Tag Archives: Brian Enterline

William Penn building heavily damaged by arson fire; school district vows to continue work of task force

December 11, 2023 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline and school district Superintendent Eric Turman spoke to the press on Monday at city hall.

A serious early-morning arson fire at the former William Penn High School has not lessened the school district’s hope of formulating a long-term plan for the future of the building.

On Monday morning, district Superintendent Eric Turman said that the William Penn task force will continue to meet as scheduled, with the expectation that it will release a report next year on future plans for the long-shuttered building.

“We have another task force meeting in January,” he said. “During that time, the administration and the task force will come up with a possible way to move forward.”

The 26-member task force began meeting in October. District Receiver Dr. Lori Suski appointed the temporary body following community uproar to a previous plan to raze the 98-year-old building.

At about 6:15 a.m. on Monday, the Harrisburg Fire Bureau responded to a call of a fire on the north side of the sprawling building, near the former football field. According to Fire Chief Brian Enterline, the fire was purposely set. It took the bureau about 2½ hours to bring the blaze under control, and firefighters still were extinguishing hot spots throughout the day.

In addition, the district cancelled classes at the nearby Camp Curtin campus due to heavy smoke from the fire, which infiltrated those school buildings. Turman said that he hoped classes there would resume tomorrow.

The fire broke out in the former auto mechanics repair shop portion of William Penn. The school, originally built as a high school, was used a vocational school for years before its permanent closure in 2011.

Since then, the school has been the site of many break-ins, acts of vandalism and arson fires. Most of the fires have been minor, but Enterline said that this fire was serious due to all the debris that had never been removed from the building after it closed.

He said that he was considering issuing an emergency decree to have the building cleaned out. He added that, seven or eight years ago, he asked the district to remove everything from the building, but that was never done.

“There are literally tons, thousands of tons, of debris inside that building that need to be taken out,” he said. “If we get that done through an emergency order, we eliminate the potential for any death or injury from a fire at the William Penn campus.”

Enterline said that the district had taken measures to seal up the building, but that there are limitations to how effective any barriers could be.

“The school district has done everything that they can to keep people out,” he said. “The problem is that nefarious residents want to keep going into this building and wreaking havoc on the fire department and the neighbors.”

Enterline implored residents to contact the city police if they know who was responsible for the fire.

“If you know these kids who are going in there, please call down to the Harrisburg police department, so we can bring them in and talk to them,” he said. “We don’t want anyone to be killed. I don’t want to pull anybody out of that building in a body bag.”

Turman said that the fire did not dent his optimism that the administration and the task force can agree on a plan to bring William Penn back as a usable facility.

“We all really want to see something at William Penn, which will have a great impact on the students,” he said.

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Harrisburg swears in new firefighters, recognizes life-saving achievements

October 10, 2023 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams swears in new firefighters.

Harrisburg firefighters were honored for their lifesaving efforts at an annual event on Tuesday.

The Harrisburg Fire Bureau presented awards and swore in new firefighters at a ceremony in the bureau’s Station 1 on N. 6th Street.

“Today is a day that we celebrate the acts of these members and their daily service and commitment to not only Harrisburg, but the region and our great country,” Fire Chief Brian Enterline said.

At the ceremony, Mayor Wanda Williams swore in four new firefighters, Kevin Tarapchak, Samuel Welk, Joshua Jones and Kaleb Shreiner. The new members bring the bureau’s complement of firefighters to 96.

According to Enterline, the new firefighters completed fire training at HACC and have been working in the bureau since June.

“We are grateful to have them join the ranks of our team,” Enterline said.

Also at the ceremony, Enterline announced the return of a partnership with the Harrisburg School District to have firefighters visit the district’s schools to talk with students about fire safety and career opportunities. The bureau is picking the program back up after over a decade without it.

“We really wanted to show our kids in Harrisburg that being a firefighter is a career opportunity,” said district Superintendent Eric Turman, at the event.

Additionally, the bureau awarded numerous firefighters for their lifesaving accomplishments including CPR saves and fire rescues.

The following awards and recognitions were given to firefighters in the bureau:

CPR Save—Lt. David Schock, Billy-Bob Holtzman, Shakur Hakeem-El, Jamie Kleckner, Jonathan Morrow, Allison Shattuck, Nathaniel Barbolish, Capt. Michael Feldman, Scott Young, William Kauffman, Cory Lease, Eriq Nowlin, Lt. Jeffrey Miller, Richard Brocius, Brendon Booz, Nicholas Hurst, Hadiel Bey, Bryan Rooney, Capt. Jeremy Saul, Bobby Jones, Michael Bruetsch, Kyle Paul, Jordan Stoudt, Robert Brackbill, James Grundon, Justin Kahill, Tyler Bender, Samuel Welk
Unit Citation—Lt. William Skinner, John Peskie, Capt. Jeremy Saul, Pablo Passalaqua, Lt. Matthew Kuntz, Gregory McDonald, Joshua Winters, Brayden Byers, Nathan Martin, Capt. Aldo Morelli, Connor Davis, Kyle Paul, Codie Schaffner, Jordan Stoudt, Garret Morey, Patrick Giberson, Lt. Brian Yonkin, Jared Briggs, Brendon Booz, Robert Brackbill, Hadiel Bey, Richard Brocius, Jonathan Morrow, Billy-Bob Holtzman
Merit—Richard Brocius, Bobby Jones
PA Task Force 1 Deployment—Joshua Hull, Lt. William Skinner, Brian Riddle, Benjamin Page, Zachary Miller, Capt. Aldo Morelli, Nathan Martin, Capt. Jeremy Saul, Lt. Justin Zimmerman

“Over the past year, you have saved countless lives through your quick decisions and heroic actions,” Williams said, addressing the bureau’s firefighters. “This city is certainly grateful to you.”

Enterline highlighted the fact that there have been no fatalities from fires in the city in the past two years and that the bureau responded to over 3,000 calls in 2022.

While not every action by a firefighter may receive an award, every effort to keep the city safe and informed is important, Enterline said.

“These everyday calls may seem mundane to us. However, to the 911 caller, it is probably their worst nightmare,” he said. “It gives our members an opportunity to engage and make a difference.”

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Harrisburg weighs options, hones in on temporary home for displaced Broad Street Market vendors

July 14, 2023 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg officials have identified this grassy lot across the street from the Broad Street Market as a potential site for relocating some displaced vendors until the brick market house (upper left) is restored.

Harrisburg hopes to have a temporary home for displaced Broad Street Market vendors set up in less than a month, officials said on Friday.

On Friday afternoon, city Business Administrator Dan Hartman and Fire Chief Brian Enterline met in a large, grassy field directly across the street from the market, along with the property owner.

There, they measured off the area and assessed the utility situation, with hopes of setting up a heavy-duty, tent-like structure, complete with flooring, within two to four weeks.

According to Hartman, planning is still underway in securing a temporary home for the 23 vendors displaced from the 150-year-old brick market building following an early-morning fire on Monday.

However, he thought the site could work until the market building is restored, which likely would take 18 to 24 months, he said.

“We’re moving as quickly as we can,” Hartman said. “The mayor said that she wants this done.”

Currently, the city is considering a few different scenarios for a temporary location, Hartman said.

In one, most of the displaced vendors would take space in the new temporary spot across the street. In another, tables would be removed from the 160-year-old stone building, which was untouched by the fire, and some vendors would build out their stands there. The market’s dining area then would be relocated to the temporary structure, probably along with some of the vendors.

Hartman and Enterline also toured a nearby building that is currently empty, though, at least on Friday, that seemed like a less likely possibility.

Some displaced vendors set up on Friday in the Broad Street Market courtyard.

For a permanent solution, Hartman said that the brick building could be restored in phases, which would accelerate the reopening timeline.

The western side of the building is still largely intact, having mostly suffered water and smoke damage. Restoring and reopening that portion of the building might occur first, followed by the eastern side of the building, which was heavily damaged by the fire and lost its roof.

In fact, according to the Historic Harrisburg Association, the two-block long brick building was actually constructed in three phases, with separate openings in 1874, 1878 and 1886.

Otherwise on Friday, more than half-a-dozen displaced vendors set up outside, under small tents, in the Broad Street Market courtyard, for a second day. Tanis Monroy, the market’s executive director, said that he expects even more vendors and a large crowd of patrons on Saturday, as the market hosts its previously scheduled Christmas in July event, which will take place despite the devastating fire.

Hartman mentioned that city officials are grateful for the help of both Dauphin County and the state. Many high-ranking commonwealth officials, including from the Department of Agriculture and the Office of the Governor, live right in the Midtown neighborhood and have pledged to try to cut through the red tape so that restoration can get underway as quickly as possible.

In fact, Gov. Josh Shapiro attended a post-fire press conference on Monday, vowing to help rebuild the market.

“We’re very lucky to have all these people right here in Harrisburg,” Hartman said.

Friends of Midtown has put together a spreadsheet with donation and purchase opportunities for the market and its many vendors. Click here to see how to help.

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Harrisburg, state officials pledge to rebuild Broad Street Market, support vendors after electrical fire

July 10, 2023 | by Maddie Gittens

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, along with other state and local officials, addresses the Broad Street Market fire at a press conference on Monday.

On Monday, local and state officials vowed that the Broad Street market would be rebuilt following a destructive fire overnight.

Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, along with other local officials, pledged to support the market’s many vendors and restore the historic building, at a press conference.

“Overnight, the heart of our community was taken from us,” Williams said. “Today is not the end of the Broad Street Market. We will rebuild it.”

At about 1 a.m. on Monday, the Harrisburg Fire Bureau responded to reports of smoke coming from the market’s brick building. Flames engulfed the building, causing severe damage to the roof and, specifically, the side of the building closest to N. 6^th Street. The fire took several hours to contain, fire officials said.

According to Fire Bureau Chief Brian Enterline, the fire was caused by an electrical malfunction of a large ceiling fan, installed in 2017, in the building. The building did not have a sprinkler system.

Inside the side of the Broad Street Market’s brick building, nearest N. 6th Street.

According to Enterline, the building’s shell is salvageable and the historic architecture of the building can be maintained. Much of the interior portion of the building near the market courtyard is salvageable, as well, largely suffering smoke and water damage, fire officials stated.

The Broad Street Market is covered under Harrisburg’s insurance, city Business Administrator Dan Hartman told TheBurg, saying he had “no worry at all” that the damage would be covered. Vendors in the market are required to have their own insurance, as well.

Shapiro also vowed to assist the city in rebuilding the market, offering possible state grant or loan opportunities. The commonwealth is coordinating with the PA Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and the PA Department of Agriculture to find ways to assist vendors displaced by the fire, he said.

“This market matters; it’s mattered for more than a century,” he said. “You’re going to see government at all levels now work together. We are all now going to come together and do what’s necessary to support the rebuild.”

Inside the market’s brick building, nearest the market courtyard.

Earlier on Monday, market vendors and city residents gathered outside the market to support each other and worked to collect their property from inside the building.

According to Harrisburg officials, the city will work to find a temporary location for market vendors to set up shop while the building is restored.

The market’s stone building was untouched by the fire and will be open for business this week, Enterline said.

Gov. Josh Shapiro (left) and Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline tour the burned market building.

The Fire Bureau will now work to secure and seal the building after vendors have had the chance to retrieve any property, according to Deputy Chief Michael Souder. The bureau has no concern of the building collapsing or causing a public safety threat, he said.

While local officials are hopeful about the future of the Broad Street Market, they recognize that rebuilding won’t be a quick process.

“Make no mistake, this will take time and, of course, tears, but the end result will be worth it,” Williams said. “The Broad Street Market will be back and better than ever before.”

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Harrisburg crews clean up after weekend storm tears through the city

June 5, 2023 | by Maddie Gittens

A tree fell on a car on N. 3rd Street in Harrisburg during Saturday’s storm.

After a destructive storm swept through Harrisburg over the weekend, crews have been working to clean it all up.

City officials shared on Monday the work that Harrisburg has done to remove fallen trees and clear roadways after Saturday’s hail and windstorm.

According to Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline, the evening storm was a non-forecasted, pop-up cell storm that came from the north. The winds, rain and hail ripped through the city, hitting neighborhoods like Uptown and Midtown the hardest, he said.

“It tore things up left and right,” Enterline said.

A large tree that fell near N. Front and Forster streets blocked off Front Street into much of Sunday. Another tree on Bartine Street took down power lines, starting a fire. Some trees were ripped out of the ground by the roots, others cracked and split, officials explained.

According to Dave Baker, director of parks and recreation, the city has been responding to these public safety issues and clearing roads since Saturday night and will likely continue most of this week.

“There’s probably a lot that we haven’t even seen yet,” Baker said. “People need to be vigilant over the next few days.”

He warned residents to watch out for fallen power lines and wires.

Other issues from the storm included a billboard near Forster and N. 3^rd streets that was damaged and leaning over the road. Enterline said that the fire bureau has since taken the billboard down. There was also some localized flooding due to tree leaves clogging sewage grates in the Midtown area.

The fire bureau also assisted a large group of kayakers on the Susquehanna River during the storm and helped divert emergency traffic coming to UPMC Harrisburg hospital.

A few areas in the city, the largest being Hoverter Homes in South Harrisburg, lost power, but according to Enterline PPL was able to restore power quickly.

Officials said that only one injury due to the storm was reported, stating that a woman was hit by a falling branch on the riverfront and taken to the hospital on Saturday.

According to Matt Maisel, communications director for the city, all city roads were cleared by around 6:30 p.m. on Sunday night.

Baker and the parks department have been working to address any fallen or damaged trees that have become a public safety issue because of the storm. They also plan to clean up any fallen trees, branches and debris on city parks and land in the coming days.

For property owners with tree maintenance and removal needs after the storm, Baker said to call tree service providers. For low-income and senior residents with tree assistance needs, the city may be able to provide help through its tree maintenance program.

Anyone who has a public safety concern should call Dauphin County Dispatch at 717-558-6900, Baker said.

For more information, visit Harrisburg’s website.

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A Change in the Weather: Pennsylvania’s emergency management and environmental experts explain climate change: Why flooding is our top risk—and it’s not the Susquehanna they’re most worried about. But they are floating a number of solutions.

February 28, 2023 | by Karen Hendricks

Flood risks are among the top three hazards in nearly every Pennsylvania county, in this map recently released by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA).

It’s one of Harrisburg’s most treasured, beloved landmarks.

The Susquehanna River is the longest river east of the Mississippi. Its basin—an immense 27,510 square miles—encompasses half of Pennsylvania, along with portions of New York and Maryland. It’s an area that 4 million people call home, including those who live along its picturesque shores from Cooperstown, N.Y., to Havre de Grace, Md.—including Harrisburg’s rocky riverbed stretching nearly a mile wide.

“We are unique, in that we’re a river city—and that has inherent issues,” said Brian Enterline, Harrisburg Fire Bureau chief and head of emergency management.

That’s because the Susquehanna is considered one of the most flood-prone watersheds in the nation, averaging $150 million in flood damage annually—a fact that Ben Pratt thinks about daily.

“I’m the point person here at the commission for all things related to flooding,” said Pratt, a water resources engineer of 17 years with the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC). “So my day job is flooding. I get up every day concerned about flooding, and then climate change adds another level to it.”

As iconic as the Susquehanna is, what are the risks swirling within its basin amid climate change? What changes are we experiencing in Pennsylvania’s weather and climate? And how are those changes connected to flooding? We set out to answer those questions from local, state and regional experts at top emergency management and environmental roles.

A Perfect Storm

Geography and weather patterns provide the perfect storm of ingredients for the basin’s flood-prone tendency, even before climate change enters into the mix.

“We’re always at risk for tropical storms and hurricanes in the summer seasons,” Pratt said. “And with west-to-east weather patterns, we pick up moisture from the Great Lakes, which produces summer thunderstorms with heavy rain.”

Perhaps no one understands flood risks better than residents and businesses located in floodplains—areas designated to be most at-risk for flooding by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). But weather events and climate change don’t adhere to boundary lines drawn on maps.

“The biggest concern with climate change is the heavy, extreme events, even to those who aren’t in a floodplain,” Pratt said. “You have to expand the area of concern, and frankly it’s everyone now that has a flood risk of some sort. And that’s a real challenge … it’s an expansion of what we’ve known historically as the 100-year floodplain. It’s pretty much everywhere now—not just along the rivers.”

Before we go further, let’s explore flooding’s connection to climate change.

Warming Up

You’ve likely noticed changes—some of them extreme—in our weather. For example, Harrisburg has experienced little snowfall—even some 50-degree days—this winter.

“It’ll probably go down as one of the warmer winters we’ve had,” said Jeff Jumper, Pennsylvania’s state meteorologist working under the umbrella of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA).

But changes in the weather don’t exactly equal climate change. Weather is what happens on a daily basis. Climate is the big picture—a long-term average of weather over decades and centuries.

Worldwide, the average global temperature—after being historically stable over the course of modern human civilization—began warming during the 1880s amid the Industrial Revolution, when the burning of fossil fuels accelerated. The earth has warmed 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit since 1900.

“Harrisburg’s annual average temperature went up .3 degrees per decade,” said Jumper. “We’re in the category of [temperatures] climbing at a rate we’ve never seen before.”

If we continue on this trajectory, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) estimates that Pennsylvania’s temperatures will warm another 5.9 degrees by 2050.

“The idea is the rate at which we’re seeing those temperatures rise. How quickly are we going to lose winter? How quickly are we going to be more like Richmond?” Jumper said.

In the Atmosphere

Changes in climate are being driven by the atmosphere.

Scientists first noticed the greenhouse effect in the 1820s, and, today, more than 99.9% of all scientists who have published in the field agree that climate change is real, and human activity—primarily emissions from the burning of fossil fuels—is the cause. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of those greenhouse gases, so when experts talk about “de-carbonization,” it refers to lowering CO2 emissions.

And Pennsylvania is one of the leading emitters of CO2 in the nation. As one of the top three energy-producing states, the Keystone State is also the top electricity-exporting state, sharing 30% of its energy with neighboring states, according to DEP data. Pennsylvania is actually responsible for nearly 1% of total global emissions.

Additionally, the state’s industrial sector contributes about one-third of its greenhouse gas emissions, primarily due to processes used in manufacturing concrete and chemicals, along with mineral extraction.

As greenhouse gases propel climate change and warmer temperatures, how does this tie into increased precipitation? Warmer air holds more water vapor, so when storms form, there’s more water vapor available, compared to 50 or 100 years ago.

“Our 2021 Climate Impacts Assessment found that currently our [Pennsylvania’s] biggest hazard is flooding. Across the state, we have the second-most miles of streams in the U.S.,” said Lindsay Byron, DEP environmental group manager. “And we can expect an 8% increase in precipitation by 2050.”

That’s on top of an already-observed 10% to 20% increase in Pennsylvania’s precipitation. The sum result? Pennsylvania’s heightened risk of flooding. PEMA recently worked with each county’s emergency management agency to identify their top three hazards—and the resulting map displays flood risks throughout the state.

In a Flash

“The other challenge is predicting flash flooding, and that can happen anywhere in the state,” said Jumper, who points to 2018—Pennsylvania’s wettest year on record. “We had no major snowstorm, no major tropical system. We just had a pattern that supported tropical moisture coming out of the Gulf and Atlantic, a setup that dumped a season’s worth (three months’ worth) of precipitation over days.”

The power behind flash flooding brings additional concerns.

“Our tributaries and watersheds have become more volatile—think of Ellicott City, Md.,” Jumper said. “They had a heavy rain event, a lot of development [meaning less green and more gray, impervious surfaces] further up the watershed, and a heavy rain event came down and washed out the town.”

More examples hit closer to home.

“With Hurricane Ida, we saw Philadelphia’s Vine Street Expressway filling up with water, and we saw Route 283 under water near Mount Joy in 2018,” said Pratt, at the SRBC. “These extreme events are going to overwhelm our existing infrastructure.”

Between 1978 and 2020, Susquehanna River basin municipalities received $832 million in FEMA flood insurance payments—“which actually makes it more interesting to think Hurricane Agnes isn’t included in those totals,” said Pratt.

Within the Lower Susquehanna River Subbasin, four of the top five payments went to Dauphin County municipalities, including Harrisburg.

In the capital city, flooding is typically triggered by three sources, according to Chief Enterline: the Susquehanna River, generally affecting Shipoke; Paxton Creek, which floods Cameron Street; and localized flooding primarily due to the city’s “built environment,” focused on Allison Hill, Market and Derry streets.

“Just a localized thunderstorm can put the city upside-down,” Enterline said. “Cars driving into standing water account for our highest volume of water rescue events every year—not water rescues in the river.”

Water woes are currently dominating western U.S. headlines, as climate change brings drought conditions to that region. Here in Pennsylvania, it might be easy to dismiss these things as NIMBY events—those “not in my backyard.” But climate change adjustments across the nation and world are interconnected.

“There are concerns about the capacity of the Colorado River as a source, and that’s concerning because, ultimately, that could impact things within the Susquehanna River basin,” Pratt said. “It’s hard to think about, but— recognizing the agricultural production that comes out of California—if that would go away, where does that go, and [if production relocates here] does that become a stress on our water resources?”

Solutions

Not all climate change news is gloom and doom. Every one of our experts cited hopeful solutions being studied and implemented to mitigate or adapt to climate change.

Many are cited within the state’s 2021 Pennsylvania Climate Action Plan, a DEP roadmap for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by hitting benchmarks in 2025 and 2050. The plan calls for a 26% reduction in Pennsylvania’s greenhouse gases by 2025, over 2005 emissions. That would, in essence, take some of the wind out of climate change’s sails.

“We will meet that 2025 goal,” said Byron, who led the plan’s development and is currently launching work on the next iteration. “We publish a state inventory of greenhouse gases annually, and looking at that data—there’s a little bit of a data lag—as of 2019, we had reduced greenhouse gases by 18%. The vast majority of the reduction in greenhouse gases has been in our electricity sector—we’ve reduced emissions about 40%—and that’s largely due to switching from burning coal to burning natural gas in our power plants.”

On the emergency management side, Jumper, after serving as the first state meteorologist under PEMA, is moving to another newly created role as emergency management program manager for resiliency.

“I’ll be creating a playbook that helps us provide assistance to individuals, communities, counties and state agencies recovering from disasters,” Jumper said. “Basically, how do we prevent, and then how do we get back on our feet after disasters such as flooding?”

At the SRBC, Pratt is focused on improved and innovative forecasting and warning capabilities, including the debut of the 100-mile-long Susquehanna Floodwater Response System near Wilkes-Barre. He’s also looking forward to the rollout of powerful new forecasting tools to better detect potential flash flooding, such as the National Weather Service’s upcoming National Water Model.

In Harrisburg, water rescue units are at the ready.

“Over the past 10 years, we have invested tens of thousands of dollars into water rescue response boats and training equipment,” Enterline said.

In the meantime, a comprehensive project involving state, county and city officials has produced the Paxton Creek Master Plan, calling for the creek’s de-channelization to decrease flooding and increase ecological benefits. The city is also writing grants to replace manual water gauges with city weather stations.

What about the power of one—decisions within our own grasp?

Jumper recommends all home or business owners consider flood insurance, even those not located in floodplains. Pratt encourages people to pay more attention to forecasts, recognizing there’s uncertainty and danger in flash flood warnings, in particular. And then there’s education.

“What I do now is all about education and outreach,” said Stacey Hanrahan, SRBC spokesperson. “Half of my meetings are about, ‘How do we tell the public the facts about climate change in a way that makes them care?’ And at the end of the day, sometimes that comes down to your wallet, through higher energy bills, farmers’ growing degree days, environmental justice issues and how poorer communities are affected. And there’s hope with the kids—they have more of an immediate concern, which is promising. At the end of the day, it all comes down to education.”

To hear more from Jeff Jumper about how PEMA is responding to climate change, tune into TheBurg Podcast’s March episode, available March 10.

This is TheBurg’s second in a six-part, Pennsylvania-focused, climate change series by freelance writer Karen Hendricks, publishing through 2023.

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Harrisburg firefighters stationed in South Carolina to assist during Hurricane Ian

September 30, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Members of the Harrisburg Fire Bureau and Pennsylvania Task Force 1 are stationed in South Carolina to assist during Hurricane Ian.

As Hurricane Ian makes its way into South Carolina, Harrisburg first responders are ready to help.

Eight firefighters from the Harrisburg Bureau of Fire are stationed in Charleston in their capacity as members of the Pennsylvania Task Force 1 to assist with rescue efforts.

“From a rescue standpoint, they can do anything to help,” said Chief Brian Enterline in a statement from the city on Friday. “They can assist local and regional responders with water rescues. They can rescue people from buildings. If there are building collapses, they are trained to do that as well.”

The task force will serve as a reserve asset for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), according to the city. They will also assist regional fire departments and emergency units in the region.

The state task force is made up of 44 urban search-and-rescue first responders in the commonwealth and includes technical search specialists, structural engineers, doctors and hazardous material handlers. FEMA oversees 28 of these task forces.

According to Enterline, once the hurricane passes, the firefighters will search the area, block-by-block, for any victims inside evacuated buildings.

The task force can be based in South Carolina for up to 14 days before additional federal approval is required, according to Harrisburg Communications Director Matt Maisel.

“It is no small feat to get onto an urban search-and-rescue team. There are hundreds of hours of additional training, often times with no pay, just to get onto that team,” Enterline said. “Every one of our guys on that team is prepared, and it goes to show the Harrisburg Bureau of Fire is committed to serving anybody. It will benefit the federal level over the next week, but it has daily benefits at home as well.”

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At ceremony, Harrisburg Fire Bureau swears in new members, recognizes firefighters’ service during COVID

October 4, 2021 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg Bureau of Fire officials honor members at their annual ceremony.

An annual Harrisburg fire department event took on new meaning this year as officials reflected on the impact of the pandemic.

At their 2021 awards ceremony on Monday, Harrisburg Bureau of Fire officials recognized many firefighters for their actions during the unprecedented year and swore in new firefighters.

“This year, our Bureau of Fire, as well as our colleagues across the country, and, quite frankly, the world, have valiantly served the citizens of Harrisburg and the Harrisburg region as we navigated the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Chief Brian Enterline.

Enterline awarded his annual “Chief’s Award” to all members of the bureau for their service during the pandemic.

Three new firefighters, Dylan Landuyt, Johnathon Felty and Codie Schaffner, officially joined the bureau on Monday. The swearing-in of these firefighters brings the bureau to a full complement of 90 personnel, Enterline said.

“That’s an extraordinary, extraordinary thing,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse. “We are going to invest in the Harrisburg Bureau of Fire.”

In addition to the swearing-in ceremony, the following awards and recognitions were given to firefighters in the bureau:

Award of Bravery—Kyle Paul
Award of Merit—Capt. Aldo Morelli, James Grundon, Zachary Miller, Patrick Giberson, John Peskie, Battalion Chief Jason Lloyd
Unit Citation—Lt. William Skinner, Nathaniel Barbolish, Justin Zimmerman, Michael Stender, Lt. Jeffrey Miller, Jared Day, Thomas Propst, Joseph Kuhn, Battalion Chief Brian Bastinelli, David Gilkey, Shane Conrad, Lt. Robert Lohin, Brandon Trygar, Jamie Kleckner, Thomas Cucchiara
CPR Save—Jared Day, Lt. Corey Stone, William Junkin, Shane Conrad, David Aguayo, Johnathan Little, Thomas Cucchiara, Austin Howard, Capt. Charles Zavrel, Richard Brocius, Nicholas Hurst, Lt. Brian Yonkin, Marty Henderson, Glenn Raudensky

Bureau members of the Pennsylvania Task Force 1 also received National Deployment Awards for assisting throughout the country. Six members received an award for assisting with the presidential inauguration. Another 12 were awarded for their assistance at the time of Hurricane Ida this summer. Eight more members of the bureau received the award for working to save survivors of the collapse of the Champlain Towers in Florida.

One firefighter, Brent Hill, received a National Deployment Award for the use of his skills to support the National Interagency Fire Center during California’s wildfire season.

The following firefighters were recognized for their years of service:

Battalion Chief Brian Bastinelli–25 years
Battalion Chief Cornell Bradford–20 years
John Matson–15 years
Jonathon Morrow–15 years
Lt. Corey Stone–15 years
Bobby Jones–15 years
Thomas Cucchiara–5 years
Michael Shaak–5 years
Kyle Paul–5 years
Pablo Passalacqua–5 years

Firefighter Deshawn Dennis was recognized at the ceremony for his retirement earlier this year.

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November’s News Digest

October 30, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Conley

Forster Street in Harrisburg

Advisory Committee Amendments Pass

A proposed Harrisburg police advisory committee inched closer to a final vote last month, after several amendments to the bill were passed by City Council.

Most significantly, council approved a change giving administrative subpoena power to the committee, something that many community members asked for repeatedly at town hall and council meetings.

In addition, the statement of general intent of the bill was amended to better communicate the board’s role in exercising accountability over the Harrisburg Police Bureau rather than serving as a liaison between the police and community.

Council member Ausha Green also proposed removing the police commissioner and the chair of council’s public safety committee as non-voting members of the board. They would be replaced with two voting members from the city at large. The nine committee members would serve three-year terms, she added. Both of these amendments passed.

Council voted in favor of requiring that all board members undergo orientation by the city’s law bureau within six months of their appointment. The bill previously required members to be trained at the city’s police academy and complete a police ride-along.

Among other amendments was one to encourage police compliance with requests from the advisory committee for information. If the police bureau doesn’t provide the information within 14 days of a request for information—or if the response is deemed unsatisfactory—the board can recommend that City Council suspend funding for hiring new officers.

Council ended up taking no action on another proposal, changing the name of the body from an “advisory committee” to a “review board.” City Solicitor Neil Grover said that Harrisburg doesn’t have the authority to create a review board under state legislation.

Improvements for Forster Street

Pedestrian-friendly changes are afoot for Forster Street, as the city announced that it will receive a federal grant to remake a stretch of the dangerous road.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse said the city will receive $832,437 to reduce the width of Forster Street between the Harvey Taylor Bridge and N. 2nd Street, among other changes.

He said that the Harrisburg Area Transportation Study (HATS), a regional transportation planning body, voted to fund the project construction, which will take place next year.

The actual cost of the project is nearly $1.1 million. In its 2021 budget, the city will provide its 20-percent match of $245,818 by taking on the pre-construction design and inspection process, Papenfuse said.

“There will be a reduction in the amount of distance in which pedestrians have to go in crossing the street,” he said.

Besides narrowing the road, the project will create new pedestrian crossings, replace curbs, build bump-outs and install landscaping.

The city applied in June for the money, which originates with federal Department of Transportation funds. At the time, city Engineer Wayne Martin said he was optimistic about receiving the grant because prior HATS studies already had identified the area as currently unsafe for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists. It also is a regional connector between the city and suburbs, as well as a major commuter route.

According to city data, the Front and Forster area is the most dangerous roadway in Harrisburg, with 47 vehicle crashes recorded between 2015 and 2018 within 250 feet of the intersection.

Earlier this year, the city received word that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation had agreed to substantial improvements to another dangerous commuter route—State Street on Allison Hill.

“Both of those projects are now going to be able to move to construction,” Papenfuse said. “Indeed, we’ll have construction completed in 2021.”

These projects both align with the city’s “Vision Zero” program to eliminate pedestrian fatalities.

In addition, the city plans to begin work in the spring on returning N. 2nd Street to two-way traffic between Forster and Division streets, as well as work to improve N. 7th Street. Both of those projects should extend into 2022.

“There’s going to be a lot of Harrisburg under construction for sure next year in 2021,” Papenfuse said.

Greenhouse Plans Advance

The Reservoir Park Greenhouse Project continues to blossom in Harrisburg, as the working group steering the restoration seeks community input and participation.

Last month, members of the project held a town hall to discuss plans for the greenhouse and to update the public.

“We want to make sure we are doing things that people in the city agree with,” said Christopher Nafe, the city’s sustainability manager.

The project includes the restoration of a 1,500-square-foot greenhouse built in 1929 and about a half-acre of garden space surrounding it. This area on the south side of Reservoir Park sits just off Whitehall Street.

The Reservoir Park Greenhouse Project is an initiative of the Harrisburg Parks Foundation, a project of the Foundation for Enhancing Communities. They are working to make it function again, after it sat idle for 20 years.

“A lot of people are excited to see something being done,” said Rafiyqa Muhammad, a member of the City’s Environmental Advisory Council and the owner of Sustainable Human Environment, who has been a member of the greenhouse renovation working group since its inception. “It’s an educational site, and we will always learn something when we come up there.”

Muhammad said the gardens and greenhouse will provide access to healthy fruits and vegetables for residents in the surrounding Allison Hill community, as well as teach them how to grow their own food.

“The Black community really deserves a state-of-the-art greenhouse,” she said.

The project will focus on landscaping, preparing garden beds and planting seeds first, with work on the greenhouse to follow, Muhammad explained. Eventually, the group hopes to renovate the Brownstone Building near the greenhouse for use as a food demonstration kitchen, Nafe said.

Homegrown Harrisburg Community Gardens Network, Tri-County Community Action, Messiah University Center for Sustainability, Harrisburg Young Professionals of Color, Sustainable Human Environment, LLC, and Harrisburg Urban Growers are some of the organizations in the Greenhouse Working Group.

Funds for the project are already coming in through private donors like the Whitt Family Foundation, which has given $50,000, and the Rotary Club of Harrisburg, which donated $5,000.

Nafe said they are looking into applying for grants, as well. They have already received a $25,000 “Better Food, Better Access, Better Together” grant from the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.

While planting won’t begin until spring, Muhammad and Nafe said that they will be hosting community workshops on topics like composting.

Urban Meadow Expansion Eyed

A strip of green space in Midtown Harrisburg would be lengthened under a plan to extend the “Urban Meadow” to the new federal courthouse area.

City Council recently approved a resolution allowing the submission of a grant application for up to $3 million to the state Department of Community and Economic Development’s Multimodal Transportation Fund Program.

If the grant is received, half of the funds would go to the Urban Meadow extension construction and the other half to area streetscape improvements. The project also includes adding about 50 angled parking spaces on Reily Street between Logan and Fulton streets.

A Dauphin County gaming grant already has fully paid for about $75,000 worth of design fees for the project.

The current Urban Meadow runs along Boyd Street from N. 3rdto Fulton Street. The new project would extend pavers from Fulton to N. 6thStreet, said city Engineer Wayne Martin.

“As the name indicates, it is kind of an oasis in the city,” said Harrisburg project manager Ambrose Buck.

The path extension would be a dedicated pedestrian and bicycle route, including lighting and landscaping. It would connect the federal courthouse currently under construction on N. 6th Street to the Midtown area, Martin said.

He said that, with the forthcoming courthouse requiring about 400 to 800 parking spaces, the city is looking to increase transportation options.

“The goal is economic development through multimodal transportation,” he said.

If the grant is received, construction on the Urban Meadow is expected for early 2021, Martin said.

Harrisburg also plans to add sidewalks and new bus stops on N. 6th Street by the courthouse.

New Hires for Fire Bureau

The Harrisburg Fire Bureau last month swore in new firefighters, setting a record high for the number of personnel in over a decade, Chief Brian Enterline said.

At the bureau’s virtual 2020 Awards Ceremony, 10 new hires joined the ranks, bringing the total number of officers in the bureau to 88.

“That represents the real, true growth for the Harrisburg Fire Bureau,” Mayor Eric Papenfuse said. “We have brought this bureau back, and now we are growing again.”

The new firefighters include Timothy Wolcott, Nicholas Hurst, Austin Howard, Nathaniel Barbolish, Brayden Byers, Jared Day, Justin Barnes, Cody Durham, Joseph Kuhn and Conner Davis.

Hurst, Kuhn and Wolcott previously served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

The 10 new firefighters underwent much of their training through online classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Enterline said.

“They remained committed and flexible even though that may not have been a popular choice on any given day,” he said.

“Reverse” Holiday Parade Planned

Harrisburg last month announced big changes to its annual Holiday Parade. The show will still go on, just in reverse.

In this year’s format, participants in the parade will remain stationary, while spectators will drive by in their vehicles to watch. It also will take place on City Island, as opposed to the streets of downtown.

“We wanted to do something where we could still keep the holiday spirit alive for the community, but in a safe way,” said Megan Roby, marketing and events manager for Harrisburg.

Although it’s a different format, Roby said there will still be decorated floats, candy and, of course, Santa. The parade takes place Nov. 21, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. People must arrive before noon to participate in the drive-through.

In place of the typical candy tossed for children, the first 150 cars will receive free goodie bags at the end of the parade route.

Roby expects around 40 to 50 entrants in the parade. There will be something fun around each turn on the route, she said.

The event is free to the public, and spectators are also encouraged to join the fun by decorating their cars.

The theme of the parade is “Hometown Holiday,” inspired by the months of quarantining and staying at home, Roby said.

Entrants will receive scores from a panel of local celebrity judges, with the highest score winning a $100 Amazon gift card.

The Reverse Holiday Parade is sponsored by Visit Hershey & Harrisburg, Explore HBG and the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District.

Home Sales, Prices Rise

Home sales and prices rose strongly in the Harrisburg area in September, continuing a months-long trend.

For the three-county capital region, residential sales shot up to 799 units compared to 672 units in September 2019, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR). The median sales price also increased substantially—to $200,000 from $180,000 last year, GHAR said.

In Dauphin County, sales totaled 373 units in September versus 333 in the year-ago period, while the median price rose to $178,000 from $166,000, according to GHAR.

Cumberland County saw sales of 376 homes compared to 309 last year, as the median price increased to $226,250 from $209,950. In Perry County, 50 houses sold last month versus 30 in September 2019, as the median price jumped to $180,000 from $149,900, GHAR said.

Meanwhile, houses took an average of 33 days to sell, compared to 44 for the prior September, according to GHAR.

In the Harrisburg area, home sales data has been strong nearly every month since pandemic-related restrictions were lifted on the industry in late spring.

So Noted

Civic Club of Harrisburg last month received the 2020 Stewardship Award from Preservation Pennsylvania for its century-long history of community work and its efforts to preserve “Overlook,” the Civic Club’s stately home on the Susquehanna River.

Dyan McAlister has been named chief financial officer of Dillsburg-based Presbyterian Senior Living. McAlister has been with the not-for-profit since 1998, most recently serving as vice president of finance. She replaces Jeff Davis, who retired last month.

Good Brotha’s Book Café expects to open this month along the 1400-block of N. 3rd Street in Midtown Harrisburg. The café will be the second recent business venture for owner Stefan Hawkins, along with his fiancé Laquana Barber, the first being the House of Vegans restaurant directly across the street.

Harrisburg last month announced it had received a $70,000 grant from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help the health office enhance its operations. The funds will be used to increase the number and types of food establishment inspections and help provide safe, healthy and affordable food in the community, according to the city.

M&T Bank last month named Nora Habig as president of its central and western Pennsylvania region, which includes 10 counties from Dauphin through Allegheny. Habig, a Carlisle resident, has been with the bank since 1990. She replaces Stephen A. Foreman, who retired earlier in the month.

R.G. Hummer Quality Meats opened last month in the West Shore Farmers Market in Lemoyne. It’s the second location for fifth-generation butcher Ryan Hummer, who will retain his longstanding stand inside the brick building of the Broad Street Market in Harrisburg.

UPMC Pinnacle, along with the Peyton Walker Foundation, last month donated 18 automated external defibrillators to the Harrisburg Police Bureau. The units, valued at about $40,500, are designed to help save the lives of people suffering sudden cardiac arrest.

UPMC Pinnacle Harrisburg is slated to open its comprehensive inpatient pediatric unit this month. The unit is a 26-bed unit, including 11 new, private rooms, with each new room designed for universal use, meaning children stay in one room throughout their hospital stay.

Changing Hands

Adrian St., 2418: R. Ivey to H. Brown, $30,000

Allison St., 1505: M. Turner to Integrity First Home Buyers LLC, $40,000

Bellevue Rd., 1907: D. Boyle to C. & M. Diaz, $30,000

Bellevue Rd., 2306 & 2318: M. Kerrigan to J. Winand & T. Walton, $295,000

Benton St., 543: L. Shoffner & T. Samsel to V. Towindo, $84,900

Berryhill St., 1212: S. Little to Parcview 135 Corp., $35,000

Berryhill St., 2140: PA Deals LLC to A. Matthews, $76,900

Berryhill St., 2144: H. Alcantara & M. Wilson to M. de Munoz, $71,500

Berryhill St., 2330: C. Zheng to J. Solis Corps, $75,000

Boas St., 215: J. Barnaby to L. Davis, $90,000

Boas St., 426: N. Spence to Z. & M. Zook, $190,000

Brookwood St., 2433: M. Osevala to A. Hanson, $65,000

Camp St., 525: J. & D. Carroll to A. Rashid, $45,000

Camp St., 535: E. Prunty to Easymyth Real Estate Developments LLC, $40,000

Chestnut St., 1846: R. Wagner & T. Christopher to Dreams2Reality Services LLC, $30,000

Conoy St., 108: D. Noll to D. Wendling Jr., $156,000

Cumberland St., 256: A. & L. Kanagy to S. & J. Toole, $105,000

Derry St., 1248: M. Murphy to Jackson Investment Properties LLC, $37,200

Derry St., 2143: 4880 East Prospect LLC to J. & D. Holland, $55,000

Emerald Ct., 2456: PA Deals LLC to J. Seelbinder, $114,900

Emerald St., 214: K. Petroski to J. Maneri, $90,172

Emerald St., 216: R. Jones & A. Hohnson to J. Knesis, $106,000

Emerald St., 245: D. & C. Aquino to SPG Capital LLC, $42,000

Fulton St., 1621: J. & C. Mondschean to R. & F. Hamid, $132,000

Girard St., 739: H. Hughes to M. & T. Fickett, $80,000

Green St., 1108 & 228 Herr St.: C. Peguese & D. Hoffman to L. Mills Jr., $312,000

Green St., 1309: L. Oberly to E. Hower & R. Musarra, $129,300

Green St., 1509: A. & K. Tyson to W. Hughes & I. Wright, $172,500

Green St., 1518: J. Bowser to M. Pfautz, $130,000

Green St., 1709: Mussani & Co. LP to Fratelli Property Investments LLC, $115,000

Green St., 1828: W. Peffley Jr. to M. Vaccarella, $80,000

Harris St., 342: D. Shelley to N. Dreikorn, $139,900

Hoffman St., 3130: R. Louer to Equity Trust Co., $36,000

Holly St., 2017: Y. Patterson to V. Belliard & L. Quintanilla, $40,000

Hummel St., 357: J. Vogelsong to C&P Property Management Inc., $37,000

James St., 1329: J. & M. Walker to V. Paredes, $30,000

Jefferson St., 2720: RJ IBA LLC to S. & T. Jefferson, $62,500

Kelker St., 622: C. Moon to A. Bakare & A. Allen, $65,000

Kensington St., 2238: J. & A. Sullivan to N. Matthews, $45,500

Kensington St., 2248: J. & A. Sullivan to N. Matthews, $45,500

Lexington St., 2754: L. Hammer to A. Kohl, $80,000

Lewis St., 235: G. & C. Williams to D. Borowsky, $195,500

Logan St., 1619: C. Grim to W. McKelvey, $125,000

Logan St., 1713: C. Enright to J. George, $139,000

Logan St., 2226: CR Property Group LLC to PA Property Rental LLC, $105,000

Market St., 1021: S. Pearlman to Great Scott Productions LLC, $425,000

Market St., 1907: KBH Properties LLC to J. Alvarado, $60,000

Moore St., 2113: Blue Door Management LLC to J. Mercedes, $70,000

Muench St., 271: C. Halpert to C. & S. Roe, $120,100

Mulberry St., 1807: G. & A. Rucker to R. Bobb, $90,000

N. 2nd St., 1301: H. Rothrock to E. Rothrock, $131,000

N. 2nd St., 2615: E. Smith & H. Williams to B. Clark, $213,900

N. 2nd St., 2727: W. Stabler to J. Jayamohan, $256,000

N. 2nd St., 3108: B. Lock to N. & D. Leppo, $219,500

N. 3rd St., 1014: O’Sullivan Realty to Kaysay Management LLC, $675,000

N. 3rd St., 1111: M. Bernas to S. Goodyear, $148,000

N. 3rd St., 1126: BCG Holdings LLC to WCI Partners LP, $582,450

N. 3rd St., 1200: Keuka LLC to WCI Partners LP, $1,182,550

N. 3rd St., 1617: T. & J. Hoy to PDI Properties LLC, $150,000

N. 3rd St., 2011: M. Goldberg to S. & K. Weinstock, $300,000

N. 4th St., 1410: Next Level Opportunity to A. Grant, $105,200

N. 4th St., 2430: T. Brown & M. Cvetko to E. Rodriguez, $67,000

N. 6th St., 2712: Goldstein Couriers LLC to Integrity First Home Buyers LLC, $52,500

N. 6th St., 3205 & 3209: SBN LLC to SMNHAS 1 LLC, $375,000

N. 14th St., 1305 & 1309 and 1311 Augusta St.: A. & A. McBarnett to J. & J. Stalker, $90,000

N. 15th St., 238: D. Whittaker to Dima Properties LLC, $47,000

N. 15th St., 1120: D. & D. Costanza to Top Notch Rentals LLC, $50,000

N. 15th St., 1609: T. & D. Yuncker to Top Notch Rentals LLC, $51,000

N. 16th St., 911: S. Sprinkle to Y. Alvarez, $102,000

N. 16th St., 1219: J. Cruz to C. Harvey, $109,900

N. 16th St., 1221: J. Alvarado to A. & M. Sattar, $105,000

N. 18th St., 64: A. Greenwood to HBK Properties 1 LLC, $53,000

N. Front St., 17: Harrisburg Building & Grounds Co. to State Street Holdings LLC, $895,000

N. Front St., 1525, unit 609: C. Yastishock to D. Lucas & S. Stinson, $185,000

Parkway Blvd., 2437: K. Davis & K. Prowell to Integrity First Home Buyers LLC, $60,000

Peffer St., 415: L. Blanton to S. & H. Westhafer, $84,000

Penn St., 1818: C. Schroll to A. Mione, $115,000

Penn St., 2113: Green Mosca Associates LLC to Gold Key Properties LLC, $48,000

Penn St., 2149: Three Dog Properties LLC to M. Spicher, $60,000

Race St., 604: A. Heinzel to K. Konkle, $170,000

Reel St., 2447: G. Henein & A. Habeeb to Integrity First Home Buyers LLC, $55,000

Rolleston St., 1244: P. Phillips to Integrity First Home Buyers LLC, $52,000

Rumson Dr., 290: M. & C. Parker and M. Richardson to T. & W. Baka, $63,000

Rumson Dr., 331: L. Taleb to J. Crespo, $99,501

Schuykill St., 331: Scarn LLC to Pork Chop Properties LLC, $139,500

S. 2nd St., 300: M. Trucco to B. Bose, $149,900

S. 13th St., 14: B. Crews to A. Hallagher & C. Barr, $71,000

S. 13th St., 441: C. Keyes to Shutter Real Estate LLC, $40,000

S. 13th St., 1462: L. Jack to C. & C. Abukari, $41,000

S. 15th St., 441: E. Prunty to RRMMM Real Estate LLC, $41,000

S. 17th St., 137: WH RE LLC to 137 South 17th Street LLC, $230,000

S. 19th St., H. & C. Thompson to J. Serrano, $90,000

S. 19th St., 1200: C. & J. Scott to M. Martinez, $105,000

S. 21st St., 738: D&L Development Group Inc. to J. & F. Cervantes, $61,000

S. 25th St., 614: L. Phuong to Landmark Holdings Group LLC, $43,000

S. 25th St., 640: D. Hoffman & J. Regalado to L. Stewart, $64,400

S. Front St., 623: G. Schwab to A. Yockin, $148,000

S. Front St., 703: H. Jones & T. Imslwiler to J. Barnaby, $165,000

State St., 217: D. & J. Ragland to 217 State Street LLC, $195,000

State St., 1925: T. Keefer to J. & A. Camacho, $80,500

Susquehanna St., 1212: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to J. Tanzer, $82,000

Verbeke St., 217: A. Ackley to E. Heath, $154,900

Verbeke St., 219: T. Park to H. & L. Stuckey, $219,000

Walnut St., 1814: CR Property Group LLC to J. Meredith, $104,995

Walnut St., 1822: S. Jackson to E. Morales & A. Ayala, $48,000

Washington St., 105: PinnacleHealth System to BD Property Management LLC, $116,000

Yale St., 220: G. Domon to A. Gutierrez, $49,000

Harrisburg property sales for September 2020, greater than $30,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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Harrisburg deploys portable toilets to assist homeless population

March 31, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

Harristown and the HDID installed this line of portable toilets on Market Street last weekend.

More temporary toilets have arrived on the streets of Harrisburg, as the city today announced the installation of six portable latrines.

Two units have been placed in three different areas: at the intersection of Blackberry and River streets; along S. 10th Street near the Mulberry Street Bridge; and along S. 2nd Street below the I-83 overpass (just south of Shipoke).

According to the city, Fire Chief Brian Enterline, along with the Capital Area Coalition on Homelessness, identified the three sites as prime areas that would help serve those without permanent housing.

“During this health emergency, the city of Harrisburg is committed to doing everything it can to help its most vulnerable populations,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse. “These portable latrines will allow those that are homeless to have access to safe, sanitary facilities. Practicing good hygiene is a key to helping slow the spread of the virus.”

Each Port-O-Let has a hand sanitizer dispenser within the unit, according to the city. The units will be cleaned and re-supplied three times per week, the city said.

Last week, the city deployed portable washbasins in Reservoir and Riverfront parks, and, on Saturday, Harristown Enterprises and the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District set up sanitation stations in front of 333 Market Street (pictured).

All of the facilities are designed primarily to serve the city’s itinerant population during the COVID-19 health emergency, as many buildings with publicly accessible bathrooms have been closed.

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