PEMA Deploys the Pennsylvania Incident Management Team to Support Debby Recovery Operations in Tioga County

​Harrisburg, PA - At the request of emergency management officials in Tioga County, today the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) deployed a 19-member multi-agency Incident Management Team (PA-IMT) to assist with recovery support operations in Tioga County.

"Communities throughout Tioga County, including Westfield and many others, were devastated by this storm - and the Shapiro Administration stands ready to provide whatever support they need," said PEMA Director Randy Padfield. "This specialized team will embed with municipal and county teams to provide assistance in recovery operations to aid the communities' efforts to get back on their feet."

The PA-IMT is a Commonwealth asset with a cadre of specialists trained in disaster response and recovery operations. The 19-member team consists of personnel from PEMA, Pennsylvania State Police, and the Departments of Corrections, Conservation & Natural Resources, and Health. The PA-IMT will begin operations on Wednesday, August 14, 2024. The deployment will last one week and may extended if the need for assistance continues. The team consists of personnel, specialized vehicles and equipment, and other resources, with crews supporting Tioga County with overall incident management, in addition to resource staging area and donation management.

Any disaster survivors across the Commonwealth in need of recovery assistance should contact the Pennsylvania Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (PAVOAD), a coalition of local, state, and national volunteer organizations providing aid during disaster recovery, including clean up assistance. PAVOAD has established a Debby-specific website and crisis hotline 1-844-965-1386. For other disaster assistance available, survivors can contact PA 211 by dialing 2-1-1, or 1-855-567-5341.

PEMA encourages anyone who sustained damages or impact from Debby to contact their municipal or county emergency management office to report it as soon as possible. These damage reports help to provide information for eligibility for potential state and federal disaster assistance.

MEDIA CONTACT: Ruth A. Miller, [email protected]