Crafton officials on May 22 said they will review the borough’s emergency preparedness and communications after a storm left many residents without power for multiple days and closed the Clearview Trail pending utility repairs.

Mayor Perry (speaking as an official representative at the meeting) and council members said the borough’s existing emergency plan was designed for events such as transportation incidents and high‑risk emergencies but that the recent storm exposed gaps in rapid identification of vulnerable residents and in communications with the utility company Duquesne Light.

Why it matters: council members and regional peers reported at a recent “Connect” meeting that the storm exposed challenges in reaching residents who lack power or internet and in identifying those who depend on refrigerated medications, life‑support equipment or other critical services. Council discussed an idea to hold an annual emergency‑preparedness day to educate residents; staff also noted the potential use of voluntary registries and the need to coordinate with county and utility partners.

Details and responses: Miss Contello reported feedback from a regional Connect meeting noting varied municipality experiences and steps other communities are taking. Council members said public works and police responded quickly in the immediate aftermath; council praised public works for heavy‑equipment clearing and the fire department and police for door‑to‑door checks in some areas. Council also discussed Duquesne Light’s slower response in some neighborhoods and the importance of identifying a government‑affairs contact at the utility for faster escalation.

Trail closure and utilities: the Clearview Trail remained closed because downed lines and hazard assessments are the utility’s responsibility; Duquesne Light told staff it would send crews, but residents said the timeline remains uncertain. Staff emphasized that borough public‑works crews cannot work on live utility lines and must wait for the utility to secure the area.

Next steps: council agreed to assemble a cross‑stakeholder review — including the new police chief and other emergency partners — to produce an after‑action report, update the borough’s preparedness plan as needed, and explore public outreach measures such as Savvy Citizen alerts, a registry for high‑need residents, and an annual preparedness day.

Ending: officials urged residents to use borough communications and to attend forthcoming public outreach events; staff said they will return to council with recommended updates after the review.