Pennsylvania

Chester, Pennsylvania, firefighters will have new placard system to help identify dangerous buildings

Published

4 months ago

July 17, 2025

Press Room

Chester, Pennsylvania, firefighters will have new placard system to help identify dangerous buildings

Madeleine Wright,

Rory Hardenstine

July 17, 2025 / 5:41 PM EDT
/ CBS Philadelphia

Firefighters in Chester, Pennsylvania, now have a new tool to help protect them before they even set foot inside a burning building.

A new vacant building placard system is being rolled out across the city to warn first responders about structures that may be too dangerous to enter. The initiative is part of a $50,000 FEMA grant and is the first program of its kind in Delaware County.

Vacant and structurally compromised buildings are now being marked with placards. They are visual warnings that alert fire crews to potential dangers inside.

“Throughout the city, we have some dilapidated buildings,” Battalion Chief Jon Ley from the Chester Bureau of Fire said. “The city is old. A lot of legacy construction.”

The initiative was prompted by a 2022 fire on Baker Street, during which three firefighters were injured. One was seriously injured after he fell through a hole in the floor.

16pkg-mw-chester-property-inspections-transfer-frame-850.jpg — CBS News Philadelphia.

“Baker Street was one of the biggest things — that changed a lot of things,” Ley said. “We changed our mayday protocol. It changed how we do things as far as not being aggressive as a fire department, but as far as being in the know.”

Placards are synced with a real-time digital map, giving crews immediate access to the condition of vacant buildings while en route.

“The building’s already been on fire; it’s under intense heat. Inflamed or it’s going to have to collapse, or could lose firefighters, said Ley. “That’s where the risk vs. gain comes in.”

In many cases, the answer might mean fighting fires from the outside instead of entering unstable structures.

On East 7th Street, one vacant home has deteriorated so badly that a tree is growing through the roof. Residents say the placard system is a much-needed step forward.

16pkg-mw-chester-property-inspections-transfer-frame-2384.jpg — CBS News Philadelphia.

“I do think they should like, knock down these little vacant buildings,” said Dezheona Butcher, a Chester resident. “They could turn it into something, rebuild it. Turn it into a house, a home. Somebody needs a home. Everybody needs a home.”

Chester firefighters routinely survey neighborhoods to update their building database. As structures are repaired or deteriorate further, their status is updated to ensure crews always have the latest information.

The placard system is part of a broader initiative aimed at protecting both firefighters and the communities they serve.

Madeleine Wright

Madeleine Wright is a bilingual general assignment reporter for CBS News Philadelphia who is fluent in Spanish. She joined the team in January 2022 and was named the Delaware County reporter in July 2023.

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Pennsylvania

Hundreds of stuffed toys to find home through Holiday Wish Program

Published

36 minutes ago

November 23, 2025

Press Room

Hundreds of stuffed toys to find home through Holiday Wish Program

The state Department of Human Services’ Holiday Wish Program got a boost after the donation of more than 1,000 stuffed toys.

Those stuffed toys are samples of those for sale in Pennsylvania that were deemed safe for children this past year by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry following routine safety inspections.

The samples are accumulated by the department throughout the year and then marked for distribution through the state Department of Human Services’ Holiday Wish Program.

“This annual tradition reminds us of what public service is truly about: protecting people’s safety while spreading hope and joy to families across Pennsylvania,” said Labor and Industry Secretary Nancy A. Walker. “In times that can feel especially heavy, small acts of generosity can make a big difference.”

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Under state law, Labor and Industry’s Bureau of Occupational and Industrial Safety must inspect all new stuffed toy samples for contents, choking hazards, and general safety.

Toys that pass inspection get a registration number, which is on every stuffed toy sold in the commonwealth.

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Through this process, Labor and Industry accumulates hundreds of toy samples each year. This year, the department delivered a record 1,085 stuffed toys to the Department of Human Services DHS for its Holiday Wish program — a 45 percent increase from last year’s 749 donated.

Of the donated toys, more than 50 are made of recycled materials. Last year, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed an updated Stuffed Toy Manufacturing Act, eliminating a long-standing ban on using recycled materials in stuffed toys sold in the commonwealth.

Started in 1989 by Department of Human Services employees, the Holiday Wish program has grown to include hundreds of employees in various state agencies, allowing the program to reach thousands of individuals in need around Pennsylvania during the holiday season.

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Pennsylvania

Holiday Wish Program gets 1,000 toys to donate to PA children

Published

18 hours ago

November 22, 2025

Press Room

Holiday Wish Program gets 1,000 toys to donate to PA children

The Pennsylvania Departments of Labor & Industry and Human Services celebrated the start of the 2025 holiday season with the annual donation of stuffed toys collected throughout the year by Labor and Industry during routine safety inspections.

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