Pennsylvania | DEP seeks info about antique medical kit containing Radium-226
Norristown | 1 Feb 2012
The Department of Environmental Protection is asking anyone who knows the history of an antique medical kit found in a Chester County trash bin to contact the agency’s Bureau of Radiation Protection.
“The radioactive material may have been contained in the kit for more than 80 years,” Bureau Director David Allard said. “The metal box likely came from a basement, an attic or a collector’s stash. Anyone who tampered with it or stored it for a long time may have been exposed to high levels of radiation.”
The material was found Jan. 19, when a load of construction debris set off radiation alarms at Waste Management Inc.’s Norristown transfer station. The company deployed a health physicist to recover the radioactive material, identified as
approximately one curie of radium-226. Exposure to one curie of radium-226 is equivalent to having more than 100 CT scans at once, and it has the potential to create skin burns within a few hours of contact.
DEP health physicists worked with Waste Management to properly evaluate and store the radium, and traced its source to a roll-off container that had come from the Hershey’s Mill retirement community in West Chester.
The radium-226 was contained in four capsules inside a small lead safe marked “Radium Chemical Co., Inc.” The safe and some antique surgical equipment were stored inside a larger, locking metal box, which had been pried open.
“Although the capsules do not appear to be leaking, we believe that someone could have had direct contact with these sources of radium-226,” Allard said. “The radioactive radium they contain is about five times the amount found in modern medical sources, and we are concerned about the health of anyone who may have handled them.”
Anyone with information about the kit is asked to contact Allard at 717-787-2480. All calls are confidential.
Pennsylvania | DCED Helps Oaks, Mont Clare Fire Companies Merge in Montgomery County
Harrisburg | 11 Jan 2012
With technical assistance from state government, the Oaks and Mont Clare fire companies in Upper Providence Township will consolidate operations by the end of this year to improve services and realize significant cost savings.
“Although these are volunteer fire companies, there is still a tremendous financial burden placed on local municipalities to support fire protection services,” said Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary C. Alan Walker.
“The consolidation of these two companies will not only bring cost savings for the municipalities, but will result in a more efficient fire service for the region.”
The newly formed Black Rock Volunteer Fire Company will combine vehicles and equipment inventories, with a total of 10 available apparatus. The new company expects to remove at least one major piece of apparatus from its replacement schedule, saving taxpayers more than $500,000 in the short-term and producing even greater long-term savings. Additionally, with a total of 80 volunteers, Black Rock will have a more coordinated operation that will efficiently respond to calls.
The Governor’s Center for Local Government Services (GCLGS), housed within the Department of Community and Economic Development, aided the consolidation.
GCLGS provides technical resources for companies considering consolidation.
“The assistance that Rob Brady from GCLGS provided to our two companies was invaluable,” said Jim Callahan, co-chair of the local consolidation committee. “The knowledge and experience that Rob shared with us, along with providing a neutral third-party perspective to our discussions, really helped us to achieve a better, faster outcome than we could have accomplished by ourselves.”
The center serves as a resource for local government officials, developers, and citizens interested in planning to improve, grow and enhance communities. It provides valuable tools that will support wise land-use decisions and encourage economic development, a healthy environment, and strong communities.
To learn more about the GCLGS and other Department of Community and Economic Development programs, visit newPA.com or call 1-866-466-3972.
Pennsylvania | DCED helps Blue Ball, Liberty Fire Companies to consolidate operations in Lancaster County
Harrisburg PA | With technical assistance from state government, the Blue Ball and
Liberty fire companies will consolidate operations into a single company by next
year to improve services and realize significant cost savings.
“For a number of reasons, including the economy, the cost of operations for
emergency services continues to climb for municipalities across the state,” said
Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary C. Alan Walker. “I
applaud these two fire companies for coming together to consolidate operations.
The move will result in long-term cost savings while achieving greater coordination
and quality of service to the community. “
The consolidated company will have more than 125 volunteers that will respond
more rapidly to calls and result in greater coordination. The companies will also look
to combine vehicles and equipment inventories – a move that could result in
significant short-term and long-term savings. Combined, Liberty and Blue Ball have
a total of 10 apparatus. The consolidated company will eliminate one apparatus off
its current replacement schedule, saving them approximately $500,000.
“The companies are two miles apart and work with each other regularly,” said Blue
Ball Fire Chief Roy Mellinger. “It just makes sense because both companies will
benefit while improving fire protection for the community.”
“A major benefit of a partnership would be the reduction of one engine in the
replacement schedule, that will save at least $500, 000 almost immediately,” said
Liberty Fire Chief Larry Martin.
The Governor’s Center for Local Government Services (GCLGS) housed within the
Department of Community and Economic Development assisted the two companies
with the consolidation. GCLGS provides technical resources for companies
considering consolidation.
The center serves as a resource for local government officials, developers, and
citizens interested in planning to improve, grow and enhance communities. It
provides valuable tools that will support wise land-use decisions and encourage
economic development, a healthy environment, and strong communities
Pennsylvania | Gov Corbett transfers Homeland Security Office to State Police
Harrisburg PA | Governor Tom Corbett today announced that the Governors’ Office of
Homeland Security will soon move its operations to the Pennsylvania State Police
headquarters in Harrisburg.
The Office of Homeland Security was merged into the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency during the previous administration. However, a recent review determined that relocating the office to the state police headquarters, where staff could partner with the Pennsylvania Criminal Intelligence Center (PACIC), would result in an even greater combination of intelligence gathering and sharing.
PACIC gathers and shares information from a variety of sources, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, the PA Attorney General’s Office, the PA Department of Corrections, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the New York City Police Department.
To improve the intelligence-sharing process, State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan will be appointed as the Governor’s Homeland Security Advisor. The office is currently staffed by six individuals who will work cooperatively with PSP and PEMA to support the important missions of homeland security and emergency preparedness and response. Staff will report to Noonan on matters of terrorism and security, and to the Governor’s Office on administrative and policy matters.
“It is logical for all the intelligence-gathering units to be under the same law enforcement roof, focusing on its mission of prevention and protection,’’ Corbett said. “In addition, this change will allow PEMA to focus on its mission of response and recovery and ensure that PEMA receives the quality information necessary to fulfill these missions.’’
PEMA Director Glenn Cannon will continue to play a role in homeland security by monitoring federal funding sent to Pennsylvania and coordinating regional activities.
Pennsylvania | PennDOT unveils new tow plow
Harrisburg PA | State Transportation Secretary Barry J. Schoch and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s Chief Operating Officer Craig R. Shuey today unveiled Pennsylvania’s latest weapon in their battle against winter weather: a 30-foot-long,
tow-behind snowplow.
PennDOT and the Turnpike will use the new tow plows on major roadways this winter. Because of their size, tow plows are only used on limited-access roadways such as the Pennsylvania Turnpike, interstates or other multi-lane roads.
“Used on multi-lane highways, a tow plow allows one truck to do the work of two,” Schoch said. “By freeing up a truck and operator, we’ll be better able to focus on lower-priority roads that normally would not receive as high a level of service until major routes are cleared.”
PennDOT tested a tow plow two winters ago on Interstate 99 in Centre County and last year added tow plows in Allegheny, Berks and Lackawanna counties. This winter, PennDOT expects to have tow plows operating in Montgomery, Perry, Cambria and Schuylkill counties. PennDOT plans to have at least one tow plow operating in each of its 11 engineering districts by next winter. The Pennsylvania Turnpike expects to have four tow plows in service this winter.
“We’ve been working closely with PennDOT on expanding this technology to the Turnpike,” Shuey said. “We strive to provide exceptional winter service on the Turnpike and the tow plow will be a welcome asset that enhances our operations.”
PennDOT and Turnpike plow trucks are normally equipped with a 10- or 12-foot wide front plow. In addition, PennDOT trucks and some Turnpike trucks are equipped with a wing plow (a plow attached to the side of the truck) that increases total plowing width to about 16 to 18 feet. A tow plow increases the plowing width to 24 feet, allowing for two, 12-foot-wide lanes to be cleared at once.
As the name implies, tow plows are towed behind a conventional plow truck equipped with a front plow. When plowing snow, the tow plow truck is driven on the left lane and when the operator deploys the tow plow it “steers” out into the right lane, allowing the truck to clear both lanes simultaneously.
The tow plow costs between $99,000 and $106,000 based on equipment. A typical,
tandem-axle PennDOT truck costs nearly $175,000.
Schoch and Shuey also strongly urged motorists to give plow truck drivers extra room and to never try to pass a plow truck or group of trucks.
“Plow operators have an enormous responsibility – they are out there during peak traffic volume, keeping an eye out for motorists and obstacles, monitoring salt spreading and in many cases driving in near-zero visibility,” Schoch said. “That’s why it’s so important that motorists give all plow operators the extra space they need to do their jobs effectively. It’s challenging enough without having to deal with impatient or unsafe motorists.”
When encountering a plow truck, drivers should follow these safety tips:
Stay Back: Stay at least six car lengths behind an operating plow and remember that the main plow is wider than the truck. Wing plows, which are located on the sides of the truck, are generally 10 feet wide.
Remain Alert: Snowplows generally travel much more slowly than other traffic and may at times be completely obscured due to blowing snow or heavy snowfall rates. This is especially true in open areas where high winds can create zero visibility without warning.
Move Over: Move as far away from the centerline of the road as is safely possible when approaching a snowplow head-on, and remember that snow spray can obscure the actual snowplow width.
Never Pass: Never try to pass or get between several trucks plowing side by side in a “plow train.” The weight of the snow thrown from the plow can quickly cause smaller vehicles to lose control, creating a hazard for all nearby vehicles.
Don’t Drive in the Snow Plow “No Zone”: Never travel next to a snowplow since there are blind spots where the operator can’t see. Also, plow trucks can occasionally be moved sideways when hitting drifts or cutting through heavy snowpack.
Headlights On: Keep your lights on when driving near snowplows to help the operator better see your vehicle. Also remember that under Pennsylvania state law, vehicle lights must be on every time a vehicle’s wipers are on due to inclement weather.
Follow PennDOT on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PennDOTNews.
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