Saturday, February 17, 2007
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Lawrence County officials are looking at establishing alternate sites to accommodate the county's emergency operations center and government center during a crisis.
County commissioners discussed setting up shop at the Lawrence County Learning Center if they need to evacuate the government center. They also addressed the possibility of moving the county's emergency operations from the Scottish Rite Cathedral -- the site of the current 911 center -- to the Neshannock Township Municipal Building if they are forced to close the cathedral or the government center, which serves as an alternate site for the emergency center. Commissioners agreed they are concerned moving county operations to the nearby learning center might not always be practical because of its close proximity to the government center.
Commissioner Steve Craig suggested looking at sites in other parts of the county such as the Ellwood City Municipal Building or Westminster College in New Wilmington. That way if there were an event, such as a flood, tornado or power outage that affects New Castle, the county could move its operations to an unaffected area, commissioners said. They intend to further discuss the plan and possibly vote on the matter at their regular public meeting Tuesday.