Winter Storm state response an “all hands on deck situation;” vaccines a priority
Written by Victoria Scialfa on February 2, 2021
Winter Storm state response an “all hands on deck situation;” vaccines a priority
By Hayden Mitman
February 2, 2021
In the midst of a storm on Feb. 1 that may eventually dump nearly 2 feet of snow on the Lehigh Valley. Gov. Tom Wolf issued a Disaster Emergency.
Randy Padfield, director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, said agencies have been concerned.
“We’ve been monitoring this storm system since even before it entered the U.S., when it was off of the west coast,” Padfield says, “We are specifically concerned that shipments of the COVID-19 vaccine make it safely to their destinations. We have the ability to monitor these shipments and assist in troubleshooting any issues to ensure they are safely delivered to their final destinations.”
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation brought hundreds of vehicles from across the state to the region to help clear roads.
Melissa Batulla from PennDOT says the agency plans to continue even after snow stops. And will prioritize clearing high travel routes and roads to hospitals.
“Responding to the storm has been a sort of an all-hands-on-deck situation,” Batulla says.
The storm is expected to continue through Tuesday afternoon and officials are asking residents to stay off of the roadways if possible.
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