cars.
When downed trees are cut-up they will be placed at curbside for pick-up later so that crews can move on to the next blocked street or damaged site.
The current estimate is that it will take three to four weeks for all the downed trees to be cut, stacked and hauled away.
“The city is not required under any law to attend to downed trees because, except for those on city-owned property, they are privately owned. But we provide this service in an emergency as a special service. Citizens will have to be patient. The crews are working as fast as is safely possible and will eventually get to every site, but the extent of the damage and debris at some sites makes this very time-consuming,” Reed said.
The city does not remove downed trees and debris from the side and rear yards of property. That remains the owner’s responsibility.
- Traffic signals are still out at numerous intersections, causing extensive use of extra duty police officers, flares and portable stop signs;
- Various streets remain blocked by downed trees and live electrical lines; over 250 trees along streets were knocked down by the storm’s high winds;
- Telephone, cable television and electrical services are being restored in many areas by the various utility companies providing these services;
- 26 businesses holding health licenses because they sell food were without power into Thursday morning; they cannot sell certain perishable items and cannot resume normal business operations until inspected by the City Health Office; a team of four inspectors fan out today for this work;
- City Fire Station No. 2 at 140 N. 17th Street sustained considerable interior damage from flooding – something that has never occurred at the site since it first opened in the 1970’s; losses include most of the Station’s furniture; the station lost electrical power but its back-up generators kept it operational the entire time;
- The city’s Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant, which serves seven munici- palities, lost electrical power but stayed in full operation through its back-up electrical system;
- Flooding covered a considerable number of streets and intersections; one car’s occupants had to be rescued by city firefighters at 19th and Derry Streets because the water was so high and victims could not exit the vehicle;
- Many building basements flooded as well, causing damage and loss to utility and other systems;
- The City Fire Bureau responded to 48 storm related calls, including multiple fires; the most serious was a general alarm fire at 2337-2339 Logan Street, where a falling tree knocked a utility pole with live electrical lines into the house; extensive damage occurred;
- The Paxton Creek Flood Warning System automatically activated when the creek neared flood level, causing hundreds of property owners to be notified to move perishable items from harm’s way;
- A State of Disaster Emergency was declared at 7:04 p.m. Wednesday by the Mayor and shall remain in
effect until all streets are open to regular traffic flow;
- A curfew that took effect at 10:00 p.m. last night and continued until sunrise today was targeted only to those areas where electrical power remained out; it required that persons who do not live in the affected areas and youth under the age of 18 not accompanied by a parent or guardian be off the street; the curfew was precipitated by several persons who, after the storm, used it as an opportunity to steal things—thinking police were too busy;
- Reed advised that under Section 3903 of the Pennsylvania Crimes Codes, persons who commit theft, retail theft, receive stolen property or commit an unauthorized use of a car or other vehicle during a declared emergency get charged with a 2nd degree felony rather than the usual lesser charge; at least one suspect was charged last night; further, any person charged with any other type of crime will have marked on their citation or arrest warrant that the crime was committed during a declared emergency, which triggers the prospect of the maximum fine and or imprisonment;
- Multiple vehicle accidents occurred during and after the storm;
- Numerous cars parked along streets or being driven on highways became flooded as heavy rains over-ran streets, curbs and sidewalks;
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