PITTSBURGH – Emergency specialists from across western Pennsylvania gathered inside the operations response center in downtown Pittsburgh as floodwaters and river levels in the region turned from bad to catastrophic.
First, Hurricane Melanie brought four inches of rain over several days. Then, just as the waters started to recede, Hurricane Nakita swung a left hook into Pennsylvania from the south. It punched fast across the state but stalled over Pittsburgh, dumping an additional 10 inches of rain. River levels at Point State Park in Pittsburgh soared to an elevation of 36 feet, matching flood stages not seen since Hurricane Agnes in 1972.
Thankfully, the scenario was part of an annual training exercise developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District to mitigate floods. However, this year the exercise included multiagency partners at state and local levels for the first time to improve communication and strengthen working relationships.
“This exercise was about teeing up a really tough situation to stress and identify pressure points,” said Col. Nicholas Melin, commander of the Pittsburgh District. “When a flood happens, you don’t have time to make new friends. You need to make them ahead of time.”
The exercise drew emergency specialists from the city of Pittsburgh, six counties, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, the National Weather Service, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission.
Two key 2024 events prompted the district to invite such a large group of partners to the exercise this year: a 20-year high flooding event in Pittsburgh in April and Hurricane Helene, which – though it didn’t directly impact Pittsburgh – highlighted the critical need to collaborate across every level of government.
“Just putting faces to names,” was extremely valuable said Alicia Miller, a senior service hydrologist for the National Weather Service. She said the training made it easier to make those connections and have those contacts ready during a time of need.
When large amounts of water are dumped on the region at once, there is added complexity to understanding everyone’s response efforts: Which agency handles what response? Where do counties turn for specific assistance or support? How can these agencies work and communicate together more efficiently to inform the public with speed and accuracy and save lives?
“One thing our agency does well is communicate and coordinate internally during a flood event,” said Julie D’Annunzio, who planned the tabletop training on behalf of the Pittsburgh District’s Emergency Management Office. “We’re never caught off guard internally, but we wanted to do a better job communicating externally with our partners through this training scenario.”
The training helped response partners address key issues and foster a better understanding of each other’s roles and capabilities.
“You can’t invest enough in relationships,” Melin said. “That’s the secret sauce to be fast in an emergency.”
Agencies discussed and validated their response protocols, identified gaps, and the Pittsburgh District reminded partners of the resources and services they can offer, such as sandbags, pumps, and technical or engineering expertise. Plus, the district can help counties connect to federal aid once the governor declares a state of emergency.
The exercise also spotlighted a broader challenge: While the Pittsburgh District manages and monitors 16 federal reservoirs 24 hours a day, there are 424 additional nonfederal dams across 21 counties in western Pennsylvania. If one of those dams fails, agencies face a complex web of contacts to determine who is responsible to act.
The scenario took drastic turns throughout the training day as the flooding worsened. With each development, agency representatives – either in the room physically or joining virtually – discussed their actions, responsibilities, and potential needs.
“By talking together, we can discuss ways to share resources, use funding more efficiently, and coordinate better at every level of government,” D’Annunzio said.
Most counties echoed similar response tactics and challenges, such as handling evacuation procedures or having limited resources and workforce. During the scenario’s recovery stage, agencies discussed a laundry list of efforts that could take months to complete in the aftermath of a disaster: damage assessments, infrastructure repairs, debris removal, water sanitation, communication restoration, sheltering displaced residents, hazmat cleanup, and deal with other stability concerns.
“We are super excited by what we accomplished through this training by having our partners come together,” D’Annunzio said. “We appreciate them.”
Participants left with updated contact lists – an underrated takeaway amid frequent agency turnover – and a renewed commitment to collaboration, D’Annunzio said.
As the exercise concluded and water levels receded on the scenario maps, the threat of real-world emergencies loomed beyond the operations center, where Pittsburgh’s icy winter rivers will soon thaw into a rainy spring. Yet, by stress-testing regional preparedness in a controlled environment, the Pittsburgh District and its partners have taken a significant step toward a faster, more coordinated response that could save lives and property.
“This training assured us we have a great set of teammates prepared to respond,” D’Annunzio said. “We’re on the case, working together at the local, state, and federal levels to care for our communities.”