Wayne EMA warns residents to be watchful

Tornadoes no stranger to county

By TOM KANE

HONESDALE, PA — Dangerous weather — tornadoes, flash floods and severe thunderstorms — can and do happen frequently in Pennsylvania, said Frank Smith, Wayne County Emergency Management Administration (EMA) coordinator.

“Residents of Pennsylvania need to be ready before these dangerous conditions happen,” Smith said to the Wayne County Commissioners at their meeting on March 13.

“Tornadoes are no strangers to Wayne County,” Smith said. “In 1998, two significant tornado outbreaks affected mid-eastern Pennsylvania. An unprecedented tornado outbreak occurred in December 2006 across the state. We saw three enormous floods in 18 months along the Delaware River from 2004 to 2006.”

In 2005, Damascus experienced a severe storm that was later declared a tornado by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It tore off the tops of many trees and toppled a number of outbuildings, Smith said.

Since records have been kept, beginning in the 19th century, there have been 130 tornadoes in Pennsylvania in the months of June with 75 fatalities, 175 in the months of July with 66 fatalities and 171 tornadoes in Augusts with 8 fatalities, Smith said.

At the meeting, Smith told commissioners, “About 400 to 500 severe thunderstorms occur state-wide per year. That’s an average of about six to eight such storms per county in a year.”

What can residents do about such severe weather?

“You and your family should have a plan before the event,” he said. “Plan where to meet. Have phone numbers where your family members can be reached. Have a battery-powered radio with a supply of batteries. Fill your bath tub with water so you can have a supply if power goes out.”

Tornadoes occur mostly in Pennsylvania during the months of May, June and July.

Smith gave the following advice for handling a tornado. Get to the basement under a sturdy piece of furniture. Get to an interior room away from windows. Get in the tub with a mattress over you.

At a school or high-rise building, go to the basement or go to the lowest floor hallway or interior room. Never use gymnasiums, cafeterias or auditoriums since roofs are subject to collapse.

If one was caught outdoors during a tornado, find the best shelter from flying debris. Don’t count on flimsy outbuildings or mountain cabins since a tornado can disintegrate them.

In an open field, crouch to the ground and cover your head with your hands. Find something to hang onto if your shelter from the wind is not complete. Becoming airborne is a distinct possibility.

Smith got his information from a recent study that was written by David Nicosia, Warning Coordinator Meteorologist of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stationed in Binghamton, NY.