Torrential rains from what was left of Tropical Storm Lee wreaked havoc last September on many communities in the mid-state.
But in Derry Township, where flooding reached unprecedented levels, emergency responders faced the challenge of having to relocate the township's emergency operations center twice.
Derry Township felt it was prepared to handle whatever Mother Nature had to offer. It had an updated emergency operations center, trained staff and essential resources. Then torrential rainfall caused flash flooding and creek roared over their banks.
"I've been in K9, I was in undercover narcotics for eight years, I was on the SWAT team for four and I was at the Camp Hill state prison riots,” explained Derry Township Police Chief Patrick O’Rourke. “This in 30 years of law enforcement was the scariest thing I've ever been through. We just didn't know if the water was going to stop.”
Problems began around 10:30 in the morning when the cloverleaf at Route 322 and Hersheypark Drive flooded. The emergency operations center was set up by noon. Then in less than an hour and a half a series of critical incidents occurred through the township.
"We had a structural collapse on the west side that resulted in an unfortunate fatality. In the center of the town we had people being swept away by floodwaters,” O’Rourke explained. “And had an officer submerged in a patrol car and that officer had to swim to higher ground and be rescued by the fire department. And then on the east side we had a trailer park they effectuated 22 swift water rescues in a matter of two, two-and-a-half hours. One of those rescues went bad and they had rescuers and victims clinging to trees."
By eight o'clock that evening, the EOC had to be relocated to the second floor of the building because water was pouring in the basement.
“By the following day the water was to the ceiling in here,” O’Rourke demonstrated. “We had 12 inch catfish and smallmouth bass here. It went up two flights of stairs and three feet into the floor.”
As the building was losing power, data and phone service, the EOC was moved for the second time to the township administration building.
"Trying to maintain field operations out in the community while we were trying to recover equipment and respond to our own issues here and the challenges we faced was phenomenal,” O’Rourke addressed.
The chief says the use of social media kept the residents informed and at ease knowing first responders were meeting the emergency needs. They used Twitter, reverse 9-1-1, texting and emails.
But in Derry Township, where flooding reached unprecedented levels, emergency responders faced the challenge of having to relocate the township's emergency operations center twice.
Derry Township felt it was prepared to handle whatever Mother Nature had to offer. It had an updated emergency operations center, trained staff and essential resources. Then torrential rainfall caused flash flooding and creek roared over their banks.
"I've been in K9, I was in undercover narcotics for eight years, I was on the SWAT team for four and I was at the Camp Hill state prison riots,” explained Derry Township Police Chief Patrick O’Rourke. “This in 30 years of law enforcement was the scariest thing I've ever been through. We just didn't know if the water was going to stop.”
Problems began around 10:30 in the morning when the cloverleaf at Route 322 and Hersheypark Drive flooded. The emergency operations center was set up by noon. Then in less than an hour and a half a series of critical incidents occurred through the township.
"We had a structural collapse on the west side that resulted in an unfortunate fatality. In the center of the town we had people being swept away by floodwaters,” O’Rourke explained. “And had an officer submerged in a patrol car and that officer had to swim to higher ground and be rescued by the fire department. And then on the east side we had a trailer park they effectuated 22 swift water rescues in a matter of two, two-and-a-half hours. One of those rescues went bad and they had rescuers and victims clinging to trees."
By eight o'clock that evening, the EOC had to be relocated to the second floor of the building because water was pouring in the basement.
“By the following day the water was to the ceiling in here,” O’Rourke demonstrated. “We had 12 inch catfish and smallmouth bass here. It went up two flights of stairs and three feet into the floor.”
As the building was losing power, data and phone service, the EOC was moved for the second time to the township administration building.
"Trying to maintain field operations out in the community while we were trying to recover equipment and respond to our own issues here and the challenges we faced was phenomenal,” O’Rourke addressed.
The chief says the use of social media kept the residents informed and at ease knowing first responders were meeting the emergency needs. They used Twitter, reverse 9-1-1, texting and emails.