Flooding emergency declared to hasten aid

In response to the damage caused by last week’s torrential rainfall and flooding, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald on Wednesday declared a countywide disaster emergency.

The declaration will allow resources and manpower to be deployed more efficiently than would normally be allowed, the county said in a statement. For example, “bid and contract procedures, as well as other formalities normally prescribed by law, are waived for the duration of the declaration,” the county said.

The county said Mr. Fitzgerald took the step after consulting with officials from Allegheny County Emergency Services, which has worked with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency’s western office to assess damage throughout the area.

On June 20, a storm that produced up to 2 inches of rain per hour in some places caused flash flooding in the South Hills communities of Bethel Park, Bridgeville and Upper St. Clair.

At least one death was

blamed on the storm — a woman in Upper St. Clair was swept into a creek.

Mr. Fitzgerald said he had visited “some of the properties and businesses damaged during this most recent rainfall and flooding. The devastation is substantial. While Emergency Services is continuing its damage assessments, we expect that losses will exceed millions of dollars in damages.

“This emergency declaration is just one step in trying to provide relief to our residents, business owners and municipalities, and has been shared with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.”