LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — The Lackawanna County 911 Center in Jessup is quiet now, but at a moment's notice, the room can transform into a flood response command center.
Emergency Management Coordinator Tom Taylor hopes for Mother Nature's mercy.
"I'm hoping for less than two inches of rain, but we're prepared for anything. the state met with us this morning, and we're ready to go if we have to be activated."
Taylor also hopes that municipalities across the county are doing all they can to prepare before the first raindrop falls.
"We'd like the municipalities to make sure they're checking their storm drains, checking their culverts, make sure those things are open, so the water has somewhere to go."
That's exactly what DPW crews in Olyphant did all morning. They spent the afternoon moving sandbags to the borough's known flooding spots. Then they dusted off some pumps that have been in storage. The borough hasn't had to use them in six years, and here's hoping it stays that way.
"Nothing major, hopefully, this goes south of us, and we don't have to use any of it," said Jimmy Marcinko, an Olyphant DPW worker.
The EMA officials we talked to say now it's a wait-and-see game. They feel prepared for whatever Mother Nature has in store.
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