Emergency Management Coordinators Preparing For Remnants Of Hurricane Ida In Pittsburgh Area
WASHINGTON COUNTY (KDKA) -- Emergency management coordinators in Fayette and Washington counties are preparing for the remnants of Hurricane Ida to hit the region.
Outside the Bentleyville Volunteer Fire Department in Washington County, the swift water rescue team is preparing for the worst.
The team went over practice drills on Monday, honing their skills if a water rescue is necessary.
"Last two evenings, doing rope rescue and also a little bit of our water rescue to make sure that we are up to par," said Ron Sicchitano, the assistant chief of the Bentleyville Volunteer Fire Department.
The remnants of Hurricane Ida could bring heavy rains and winds, which means potential flash flooding and river flooding on the Monongahela River.
"Washington County at this point in time has activated the water rescue teams," said Larry Pollock, the executive director of the Washington County Ambulance & Chair Service. "We are doing a coordinated effort between fire, police and EMS.
Nearby Fayette County is also bracing for what could come.
"The concern right now is if we would get high winds and we would get heavy downpours with flash flooding, that is always a concern," said Roy Shipley, Fayette County's Emergency Management director. "People not to drive through the water, stay off the roads if they have to, and those living along the rivers to stay alert."
Officials want to remind people to have an emergency kit with batteries, a flashlight, water and canned food.
