NEWS INFORMATION FROM

THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED
City of Harrisburg
King City Government Center
Harrisburg, PA 17101-1678
Telephone: 717.255.3040

FOR IMMEDIATE USE
17 September 2003

STORM PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY IN CITY; CITY SERVICES AND EVENTS UNDERGO POSTPONEMENTS

Harrisburg, PA—Mayor Stephen R. Reed tonight reported on a variety of storm preparation efforts underway in Harrisburg in anticipation of Hurricane Isabel’s winds and rains. City trash collection services for both commercial and residential customers will be suspended for one day, on Friday, and the city’s popular Fishing Derby is being pushed back to the following weekend of Sept. 26, 27 and 28.

The Mayor said the storm, which is currently a strong category 2 hurricane, is expected to make landfall in North Carolina on Thursday afternoon, with winds and rainfall expected in the midstate from Thursday night through Friday morning. Two to four inches of rainfall and sustained winds of 25 to 35 miles per hour is expected, with gusting to 45 mph possible. “We want to make it clear that these are not crisis conditions, but a few precautions are appropriate,” Reed said.

The storm is expected to move north above the Laurel Highlands in western Pennsylvania on Thursday night into Friday morning, and will clear the United States by Friday afternoon. The storm’s current track, which is subject to change, potentially means less rainfall in the Susquehanna River basin to the city’s north, thus reducing any real threat of serious flooding in the midstate next week. Some short-lived flash floods are likely to occur in the city and region during Isabel’s impact tomorrow night and into Friday morning.

The Mayor said the threat of winds is forcing the temporary suspension of city trash collection services for both residential and commercial customers. Sanitation crews will cease collection activities at 5:00 p.m. Thursday afternoon, Thursday, September 18, and will remain suspended until 6:00 a.m. on Saturday morning, September 20, when both residential and commercial service will resume.

The city is also postponing its popular annual free fishing derby, slated for this weekend at Pool #1, 1201 N. Sixth Street, to next weekend, September 27-29, at the same location and previously announced times.

The Mayor said in addition to these measures the city is also engaged in a wide array of storm preparation activities, including:

• The City’s Emergency Management Operations Center has now been activated and will remain in operation until further notice. Pumps, boats, and other gear have been readied, and hundreds of barricades, sandbags and other directional signage has been prepared for deployment. Problem stormwater inlets have been cleared.
• Portable buildings on City Island have been moved to higher ground and RiverSide Stadium has been secured. Commuter parking will be permitted on City Island on Friday, and no closure of the Island is expected at this time.
• Fire, police, parks maintenance, public works and other crews have been readied for immediate mobilization.
• The Pennsylvania Water Rescue Strike Force is on stand-by status, and ready to respond anywhere in the region for water-related emergencies.
• Pennsylvania Task Force One, the city-administered federal Urban Search and Rescue Team is also on stand-by status in Harrisburg. Other federal USAR teams that had been slated to be staged in Harrisburg are instead being deployed to states south of Pennsylvania.
• City residents are encouraged to stay tuned to local news media for storm updates, and the city’s cable television station, WHGB-TV 20 will broadcast bulletins and emergency preparedness information as needed on a continuing basis.

Reed said citizens should do the following:

• Assemble flashlights, extra batteries, a portable radio and canned goods, fill the gasoline tank of your vehicle, gather prescription medicines and generally prepare for a circumstance that could involve the loss of electrical power for up to one day
• Owners/operators of buildings with flat roofs should immediately clear rainspouts and roof drains of any debris and leave as flat roofs are generally rated to hold less than 2 inches of water before risking collapse.
• Secure any lawn furniture or other outdoor items to prevent their blowing away or, more importantly, to prevent them from becoming potential projectiles in the storm’s high winds.
• Currently projected wind speeds indicate a range of up to 50 mile per hour gusts—which should not present a hazard to building windows, but to be safe some citizens may wish to add pressure-sensitive duct tape to the inside of their windows, first in an x across the window, and then horizontally in the center of the pane, especially in the upper floors of high rise structures

“Though cognizant of the potential for change, current forecasts indicate that the brunt of Isabel will pass approximately 100 miles to our west, over the city of Altoona and the Laurel Highlands,” said Mayor Reed. “This is good news for us locally as it means less rainfall, both here and in the northern Susquehanna River basin, and less chance of flooding from the river’s rise. While some wind damage can still be expected, it should be considerably less than that associated with windspeeds that were initially projected at 70 or more miles per hour.

“Citizens should also be aware of the possibility of small tornadoes being generated by the storm, and all are encouraged to stay tuned to their local emergency broadcast stations for warnings and updates. If a tornado warning is issued, citizens should seek a secure room in their basement or a room away from windows. Shelters will be opened across the city if the need arises.”

The Mayor also warned area motorists to avoid driving through standing water or flooded roadways.

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