Local services ready for G-20
WAYNESBURG – As Pittsburgh planned for the much-anticipated G-20 Summit, emergency services in the surrounding areas prepared to offer support, should the need arise. The G-20 is a gathering of the political and economic leaders of the 19 largest developed nations, plus the European Union, representing 80 percent of world trade and two thirds of the world’s population.
The meeting, held Thursday and Friday at the David Lawrence Convention Center, centered on policy discussions on issues such as energy, the environment and economic recovery. Participants included the European Union, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States of America.
In addition to the world leaders, protestors from around the world also flocked to Pittsburgh and its surrounding counties. In response, emergency management and the state police from the entire region – including Greene County – planned for the G-20 Summit.
“We are trying to get a good situational analysis of what could possibly happen from watching protest group Web sites,” Jeff Marshall, director of Greene County Emergency Management, said Wednesday. He added that emergency services is focusing on facilities groups are planning to protest against and working with the facility sites to review emergency plans.
Marshall said that there have been rumors circulating of potential protests at the State Correctional Institute at Greene over prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal, who was convicted of killing a Philadelphia cop in 1981. Marshall said that local coal companies and power plants have also stepped up their security.
Should anything happen in any county in the region, Marshall said emergency personnel is to report the incident to the group in Pittsburgh.
To prepare for a possible threat, Marshall said management is on site at the emergency management center from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. both days, and dispatchers have been instructed to not call off sick. Time off will be denied throughout the conference. If something should happen, Marshall said the dispatchers will be prepared to report to work to offer additional assistance.
“The good thing is people have reviewed emergency plans,” Marshall said. “(The G-20 Summit) has prepared for something else down the road.”
Approximately 1,200 Troopers from across the state were assigned to report to Pittsburgh during the summit, but the number of local Troopers reporting from the Greene County station is confidential.
“We left sufficient man power back at each station to handle any incident that may arise,” said Lt. David Fordyce, from the Washington County State Police Station. “We’re working in conjunction with local police and emergency management system.”
Fordyce added that all leave was cancelled across the state, and the state police will have everyone on duty.