PHILADELPHIA – Recovery efforts continued across Philadelphia on Sunday after Mayor Cherelle L. Parker signed a Declaration of Disaster Emergency Saturday evening, strengthening the City’s response as crews continue clearing debris, restoring services, assessing damage, and supporting residents impacted by the July 11 storms. The declaration allows the city to accelerate and reinforce ongoing recovery efforts including expediting contracts with private vendors, including tree contractors, to supplement City crews in the days ahead.
Mayor Parker toured a dozen storm-damaged neighborhoods across West and South Philadelphia since Saturday night with her senior leadership and public safety teams, meeting with homeowners, surveying damage firsthand, and receiving operational briefings. “We’re back in the impacted neighborhoods to see how we’re doing and to make sure we’re meeting the needs of our residents as they recover from this storm,” said Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. “We want them to know we’re going to stay with them for as long as it takes.”
Deputy Managing Director Dominick Mireles said the city has transitioned from emergency response into a comprehensive recovery and damage assessment phase. Recovery operations continue through the Emergency Operations Center, where city departments are coordinating with PECO, SEPTA, the American Red Cross, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), and other partners. OEM met on Sunday with PEMA to discuss recovery assistance while assessment teams continue verifying damage reported across the city.
Residents whose homes or property sustained storm-related damage are encouraged to complete the City’s online damage tracker at phila.gov/damagereporter. More than 100 reports have already been submitted, helping officials verify damage, prioritize recovery resources, document storm impacts, and evaluate potential state and federal disaster assistance should eligibility thresholds be met.
As of Sunday evening, PECO had reduced outages from nearly 27,000 customers to fewer than 900.
Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel said 911 call volumes have returned to normal and thanked residents for their patience as officers prioritized life safety calls during the height of the response.
Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson reported firefighters have responded to more than 125 downed wire investigations and nearly 300 tree-related emergencies since Saturday, urging residents never to assume a downed wire is safe and to report hazardous conditions immediately.
Mayor Parker also thanked all the city employees who have worked around the clock since the storms struck Philadelphia. “Most residents may never know your names, but they know your work,” said Mayor Parker. “You are the heart and soul of this response, and I thank you for your commitment to the people of Philadelphia.”
Streets Commissioner Kristin Del Rossi reported crews have responded to more than 40 reports of traffic signals that were out or flashing, along with downed streetlight poles. Highway crews continue working with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and the Sanitation Department to clear fallen trees, remove debris, and restore safe travel.
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Commissioner Susan Slawson said the department continues prioritizing downed trees affecting homes, residential streets, and major roadways before expanding work into parks and recreational areas. She urged residents to continue to respect temporary closures, including portions of the Schuylkill River Trail, until those areas have been inspected and reopened. Slawson also said Parks & Recreation staff worked through the weekend to ensure programs, including day camps, could safely resume Monday. All scheduled city pools will reopen Monday, including the Marian Anderson Recreation Center pool, where a fallen tree was safely removed with assistance from city crews.
The Department of Licenses & Inspections worked with the owner of a storm-damaged garage on the 5600 block of Lansdowne Avenue to expedite permitting for a partial demolition, allowing the adjacent roadway to reopen safely. SEPTA’s Route T1 trolley will operate with shuttle buses Monday while work at the site continues. All other SEPTA services are expected to operate normally, although some bus routes may experience temporary detours due to ongoing storm cleanup.
Residents displaced from the Philadelphia Housing Authority apartment building near 55th and Vine remain safely housed in local hotels. City officials do not anticipate opening an emergency shelter.
Mireles also reminded residents to remain alert for scams. The city does not charge for emergency response services or storm-related work performed on public property, including in city parks. Residents should review contracts carefully, ask for identification from anyone offering repair services, and call 911 if they believe someone is attempting to take advantage of storm victims.
Residents can also receive emergency information and recovery updates by texting STORMPHL to 888-777 to enroll in the City’s free emergency text alert system. Residents should continue calling 911 for emergencies and using Philly311 for non-emergency City service requests.