City of Wilkes-Barre Preps for Storm
By: Jayne Ann Bugda
Updated: October 29, 2012
From Wilkes-Barry City 10-28
WILKES-BARRE- The City of Wilkes-Barre has spent the last several days preparing for the heavy rains and high winds forecasted from Hurricane Sandy as it hits landfall in the Northeastern United States over the next three days. Mayor Thomas M. Leighton has met with city officials and emergency services chiefs throughout the weekend to coordinate the city's storm management response. The following actions have been taken by the city already:
2 of the 4 flood protection gates near Solomon's Creek in South Wilkes-Barre have been activated. South Franklin and Waller Streets are closed in that area. The city will make a decision by Monday afternoon to close the other two gates should it become necessary.
Department of Public Works crews started preventative maintenance and cleaning of city catch basins in the low-lying areas of the city on Friday.
DPW crews have prepared sandbags in advance of the storm.
Sections of creek walls near Laurel Run Creek in Miners Mills were reinforced
Police and Fire Departments will monitor creek levels and flood prone areas throughout the storm.
The Citywide Surveillance Camera System will also be utilized to monitor creek levels and other areas of concern
Mayor Leighton and his staff remain in close contact with school administrators, college officials, Luzerne County Emergency Management, PEMA, and Governor Tom Corbett. Residents, business owners, and workers in the city are urged to heed the advice of city officials over the course of this storm. People should prepare for the possibility of power outages and have enough food, water, and other supplies to last several days. No evacuations are planned at this time but people should stay tuned for continual updates from the city as Hurricane Sandy evolves.
"This projects to be a severe storm but the city is prepared for Hurricane Sandy," said Mayor Thomas M. Leighton, "This is not our first major storm event. We have shown time and again that our city is resilient and we will effectively respond to whatever comes our way in the coming days."
For real-time updates from the city, people are asked to visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/citywb.
