PITTSBURGH, Pa. — Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato has announced a 30-day extension on the countywide emergency declaration that followed last week‘s destructive storms.
>>> Photos of the damage from last Tuesday’s severe storms
On April 30, Innomarato declared an initial disaster emergency, a day after winds and heavy rain caused substantial damage across Allegheny County.
The initial declaration was set to expire after seven days, but the extension will last until June 6.
The disaster declaration allows the county to bypass normal procedures and immediately deploy all available resources for emergency response and recovery, Allegheny County stated in a release.
According to the county, hundreds of thousands of residents lost power, two storm-related deaths were confirmed and Allegeny County 911 experienced up to 1,000 calls per minute — one of the highest call volumes in its history.
Local systems, regional phone carriers and backup communication infrastructure were overwhelmed by the sheer number of calls, the county stated.
Allegheny County Emergency Services reportedly activated a hybrid Emergency Operations Center before the storm, in coordination with the City of Pittsburgh Emergency Management Agency, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, American Red Cross and Duquesne Light.
In spite of those efforts, the county stated, the severity of the storm caused widespread disruptions, including downed power lines, trees and debris making roads impassable and impacts to critical infrastructure, such as hospitals and communication towers.
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