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 -