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For Immediate
Release
2/22/07
VIDEO - Hearing - Part 1 (running time: 1 hour, 20 min)
VIDEO - Hearing - Part 2 (running time: 1 hour, 16 min)
Senate Committees Seek
Answers on State's Winter Storm Response
Senator
Madigan's Opening Remarks (PDF)
The Senate Transportation
Committee and the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency
Preparedness Committee today held a joint public hearing to
examine the state's response to the recent winter storm,
which closed large sections of Interstates 78, 80, and 81.
The two Senate chairs,
Senator Roger Madigan (R-Bradford) and Senator Lisa Baker
(R-Luzerne), questioned Administration and emergency
management officials on the state's failure to manage the
storm response and the communications breakdowns that
occurred before and during the storm that led to the road
closings.
The situation on I-78,
I-80, and I-81, where thousands of motorists were stranded
in traffic jams in sub-freezing temperatures – some for
nearly 24 hours, – received the most attention at the
hearing.
Senators referred to more
than 600 emails from individuals impacted by the storm,
including many who were trapped in their cars with no food.
They wanted answers to a number of questions, including who
was responsible for coordinating the response effort and why
did it take so long to react.
Madigan, who chairs the
Senate Transportation Committee, said Pennsylvania needs to
do a much better job when planning for and responding to
snow emergencies. He said changes need to be made
immediately to ensure that a similar situation does not
occur again and to establish a clearer chain of command to
improve communications.
Baker, the chair of the
Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness
Committee, wants a thorough review of the incident,
stressing that the Commonwealth has to be ready to meet any
and all emergency situations.
She said the Commonwealth
has an obligation to come up with solutions and to be
answerable to the many people who were affected by the
disaster.
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