PRINTER'S NO. 3348
No. 436 Session of 2002
INTRODUCED BY SEMMEL, FAIRCHILD, MICHLOVIC, HUTCHINSON, DeWEESE,
PIPPY, ADOLPH, ARGALL, ARMSTRONG, J. BAKER, BASTIAN, BEBKO-
JONES, BENNINGHOFF, BROWNE, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CIVERA,
CLYMER, L. I. COHEN, M. COHEN, CORRIGAN, COSTA, COY,
CREIGHTON, CRUZ, DALEY, DONATUCCI, EGOLF, J. EVANS, FLEAGLE,
FORCIER, FRANKEL, GABIG, GEIST, GEORGE, GRUCELA, HARHAI,
HARHART, HASAY, HENNESSEY, HERMAN, HERSHEY, HESS, HORSEY,
JAMES, JOSEPHS, KELLER, KIRKLAND, LAUGHLIN, LEH, LESCOVITZ,
MAITLAND, MAJOR, MANDERINO, MARSICO, McCALL, McGILL,
McILHATTAN, McNAUGHTON, MELIO, R. MILLER, S. MILLER, NAILOR,
PICKETT, PISTELLA, READSHAW, ROBERTS, ROHRER, ROSS, RUBLEY,
SANTONI, SATHER, SAYLOR, SCHRODER, SCHULER, SHANER, B. SMITH,
SOLOBAY, STABACK, E. Z. TAYLOR, J. TAYLOR, THOMAS, TIGUE,
TRICH, WASHINGTON, WATERS, WATSON, WOJNAROSKI, G. WRIGHT,
YOUNGBLOOD, ZIMMERMAN AND ZUG, MARCH 5, 2002
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
MARCH 5, 2002
A RESOLUTION
1 Declaring the week of March 17 through 23, 2002, 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
1 health and safety, and recovery from them has strained State,
2 county and municipal resources; and
3 WHEREAS, Of the range of natural disasters that can occur in
4 this Commonwealth, flooding is the most common; and
5 WHEREAS, Due in part to our mountainous terrain and our
6 nation-leading 45,000-mile network of rivers, creeks and
7 streams, Pennsylvania is recognized as one of the most flood-
8 prone states; and
9 WHEREAS, It is the responsibility of the Pennsylvania
10 Emergency Management Council to help State, county and municipal
11 governments prepare for and respond to these disasters; and
12 WHEREAS, Annually the Pennsylvania Emergency Management
13 Agency, with county emergency management officials and the
14 United States National Weather Service, administers a week-long
15 weather emergency preparedness program to alert citizens and
16 elected officials to severe weather-related dangers; and
17 WHEREAS, In addition to educational and public information
18 programs, a three-day Statewide exercise provides county and
19 local emergency personnel, schools, hospitals, nursing homes and
20 day-care centers the opportunity to test their emergency
21 response plans and procedures; and
22 WHEREAS, During that week the Pennsylvania Emergency Alert
23 System, which provides an essential communications link between
24 government and citizens during an emergency, is tested Statewide
25 through over 400 radio and television stations; therefore be it
26 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives declare the week
27 of March 17 through 23, 2002, as "Weather Emergency Preparedness
28 Week" in Pennsylvania.
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