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PennDOT, Pa Turnpike prepares to aid Massachusetts snow removal

HARRISBURG, PA. (WPMT) Acting upon request,  PennDOT and the PA Turnpike prepares to send crews and equipment to Massachusetts to assist with snow removal after...
PennDot Snow Preps

HARRISBURG, PA. (WPMT) Acting upon request,  PennDOT and the PA Turnpike prepares to send crews and equipment to Massachusetts to assist with snow removal after repeated significant snow storms.

The “Bay State”, requested the aid through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, or EMAC, coordinated through the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.

PennDOT and the PA Turnpike have identified staff and equipment across the state that could leave as soon as Thursday for Massachusetts, including:
• 18 plow and mechanic trucks, three backhoes and three lowboy tractor trailers to transport backhoes from PennDOT’s Montoursville, King of Prussia and Uniontown-based regions;
• at least 27 operators and other staff from those same PennDOT regions and its Clearfield-based office; and
• 10 equipment operators, two mechanics and two assistant foremen with five dump trucks and five backhoes from PA Turnpike operations across the state.

“We were happy to respond to MassDOT’s request for the additional resources needed to dig out from the massive amount of snow they received,” PA Turnpike Commission Chairman Sean Logan said. “We determined that we could provide them the personnel and equipment without jeopardizing our own operations or the safety of our customers.”

If Massachusetts does not rescind the request PennDOT crews will leave on Thursday and PA Turnpike forces will leave on Friday. Each organization’s crews may stay up to seven days. Through the EMAC, Massachusetts will reimburse PennDOT and the PA Turnpike for any incurred costs.

The EMAC is a congressionally ratified mutual aid compact that legally establishes a national system to facilitate resources across state lines during an emergency or disaster.

To learn more about emergency operations in Pennsylvania visit http://www.pema.pa.gov.

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