Emergency Declaration
Published on April 30, 2025
Severe Thunderstorm of April 29, 2025
Date: April 30, 2025
Issued by the Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh in accordance with applicable law, including City of Pittsburgh Code §113.03 and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Services Code, 35 Pa. C.S. §§7101 et seq., as it pertains to the existing disaster emergency.
WHEREAS, at or around 5:00 pm on April 29, 2025, the City of Pittsburgh experienced a severe thunderstorm moving through the region with destructive straight-line winds ranging upwards of 70 to 90 miles per hour.
WHEREAS, the storm resulted in significant damage throughout the City, including the loss of at least one city resident.
WHEREAS, there are received reports of hundreds of trees fallen into roads, many destroying power lines on their way down.
WHEREAS, crews are working around the clock to survey, triage, and remediate damage to public and private property, as well as vital transportation and utility infrastructure, to ensure our power is restored to thousands who have lost it, and roadways are clear; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh is authorized, in accordance with applicable law, including the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Services Code, 35 Pa. C.S. § 7501, City Code § 113.03(c), to declare a local disaster emergency subject to ratification by the Council of the City of Pittsburgh when conditions are found to:
-affect seriously the safety, health, or welfare of a substantial number of citizens of this Commonwealth or preclude the operation or use of essential public facilities;
-be of such magnitude or severity as to render essential State supplementation of county and local efforts or resources exerted or utilized in alleviating the danger, damage, suffering or hardship faced; and
-have been caused by forces beyond the control of man, by reason of civil disorder, riot, or disturbance, or by factors not foreseen and not known to exist when appropriation bills were enacted; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh has identified the significant damage from the severe thunderstorm of April 29, 2025, includes but not limited to the loss of life and potential for further loss of life, thousands of people lacking electricity, structurally compromised residences and other structures, critical transportation infrastructure obstructed, as constituting conditions for a disaster emergency; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor hereby will direct the City of Pittsburgh Director of Public Safety and Director of Public Works to coordinate the necessary activities for this emergency response, to take all appropriate action required to address the significant damage across the City, to aid in the maintenance of essential public services, and to take any other lawful emergency response or action deemed necessary to protect public health, safety and welfare in the City.
THEREFORE, the Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh makes the following Declaration:
Section 1: Pursuant to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Services Code, 35 Pa. C.S. 7501 § and the City of Pittsburgh Code, Title One, Administrative, § 113.03(c)(3), and other applicable law, this Declaration of Disaster Emergency is issued by the Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh in order to take all necessary actions and precautions to address the damage dealt the severe thunderstorm of April 29, 2025.
Section 2. The Declaration of Disaster Emergency as authorized herein shall not be of a duration in excess of seven (7) days except by or with the consent of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh in accordance with 35 Pa. C.S. § 7501(b) and City Code § 113.03(c)
Section 3. Pursuant to 35 Pa. C.S. § 7501(b), this Declaration shall activate the response, protection, and recovery aspects of any and all applicable local emergency management plans in order to furnish aid and assistance as provided therein.
Section 4. The Mayor and the City Director of Public Safety and Director of Public Works shall be permitted to exercise all legal authority permitted by State Statute and City Code in coordination with all City Departments to implement and facilitate the provisions of this Declaration.
Section 5. In accordance with 35 Pa. C.S. § 7501(b), this declaration or any related order, proclamation or statement shall be given prompt and general publicity and shall be filed promptly with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
Section 6. As provided in 35 Pa. C.S. § 7501(d), the City of Pittsburgh is authorized by this Declaration to exercise the powers provided in the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Services Code without regard to time-consuming procedures and formalities prescribed by law, except for mandatory constitutional requirements, pertaining to the performance of public work, entering into contracts, the incurring of obligations, the employment of temporary workers, the rental of equipment, the purchase of supplies and materials, the levying of taxes and the appropriation and expenditure of public funds.
Section 8. In accordance with 35 Pa. C.S. § 7501(c), the City of Pittsburgh is authorized to enter into contracts and incur obligations necessary to disaster emergency management, response, and recovery.
Section 9. Any agreements entered into by the City of Pittsburgh as provided herein shall be approved as to form by the City Solicitor.
