Allegheny County Emergency Services Severe Weather Update
PITTSBURGH – Allegheny County Emergency Services (ACES) began preparing for this afternoons storms several days ago. National Weather Service forecast updates were shared and highlighted with all of our public safety partner agencies. We scheduled a virtual/hybrid Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activation starting at Noon earlier today (Tuesday). ACES EMA and 9-1-1 staff, as well as Pittsburgh EMA, Red Cross, PEMA and our Duquesne Light partners have been engaged and operating since the approach of the storms.
At the height of the storm, the National Call Center that manages 9-1-1 phone traffic reported that our general region was seeing over 5000 calls to regional 9-1-1 centers per hour. ACES 9-1-1 had seen as high as 1000 calls to 9-1–1 per minute.
This call volume overwhelmed not only 9-1-1 call takers, but our regional phone carriers and systems. PEMA and the National Call Center, as well as our support vendors are still evaluating all regional 9-1-1 systems to be operating at full capacity. Our 9-1-1 phone systems, public safety radio systems and 9-1-1 technology have been operating throughout this incident. Some have had some delays as they switched on and off back up generators and back up systems.
Our entire ACES team has been engaged keeping radio tower sites and channels operating and 9-1-1 systems functional. Special thanks to our great 9-1-1 Telecommunications Officers, Shift Commanders and Managers who have seen one of the largest call volume days in our history.
ACES EMA and Pittsburgh EMA are now focused on updating Duquesne Light and other utilities with the status of critical infrastructure such as hospitals, and other major utilities like cell phone tower sites.
Allegheny County Medical Examiner has confirmed with our EOC of two storm related deaths at this point.
EMA has begun to compile damage assessments from municipalities, but most of this detail will not be confirmed until Wednesday. We have also spoken with NWS Pittsburgh and will be assisting them tomorrow with assessments to confirm weather impacts and to what extent.
Please stay off area roads as many downed wires, trees and poles still exist. Many public works and utility companies, along with all of public safety, are still operating in all areas of the county to restore utilities, open roadways and provide assistance and response.
No powered traffic lights means all traffic stops, all at the intersection must take your turn safely. Just like a four way stop sign intersection.
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