Bethlehem, Valley Brace for Irene

(Editor's Note: Patch will be following Hurricane Irene and its impact on Bethlehem through the weekend. Share your own observations and photos with us. E-mail me at daryl.nerl@patch.com.)

As the eastern seaboard of the United States braces itself for a weekend wallop from Hurricane Irene, state, county and local officials in Pennsylvania are preparing for what could be more than just a glancing blow.

In Bethlehem, public works employees have started to go around the city to clear debris from storm sewers and drainage basins to ensure the best drainage possible when the storm hits, said Mike Alkhal, the city’s director of public works.

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation crews are performing similar tasks along the region’s state roads, according to Ronald Young, an agency spokesman.

At this point there are no plans to bring in extra city employees in anticipation of storm damage, though if emergencies do occur, callouts are always a possibility, Alkhal said.

The city will continue to monitor the forecast and will reach out to residents in low-lying areas if flood watches and warnings are issued, said Mayor John Callahan. Generally, folks who live in those neighborhoods are well-prepared in advance anyway, Callahan said.

The National Weather Service has already issued a flood watch for Lehigh and Northampton counties starting Saturday afternoon and running through Sunday evening.

City officials were waiting to see what direction and intensity the storm would take. But no matter what happens, "We'll be ready," Callahan said.

If Irene behaves as anticipated, bringing at least four inches of rain, flooding can almost certainly be expected in the usual places – along the Monocacy and Saucon creeks, Alkhal said.

If that happens, there is not much that can be done but temporarily close affected roads, wait for the waters to recede and initiate cleanup after, he said.

With 60 mph winds forecast, downed trees are another potential concern, though winds of 50 mph are not uncommon during summer thunderstorms, Alkhal said.

PennDOT’s Young, meanwhile, offered a caution to motorists who encounter flooded roads: Do not attempt to cross them.

Motorists are warned not to drive across roads covered with water because the water may be deeper than it looks, Young said. Motorists who encounter water covered roads are encouraged to turn around and find an alternate route.

Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Director Glenn Cannon urged everyone in the state to be prepared to survive without outside assistance for at least three days in the event that power is lost or roadways become impassable.

“The approaching hurricane means all residents should be sure emergency supplies are ready in our homes, and to secure outdoor items so they don’t cause more damage when the winds come,” Cannon said through a prepared statement.

To prepare for the storm, Northampton County residents are advised to lay in a supply of food, jugs of water, flashlights with batteries, medication, manual can opener, battery-powered radio and anything else they might need during a long power outage or other disaster.

“We ask residents to plan for 72 hours or longer to be able to sustain themselves without assistance,” said Angel Gillette, the county’s hazard mitigation and disaster recovery manager. For a good checklist of necessary items, go to www.readypa.org.

In advance of the storm, Northampton County Emergency Services is ramping up plans to activate its Emergency Operations Center – which is kind of Disaster Central for coordinating the response to potential emergencies.

Gillette said staff were going through the agency checklist, making sure emergency generators for key sites such as transmitters and hospitals are ready in case of a power outage. The agency had a conference call with area hospitals to discuss preparation and have been in touch with the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley, which would help with any evacuations. Key responders have been placed on standby.

“The concern right now is flash flooding and that can be risky,” she said. Municipalities can report problems to the county agency, which will be coordinating efforts with PEMA.

In preparation for possible power outages, Lehigh County Emergency Services has been checking to make sure emergency generators are full of fuel and ready at key sites such as radio towers, transmitters and hospitals, said Emergency Services Director Tom Nervine.

“Certainly there’s concerns anytime you have something of this magnitude,” he said. “No one seems to know what track this thing is going to take.”

(Christina Georgiou contributed to this story.)