Western Pennsylvania first responders move south ahead of Hurricane Dorian

As Hurricane Dorian barrels toward Florida, some Western Pennsylvania first responders are already headed south to lend a hand.

Specialized ambulance units and paramedics from Fayette Emergency Medical Service, headquartered in Connellsville, and Murrysville Medic One left at 8 a.m. Friday to head to a staging area in Georgia. Florida emergency officials will later direct them to help with evacuation or rescue efforts, according to Fayette EMS Operations Manager Rick Adobato.

“We got a telephone call at 3:30 a.m. (Friday) as part of the national response. And we sent one, specialized advanced life support ambulance and crew,” said Darrick Gerano, administrative director, of Murrysville Medic One.

“We were both deployed in the panhandle of Florida around Panama City last (October) for Hurricane Michael and were there for three weeks. From what I’ve been able to gather from the most recent reports, Hurricane Dorian is expected to linger over Florida after it hits, which could make it a lot worse than Hurricane Michael,” Adobato said.

The National Hurricane Center said Dorian is currently a Category 2 storm but is expected to strengthen into a potentially catastrophic Category 4 with winds of 130 mph and come ashore possibly Monday somewhere between the Florida Keys and southern Georgia.

Adobato said Fayette and Murrysville each were asked to deploy one of their bariatric ambulance units. He said Murrysville sent two paramedics and Fayette, three.

“We usually travel down together. It takes about 10 hours to get to the Georgia location,” he said.

“We have a mutual aid contract with American Medical Response that provides medical transportation through a contract with FEMA,” Adobato said.

Murrysville Medic One has been sending crews to assist with national emergency requests like hurricanes, including Michael and Florence, since 2012, Gerano said.

“They always request the specialized units in early. Obviously, we’re down there before storm hits, and they send us to a point that’s safe until the storm passes and then deploy us. They try to keep us as safe as possible,” Gerano said.

The specialized bariatric ambulances are equipped to handle and transport heavier patients.

“These specialty units are equipped with a bariatric stretcher with large body surface wraps and attachments, ramps, a winch, and other devices,” Adobato said.

“Like I said, this hurricane is really expected to be among the worst in a long, long time, and the potential is horrendous. I would expect that we both receive a call asking for more crews and equipment within the next 36 hours and their stays down there could be substantial,” he said.

Gerano said that he also anticipates more support from the ambulance service will be requested ahead of the storm.

“It’s still a little early. They don’t know for sure where the hurricane is going to hit. But once they get an idea, I expect we’ll be getting another call,” he said.

Volunteers from the American Red Cross in Pennsylvania also have been deployed to support the agency’s relief efforts in advance of Dorian.

“The Greater Pennsylvania Region has sent 13 volunteers to areas that will potentially be affected by Hurricane Dorian. That number will continue to grow over the weekend as we deploy additional teams to meet response needs,” said Lisa Landis, the Red Cross regional manager of marketing and communications.

“We’re thankful for the dedication of volunteers who are willing to help those in need,” she said.

Landis said the volunteers will serve in a varying roles depending on their Red Cross training. Those roles could include logistics, reunification, health services, sheltering and feeding. Upon arrival, she said volunteers will join hundreds of other mobilized Red Cross disaster relief workers who have deployed pre-landfall; along with truckloads of kitchen supplies and tens of thousands of ready-to-eat meals to support this response effort.

Trailers full of shelter supplies, including cots and blankets to support more than 30,000 people, are scheduled to

arrive in Florida, she said.

Among volunteers include Connie Erwin, Donald Wilson and Charlene Crawford, all of Beaver Falls, Beaver County; Robert Gurkweitz of Cranberry Township, Butler County; Albert Irwin of Farrell, Mercer County; Paula Bauerle of Oakmont, Allegheny County; Charles Williamson of Washington, Washington County; Paul LeVan of Lebanon, Lebanon County, and Joseph Korinchak of Gibsonia, Allegheny County.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Pittsburgh on Tuesday sent its emergency power team to Florida and Puerto Rico ahead of the storm.

Pittsburgh’s 13-member Army Corps team planned to install emergency generators where needed at critical public facilities, such as hospitals, water treatment plants, and fire and police departments, according to Al Coglio, emergency management chief for the district.