Harrisburg, PA – After completing their mission to support county and municipal officials in recovery efforts in the aftermath of devastating flooding from the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby, the Shapiro Administration is highlighting the work carried out in Tioga County by members of the Pennsylvania Incident Management Team (PA-IMT). The PA-IMT is comprised of Commonwealth employees from various state agencies who are trained and activated to respond to incidents.
“This cadre of specialists trained in disaster response and recovery operations oversaw a variety of operations on this deployment,” said Pennsylvania Emergency management Agency (PEMA) Director Randy Padfield. “Working with local elected officials and volunteer organizations, they truly made a difference in the lives of survivors in the immediate days following this incident.”
The PA-IMT helped manage and supervise the removal of over 1,300 tons of flood-generated household waste such as water heaters, carpeting, furniture, drywall and other construction debris. The team oversaw intake, storage and distribution of the overwhelming amount of donations that poured in from all over Pennsylvania and New York. Public Information Officers helped facilitate the timely distribution of critical safety and recovery information and organized a community meeting for residents to learn more.
Over the course of the 12-day deployment, many members of the PA-IMT went above and beyond to support flooding survivors. Department of Corrections staffer Billy Zosky, from Fayette County, worked with local officials to track down the owner of a journal that he found covered in mud. Mark Gower of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources learned that a resident had mistakenly placed an envelope containing cash to pay his rent in a trash bag, and he believed that the bag had been hauled away. Sergeant Kevin Jancewicz of the Pennsylvania State Police, along with the heavy equipment operator at the dump site, literally dug through a trash heap to find and return the envelope of cash to the resident.
“These are just two of the stories that highlight the difference that IMT members make in the lives of disaster survivors whose lives have been turned upside down," said Director Padfield.
“The opportunity to help others is why many Pennsylvanians choose to become Commonwealth employees. Serving on the IMT provides a unique opportunity for our workforce to give back to their communities in a way that many times falls outside the scope of their normal day-to-day duties," said Secretary of Administration Neil Weaver. “I encourage any Commonwealth employee who is interested to learn more about the team and consider taking the necessary training."
In May, Governor Shapiro signed Executive Order 2024-01, establishing the Hire, Improve, Recruit, Empower (HIRE) Committee to expand opportunity for Pennsylvanians seeking a career in public service, continue to build a more competitive Commonwealth workforce, and make state government the best place to work in the Commonwealth.
Since the start of his Administration, Governor Shapiro has worked to expand opportunities to those who want a career in public service and invest in employees who serve our Commonwealth by:
- Emphasizing skills and experience in Commonwealth hiring, expanding opportunities in public service to Pennsylvanians without a college degree.
- Supporting overall health and wellbeing by increasing the number of free counseling sessions for employees and family members under the State Employee Assistance Program, adding work-life and caregiver support services, and increasing paid parental leave from six weeks to eight weeks.
- Offering scholarships and discounts on tuition and student loans for employees and families through collaborations with Pennsylvania colleges and universities.
- Enhancing medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision benefits to reduce wait times and costs for new hires to enroll in individual and family coverage and remain competitive with benefits offered by the private sector.
- Expanding internship, fellowship, and apprenticeship programs to bring more people into state government to create new pipelines for talent.
In September 2023, the Commonwealth was ranked among the top employers in Pennsylvania by workers in a survey conducted by Forbes and was ranked among the top employers in the nation by college graduates in July 2023.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has positions available across the state in a variety of fields. Job seekers can visit Employment.pa.gov to view and apply to current job openings, receive notifications about new vacancies in their field, and learn more about the Commonwealth's benefits for employees.
More information about the PA-IMT is available online, including specific information about required training.