Clifton Heights Delcares State of Emergency for Pope's Visit

[STBear]

http://www.delcotimes.com/general-ne...or-papal-visitDELCO TIMES By Linda Reilly, Times Correspondent


Posted: 08/21/15, 8:36 PM EDT


Authorities in Clifton Heights have declared a state of emergency for the weekend of Sept. 26-27, when Pope Francis visits Philadelphia.

Numerous suburban Philadelphia towns are taking precautions to deal with a huge influx of people using public transit to get into the city during the papal visit. A state of emergency has already been declared in a few towns in Delaware and Bucks counties.

Upper Darby Mayor Thomas Micozzie likened the pope’s visit to Philadelphia as a major snow storm without snow in the township. Upper Darby is the site of several embarking locations for regional rail, trolley and train service into the city.

“We have a responsibility for the public safety,” Micozzie said at a recent council meeting. “Primos (regional rail) Station opens at 5 a.m. (Sept. 26-27), and they expect 1,000 people every half hour. (At) 69th Street, they expect 1,000 people boarding (the Market-Frankford El) every 12 minutes. We will be communicating with residents (with information and maps) by mail to the Primos Secane area and 69th Street area. And just like we did with (Hurricane) Sandy, we will be using rapid deployment. Our emergency center will be open at 3 a.m.”

According to Micozzie, the Delaware County communities most affected by the papal visit are Upper Darby, Clifton Heights, Aldan, Radnor and Springfield.

Micozzie said the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is allocating $5 million in the budget earmarked for security reimbursement for the papal visit.

The township is waiting final schedule plans from SEPTA to make announcements to all residents in the community about road closures and other pertinent information.

“This is a snow event without the snow,” Micozzie said.

Clifton Heights Borough Council gave Mayor Joseph Kelly permission to make the emergency declaration at the recommendation of Police Chief Tim Rockenbach, who will coordinate activities of essential public-safety services.

“This is a national special security event, and we are going to be stretched thin,” Rockenbach said. “We were advised that we should declare a state of emergency in order to obtain reimbursement if and when it is made available.”

The chief has been dealing with the Delco Police Chiefs Association on the potential responsibilities during the pope’s two-day visit.

“We’ve been asked by Aldan Borough to handle the influx of people taking the 102 Trolley on North Street at Woodland Avenue,” Rockenbach said. “There will be a need throughout the county to have police departments supplemented with manpower.

“At some point, Oak Avenue (in Upper Darby) will be closed, and the (Primos) station will be a drop-off point only. We’ve been told the (regional) train will run every 17 minutes with 1,000 people per run. The 102 expects to board 100 passengers an hour. Heightened security is on everybody’s mind. And everyone wants to make sure the riders are safe.”

Clifton Heights Borough Council decided not to wait until September to give permission to the mayor to issue the state of emergency and gave approval at a recent council meeting for the weekend of the pope’s visit.

“Our fire department is also involved and will be providing many emergency services the entire weekend,” Kelly said. “And they are all volunteers.”

The Trentonian reported that Langhorne in Bucks County also declared a state of emergency due to the 10,000 people expected to use its train station to head to the city.

The Middletown Township Board of Supervisors in Bucks County voted to enact a state of emergency declaration due to the thousands of people expected to descend on the Woodbourne train station, one of five SEPTA platforms north of the city serving passengers expecting a ride to the event.

The pre-emptive action gives Middletown and other communities’ access to county and state resources to pay for overtime and extra manpower.

More than 1 million people are expected to attend the World Meeting of Families culminating with Pope Francis’ visit Sept. 26-27.

[JAKIII]

I'm gonna declare too and get my piece of that 5m...

[Pilot321]

This is going to be a nightmare for the entire area.

[jakebrake]

This is going to be a nightmare for the entire area.

a 50 square mile radius around the city.

we're all in for a shitty week

[bogey1]

So what does this mean, lock down on our town?

[Gman106]

It's Clifton Heights. It should always be in a state of emergency.

[Gman106]

All this for a liberation theology redistributionist Pope. Wow, so many people expected. He better hope he doesn't run out of copies of Das Kapital to hand out.

[internet troll]

So what does this mean, lock down on our town?

Don't open carry unless you have your ltcf?

[Pilot321]

It's Clifton Heights. It should always be in a state of emergency.

Truer words were never spoken. Anything that close to Upper Darby........ lol!

[bogey1]

Don't open carry unless you have your ltcf?

Is that all?

Stupid law btw.