Latest news with #PennsylvaniaEmergencyManagementAgency
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'As long as it takes': Shapiro says help for flood victims available, state will help region rebuild
GARRETT, Pa. – Debris piles from a May 13 flood were gone Tuesday as Gov. Josh Shapiro toured Garrett Field. But so was an eight-inch layer of infield playing surface that was swept away by floodwaters, Casselman Valley Youth Baseball coach Jeremy Hoover told him. "For our (kids), this is their PNC Park," said Hoover, estimating it could cost $30,000 to get it back into playing shape. Shapiro's response was consistent Tuesday, regardless of whether he was talking with Hoover at Garrett's Little League field, nearby bar owners or local residents in Meyersdale. Southern Somerset County will continue to have the state's unwavering support, he said, even as efforts from the flood are shifting from cleanup to reconstruction. "We're going to help you rebuild," Shapiro said. "We want to make sure folks are made whole, and then we're going to see what led to this flooding to see what we can do to mitigate future floods." More loans available Shapiro was joined on Tuesday's tour by Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Director Randy Padfield, DCED Secretary Rick Siger and county officials. They also visited Dub's Bar and Grill in Garrett and Meyersdale Fire Department, with Shapiro speaking to dozens of local residents and community officials. He spent much of that time listening to residents, asking questions about damage and what it'll take to get their properties livable again. But he also announced several key support streams now available, including low-interest Small Business Administration loans and, separately, up to $20,000 Disaster Recovery Assistance Program grants, for income-eligible homeowners and renters. Designated flood-damaged Somerset County "disaster areas" from the May 13 flood are eligible for state help. For federal SBA disaster loans, contiguous counties can also apply for storm damage assistance. Flood relief help available The state has unlocked a series of disaster aid loan and grant programs for areas hard-hit by the May 13 flood. The Small Business Association Disaster Loan Program What: Provides low-interest loans for homeowners, renters, private non-profits, and businesses located in Somerset County and contiguous counties that sustained qualified damages from flooding. How: Up to $500,000 for homeowners to replace or repair their primary residences; $100,000 for homeowners and renters to replace or repair personal property; Up to $2 million to enable most businesses and most private non-profits to cover disaster losses not fully covered by insurance. Deadline: July 21, 2025. SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Designed for qualified businesses expense losses. Criteria: Deadline: February 23, 2026. Disaster Relief Assistance Program Income-eligible. Up to $20,000 grants can be used to repair their home, cover temporary housing and rental expenses, or replace essential personal property. Criteria: Deadline: Aug 25 Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) Where: Meyersdale Fire Station, 202 Main Street, Meyersdale What: Local residents and business owners can obtain information and application details on disaster loans. When: through June 9 Hours: Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm; Saturday 10 am to 2pm More info: SBA's Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing), or email DisasterCustomerService@ and referencing Pennsylvania Disaster Number PA-20019. Shapiro urged local residents and business owners that were impacted to apply. That included Dub's Bar and Grill co-owners Don Hostetler and Tammy Miller, who gave Shapiro a tour inside their flood-damaged Garrett bar. "This was 10 times worse than 1996 (flooding)," Miller said, describing how quickly water rose inside the century-old bar room. The pair hope to rebuild Dub's. Shapiro encouraged them to seek Small Business Administration help, noting that interest doesn't start accruing on those loans until a year after they are issued. "I'm so sorry for what you are going through," Shapiro said, talking with Hostetler and Miller near water-stained walls. 'We're going to do everything we can to help." 'Get this fixed' Miller also noted much of Pine and Walker streets in Garrett suffered a similar fate. Hostetler urged Shapiro's office to take a look at Buffalo Creek and its nearby stormwater retention pond, which residents believe failed when levels rose. "We can rebuild," Miller said. "But when will this happen again?" MS Shock Therapy owner Mark Smith, whose race car suspension shop was submerged in four feet of water, raised similar concerns about the Casselman River near Mount Davis Road. Smith lost an entire shop full of state-of-the-art stock car maintenance "stuff," he said, but even those things can be replaced. "My concern is that someone is going to get hurt ... or killed," Smith told Shapiro, saying it's a miracle no one died May 13. Shapiro said Smith and Miller raised important questions about issues that might have contributed to the region's flood damage. "Let us get you some answers," Shapiro said. Shapiro said a collaborative effort involving the Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other partners will look into possible flood control concerns – and what steps that might be possible to mitigate future issues. PennDOT, which developed the retention pond near Buffalo Creek, is also aware of community concerns, Somerset County Emergency Management Director Joel Landis added. That was encouraging for Miller, who said Garrett residents also were battered by flooding in 1996. "We can't keep going through this," she said. Shapiro said it was also possible some residents might need state support relocating from flood zones to avoid future flood risks. 'Important' partnership State officials under Shapiro – including PEMA – have been working with county officials since the day of the flood to support clean-up and relief efforts. That included setting up a relief center at Meyersdale's fire station. It will now remain open as a disaster loan assistance center until June 9, Shapiro said. Commissioners Pamela Tokar-Ickes and Irv Kimmel Jr. – and a number of residents – credited Shapiro for making a personal visit Tuesday to raise awareness about programs that can help rebuild southern Somerset County. They called state leaders valuable partners in that effort. State Sen. Patrick Stefano, R-Fayette, also joined Shapiro at Meyersdale's fire station resource center. Shapiro credited local efforts, as well as state staff from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency for their ongoing work. But he also recognized he needed get a firsthand view to see if there's anything else his office can do to help. "I wanted to get the chance to see this damage with my own eyes, to get a better understanding ... what is needed," he said. Miller told Shapiro she was honored to meet him. The governor said the honor will be his, when he returns one day for Dub's grand-reopening. "Little towns" are just as important as Pennsylvania's biggest cities when disaster strikes, he said. "We'll be here as long as it takes to get folks of Somerset back on their feet," he said.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Shapiro backing flood relief loans; Shade Township bridge closed
CAIRNBROOK – The May 13 flooding will close another Somerset County bridge. And Gov. Josh Shapiro announced Wednesday his office will support an effort to help flood-battered Somerset County residents and businesses acquire Small Business Association aid. 'Committed to helping' Shapiro's support is another crucial step into acquiring multiple funding resources, emergency officials said Wednesday. For county residents impacted by the May 13 flood to receive low interest repair loans, Shapiro made a formal request to the U.S. Small Business Administration for the final clearance to make financial aid available. 'The flooding in southwestern Pennsylvania has been devastating, and the Shapiro administration has been on the ground providing support every day since the storm struck.' said Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Director Randy Padfield. Members of Padfield's staff have been conducting assessments in eight Somerset County communities that declared disasters as a precursor to the possibility of additional state support. That's included visits to Meyersdale, Garrett and Elk Lick Township, among others. 'Never seen it this bad': As Garrett strives to ease flood woes, council's own property among hard-hit areas For flood-battered Garrett Borough, one of the hardest-hit areas was the borough government's own backyard. The storm last week turned Garrett Community Park into a lake and the borough's office into a downstream drain. 'The Shapiro administration remains committed to helping Pennsylvanians recover and rebuild stronger than before, which is why we are working to secure federal low-interest loans as a tool to ensure homeowners and business owners have the support they need and can recoup unforeseen losses,' Padfield added. If approved, qualified renters, homeowners, private nonprofits and businesses within disaster declared areas could receive up to $500,000 in low-interest loans for residential repair and replacement. Loans up to $100,000 are possible for homeowners and renters to replace or repair personal property. Businesses could receive larger loans – up to $2 million – 'to cover disaster losses not fully covered by insurance.' Somerset County commissioners outline disaster recovery fund plan, make $10,000 donation The Somerset County commissioners will rely on an advisory board and eight flood-damaged communities to decide how a new disaster recovery fund is spent, they said Tuesday. Somerset County Emergency Management officials estimated earlier this week that at least six businesses reported first-floor flood damage in the southern part of the county. Somerset County EMA Director Joel Landis said his office was awaiting updates on a decision. County-owned bridge closed The deteriorating Shade Township bridge was already in line for replacement in the coming years, but last week's storm fast-tracked its closure, the county's EADS Group Engineer Andy Fedorko said. An area resident reported concerns about the span, which carries Whispering Pines Road over Dark Shade Creek, he said. A follow-up inspection showed one of the bridge's stone mansonary abutments further deteriorated from storm flooding, damaging mortar and causing additional material to break loose, he said. It made a bad problem worse on a bridge that previous saw its weight limit decreased to 3 tons due to preexisting concerns, Fedorko said. PHOTO GALLERY | 'We can't do it alone': Garrett hopes for help as state teams survey flood-hit areas in precursor to possible aid Don Hostetler's family bar survived Prohibition and generations of change in Garrett. On Monday, Hostetler was trying to figure out how Dub's Bar and Grill will survive four feet of floodwater from Buffalo Creek. Rockingham is one of several county bridges that have been closed over the past two years due to maintenance needs – most of which are set for repair or replacement projects. It's also one of at least three local bridges – county, state or township – that are now out of service due to damage inflicted by May 13 flooding. Further south, an emergency action plan is underway to build a temporary bridge in Boynton to enable U.S. Route 219 traffic to continue through the corridor. Design work for a new bridge at the Rockingham site was already in progress, and Fedorko said construction could start in fall 2026. Detours for the closure will be minimal, he said. 'Resource' support A pop-up emergency 'resource center' announced Monday for Somerset County will include a list of state agencies able to answer questions – and potentially provide support for flood-hit residents. Flood relief resource center planned in Meyersdale Somerset County is planning a one-stop shop to connect residents of hard-hit communities with flood relief resources. The resource center will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday at Meyersdale Volunteer Fire Department, 202 Main St., Meyersdale. Landis and county emergency management staff organized the resource center to make it easier for Somerset County residents to get support, regardless of their post-flooding issues. Padfield said state agencies are joining the three-day event, recognizing it's a 'crucial time' for many people. Some of the resources provided by organizations staffing the resource center can help with replacing vital documents such as birth certificates and driver's licenses, checking insurance coverage for damages, trauma/crisis response and mental health resources, state officials said. Others can provide benefits and disabilities support, tax assistance, tips on how to avoid scams, and other recovery information. 'Key county agencies will be on hand to provide our residents with access to needed programs and services during this critical period of recovery,' Somerset County President Commissioner Brian Fochtman said. 'We are pleased to work in partnership with the commonwealth to ensure they receive all of the help they need.' PHOTO GALLERY | Somerset County residents reeling as floodwaters recede; officials document damage to provide aid Fueled by a full day of intense rain, the rapidly rising Casselman River filled Mark Smith's Mount Davis Road auto shop and nearby homes. Officials toured hard-hit areas Wednesday, going from property to property to document damage. Pennsylvania's departments of Aging, Agriculture and Health, Environmental Protection, Human Services and Transportation are attending. The Pennsylvania Insurance Department and Office of Attorney General also will have representatives at the center.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Cambria County Conservation and Recreation Authority talks test site for washout prevention
EBENSBURG, Pa. – A section of hillside neighboring the Path of the Flood Trail may soon become a test site for a new bonding agent to avoid washouts, Cambria County Conservation and Recreation Authority Executive Director Cliff Kitner told the board Friday. The authority had been approached by Greg Turjan, of OFB USA, regarding a binding agent the group is working on. Turjan declined to comment Monday, citing ongoing development of the product. Kitner was excited by the prospects of the binding agent and said the test site may be the Stineman section of the Path of the Flood Trail in the South Fork area. 'We all know we get washouts on that hill all the time,' he said. Kitner added most rail-trails are built parallel to streams, which is why the CCCRA paths were attractive to Turjan. The CCCRA-maintained trails have historically dealt with issues of washouts and costly repairs. The authority is still working through the building phase of a Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and Federal Emergency Management Agency project to fix damage from Hurricane Debby during summer 2024. Board member Steve Gironda raised concerns about the water diverted by the product having to go somewhere and potentially causing more issues. Kitner said that as long as the water will stay off the trails and go into the drainage ditches, it can be managed. Although details about Turjan's products were few, the group did state the agent is claimed to be environmentally friendly and would be tested in July or August on a roughly 100-foot section of the hill. Throughout the meeting, Kitner also provided several updates about regional projects, such as the work to repair sections of the Ghost Town Trail. He told the board that the authority had completed its requirements and now it's up to the federal officials to rubber-stamp the work. At this time, the repair plans are still considered to be in development. As for the final section of the pending Ghost Town Trail loop, which will be the only rail trail loop on the East Coast when finished, Kitner said contractors plan to start that project this week with a deadline of Nov. 30. The board awarded that work to Kukurin Contracting Inc. in April at a cost of nearly $3 million. That includes almost a mile of trail and construction of two pedestrian bridges over roadways. Other discussion during the meeting included the use of Cambria County Prison inmate work crews. Kurt Wolford, prison warden, and Assistant Deputy Warden of Finance and Facility Services Megan Bursky attended the gathering to offer the assistance of those at the jail for maintenance and other work on the trails. Thomas Kakabar, CCCRA board chairman, asked if the groups were geared more toward manual labor or skilled trades. Wolford said more manual labor at this time, but his goal with the program is to teach inmates a skill that can help them succeed once they are back in society. Typically, trades trainings take place at the state and federal corrections levels, and Wolford said he aims to mirror those offerings to help prisoners rehabilitate and become productive members of society. The board members were in favor of working with the prison in the future.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Somerset County residents reeling as floodwaters recede; officials document damage to provide aid
MEYERSDALE, Pa. – MS Shock Therapy owner Mark Smith's career has been defined by speed and precision. Even after retiring from stock car racing, Smith built a reputation for using high-tech gear to fine-tune cars for success on the track. But none of that mattered in a race against time and floodwaters Tuesday, he said. 'The water came in so fast. There was nothing we could do,' Smith said. Fueled by a full day of intense rain, the rapidly rising Casselman River filled Smith's Mount Davis Road auto shop and nearby homes in the Meyersdale area. PHOTO GALLERY | Meyersdale Flooding Floodwaters carried a wave of debris down the river, docking much of it against bridges and railroad trestles. Across Boynton, Garrett and Brothersvalley Township, there were reports of roads, bridges and homes battered by the storm. Somerset County officials and Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency staff toured hard-hit areas Wednesday, going from property to property to document damage – a key step in coordinating a response effort, county Emergency Management Director Joel Landis said. Disaster services teams from the American Red Cross were handing out cleanup kits while surveying the damage. They found Stephen Emerick standing in mud-spattered fishing waders. At midday Wednesday, he was still using a motorized pump to pull water from his home – but it wasn't erasing the grim reality that his first floor was 'basically destroyed' by the flooding. Meyersdale Flooding Stephen Emerick (left) inspects the exterior of his home after Tuesday's flooding on Mount Davis Road in Meyersdale on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. In his 18 years living on low-lying Mount Davis Road, Emerick said he's dealt with minor flooding six times. But he said he's never seen waters rise as quickly as they did Tuesday. 'Usually, we have time to react, time to get everything out of the way,' Emerick said, standing in a kitchen marred with mud. 'Not this time.' Emerick's family tried anyway, he said. They stacked their living room coffee table, chairs and electronics on their couch to protect them from the rising waters. In many cases, it wasn't enough, he said. In some areas, the mucky high-water mark reached two feet on his walls. Meyersdale Flooding An area resident walks across a train bridge over Casselman River where debris is trapped after Tuesday's flooding near Mount Davis Road in Meyersdale on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. At Smith's shop, the water rose nearly four feet. It climbed over his metal tool cabinets, soaking paperwork and binders in sludge. Smith, a former Jennerstown Speedway champion, said he was able to remove his customers' vehicles from the shop, but many of his most prized pieces of equipment were destroyed. That includes NASCAR-style computerized race track simulator equipment that he used to calibrate high-performance shocks for customers from as far away as Oregon, he said. A $30,000 race car engine was submerged in floodwater – and so were his laptop computers, even though they were waist-high on his desk. VIDEO: Flooding impacts Meyersdale, southern Somerset County 'It's just devastating,' Smith said, reflecting on decades of work. 'Everything feels so bleak right now.' State and county emergency management officials were urging community members to complete damage assessment documents called 'disaster intake forms' to notify agencies about issues created by the flooding. Meyersdale Flooding Mount Davis Road residents gather outside their home as a sump pump works to drain water from the basement after Tuesday's flooding in Meyersdale on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Landis said the goal was two-fold Wednesday. First, officials were attempting to find anyone with urgent issues and unmet needs – for shelter, electricity, or food and water – to connect them with agencies that can help. The other goal was for Somerset County to build a case for crucial outside disaster assistance, Landis said. For example, one set of ultra-low-interest loans become available to flood-hit homes and businesses if 25 properties in Somerset County have documented first-floor flood damage, he said. Other funding programs can also be unlocked to support flooded areas – both residential and municipal properties – to repair damaged bridges, roads and other infrastructure if certain damage thresholds are met, Landis said. Meyersdale Flooding Bob Gordon, employee at MS Shock Therapy, carries supplies along Mount Davis Road after Tuesday's flooding in Meyersdale on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. 'We need to show these agencies Somerset County needs these funds. If you are having problems, please call us,' Landis said. Disaster intake forms are accessible online at Landis said. He said people with urgent needs for food and shelter can contact the Emergency Management office at 814-445-1515 if they haven't already heard back from a local response agency. He said assessment forms are being reviewed as quickly as possible, but filings from southern Somerset County, including the Meyersdale and Garrett areas, were already piling up. But some property owners, including Emerick, said that will only address half the issue. Meyersdale Flooding Stephen Emerick stands in his kitchen and describes the storm that caused Tuesday's flooding in Meyersdale on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. He gestured toward his back yard, which was still knee-deep in floodwater Wednesday, toward a nearby flood channel – and wondered if his first floor might have been spared if additional steps had been taken years ago to address his neighborhood's flooding woes. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers installed a flood protection system on one side of the Casselman River, but there's nothing to prevent rising waters from spilling onto Mount Davis Road, Emerick said. Smith vented that the channel is overdue for dredging. 'I just don't understand it,' Emerick added. 'Is it going to take someone losing a life to get someone to do something about this?'
Associated Press
02-05-2025
- Climate
- Associated Press
Following Powerful Pennsylvania Storms, T‑Mobile Teams on the Ground Providing Support
A powerful storm system swept across Pennsylvania overnight, bringing damaging winds with speeds over 80 mph, large hail and heavy rainfall. The severe weather caused widespread power outages that are affecting nearly half a million residents, particularly in the Pittsburgh area, and utility providers are working now to restore those areas. Network Update T-Mobile's network in the Pittsburgh area has overlapping coverage, pre-installed backup power at key sites and redundant backhaul routes that are helping to maintain connectivity in the area. Also, our AI-powered Self-Organizing Network (SON) continues to dynamically reroute traffic and optimize performance in real-time to preserve connectivity wherever possible. However, in places where commercial power is down and towers cannot operate as a result of that, some areas have had minor service impacts. Where needed, our network engineering crews are deploying portable generators, refueling generators and deploying SatCOLTs (Satellite Cell on Light Trucks) and additional equipment. First Responder & Agency Support T-Mobile is actively coordinating with first responders and local and state agencies, including the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), Emergency Operations Centers for Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh, and power providers including Duquesne Light Company to address urgent and ongoing needs. We will continue to monitor conditions and share updates as the situation evolves. Please visit T-Mobile Emergency Response. Follow @TMobileNews on X for the latest updates. Stay safe, Pittsburgh. Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from T-Mobile International AG
