PRINTER'S NO. 986
No. 140 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY SEMMEL, TIGUE, ARMSTRONG, BAKER, BASTIAN, BEBKO-
JONES, CAUSER, EGOLF, FAIRCHILD, GABIG, GOODMAN, GRUCELA,
O'NEILL, PIPPY, SATHER, ZUG AND STERN, MARCH 11, 2003
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
MARCH 11, 2003
A RESOLUTION
1 Declaring the week of March 16 through 22, 2003, 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
14 WHEREAS, Of the range of natural disasters that can occur in
15 this Commonwealth, flooding is the most common; and
16 WHEREAS, Due in part to our mountainous terrain and our
17 nation-leading 45,000-mile network of rivers, creeks and
1 streams, Pennsylvania is recognized as one of the most flood-
2 prone states; and
3 WHEREAS, It is the responsibility of the Pennsylvania
4 Emergency Management Council to help State, county and municipal
5 governments prepare for and respond to these disasters; and
6 WHEREAS, Annually the Pennsylvania Emergency Management
7 Agency, with county emergency management officials and the
8 United States National Weather Service, administers a weeklong
9 weather emergency preparedness program to alert citizens and
10 elected officials to severe weather-related dangers; and
11 WHEREAS, In addition to educational and public information
12 programs, a three-day Statewide exercise provides county and
13 local emergency personnel, schools, hospitals, nursing homes and
14 day-care centers the opportunity to test their emergency
15 response plans and procedures; and
16 WHEREAS, During that week the Pennsylvania Emergency Alert
17 System, which provides an essential communications link between
18 government and citizens during an emergency, is tested Statewide
19 through over 400 radio and television stations; therefore be it
20 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives declare the week
21 of March 16 through 22, 2003, as "Weather Emergency Preparedness
22 Week" in Pennsylvania.
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