Ambulance crashes, rolls onto side while responding to emergency in Fayette County
WEATHER SEVERE WEATHER ALERT. GOOD AFTERNOON PITTSBURGH, THANK YOU FOR STAYING WITH US ON THIS SUNDAY. I’M SHANNON PERRINE AND I’M MIKE CLARK. WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A MAJOR WINTER STORM RIGHT NOW, AND IT’S FAR FROM OVER. WE’VE ALREADY BROKEN ONE RECORD FOR SNOWFALL TODAY, AND IT’S ONLY GETTING WORSE OUTSIDE. CHIEF METEOROLOGIST MIKE HARVEY JOINS US NOW. MIKE, PLEASE BRING US UP TO SPEED TO WHERE WE ARE. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. SOME LOCATIONS HAVE ALREADY HIT AND TOPPED A FOOT OF SNOW, INCLUDING FREEDOM AT 13IN. WE’RE JUST ABOUT A FOOT AT ZELIENOPLE AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PITTSBURGH, 8.4IN THE RECORD FOR THE DATE IS 5.2. SO WE ARE WELL BEYOND THAT. AND OF COURSE WE HAVE MORE SNOW TO GO. TAKING A LOOK AT FINLEYVILLE ABOUT A HALF A FOOT AND THEY’RE ADDING ON TO THAT AS WELL AS LATROBE LOOKING OUTSIDE. THIS IS LOOKING TOWARDS THE WEST. DOWN THE PARKWAY EAST. YOU CAN SEE THE PARKWAY EAST RIGHT HERE. NOT A LOT OF ACTIVITY ON IT AS YOU WOULD EXPECT WITH ALL THE SNOW THAT IS MOVING IN AT THIS HOUR. AND OF COURSE VISIBILITY OBVIOUSLY IS REDUCED OUT THERE AS WELL. SO I’M GOING TO START WITH THE HOW MASSIVE THIS STORM IS. YOU CAN SEE THE SNOW ACROSS ALL OF PENNSYLVANIA AND YOU CAN SEE IT MOVING UP TOWARDS THE NORTHEAST AS WELL. FINALLY HITTING NEW YORK, BOSTON AND HEADING UP TOWARDS BURLINGTON, VERMONT. WE’RE GOING TO GET INTO THIS SCATTERED LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS AS WE GO LATER INTO TONIGHT. THAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN AS WE GET TOWARDS ABOUT 8 OR 9:00 TONIGHT. BUT CLOSER IN, I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH THE SNOW. JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY SEEING LIGHT SNOW OUT THERE AT THIS HOUR FROM NEWCASTLE DOWN TO PITTSBURGH AND DOWN TO THE SOUTH. THAT’S WHERE WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A CHANGE DOWN TOWARDS THE MORGANTOWN AREA. THE AREAS IN PINK. THAT’S THE POTENTIAL FOR SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN AND THAT’S MOVING DOWN TOWARDS THE SOUTH. FROM THERE YOU CAN SEE THESE DARK AREAS OF BLUE. THIS IS UP TOWARDS SEVEN SPRINGS CHAMPION DONEGAL. THE HEAVY BLUE IS THE HEAVIER SNOW THAT IS FALLING RIGHT NOW. AND THAT’S GOING RIGHT DOWN TOWARDS FARMINGTON AS WELL AS CHALK HILL, UNIONTOWN, CONNELLSVILLE AND UP TOWARDS MOUNT PLEASANT. SO DEFINITELY SOME HEAVY SNOW IN THOSE AREAS AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN EXPECT AS FAR AS LATER TONIGHT BY 5:00, AGAIN, STILL STEADY SNOW. WE’LL KEEP THAT UNTIL ABOUT EIGHT, 9:00 TONIGHT. THAT’S WHEN IT WILL FINALLY START TO BREAK UP AND BECOME LIGHT. SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS. AND THAT WILL BE WITH US UNTIL WE GO INTO A VERY EARLY ON MONDAY MORNING. BY 7 A.M., CLOUDY SKIES, NO SNOW AND THEN JUST A FEW FLURRIES COULD DEVELOP LATER ON ON MONDAY. SO HOW MUCH SNOW WE STILL LOOKING AT? THIS IS IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE ON THE GROUND. STILL A COUPLE TWO THREE INCHES OF SNOW COULD FALL BETWEEN NOW AND 8:00 TONIGHT. MOST OF IT IS GOING TO BE LIGHT SNOW. SO YOU CAN SEE IN CRANBERRY ABOUT 2.3 BEAVER AND NEW CASTLE ABOUT THREE INCHES FOUR INCHES IN CLARION ABOUT 1 TO 2IN IN GREENSBURG. THAT’S ALSO THE CASE IN UNIONTOWN AND WAYNESBURG. ABOUT TWO INCHES OF SNOW TO GO AS WE HEAD THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. OF COURSE, WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE AREA. IT HAS BEEN, AND IT WILL BE THROUGH THE REST OF TODAY AND INTO TOMORROW. WE ARE LOOKING AT TO EXPIRE AT 12:00 OR NOON ON MONDAY, AND AS WE GO THROUGH THE NEXT FEW DAYS, WE REALLY DON’T GET A BREAK. TAKING A LOOK AT TOMORROW MORNING, WE’RE GOING TO BE SEEING SNOW INTO THE VERY EARLY MORNING HOURS. VERY COLD, A HIGH OF ONLY 18 DEGREES. AND THEN WE GO INTO TUESDAY, A LOW TEMPERATURE OF ZERO DEGREES. BUT WIND CHILLS ARE GOING TO BE WELL BELOW ZERO AGAIN. SO WE’LL GO BACK TO THAT AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE LOW TEMPERATURES ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. BOTH DAYS VERY COLD, THREE AND ONE DEGREE. OUR WARMEST DAY AS WE GO THROUGH NEXT WEEK IS GOING TO BE 18 DEGREES, SO IT IS GOING TO BE BRUTALLY COLD AS WE GO THROUGH NEXT WEEK. BUT FIRST WE NEED TO GET THROUGH THE SNOW THAT WILL BE WITH US TONIGHT. ALL RIGHT MIKE, THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND MEANWHILE, AMONG A GROWING LIST OF SCHOOL CLOSURES FOR TOMORROW IS THE LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN OUR AREA, PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS. NO SCHOOL TOMORROW. PS ANNOUNCING EARLIER TODAY THEY WILL BE CLOSED TOMORROW BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SAYS IT WILL BE THE FINAL SNOW DAY OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR, AND ANY ADDITIONAL WEATHER RELATED CLOSURES WILL BE REMOTE LEARNING DAYS, SO KIDS WILL HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL AT HOME ON THOSE DAYS. IF IT HAPPENS. THE PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW IN THE PITTSBURGH SCHOOL DISTRICT, THAT’S NOW GOING TO HAPPEN VIRTUALLY ONLINE. YOU CAN FIND THE LINK TO THAT ON THE PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT’S WEBSITE. AGAIN, THAT’S NOT THE ONLY SCHOOL DISTRICT WE’RE HEARING FROM THE NORTH HILLS SCHOOL DISTRICT JUST ANNOUNCED FLEXIBLE INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS FOR ALL STUDENTS MONDAY AND AGAIN ON TUESDAY. ALL EVENTS AND AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES SCHEDULED THROUGH MONDAY ARE ALSO CANCELED. A DECISION FOR TUESDAY’S EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES THAT’S STILL BEING DETERMINED RIGHT NOW. WE WANT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON CONDITIONS IN FAYETTE COUNTY. THAT’S RIGHT. WE’VE GOT ROY SHIPLEY JUNIOR ON THE PHONE RIGHT NOW. THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY DIRECTOR FOR FAYETTE COUNTY. ROY, TELL ME KIND OF WHERE YOU ARE, WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW AND WHAT YOU AND YOUR CREWS ARE SEEING IN FAYETTE COUNTY. WELL, WE’VE BEEN ON VIRTUAL EOC ACTIVATION FOR OUR EOC STAFF SINCE 8:00 THIS MORNING. WE’VE SEEN SOME HEAVY SNOW AND YOUR REPORT THAT’S BEEN LISTENED TO SAID HEAVY SNOW IN THE MOUNTAIN AREAS. THAT’S ACTUALLY LIGHTENED UP A LITTLE BIT. IT’S THE IT’S THE WIND AND THE DRIFTING THAT’S AFFECTING US IN THE MOUNTAIN. WELL, THE WIND, THE WIND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. BUT THE DRIFT, THE ESPECIALLY IN THE MOUNTAIN RIDGES IS THE IS THE WIND AND THE AND THE BLOWING SNOW. OKAY. YOU TALKING ABOUT THE EOC? THAT’S THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER. YOU FIRE THAT UP IN TIMES LIKE THIS TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A COMMAND CENTER AND YOU’RE THERE IN THAT EOC EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER. RIGHT NOW, ACTUALLY, WE’RE ALL THE EOC STAFF IS VIRTUAL. WE’RE LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. WE’VE HAD YOU KNOW, IT’S AN ONGOING PROCESS. AND THEN WE HAVE SEVERAL EXTRA STAFF. WE BROUGHT EXTRA STAFF IN, ACTUALLY SCHEDULED IT FRIDAY FOR IN THE IN THE DISPATCH CENTER, THE 911 CENTER. AND THE CALLS HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY LOW TODAY. YOU KNOW, WE WERE REALLY SURPRISED. SO THE PEOPLE ARE TAKING THE WARNING AND STAYING OFF THE STREETS. THAT’S GOOD TO KNOW. HERE’S MY QUESTION. ARE YOU ABLE AT THIS POINT? IT’S SIX MINUTES AFTER 3:00 IN THE AFTERNOON. IT’S BEEN SNOWING FOR SOME TIME. ARE YOU ABLE TO ASSESS HOW PUBLIC WORKS CREWS IN FAYETTE COUNTY, SORT OF ACROSS THE ROADS, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN PENNDOT AND COUNTY ROADS AND LOCAL ROADS? I KNOW IT’S HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO TELL HOW JUST THE PLOW TRUCKS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IN TRYING TO CLEAR THIS MONUMENTAL AMOUNT OF SNOW? WELL, OF COURSE, PENNDOT AND ALL THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES ARE OUT PLOWING. THE ROADS ARE SNOW COVERED, BUT THE MAJOR ARTERIES HAVE BEEN PASSABLE. AGAIN, IT’S THE HIGH WINDS AND THE AND THE BLOWING SNOW. BUT WE’VE HAD 13 LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES DECLARE A DISASTER EMERGENCY AND WE EXPECT A FEW MORE TO DECLARE. AND THAT JUST GIVES THEM THE ABILITY TO DO A FEW THINGS THAT THEY MIGHT NOT IF THEY NEED, IF THEY NEED TO, THAT THEY MIGHT NOT, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT FOLLOWING STRICTER PROCEDURES. RIGHT. IT’S GOOD TO HEAR THAT PEOPLE ARE STAYING OFF THE ROADS SO CREWS CAN GET THE ROADS CLEARED. BUT PRETTY SOON DOCTORS, NURSES, POLICE OFFICERS WILL HAVE TO BE GOING ON SHIFT SOON. IS THERE ANY SPOT IN THE COUNTY THAT YOU’RE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT WHERE PEOPLE SHOULD DEFINITELY TAKE CAUTION? IF THEY ARE, IF THEY DO HAVE TO HEAD OUT? NO, I WOULDN’T SAY ANY PARTICULAR AS LONG AS YOU KNOW, THE RESIDENTS ARE USED TO DEALING WITH WITH THE SNOW, WHETHER NOT AT THIS MAGNITUDE, BUT THE AGAIN, THE MAIN ROADS ARE PASSABLE AND, YOU KNOW, AND MOST OF THEM THE PEOPLE KNOW WHAT WHERE TO TURN IF THEY IF THEY NEED HELP FROM THE LOCALS TO GET THEM FROM POINT A TO POINT B, WE TALKED ABOUT THE THE DIFFERENT EMERGENCY RESPONSE FOLKS. ARE YOU HAVING SOME? DID YOU HAVE A GOOD PROTOCOL TO GET DISPATCHERS INTO THE 911 CENTER SO THEY COULD BE THERE TO ANSWER THOSE CALLS, EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVEN’T? YOU’VE SAID YOU’RE NOT GETTING A TON OF 911 CALLS RIGHT NOW. YOUR DISPATCHERS ABLE TO SHOW UP FOR WORK. YES, THEY ARE OUR DAYLIGHT SHIFT. WE HAD THREE EXTRA PEOPLE ON DAYLIGHT SHIFT, AND SEVERAL OF THOSE HAVE STAYED OVER THE AFTERNOON. WE HAVE A FULL COMPLEMENT OF DISPATCHERS FOR AFTERNOON, AND SOME OF THOSE HAVE ALREADY SAID THAT THEY NEED BE. THEY’LL STAY FOR NIGHT SHIFT. IS THERE ANY IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO TELL FOLKS EVEN BEYOND FAYETTE COUNTY WHO ARE WATCHING PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR RIGHT NOW ON WTAE CHANNEL 4, IS THERE ANYTHING AS AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR THERE IN FAYETTE COUNTY, YOU WANT THE FOLKS AT HOME TO KNOW? WELL, THE MAIN THING, THE MAIN THING IS IF YOU DON’T NEED TO GO OUT, DON’T GO OUT. LISTEN TO YOUR, YOU KNOW, THE NEWS, GET THE UPDATES, SEE WHAT’S GOING ON. AND IF YOU HAVE NEIGHBORS THAT YOU MAY NEED TO CALL AND CHECK ON, OR IF YOU DON’T HEAR FROM THEM, YOU MAY HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, GO OUT THROUGH THE SNOW AND CHECK ON THEM. BUT IT’S, YOU KNOW, USE A LITTLE COMMON SENSE AND WE’LL GET THROUGH THIS. AS YOU SAID, I DON’T THINK ONCE WE GET THROUGH THE SNOW AND PEOPLE GET PLOWED OUT, IT’S GOING TO BE ALL WEEK DEALING WITH THE COLD WEATHER, YOU KNOW, AND THAT’S THAT’S A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALLGAME. ALL RIGHT. ROY SHIPLEY JUNIOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US ON PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR FROM FAYETTE COUNTY. CAN I ADD YES, ABSOLUTELY. CAN I ADD A COUPLE OTHER THINGS? PLEASE BE MY GUEST. WE HAVE WE HAVE 19 WARMING CENTERS THAT HAVE SHARED WITH US THAT THEY WILL OPEN IF NEED BE. FIVE OF THOSE AT THE PRESENT TIME ARE OPEN. FOUR IS ON STANDBY AND ALL THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND LOCAL COORDINATORS KNOW OF THOSE, AND THEY KNOW HOW TO ACCESS THAT SYSTEM IF NEED BE. AND THEN A NOTE FROM THE COUNTY LEVEL FOR THE SAFETY OF THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES. FAYETTE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAVE MADE THE DECISION TO CLOSE ALL COUNTY BUILDINGS TOMORROW, MONDAY, JANUARY THE 26TH. AND OF COURSE, EMPLOYEES ON THE 24 OVER SEVEN OPERATION WILL FOLLOW THEIR DEPARTMENT PROTOCOLS. BUT THE WARMING CENTERS ARE THERE. IF WE DO EXPERIENCE ANY MAJOR POWER OUTAGES. RIGHT NOW, WE ONLY HAVE ACROSS THE WHOLE COUNTY, 530 REPORTED POWER OUTAGES, BUT THE WARMING WARMING CENTERS ARE THERE. THEY CAN BE EASILY OPENED AND STAFFED, AND WE HAVE THAT ON ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. AND AGAIN, ALL THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND LOCAL COORDINATORS KNOW HOW TO ACCESS THAT. WELL. AND ROY, YOU DID SAY YOU HAVE 530 SOME CUSTOMERS WITHOUT POWER RIGHT NOW. THAT’S 500 AND SOME PEOPLE THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE HEAT. WHAT WHAT HAPPENS WITH THOSE FOLKS AND HOW CAN THEY GET THE HELP THAT THEY NEED? WELL, IF THEY NEED IT, AGAIN, WE SHARE THAT INFORMATION OUT. IF THEY NEED TO GO TO A WARMING CENTER OR IF THEY NEED TRANSPORTATION, THE LOCAL, MOSTLY THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS WILL ASSIST THEM IN GETTING WHERE THEY NEED TO GO SO THEY CAN CALL 911. RIGHT. AND WE HAVE REPORTS THAT THE, YOU KNOW, THE POWER SHOULD BE ON SHORTLY. OH THAT’S GREAT. WE HAVEN’T WE DIDN’T HAVE WORKING BACK AND FORTH WITH WEST PENN. NO LONG TERM OUTAGES. IT’S IT’S SPOTTY OUTAGES. IT’S MORE THAN WE WAS UP TO 1600. BUT AGAIN WE’RE DOWN TO 530 AS YOU KNOW AS WE SPEAK OKAY. THAT’S A REALLY GREAT UPDATE. AND I’M GLAD THAT THE POWER’S GETTING BACK ON FOR THOSE FOLKS. ALL RIGHT, ROY ROY SHIPLEY, ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO LET US KNOW RIGHT NOW IN THE 3:00 HOUR? I THINK EVERYBODY, JUST LIKE I SAID, USE COMMON SENSE AND STAY OFF THE ROADS. IF YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO AND AND STAY WARM AND CHECK CHECK ON YOUR YOUR NEIGHBORS AND WE’LL GET THROUGH IT. ALL RIGHT. ROY SHIPLEY JUNIOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE’LL CHECK BACK WITH YOU LATER ON TONIGHT AS OUR COVERAGE CONTINUES. WE APPRECIATE YOU SHARING YOUR INFORMATION WITH US. AND AS ROY JUST URGED US TO DO, STAY OFF THE ROADS AS POSSIBLE. WE’RE HEARING THAT FROM EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOLKS THROUGHOUT OUR REGION. BUT IF YOU DO HAVE TO DRIVE, THERE ARE TIER FOUR TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE ALL ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH. THAT MEANS NO COMMERCIAL VEHICLES ARE ALLOWED ON AFFECTED HIGHWAYS. THAT ALSO MEANS NO BUSSES, NO RVS, NO TRAILERS AND OF COURSE NO MOTORCYCLES. AFFECTED HIGHWAYS INCLUDE INTERSTATES 70 AND 79, AS WELL AS TWO, 79, THREE, 76, FIVE, 79 AND THE PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE. YOU CAN FIND A FULL LIST OF ALL THOSE ROADS RIGHT NOW ON OUR WEBSITE DOT COM. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT MONROEVILLE AIRPORT PLOW TRUCKS OUT TODAY. WE ALSO SAW POLICE OFFICERS HELPING A DRIVER WHO GOT STUCK TRYING TO GET THAT PERSON OUT AND KEEPING AN EYE ON MONROEVILLE FOR US RIGHT NOW IS FELICITY TAYLOR. LET’S GO OUT TO HER IN MONROEVILLE. FELICITY. HEY, MIKE. WE ARE OFF OF 22 IN MONROEVILLE HERE IN THE LOWES PARKING LOT, ACTUALLY. AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, WHEN I WAS WATCHING OUR COVERAGE ALL DAY WHERE MOST OF OUR REPORTERS ARE, THEY HAVEN’T SEEN THAT MANY PEOPLE ON THE ROADS. THAT HAS NOT REALLY BEEN THE CASE HERE IN MONROEVILLE. THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE ROADS, A LOT OF PEOPLE NEEDING TO BE RESCUED, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND. LIKE I SAID, WE’RE IN THE LOWES PARKING LOT AND YOU CAN SEE HERE IT’S ACTUALLY PRETTY FULL PARKING LOT. WE TALKED TO THE MANAGER A LITTLE BIT AGO. HE SAID THEY HAD ABOUT 50 CUSTOMERS IN HERE TODAY, EVEN THOUGH THEY RAN OUT OF MOST OF THEIR SNOW SUPPLIES A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, WE FOUND ONE CUSTOMER WHO ACTUALLY WORKS FOR NORFOLK SOUTHERN. THEY WERE BUYING SOME GENERATOR EQUIPMENT FOR THEM, AND A LOT OF THESE CARS ARE ACTUALLY EMPLOYEES OF LOWE’S. THE MANAGER SAYS HE’S GOING TO END UP HAVING TO BUY HOTEL ROOMS FOR HIS EMPLOYEES. HE THINKS BECAUSE THE ROADS ARE JUST NOT GREAT, EVEN THOUGH WE’VE BEEN SEEING SO MANY PLOWS GO ON 22, THERE’S EVEN A PRIVATE PLOW IN THE PARKING LOT RIGHT NOW, AND HE’S BEEN HERE AS LONG AS WE’VE BEEN HERE FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS. AND EVEN THOUGH HE’S BEEN GOING FOR A WHILE, IT DOESN’T REALLY SEEM LIKE HE’S BEEN ABLE TO DO MUCH BECAUSE OF THE WIND, BECAUSE OF THE RATE OF THE SNOW. SO HE’S WORKING. WE ACTUALLY TALKED TO HIS BOSS A LITTLE BIT AGO, AND I’M GOING TO TOSS TO THAT INTERVIEW REALLY QUICKLY NOW, SHOW YOU WHAT HE HAD TO SAY. IT’S PUSHING MAKING A HUGE PILE. AND YOU GIVE THAT FIVE MINUTES, IT’LL LOOK LIKE HE WASN’T EVEN HERE. IF YOU DON’T NOTICE THE BIG PILE. SO BUT IT’S JUST IT’S JUST IT’S JUST NOT STOPPING. SO YOU JUST WE CAN’T STOP. AND YOU CAN LOOK OUT ON 22 RIGHT NOW. YOU SEE CARS MOVING DOWN THE ROAD HERE. SOMEONE TURNING IN RIGHT NOW. THIS SPOT RIGHT NOW WHERE THIS CAR JUST GOT OVER. WE’VE ACTUALLY SEEN ABOUT FOUR CARS GET STUCK THERE. WE’VE SEEN MONROEVILLE POLICE HAVE TO COME OUT MULTIPLE TIMES. THEY’RE ESSENTIALLY JUST WHAT APPEARS TO BE PATROLLING UP AND DOWN 22. BECAUSE SO MANY CARS ARE GETTING STUCK HAVING TO SHOVEL THEMSELVES OUT. WE ALSO HAVE SEEN SOME PEOPLE WALKING AROUND AND THERE ARE SOME BIGGER TRUCKS COMING IN TO THIS PARKING LOT. BUT AGAIN, AS WE’VE BEEN WATCHING THE PLOWS GO BY, THE SNOW IS JUST KIND OF GOING OVER THE EDGE, AND THEN THE WIND COMES AND THE SNOW COMES BACK OVER THE ROAD. SO IT’S REALLY NOT VERY HELPFUL FOR THESE DRIVERS. BUT AGAIN, A LOT MORE DRIVERS HERE. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE’RE SO CLOSE TO THE TURNPIKE, ALL THESE MAJOR ROADS, MAJOR INTERSECTIONS. SHANNON. MIKE, FELICITY, YOU MENTIONED HOW CLOSE YOU ARE TO THE TURNPIKE ENTRANCE AND EXITS THERE. ARE YOU SEEING A LOT OF PEOPLE USING THE TURNPIKE RIGHT NOW THIS AFTERNOON? NOT REALLY. ACTUALLY A FEW GETTING ON AND OFF THE TURNPIKE. IT MOSTLY SEEMS LIKE PEOPLE ARE COMING OUT, MAYBE TRYING TO RUN ERRANDS. BUT BESIDES THE LOWE’S, BASICALLY EVERYTHING HERE ON 22 APPEARS TO BE CLOSED. YOU KNOW, THE STARBUCKS AND ALL THE RESTAURANTS. MOYO’S BAKERY, WHICH IS OF COURSE UPSETTING TO SOME PEOPLE WHO MAYBE WANTED THAT. BUT IT SEEMS LIKE MORE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO KIND OF GO IN AND OUT. A FEW PEOPLE GETTING ON THE TURNPIKE, I WOULD SAY I WAS GOING TO MAYBE SEE AND HOLD OUT SOME HOPE THAT MOYO’S ITALIAN BAKERY WOULD BE OPEN FOR YOU AND YOUR AND YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER THERE TODAY, BUT THAT’S A BUMMER. HOPE YOU PACK SOME SNACKS. BUT LET ME ASK YOU THIS, FELICITY, WHEN YOU’RE LOOKING, YOU’VE BEEN THERE FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS. HAVE YOU SEEN ANY CHANGE WHATSOEVER IN SORT OF THE KIND OF SNOW WE’RE SEEING? WE’RE EXPECTING MAYBE SOME CHANGES FROM THIS LIGHT AND FLUFFY SNOW THAT’S BUILT UP INTO A HEAVIER AND MORE DIFFICULT SNOW TO DEAL WITH. YEAH, THE SNOW HAS DEFINITELY STARTED TO BECOME MORE WET WHILE WE WERE, YOU KNOW, WAITING OUT HERE BEFORE YOU TOSS TO US, YOU COULD DEFINITELY FEEL IT KIND OF WET HITTING YOUR FACE VERSUS EARLIER. IT WAS DRIER, FLUFFIER. AND THEN YOU JUST KIND OF LOOK AT MY FEET ON THE GROUND RIGHT NOW. LIKE, THIS IS PRETTY SLICK AND IT’S SLICK UNDERNEATH THE SNOW. IF WE PUSH IT AROUND, I THINK BEFORE YOU COULD KIND OF MOVE IT AROUND EARLIER, AND NOW I CAN ALMOST LIKE SKATE ON IT IF I NEEDED TO. AND I ACTUALLY GOING TO SHOW YOU GUYS RIGHT NOW WE GOT ANOTHER CAR STUCK IN THAT INTERSECTION. I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT. LOOKS LIKE THEY MAYBE DID NOT BRUSH OFF THE CAR BEFORE THEY STARTED DRIVING. SO NOW THEY GOT TO DO SOME OF THAT AND DIG THEMSELVES OUT. AND WE GOT A PLOW COMING TO NOT AN EASY GOING SITUATION THERE. ALL RIGHT. AND THINKING ABOUT THOSE LOWE’S EMPLOYEES TOO. ALL RIGHT. FELICITY TAYLOR, THANK YOU. NOW LET’S GET AN UPDATE FROM BEAVER COUNTY. WE DO HAVE ERIC BREWER, DIRECTOR OF EMS IN BEAVER COUNTY, JOINING US ON THE PHONE RIGHT NOW. ERIC, HOW HOW ARE YOUR CREWS? HOW ARE YOUR EMPLOYEES DOING HANDLING THE STORM RIGHT NOW? WELL, SO FAR, SO GOOD WITH THE BEST THAT WE’RE DOING HERE. I THINK THE PUBLIC’S BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO THE WARNINGS THAT WERE ISSUED THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS. SO WE APPRECIATE THAT STAYING OFF THE ROADS AND LETTING THE THE CREWS DO THEIR JOBS. ONE THING WE HEARD FROM FAYETTE COUNTY IS THAT THEY DID HAVE A NUMBER OF POWER OUTAGES EARLIER THIS MORNING. THEY WERE SPORADIC AND POWER HAS BEEN COMING BACK ON IN FAYETTE COUNTY. WHAT ABOUT UP NORTH IN OUR VIEWING AREA IN BEAVER COUNTY? ARE YOU DEALING WITH ANY POWER OUTAGES THERE? NO, WE’VE NOT SEEN ANY OF THAT, MAINLY BECAUSE OUR SNOW HAS BEEN JUST SO DRY AND LIGHT, WHICH IS GOOD FOR US. WE’VE NOT SEEN ANY POWER OUTAGES AS OF YET. IT’S GREAT. AND I’M THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I GREW UP IN MOON TOWNSHIP, SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN BEAVER COUNTY THERE. I KNOW THAT AREA. ARE YOU FROM BEAVER COUNTY? YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO IF YOU HAD TO SAY FROM PAST SNOW EVENTS THAT WE’VE HAD IN BEAVER COUNTY AS AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL YOURSELF, WHAT LESSONS MAYBE HAVE YOU TAKEN FROM STORMS OF THE PAST, WHEN YOU WERE THINKING ABOUT HOW MUCH SNOW WE WERE FORECASTED TO SEE TODAY? WELL, AGAIN, THIS IS WESTERN, WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. WE ARE USED TO THE SNOW, BUT THIS IS MORE THAN USUAL. I THINK I’M MORE CONCERNED NOW WITH THE IMPACT OF THE EXTENDED COLD TEMPERATURES THAT ARE GOING TO FOLLOW FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. SO UP UNTIL FRIDAY, WE’RE BEING TOLD. SO, YOU KNOW, WE START SEEING PEOPLE USING THOSE NONCONVENTIONAL HEATING SYSTEMS. FOR IN THEIR HOUSES THAT CAUSED PROBLEMS, WEATHER, CARBON MONOXIDE RELATED PROBLEMS. SO THOSE ARE ENCOURAGE YOU NOT TO DO. YEAH. LET’S LET’S JUST TAKE A MINUTE AND GO THROUGH SOME OF THOSE REALLY IMPORTANT WARNINGS BECAUSE YOU’RE HERE, YOU’RE ON PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR. YOU YOU’VE SEEN THE TRAGEDIES THAT CAN TAKE PLACE WHEN, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON’T HEED THAT ADVICE. SO WHAT HAPPENS SOMETIMES PEOPLE WILL LOSE POWER. MAYBE THEIR FURNACE IS OVERTAXED AND IT’S JUST REAL COLD INSIDE THEIR HOUSE. THEY USE A SPACE HEATER OR GENERATOR THE WRONG WAY. SO ERIC, WHAT ARE THE WRONG WAYS TO USE THOSE TWO TYPES OF THINGS? YEAH, SO ESPECIALLY GENERATORS, THEY CAN’T BE INSIDE. WE SEE THEM BEING USED IN BASEMENTS AND GARAGES THAT ARE ATTACHED TO THE HOUSES. THEY THOSE NEED TO BE OUTSIDE ANYTHING WITH AN ENGINE COMBUSTIBLE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE OUTDOORS. RIGHT. OKAY. AND THEN AS FAR AS THE HEATING SPACE HEATING, LET’S TALK ABOUT SPACE HEATERS. YEAH. SOMETIMES WE SEE THEM BEING TOO CLOSE TO FURNITURE AND BEDDING AND CURTAINS. AND THAT’S THE WAY A LOT OF THE FIRES START. YOU KNOW, SO MANY PEOPLE ARE WATCHING RIGHT NOW. THEY’RE THEY’RE BY THEMSELVES, THEIR HOME. THEY MAY BE ELDERLY. THEY WANT TO KNOW IF SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE THERE. IF SOMEONE DOES LOSE POWER, IS THE COUNTY READY TO HELP THESE FOLKS GET TO A WARMING CENTER OR GET TO PLACES KNOWING THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE CARED FOR? SO THERE ARE SEVERAL MUNICIPALITIES. I KNOW MY LOCAL ONE HERE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS A WARMING CENTER AT THEIR FIRE DEPARTMENT. SO YES, IT’S BEST JUST TO BE CHECKING OUT THEIR LOCALS, THEIR LOCAL MUNICIPALITY AND WHAT’S AVAILABLE TO THEM. IF NOT, WE DO HAVE POSTINGS ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA THAT LISTS SOME OF THE WARMING CENTERS OUT THERE. AND YOU MENTIONED YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE TEMPERATURES. WE’RE NOT GOING TO GET ABOVE WHAT WE’RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW. THE TEMPERATURES ARE GOING TO BE COLD FOR SEVERAL DAYS. WHAT CONCERNS YOU MOST ABOUT THE TEMPERATURES BEING SO LOW FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME? AGAIN, LOSS OF HEAT. AND FURTHER DOWN WE’RE GOING TO HAVE ICE BUILD UP ON THE RIVERS. AND ONCE THAT MELTS, IT’S GOING TO CAUSE FLOODING. SO THERE’S A THERE’S A BUNCH OF CONCERNS ABOUT PROLONGED COLD SPELL. ERIC, HAVE YOU HAD A LOT OF MEDICAL CALLS TODAY? YEAH. WE DID NOT NECESSARILY STORM RELATED, JUST MEDICAL CALLS. I THINK SOME PEOPLE ARE CALLING JUST BECAUSE THEY’RE CONCERNED. YOU KNOW, THEY WANT TO GET TO THE HOSPITAL. MAYBE TODAY. YES. SO MAYBE NOT NECESSARILY STORM RELATED. BUT WE HAVE SEEN AN UPTICK IN MEDICAL COSTS. YEAH. AND I’M THINKING ABOUT THE FOLKS, YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE THE SNOW STARTS FALLING DOESN’T MEAN PEOPLE JUST DON’T HAVE THEIR TYPICAL HEALTH ISSUES THAT COME UP EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT YOUR YOUR CREWS, YOUR DISPATCHERS AND YOUR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS ARE DEALING WITH, AS WELL AS THE DOCTORS AND NURSES IN THE HOSPITALS. HOW CLOSELY DOES THE BEAVER COUNTY EMERGENCY AGENCY WORK WITH MEDICAL CENTERS IN BEAVER COUNTY AND THE REGION? WELL, LUCKILY WE ONLY HAVE ONE HOSPITAL IN THE COUNTY, AND WE’RE WE’RE IN CONTACT WITH THEM AS WELL AS OUR EMS SERVICES. WE LET THEM KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE A FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES AVAILABLE IN CASE THEY CAN’T GET ACCESS TO A RESIDENCE. WE CAN ASSIST THEM GETTING TWO PLACES. YEAH. AND SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO SEND THOSE FOLKS INTO ALLEGHENY COUNTY, I’M SURE. AND GETTING THERE IN AN AMBULANCE IS MUCH HARDER TODAY THAN IT IS ON A NORMAL SUNDAY. YES. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. ERIC, IS THERE ANY ADVICE YOU HAVE FOR OUR VIEWERS RIGHT NOW? STAY WARM. AND AGAIN, LET THE PUBLIC WORKS CREWS DO THEIR JOBS. MOST OF YOU WE KNOW ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GO TO WORK TOMORROW MORNING OR TOMORROW AFTERNOON. BUT AGAIN, LET THEM DO THEIR JOBS WHILE THEY CAN. OKAY. LET’S STAY IN TOUCH. ERIC BREWER IN BEAVER COUNTY TAKING CARE OF THE E
Ambulance crashes, rolls onto side while responding to emergency in Fayette County
Updated: 7:39 PM EST Jan 25, 2026
An ambulance sustained damage after officials said it was involved in a rollover crash while responding to an emergency in Fayette County on Sunday. VIDEO: Top stories on Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 Fayette EMS/Greene EMS said in a post on Facebook that the crash occurred in Springhill Township as crews were responding to an emergency. County dispatchers later said the incident took place along Nilan Hill Road around 5:30 p.m. Photos shared with the department showed the emergency vehicle rolled onto its side. Officials said no injuries were reported and urged everyone to stay home. The crash comes as Western Pennsylvania continues to deal with heavy snowfall. Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 has reached out to officials to learn more about the crash. Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.
SPRINGHILL TOWNSHIP, Pa. —
An ambulance sustained damage after officials said it was involved in a rollover crash while responding to an emergency in Fayette County on Sunday.
VIDEO: Top stories on Pittsburgh’s Action News 4
Fayette EMS/Greene EMS said in a post on Facebook that the crash occurred in Springhill Township as crews were responding to an emergency.
County dispatchers later said the incident took place along Nilan Hill Road around 5:30 p.m.
Photos shared with the department showed the emergency vehicle rolled onto its side.
Officials said no injuries were reported and urged everyone to stay home.
The crash comes as Western Pennsylvania continues to deal with heavy snowfall.
Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 has reached out to officials to learn more about the crash.
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