Emergency pact for Cheswick, Harmar and Springdale provides face masks for first responders

The regional emergency coordinator for Cheswick, Harmar and Springdale has distributed face masks for police, and soon fire companies, for indoor interaction with residents.

Bruno Moretti, coordinator of the Allegheny Valley Regional Management Agency, said the measure is meant to protect first responders as well as residents in the potential spread of coronavirus.

In 2011, Cheswick, Harmar and Springdale entered into an agreement to form one emergency management agency for the three municipalities with a volunteer coordinator.

A regional emergency plan was developed for the three communities for events such as floods and severe weather. Recently, Moretti added on some plans for dealing with the coronavirus outbreak.

Officials from all three communities referred questions about their emergency operations to Moretti.

The coronavirus portion of the communities’ emergency plan covers how to protect the municipal employees and first responders, and to promote social distancing and frequent hand washing.

With the threat of spreading the coronavirus changing by the day, Bruno and officials from the three municipalities continue to review their emergency plan and will add to it as needed, Bruno said.

The emergency management operation in the three communities has been somewhat behind the scenes over the years.

“We respond to different emergencies and we help coordinate and do things to take the burden off the other emergency responders,” Moretti said. Bruno and his four deputies volunteer to respond to road closures, house fires and major incidents about 10 to 15 times a year, he said.

Moretti also provides elected officials with a first responder course annually and conducts safety drills for the Allegheny Valley School District.