Harrisburg, PA – Over the weekend, the Shapiro Administration supported snow removal operations in Erie County after significant lake-effect snow dumped more than five feet of snow in some parts of the county.
Staff from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, PennDOT, PA State Police and members of the PA National Guard were on the ground over the past two weeks to coordinate clearing snow from roadways and wellness checks on people who need assistance.
Our staff coordinated the response with our partner state agencies both in Erie County and from the Commonwealth Response Coordination Center at PEMA headquarters in Harrisburg,” said Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) Director Randy Padfield. “We have continued to provide support to county operations to maintain a clear understanding of the county’s needs and to provide support for work that still needs to be done. We are monitoring the potential for flooding this week and stand ready to assist with any future needs.
The Governor's disaster declaration, signed on Nov. 30, allows the Commonwealth to quickly draw down funding and provide state agencies with the resources needed to assist counties and municipalities as they continue with ongoing response efforts.
More than 20 Pennsylvania National Guard Soldiers were placed on state active duty to assist with needs related to the snow. They worked directly with the Erie County Emergency Operations Center to deploy high clearance vehicles to assist with rescuing stranded motorists, recovering vehicles, welfare checks on people in affected areas and moving medical professionals, essential workers and those requiring medical assistance. As of Saturday evening, when they ended their mission, they completed 341 missions, with last Wednesday being their busiest day.
PennDOT crews worked around the clock to clear roadways, which is the largest snow-related response in recent history. Throughout the multi-day storm, more than 100 PennDOT personnel and 80 pieces of equipment from around the state were reallocated to Erie County. This allowed for interstates and major roadways to be cleared more quickly, and for PennDOT to assist the City of Erie and other municipalities in removing hard-packed snow from their roadways, as well as clear the drainage system along state roadways in preparation for the forecasted warmer temperatures and rain.
“I was on the ground in Erie County for several days and saw firsthand the dedication and commitment of the PennDOT team," said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “I couldn't be prouder of how the Shapiro Administration has shown up for the people of northwest Pennsylvania, and we're committed to continuing these efforts for the remainder of the storm and throughout the winter."
The Pennsylvania State Police responded to 1,127 crashes and disabled motorists in the past week within Troop E, which includes Erie, Crawford, Venango, and Warren counties. Additional Troopers from Troops B, D and C were brought in to assist during the height of the weather event.
Local Officials Thank Shapiro Administration for Help During Snowstorms
“I just want to reiterate how grateful we are for Gov. Shapiro and the folks at PEMA, PennDOT, the State Police, the National Guard, and our folks at the U.S. Coast Guard that pitched in yesterday in Fairfield," said Erie County Executive Brenton Davis. “This effort would not have been possible without this massive influx of equipment. We would be in much more dire straights had these folks not activated as quickly as they did, and they were here on the ground operating within hours of the call."
“Thanks to Governor Shapiro, the PA National Guard has troops and vehicles on the ground to help emergency responders get the residents what they need," said Erie Mayor Joe Schember. “They are coordinating with the Erie County Emergency Operations Center and are responding to calls from the United Way of Erie County's 211 system. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania also released $3 million in state funding to pay PEMA, PennDOT, PSP, and the National Guard to aid Erie County cleanup efforts."
Additional Tips for Motorists
Motorists need to be aware that winter travel can bring challenging conditions and should always prepare accordingly before heading out:
- Assume it will take longer to arrive at your destination and plan extra travel time;
- Have multiple ways to get weather alerts;
- Pay attention for rapidly changing conditions;
- Leave extra space between you and other vehicles;
- Make sure your vehicle is road-ready with a full tank of gas, properly inflated tires and wiper blades that work well; and
- Have food, water, warm clothing or blankets and any specialized items you may need such as medications or baby and pet supplies.
While PennDOT recommends not traveling during winter storms, motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional X alerts.