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Fire chief: drones, NWS coordination and contact numbers central to immediate response
Summary
The local fire chief said crews have flown drones for damage assessment, are coordinating with the National Weather Service on models, and will be first responders for immediate hazards, providing a direct contact number for residents to report a structure entering the river.
The borough's emergency‑response and fire staff described immediate, life‑safety measures and how residents should report observed structural collapse or hazards. The fire chief said drone footage and weather‑service coordination are being used to refine river‑level forecasts and to determine when to stage traffic control and emergency triage.
"We have been flying a drone, getting footage to the borough, about what's happening," the fire chief said, describing coordination with the National Weather Service and on‑the‑ground steps staff will take if a roadway needs to be blocked. The chief provided a phone number and asked residents to report buildings entering the river and to confirm whether structures were occupied, noting that confirming a building was unoccupied changes emergency‑response priorities.
Borough and emergency staff emphasized residents should call the listed emergency contacts immediately when they observe life‑safety threats, and that staff will continue daily monitoring, drone reconnaissance and coordination with DOT and the National Weather Service.
