Friday, March 30, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Storm Chaser
At first glance, it’s a little rough around the edges – literally. But there is something charming about the 14,000-pound tank as it sits along the downtown street in Harrisburg, PA.
Children clamor up the sides like it’s a jungle gym. “Can we get in,” one yells. Designer, film maker, and storm chaser Sean Casey smiles, a twinkle in his eye says yes, but an employee from the science center steps up and says “sorry, not unless you’re over eight (years old).”
The little boy’s smile deflates like a popped balloon, but his older brother says “I’m eleven!” The science center employee hands a parent a legal consent form to complete.
Recently made famous as a central figure in Discovery Channel’s now-cancelled show “Storm Chasers”, film maker and storm chaser Sean Casey is in Harrisburg promoting his IMAX movie, “Tornado Alley 3D”. He brought along his custom made Tornado Intercept Vehicle – or TIV. Being the second incarnation, it’s affectionately called TIV 2.
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| Photo by: Caroline Anschutz |
TIV 2 is built on the chassis of a Dodge Ram 3500. The vehicle sports two-inch thick armor plating and bullet proof glass. Four “skirts” on each side drop down to block tornadic winds from getting under the vehicle and rolling it over. In fact, they allow the air to push over the roof of the vehicle creating extra down force. If the air-blocking skirts aren’t enough, two hydraulic spikes on each side of TIV 2 can extend up to 40 inches into the ground, anchoring TIV 2 in place.
After speaking about the spikes, Casey cracks a boyish grin and reaches into the back of TIV 2 and produces an elongated box. “My next set of spikes,” he says.
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| Photo by: Caroline Anschutz |
TIV 2 runs on a 6.7-liter, 625-horsepower Cummins turbo diesel engine and Casey and Cummins just entered into a partnership to upgrade the TIV and launch a new media venture. While details of the partnership haven’t been released, Casey did acknowledge he is working with the diesel manufacturer on much-needed upgrades.
I was lucky enough to ride in TIV 2 with Casey at the wheel. It's remarkably quiet, considering its construction and the shotgun seat is pretty comfortable.
With more than 100,000 miles on it, TIV 2 is showing some wear. “We average about 30,000 miles a season,” Casey remarked. “A (storm chasing) season runs about eight to ten weeks.”
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| Photo by: Caroline Anschutz |
When asked about a sequel, Casey says they’ll be out filming again later in the year. They just procured funding from the National Science Foundation. “It’s going to be a good year,” Casey remarked. “The moisture is there and the jet steam (is supportive).”
Casey added, “I’ve got the (storm chasing) bug.”
By Guest Blogger Jon Anschutz is a 9-1-1 dispatcher with DPS as well as the Emergency Management Coordinator for Monroe Township. Jon also guest blogs on weather for www.agweb.com!
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Angry Sky
May 26, 2011 – 7:10 PM
Central Cumberland County is in chaos. A severe thunderstorm is plowing across the county. Several minutes ago, it struck the Carlisle area, leaving behind a large damage path of toppled trees, downed power lines, and localized flash flooding.
As the storm moves to the east-northeast, a small tornado touches down somewhere in the vicinity of Route 114 and Willow Mill Park in Silver Spring Township. The tornado remains on the ground for the next four minutes, tearing down more than 100 trees and destroying an outbuilding before dissipating somewhere in the area of Sears Run and Wertzville RD in Hampden Township. No lives are lost or injuries reported. The thunderstorm continues across Cumberland County leaving more wind damage behind. Despite the damage, the county dodged a bullet.
Late May's tornadoes are nothing new to Pennsylvania. Two large outbreaks occurred on May 31st in previous years, one in 1998 and a larger, more deadly one nearly three decades ago in 1985.
My family was affected by the 1985 tornado outbreak. This is my family's story of that day and is one of thousands of stories from those who experienced nature's wrath.
As most Pennsylvania's slept during the early morning hours of Friday, May 31, 1985, a warm front surged north across the Commonwealth. Warm, moist air streamed in behind it. By the afternoon, many weather recording stations were reporting temperatures well into the 80's.
Sometime during the sunny morning, my family piled into our Ford station wagon for a day trip to Kinzua Dam state park, near the Pennsylvania/New York border. While we were there, we did the typical activities you would associate with a visit to a state park: hiking, sight seeing, and picnicking. I remember the heat that day – it was stifling.
My next memory from that day was the point where we decided to leave – the point where Mother Nature was beginning to throw out hints at what was in store.
By mid-afternoon, a strong cold front was plowing east from the Midwest. Tornadoes were already developing across the Canadian Provence of Ontario. Five tornadoes ranging in intensity from F3 to F4 ripped across Ontario that day. The first thunderstorms began to form over Ohio by 4PM and weather officials in the Northeast knew a major tornado outbreak was becoming nearly inevitable.
An Angry Sky
My father tells me I called it “an angry sky” and as I remember that day, I suppose that is an accurate statement – at least coming from a five-year-old boy. I certainly didn't know what I was looking at, but it must have unsettled me.
I can remember the clouds. They appeared so low you could reach up and grab them. As the clouds thickened, the color of the sky changed from a dreary gray to a yellowish-green hue. The clouds swirled and rolled and the breeze was warm; so warm it took your breath away. I remember the air felt heavy, adding to the unsettling environment that was quickly enveloping us.
This was the first clue the bad weather was coming, although I'm told there was no indication that tornadoes were a possibility. It was probably just an afternoon thunderstorm, common across Pennsylvania on hot and hazy days. We elected to cut our day short and return home. A couple of hours after we left, a large F4 tornado would tear across the Allegheny National Forest, 4 miles south of the dam. The tornado eventually struck the town of Kane, just before sunset at approximately 8:15 PM. Three people were killed.
A Town Wiped from the Map
About 50 miles south of Erie, PA is the small farming community of Atlantic, the place my grandmother called home. Situated at a rural cross roads, the town is bisected by a railroad and surrounded by working farms of various sizes.
At the center of town lies the intersection of the two two roads, one running north-south and the other east-west. From those two main roads, perfectly straight rural roads form a grid, more reminiscent of a Midwestern town than one in Pennsylvania. A large Amish and Mennonite community resides in the area and it isn't uncommon to have more horse-and-buggy combinations traveling up and down the roads than cars.
A large feed mill sits along the east-west road along the railroad. It's tall grain elevator and silos adorned with the Purina red and white checkered flag tower over the village. For a while it was the tallest structure around, until the 300 foot high AT&T transmission tower was built on the eastern outskirts of town.
Like many others across the western half of the state, the residents of Atlantic enjoyed an early taste of summer. Temperatures rose into the mid-80s. By 5:00PM, the National Weather Service office had issued a tornado watch, advising residents of the possibility of tornadoes. Minutes later that danger would become realized.
At 5:20 PM, a tornado was spotted several miles west of Atlantic, just outside the town of Jamestown. At the point of touchdown, the tornado is estimated to have been an F2 – with winds topping out at 157 MPH. Atlantic had only moments to prepare. At the same time the tornado was spotted, meteorologists in Erie, PA spotted the “hook echo” signature on radar – at that time it was the only way meteorologists had of remotely spotting tornadoes. A “hook echo” shows rain and debris swirling around the tornado's center of circulation, giving it the appearance of a fish hook on radar. A tornado warning was broadcast, but many homes did not have the necessary weather radios to receive such a warning. Televisions would be the only other way to receive warnings – until the storm cut the power.
Minutes prior to the tornado, Atlantic residents recalled hail the size of golf balls falling around them. Then the tornado appeared. To the west of Atlantic was a long ridge that ran from north to south. Residents looking to the west likely never saw the tornado coming until it topped the ridge. At that point, only seconds remained to react.
By the time to twister crested the ridge, it swelled to an F4 with estimated wind speeds up to 260 MPH. Some residents were lucky enough to get to shelter, others were not. In one home alone, five people were killed. Others died in a mobile home park, unable to get to adequate shelter. The tornado was over in minutes, as it exited the town it toppled the red and white striped 300 foot communications tower which was built to withstand 200 MPH winds.
My grandmother lived across the street from the feed mill. Just down the hill from the railroad crossing. Fortunately, she was not home at the time; rather, since it was the last day of school, she was attending a graduation party a few miles from town.
I don't remember how we found out about the Atlantic tornado. But I remember my mother was talking on the phone and crying. Such a memory sticks with a five-year old.
My mother left immediately for Atlantic. She was not allowed in and resorted to leaving the car and walking to the property where she grew up. I never saw the house after the tornado, we kids weren't taken to Atlantic until my grandmother received her new double-wide home. I'm told the tornado didn't directly hit her house, but it managed to throw a tree through the middle of it. The house crashed down around the tree. I'm also told my the tree didn't come from my grandmother's property.
Several months later, my grandmother was contacted by a family in New York state. They found some of her canceled checks in the woods behind their house.
There were 23 confirmed tornadoes that touched down across Eastern Ohio, Southwestern NY, and Western and Central PA. Of the 23 tornadoes, 21 struck Pennsylvania. 9 of the 21 tornadoes were fatal and 8 were classified as violent, ranking F4 or F5 on the Fujita scale.
In Pennsylvania, 65 people were killed and more than $300 million in damage occurred. On tornado, which struck Wheatland, PA was classified at the top of the scale - F5 and is still believed to be the strongest tornado ever to strike the state.
The May 31, 1985 tornado outbreak remains the worst recorded in the history of the state.
Growing up, I studied tornadoes and weather as much as I could, reading books and watching documentaries. I applied to and was accepted by the University of Oklahoma to become a severe storms forecaster. However, in the end, I opted to stay in Pennsylvania. Instead, I eventually chose to develop a career in Emergency Management – I credit that terrible day for setting me on this path.
We often hear about such calamities in the Midwest – in that zone that stretches from Texas north to Kansas called Tornado Alley. But here is evidence that it can happen here in Pennsylvania and by all accounts, I believe one day it will happen again.
In the 21st century, we're a more storm ready community. The 1985 tornado outbreak helped local weather forecast offices realize the need for better radar and warning systems. Today, you can receive weather alerts on your smart phone and in your email. Weather radios are widely available and often work where cell phones do not. Even advances in radar imagery has increased tornado warning time from a mere handful of minutes to 10-15 minutes, depending on the situation.
It's important to realize that devastating tornadoes can occur anywhere at anytime. We've been relatively lucky in South Central PA. The worst tornado in recent memory, an EF3, struck Campbelltown in 2004. Since then, the tornadoes that have occurred were relatively weak, causing only minor damage.
With this being Severe Weather Awareness Week, we want you to be informed and learn how to prepare for a devastating weather event. Preparation could save the lives of you, your family, and your friends. Be prepared.
By Guest Blogger Jon Anschutz is a 9-1-1 dispatcher with DPS as well as the Emergency Management Coordinator for Monroe Township. Jon also guest blogs on weather for www.agweb.com!
Central Cumberland County is in chaos. A severe thunderstorm is plowing across the county. Several minutes ago, it struck the Carlisle area, leaving behind a large damage path of toppled trees, downed power lines, and localized flash flooding.
As the storm moves to the east-northeast, a small tornado touches down somewhere in the vicinity of Route 114 and Willow Mill Park in Silver Spring Township. The tornado remains on the ground for the next four minutes, tearing down more than 100 trees and destroying an outbuilding before dissipating somewhere in the area of Sears Run and Wertzville RD in Hampden Township. No lives are lost or injuries reported. The thunderstorm continues across Cumberland County leaving more wind damage behind. Despite the damage, the county dodged a bullet.
Late May's tornadoes are nothing new to Pennsylvania. Two large outbreaks occurred on May 31st in previous years, one in 1998 and a larger, more deadly one nearly three decades ago in 1985.
My family was affected by the 1985 tornado outbreak. This is my family's story of that day and is one of thousands of stories from those who experienced nature's wrath.
As most Pennsylvania's slept during the early morning hours of Friday, May 31, 1985, a warm front surged north across the Commonwealth. Warm, moist air streamed in behind it. By the afternoon, many weather recording stations were reporting temperatures well into the 80's.
Sometime during the sunny morning, my family piled into our Ford station wagon for a day trip to Kinzua Dam state park, near the Pennsylvania/New York border. While we were there, we did the typical activities you would associate with a visit to a state park: hiking, sight seeing, and picnicking. I remember the heat that day – it was stifling.
My next memory from that day was the point where we decided to leave – the point where Mother Nature was beginning to throw out hints at what was in store.
By mid-afternoon, a strong cold front was plowing east from the Midwest. Tornadoes were already developing across the Canadian Provence of Ontario. Five tornadoes ranging in intensity from F3 to F4 ripped across Ontario that day. The first thunderstorms began to form over Ohio by 4PM and weather officials in the Northeast knew a major tornado outbreak was becoming nearly inevitable.
An Angry Sky
My father tells me I called it “an angry sky” and as I remember that day, I suppose that is an accurate statement – at least coming from a five-year-old boy. I certainly didn't know what I was looking at, but it must have unsettled me.
I can remember the clouds. They appeared so low you could reach up and grab them. As the clouds thickened, the color of the sky changed from a dreary gray to a yellowish-green hue. The clouds swirled and rolled and the breeze was warm; so warm it took your breath away. I remember the air felt heavy, adding to the unsettling environment that was quickly enveloping us.
This was the first clue the bad weather was coming, although I'm told there was no indication that tornadoes were a possibility. It was probably just an afternoon thunderstorm, common across Pennsylvania on hot and hazy days. We elected to cut our day short and return home. A couple of hours after we left, a large F4 tornado would tear across the Allegheny National Forest, 4 miles south of the dam. The tornado eventually struck the town of Kane, just before sunset at approximately 8:15 PM. Three people were killed.
A Town Wiped from the Map
About 50 miles south of Erie, PA is the small farming community of Atlantic, the place my grandmother called home. Situated at a rural cross roads, the town is bisected by a railroad and surrounded by working farms of various sizes.
At the center of town lies the intersection of the two two roads, one running north-south and the other east-west. From those two main roads, perfectly straight rural roads form a grid, more reminiscent of a Midwestern town than one in Pennsylvania. A large Amish and Mennonite community resides in the area and it isn't uncommon to have more horse-and-buggy combinations traveling up and down the roads than cars.
A large feed mill sits along the east-west road along the railroad. It's tall grain elevator and silos adorned with the Purina red and white checkered flag tower over the village. For a while it was the tallest structure around, until the 300 foot high AT&T transmission tower was built on the eastern outskirts of town.
Like many others across the western half of the state, the residents of Atlantic enjoyed an early taste of summer. Temperatures rose into the mid-80s. By 5:00PM, the National Weather Service office had issued a tornado watch, advising residents of the possibility of tornadoes. Minutes later that danger would become realized.
At 5:20 PM, a tornado was spotted several miles west of Atlantic, just outside the town of Jamestown. At the point of touchdown, the tornado is estimated to have been an F2 – with winds topping out at 157 MPH. Atlantic had only moments to prepare. At the same time the tornado was spotted, meteorologists in Erie, PA spotted the “hook echo” signature on radar – at that time it was the only way meteorologists had of remotely spotting tornadoes. A “hook echo” shows rain and debris swirling around the tornado's center of circulation, giving it the appearance of a fish hook on radar. A tornado warning was broadcast, but many homes did not have the necessary weather radios to receive such a warning. Televisions would be the only other way to receive warnings – until the storm cut the power.
Minutes prior to the tornado, Atlantic residents recalled hail the size of golf balls falling around them. Then the tornado appeared. To the west of Atlantic was a long ridge that ran from north to south. Residents looking to the west likely never saw the tornado coming until it topped the ridge. At that point, only seconds remained to react.
By the time to twister crested the ridge, it swelled to an F4 with estimated wind speeds up to 260 MPH. Some residents were lucky enough to get to shelter, others were not. In one home alone, five people were killed. Others died in a mobile home park, unable to get to adequate shelter. The tornado was over in minutes, as it exited the town it toppled the red and white striped 300 foot communications tower which was built to withstand 200 MPH winds.
My grandmother lived across the street from the feed mill. Just down the hill from the railroad crossing. Fortunately, she was not home at the time; rather, since it was the last day of school, she was attending a graduation party a few miles from town.
I don't remember how we found out about the Atlantic tornado. But I remember my mother was talking on the phone and crying. Such a memory sticks with a five-year old.
My mother left immediately for Atlantic. She was not allowed in and resorted to leaving the car and walking to the property where she grew up. I never saw the house after the tornado, we kids weren't taken to Atlantic until my grandmother received her new double-wide home. I'm told the tornado didn't directly hit her house, but it managed to throw a tree through the middle of it. The house crashed down around the tree. I'm also told my the tree didn't come from my grandmother's property.
Several months later, my grandmother was contacted by a family in New York state. They found some of her canceled checks in the woods behind their house.
There were 23 confirmed tornadoes that touched down across Eastern Ohio, Southwestern NY, and Western and Central PA. Of the 23 tornadoes, 21 struck Pennsylvania. 9 of the 21 tornadoes were fatal and 8 were classified as violent, ranking F4 or F5 on the Fujita scale.
In Pennsylvania, 65 people were killed and more than $300 million in damage occurred. On tornado, which struck Wheatland, PA was classified at the top of the scale - F5 and is still believed to be the strongest tornado ever to strike the state.
The May 31, 1985 tornado outbreak remains the worst recorded in the history of the state.
Growing up, I studied tornadoes and weather as much as I could, reading books and watching documentaries. I applied to and was accepted by the University of Oklahoma to become a severe storms forecaster. However, in the end, I opted to stay in Pennsylvania. Instead, I eventually chose to develop a career in Emergency Management – I credit that terrible day for setting me on this path.
We often hear about such calamities in the Midwest – in that zone that stretches from Texas north to Kansas called Tornado Alley. But here is evidence that it can happen here in Pennsylvania and by all accounts, I believe one day it will happen again.
In the 21st century, we're a more storm ready community. The 1985 tornado outbreak helped local weather forecast offices realize the need for better radar and warning systems. Today, you can receive weather alerts on your smart phone and in your email. Weather radios are widely available and often work where cell phones do not. Even advances in radar imagery has increased tornado warning time from a mere handful of minutes to 10-15 minutes, depending on the situation.
It's important to realize that devastating tornadoes can occur anywhere at anytime. We've been relatively lucky in South Central PA. The worst tornado in recent memory, an EF3, struck Campbelltown in 2004. Since then, the tornadoes that have occurred were relatively weak, causing only minor damage.
With this being Severe Weather Awareness Week, we want you to be informed and learn how to prepare for a devastating weather event. Preparation could save the lives of you, your family, and your friends. Be prepared.
By Guest Blogger Jon Anschutz is a 9-1-1 dispatcher with DPS as well as the Emergency Management Coordinator for Monroe Township. Jon also guest blogs on weather for www.agweb.com!
Monday, March 26, 2012
Severe Weather Awareness Week- ICE
Today we need you to stop! Collaborate and listen…because we’re talking about ICE! And not everybody’s favorite 90’s rapper! There’s nothing fun about the ice we’re talking about. It’s the kind that makes roads slick, tree limbs break and power outages! More specifically today we are talking about black ice. It’s what happens when a thin glaze of ice freezes on road surfaces. This ice can occur as the result of a brutal winter storm or mild precipitation on an exceptionally cold day! It can cover an entire road surface, or just a small section. Either way it often goes unseen leaving drivers unprepared and in danger! Our guest blogger today is John Sheaffer, 9-1-1 Operations Manager Senior Manager. John has been with DPS for 38 years and has seen a lot during his time! We asked him to share a severe weather experience with us and here it is…
On Thanksgiving Day in 1996 we experienced a minor snow shower event in Cumberland County. Just after lunch, the snow shower occurred and melted upon contact with the ground and roadways. Temperatures were hovering around freezing that day and with the mild nature of the snow shower, PennDOT and other road crews were not out at the time treating the roads. A sudden change in temperature and wet roads became a dangerous combination as black ice formed on roadways all around Cumberland County. Theses icy conditions quickly triggered an influx of 9-1-1 calls to our Communications Center. We had approximately 200 9-1-1 calls in a 2 hour period. This almost equaled the amount for a slow 24 hour period at the time. We had a staff of 8 on duty and we were completely inundated with calls reporting accidents all across the County.
We estimate that we had approximately 50+ automobile accidents of various degrees. This number obviously does not count minor accidents that were not reported to us during this event. Interstate 81 was littered with crashes between Carlisle and Shippensburg. The first call we received was just north of Route 233 for a car in a field. Remarkably, it was called in again approximately 45 minutes after the original call due to the Fire Department stopping at other crashes in the vicinity and never arriving at the scene of this initial crash. At that point, we started taking vehicle descriptions from the callers to help coordinate responses as needed and make sure that units were finding the correct incident. This event was probably one of the busiest in our history.
Don't forget to comment and share your severe weather experiences!
Don't forget to comment and share your severe weather experiences!
It's Severe Weather Awareness Week
It's Severe Weather Awareness Week in Cumberland County and throughout Pennsylvania, so you can guess what we'll be blogging about all week! We were going to spend all week telling you about the severe weather that can happen in Pennsylvania, but instead we are going to take a look at what has happened! Because when it comes to severe weather, lightning can strike the same place twice (yes, we're pun-ny like that!).
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| FEMA/NOAA News Photo |
We have several guest bloggers lined up for the week with some pretty interesting stories to tell you! We hope you will comment through out the week and share your severe weather experiences!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Commissioners Proclaim Severe Weather Awareness Week
March 21, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Megan Silverstrim, Cumberland County
717.218.2913
Cumberland County Commissioners Issue Severe Weather Awareness Proclamation
Cumberland County, Pennsylvania– Cumberland County Board of Commissioners proclaimed March 26th- March 30st Severe Weather Awareness Week in Cumberland County during today’s regular commissioner’s meeting. The program is a coordinated effort between The Cumberland County Department of Public Safety (DPS), The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. National Weather Service.
The purpose of Severe Weather Awareness Week is to remind citizens to prepare for the expected and unexpected severe weather that can occur in Cumberland County. Unexpected weather certainly describes 2011, with historical flooding, fall snow storms and even an earthquake occurring! Forecasters expect 2012 to be just as active when it comes to severe weather, which means no one can afford to let their guard down when it comes to preparing! With this in mind, DPS will be spending the week promoting preparedness at home and at the workplace as well as educating the public on the various types of common and uncommon severe weather that can impact our area!
The culmination of Weather Emergency Preparedness Week is the statewide weather exercise, which will occur on March 29, 2012. For more information on the exercise visit www.pema.state.pa.us or tune into your NOAA weather radios on March 29th!
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Intern Insight- Final Words
It is time for us to say farewell to Chris the Intern! He has been a great resource and we are sad to see him go! We know the future holds great things for Chris and we congratulate on his pending graduation from Central Penn! A new intern will be starting soon and will hopefully have lots to share about their experience with DPS!
My time here at the Cumberland County Department of Public Safety / 9-1-1 Communications Center has come to an end and it has been an amazing ride. Everyone here has been beyond helpful and I have loved every minute of my time here. During my internship, I have completed multiple projects that I was assigned to complete at the beginning of January when I first arrived here. The first project that I worked on that allowed me to really understand what I was going to do here was the Weather Exercise. It allowed me to comprehend the importance of the little things when it comes to emergency management and what goes into making an evacuation plan. Everything from making sure addresses are correct to sending out invitations to the practice exercise at the end of March is vital to a smooth operating plan. The project that took me the longest to complete while I’ve been here was by far the Debris Management Plan. I worked on this plan for a couple of weeks due to the time it took me to gather information for it. Cumberland County Department of Public Safety does not have a Debris Management Plan, so any information that I could come across was vital. I also reached out to each of the 33 municipalities and gathered their information on waste disposal companies and what they planned to do in the event a debris management plan was needed.
During my 180 hours here I’d say that the most important things I have learned would be: 1) Always be organized, 2) The little things DO matter, 3) Connections are vital in this field, and 4) Always be prepared and have a plan for everything. When it comes to emergency management, timing means everything. Knowing who to dispatch and when to dispatch them can be the difference between life and death. The safety and well-being of county citizens is what matters most to the DPS and why they are here. What each one of these individuals go through on a daily basis to ensure the protection of others is beyond amazing. Connections and networking plays a huge role amongst this field due to the fact that you need to know who to call for certain situations and information. Being able to call someone and they already know who you are and what you are talking about and what you could possibly want can make a huge difference and help you get your job done sooner and with more detail. Calling a random individual who has no idea who you are and not sure of answers can really jeopardize what you are doing and be of little or no help to you. When it comes to emergency management, the little things like phone numbers, addresses, practice scenarios and training all add up to help when it counts. Making sure information is 100% accurate and going through the proper training can ensure a successful emergency operations plan.
I cannot thank the Department of Public Safety enough for all that they have done for me. Every person here has been a great help and were willing to share their knowledge with me when I needed it. I hope to be back soon to see the EOC in full effect during the weather exercise in the next few weeks and how my hard work paid off. Also, thank you to all who have read my blog throughout my 8 weeks here. I enjoyed providing an inside view of what the DPS / 911 Center actually does on a daily basis and I hope you all enjoyed reading about what I experience on a daily basis. Writing this blog does not do this place justice. I cannot express just how much I have learned in such a short period of time and what I was able to accomplish.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Wildfire Prevention Week
It’s Wildfire Prevention Week in Pennsylvania, and with 85% of PA wildfires occurring in March, April and May we couldn’t resist talking about it! We won’t steal Smokey Bear’s famous line, but it is true that the actions you take can seriously reduce the risk of these devastating and expensive fires.
Wildfires are a costly disaster in various ways. Wildfires can not only destroy our beautiful forests and habitat for Pennsylvania wildlife, but they can be disruptive to people as well. Businesses or homes may be destroyed or individuals may need to be evacuated from their homes for extended periods of time. Wildfires can shut down major highways, close schools, and contaminate the air we breathe. Wildfires are expensive to battle as well, often requiring large amounts of man power and equipment for extended periods of time. We must also consider the biggest cost during wildfires and that is the loss of life. Not only do these fires place civilians at risk, but wildfires place fire crews into dangerous situations and sadly claim the lives of firefighters each year. As you can see the impact of wildfires can grow as quickly as the fire itself, making prevention of the utmost importance!
Let’s first talk about responsible debris burning! It is not uncommon in our area for people to burn debris in their yards. Though they seem harmless and “controlled” these small fires can turn into major problems if we don’t take a few precautions.
1. Be sure to comply with local burning regulations. These rules are in place for a reason and protect you and your neighbors!
2. Check the weather forecast before starting your fire. Windy days are NOT good for burning as they can cause fire to spread quickly!
3. Chose a safe site to burn. That means avoiding areas close to low lying tree limbs, buildings or cars.
4. Take a few steps to prepare your burn site. Burn in an area surrounded by gravel or dirt (free of dried vegetation). Also wet down the area around your burn site to prevent potential fire spread.
5. Always stay with your fire! Unattended fires often become out of control fires.
6. Only burn materials that you are supposed to burn. Plastic, tires and hazardous waste are not to be burned.
The risk doesn’t stop at debris burning, so there are a few other things to keep in mind! Be responsible when visiting and traveling through forests or wild land areas. Extinguish and dispose of cigarettes properly. Throwing a cigarette out the window in a forest area is NEVER a good idea. Be responsible with campfires and only build them in approved places and be sure to extinguish them properly! Never use any type of fireworks in woodland areas and avoid using flammable liquids as well.
For those living in and around forests and wild land areas there are a few actions you can take to protect your home. First, consider investing in landscaping that consists of fire resistant shrubs and trees. Consider using fire resistant materials in the construction of your home or when replacing roofs, windows or siding. Have a garden hose that can reach all areas around your house so that you can wet down your property in the event a fire is approaching your home. Rake leaves, dead limbs, twigs and all other flammable vegetation and remove from your property. Also remove tree limbs that extend over your roof line and store firewood away from your house.
The final and possibly most important lesson we want you to remember when it comes to wildfires, if you see any signs of a fire report it immediately and move to safer ground. The sooner you report a wildfire, the sooner fire crews can work to get the flames under control!
-Meg Silverstrim
Monday, March 12, 2012
Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring!
Surely as I type this some little fluffy nimbus cloud over Colorado is churning into a giant blizzard with its sights set on Cumberland County, but I am going to type it anyway…we think it is safe to stop talking winter storms and start talking about SPRING and storms that go with it! We all experienced it firsthand last year, so I don’t need to tell you that spring weather can wreak havoc with all that crazy wind, rain and lightning! So with all of this knowledge of the hassle it can bring, you’re prepared for it right? If not, we got you covered with a few spring severe weather preparedness tips!
1. Create an emergency supply kit! If you don’t already have one, get one! Power outages during summer storms are a common and aggravating occurrence! Kits should include flash lights, water, nonperishable food, blankets, battery powered radio, and much more (click here for a full list of recommended supply kit items). It's a good idea to keep the outage reporting number for your utility company with your kit as well! Having these items on hand can make the wait for the power to come back on a little more comfortable and manageable!
2. Take some proactive steps to limit the damage a storm can cause. Clean out clogged gutters so that rain water can drain properly. Consider removing dead rotting trees and branches that may fall over in high winds. Also consider finding a way to secure outdoor items that may blow in the wind such as deck/patio furniture, grills, and decorative items.
3. Purchase and use a NOAA weather radio. This radio can be programed for your location and will alert of impending bad weather! These devices are especially important at night, when you may not be aware of an approaching severe storm.
Severe Weather Preparedness Week is coming up (we know, you can hardly contain your excitement!), and we’ll be blogging more about ways to prepare for those spring and summer severe storms so stay tuned. We hope these tips get you started though! As always, feel free to comment us with your thoughts, questions and tips that have worked for you!
- Meg Silverstrim
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Intern Insight- Week 6 and 7
The last couple of weeks here have been quite busy. The beginning of last week started off with me working in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) the entire day. I had to work on combining all of the debris management information that I had gathered over the last week and begin to put it into one common template that all the other emergency plans follow. These plans make it extremely easy for the EOC and 911 Center to contact who they need to in a timely manner and follow the step by step directions that are provided to ensure cleanup after a disaster is quickly accomplished. It took me a good week and a half to acquire all of the information that I have now; everything from waste disposal companies, to federal regulations on what the county is allowed to dispose of and how to do it properly. Many individuals believe you can just take all of the accumulated debris and haul it off in one dumpster. Unfortunately, by doing that you could be causing much more harm than good and just adding to the problems that you already have.
Starting off my next week I was allowed to attend a meeting with Eric and Connie at the Cumberland County Court House. The meeting involved getting together with a couple of the Information Technology guys and going over the new NARM (Notification and Resource Manual) version. Connie and Eric developed the idea of the NARM. It is an amazing database that allows any of the employees to search vendors, facilities, and other employees so they can easily get in contact and with them and have the information they need when working on other projects and plans. As I mention time and time again, timing is everything when it comes to Emergency Management. This new version of the database just has a few changes from the old one and allows for a much more organized search process. The rest of the week I will be working on my emergency debris management plan and I hope to have it finished within a couple days. My time here at the Cumberland County Department of Public Safety is beginning to come to an end and I want to make sure that I demonstrate everything that I have learned into this plan before these last 2 weeks.
Learn more about the Intern Insight here!
Learn more about the Intern Insight here!
StormReady
March 8, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Megan Silverstrim, Cumberland County
717.218.2913
Cumberland County Receives StormReady Designation
Cumberland County, Pennsylvania– The Cumberland County Department of Public Safety recently received notification that the National Weather Service (NWS) has renewed their StormReady designation. Cumberland County has proudly held this preparedness designation since March of 2001.
Communities that seek StormReady designation must meet criteria in six different areas, including communications, ability to receive NWS information, ability to monitor local weather, local warning systems, community preparedness and administration/planning. The goal of this program is to ensure that communities across the nation have the tools to save lives and property in the event of severe weather.
Over 1,700 communities across the nation have worked to achieve the StormReady designation. For more information on this program and storm preparedness in Cumberland County visit the “Weather” section at www.ccpa.net/publicsafety.
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Tuesday, March 6, 2012
March 5, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Megan Silverstrim, Cumberland County
Cumberland County Commissioners Recognize Penn State Dickinson Law School
Cumberland County, Pennsylvania– The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners recognized the Penn State Dickinson Law School (DLS) today during their regular meeting. Commissioners presented Kate Lawrence, director of public interest programming and Eunice Yang, a graduate of Dickinson law student with a certificate of appreciation for their efforts with the Cumberland County Wills for Heroes Program.
The Cumberland County Wills for Heroes Program is a coordinated effort between DLS and the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Bar Association. The vast majority of first responders do not have wills in place to protect their families. Wills for Heroes, which is a nationwide initiative, provides first responders and their spouses with wills. These wills are free of charge thanks to area attorneys that volunteer their time and services.
This program began in Cumberland County in the fall of 2010. To date over 150 wills have been provided. DSL and DPS offer this program annually for all area first responders in the area and their spouses.
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| Left to Right- Commissioner Eichelberger, DLS Graduate Eunice Yang, Kate Lawrence- DLS, Commissioner Cross, Megan Silverstrim-DPS, John Quirk-DPS |
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