PRINTER'S NO. 559
No. 87 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY SEMMEL, TIGUE, GINGRICH, BASTIAN, STERN, ADOLPH,
ALLEN, BEBKO-JONES, BROWNE, CALTAGIRONE, CAUSER, CLYMER,
CORRIGAN, COSTA, CREIGHTON, CRUZ, DALEY, DERMODY, DeWEESE,
DiGIROLAMO, FABRIZIO, FAIRCHILD, FEESE, FICHTER, FLEAGLE,
FLICK, FORCIER, GABIG, GEIST, GRUCELA, HERMAN, HERSHEY, HESS,
M. KELLER, KENNEY, LEDERER, LEH, LESCOVITZ, MAITLAND,
MARKOSEK, MARSICO, McCALL, McGILL, MELIO, R. MILLER, MUNDY,
MUSTIO, PALLONE, PAYNE, ROHRER, ROSS, RUBLEY, SAINATO,
SANTONI, SATHER, SAYLOR, B. SMITH, SOLOBAY, TANGRETTI,
E. Z. TAYLOR, THOMAS, WANSACZ, WRIGHT, YOUNGBLOOD, WOJNAROSKI
AND BAKER, FEBRUARY 15, 2005
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
FEBRUARY 15, 2005
A RESOLUTION
1 Declaring the week of March 6 through 12, 2005, as "Weather
2 Emergency Preparedness Week" in Pennsylvania.
3 WHEREAS, Each year natural disasters threaten the lives and
4 property of Pennsylvanians; and
5 WHEREAS, In 1998 severe tornadoes caused extensive losses and
6 damage to private and public property and resulted in a Federal
7 disaster declaration for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and
8 WHEREAS, In 1999 Hurricane Floyd and Hurricane Dennis caused
9 extensive flooding in 15 Pennsylvania counties; and
10 WHEREAS, These events and others in six federally declared
11 disasters in 1996 have created very serious threats to public
12 health and safety, and recovery from them has strained State,
13 county and municipal resources; and
1 WHEREAS, In 2004 Tropical Depression Ivan caused extensive
2 flooding which affected over fifty Pennsylvania counties, and a
3 F-3 tornado also ripped through Campbelltown, Lebanon County,
4 where thirty-two houses were completely destroyed, thirty-seven
5 sustained major damage and another fifty were significantly
6 affected; and
7 WHEREAS, Of the range of natural disasters that can occur in
8 this Commonwealth, flooding is the most common; and
9 WHEREAS, Due in part to our mountainous terrain and our
10 nation-leading 45,000-mile network of rivers, creeks and
11 streams, Pennsylvania is recognized as one of the most flood-
12 prone states; and
13 WHEREAS, It is the responsibility of the Pennsylvania
14 Emergency Management Council to help State, county and municipal
15 governments prepare for and respond to these disasters; and
16 WHEREAS, Annually the Pennsylvania Emergency Management
17 Agency, with county emergency management officials and the
18 United States National Weather Service, administers a weeklong
19 weather emergency preparedness program to alert citizens and
20 elected officials to severe weather-related dangers; and
21 WHEREAS, In addition to educational and public information
22 programs, a three-day Statewide exercise provides county and
23 local emergency personnel, schools, hospitals, nursing homes and
24 day-care centers the opportunity to test their emergency
25 response plans and procedures; and
26 WHEREAS, During that week the Pennsylvania Emergency Alert
27 System, which provides an essential communications link between
28 government and citizens during an emergency, is tested Statewide
29 through over 400 radio and television stations; therefore be it
30 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives declare the week
20050H0087R0559 - 2 -
1 of March 6 through 12, 2005, as "Weather Emergency Preparedness
2 Week" in Pennsylvania.
B11L82JLW/20050H0087R0559 - 3 -