Colossal Winter Storm Could Trigger Pittsburgh State Of Emergency

PITTSBURGH, PA — Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O'Connor said Friday he is prepared to declare a state of emergency in the city if necessary because of an expected major snowstorm that will hit the region beginning Saturday.

The snowstorm could drop as much as 14 inches of snow on the city, which would be the most significant accumulation in more than 15 years.

At a news conference on Friday, O'Connor noted that an emergency declaration would cut red tape and make it easier to the city to hire outside contractors to aid in plowing roads.

'The priority this weekend is the safety of our residents, our crews and our first responders,” O’Connor said. “We are preparing for the worst-case scenario.”

The city was expecting a salt shipment to arrive on Friday afternoon to complement the 8,000 tons it already has on hand. O'Connor believes the salt supply will be sufficient.

The city currently has 75 trucks with plows and salt spreaders. Another 19 trucks have either a plow or a salt spreader, but not both.

About 40 trucks currently are inoperable because of the city's aging fleet, so the Department of Public Works will put plows on its trucks after those vehicles finish their trash collection routes on Saturday. The snow is not supposed to begin until Saturday night.

A Snow Response Command Center will be established at the City-County Building, Downtown.

Sheldon Williams, the city's acting public safety director, said additional police and EMS workers are available as needed during the weekend. He did not commit to a specific number, saying that depends on the volume of emergency calls the city receives.

O'Connor said anyone with a true emergency during the storm should call 911. But residents with snow removal or other concerns should call the city's 311 line, which will be staffed on Sunday from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. &nFbsp;