Pennsylvania
Chester, Pennsylvania, firefighters will have new placard system to help identify dangerous buildings
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.
“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.
“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.
A crash involving several vehicles and a motorcycle has left one person dead in Warminster Township, Pennsylvania, Wednesday, police said.
The crash happened in the area of West County Line Road and Greene Avenue, according to police.
Police are asking people to avoid the area as the investigation into the crash continues.
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Warminster Township Police.
DOYLESTOWN BOROUGH, PA — A major downtown street will be repaved under a resurfacing contract awarded this week by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).
Borough officials, who have lobbied for years to have East and West State Street resurfaced, announced the news on Wednesday via its Facebook page.
When the project happens later this year, the work will be fully paid for under a major $8.3 million project bid award by PennDOT to repave 16 miles of state highways in Bucks County.
This marks the first time that State Street will be resurfaced since the 1990s, said borough officials, who credited an organized lobbying effort by local leadership and the community for pushing the project forward.
In its Facebook posting, the borough thanked State Sen. Steve Santarsiero, State Rep. Tim Brennan, Borough Council, Mayor Noni West, residents and business owners who brought the street’s condition to PennDOT’s attention.
State Street runs through the heart of the borough and serves as a heavily used business, tourism, and residential corridor for the town. It is home to the County Theater, a popular local and regional tourist attraction, the historic Doylestown Inn, and many other businesses.
More detailed timing and work plans are expected once the state finalizes its construction schedule.
One person is dead, and two others were taken to the hospital after a crash involving multiple vehicles in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, Tuesday afternoon, police said.
The crash happened around 4:45 p.m. at East Bristol Road and Brownsville roads, police said.
Police said a person driving a Toyota RAV4 was involved in a domestic-related incident in Lower Southampton Township before the crash.
The person driving the Toyota RAV4 was traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed, crossed into oncoming traffic and struck another vehicle while attempting to pass a Hyundai Kona, according to police.
The Toyota then became airborne, struck a Honda SUV and a Ford pickup truck and rolled over. The driver of the Toyota died in the crash, police said.
The driver of the Hyundai Kona left the road and came to a rest after striking a fence on Bristol Road, according to police.
It’s unclear if any drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash, police said.
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Bensalem police.
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