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According to the National Weather Service, Philadelphia was impacted Saturday, July 11 by a series of at least four severe microburst storms that brought destructive straight-line wind gusts across parts of West and South Philadelphia.

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker signed a Declaration of Disaster Emergency on Saturday evening which allows the City to accelerate and reinforce ongoing recovery efforts including expediting contracts with private vendors, such as tree contractors, to supplement City crews in the days ahead.

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.

Multi-Agency Resource Center

OEM and partners will hold three Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) events July 18 through July 20.

The MARC will serve as a one-stop location for residents to access different services to help in their recovery. Residents can find assistance with replacement of important documents and identification, how to document damages, answering insurance questions, benefits and disabilities support, housing guidance, tax assistance, mental health care, avoiding scams, and other connections to resources.

  • Saturday, July 18. 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Lucien Blackwell Community Center, 761 N 47th St, Philadelphia, PA 19139
  • Sunday, July 19. 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Vare Recreation Center, 2600 Morris St, Philadelphia, PA 19145
  • Monday, July 20. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wynnefield Library, 5325 Overbrook Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19131

Agencies scheduled to participate include Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, Pennsylvania Insurance Department, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation, Philadelphia Housing Authority, Department of Licenses & Inspections, Neighborhood Community Action Centers, Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity, Office of Emergency Management, Philadelphia Fire Department Community Action Team, Department of Commerce, Philadelphia Water Department, Office of Homeless Services, Office of Immigrant Affairs, Philly 311, PECO, American Red Cross, Community Health Workers, Share Food, and Network of Neighbors.

*Due to privacy concerns and personal information being discussed and displayed, no recording or news media is permitted inside the MARC during operating hours.

Damage survey

Following preliminary assessments of more than 190 field inspections conducted by the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and partner City agencies—including the Departments of Licenses & Inspections (L&I), Parks & Recreation (PPR), Sanitation, and Streets—the City continues to evaluate the impacts of the recent severe weather event.

In addition to these field assessments, OEM has reviewed more than 929 damage reports submitted by residents through the City’s Damage Reporter. This information has been shared with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) as part of the preliminary damage assessment process to determine whether any state disaster assistance may be available to support Philadelphia’s recovery efforts.

The American Red Cross is working with Office of Emergency Management staff in storm-damaged areas to see who may need housing assistance. Families and individuals who are displaced and in need immediate help should call 1-800-REDCROSS.

Business assistance

Impacted businesses should complete the damage reporter survey and/or contact the Mayor’s Business Action Team at (215) 683-2100 or by email at business@phila.gov.

Important steps:

  • Document flood damage with photos and videos.
  • Save receipts, repair estimates, and other documentation related to damages.
  • Contact their insurance provider, if applicable.
  • Keep records of any business interruption or losses resulting from the flooding.

Businesses may be eligible for the City-funded Emergency Grant Program that provides grants of up to $20,000 to eligible Philadelphia small businesses experiencing an unexpected emergency or disaster, including flood-related damage.

Downed trees

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation arborists and crews are actively responding to fallen trees across the city. As of Monday, July 13, Parks & Recreation received 340 tree emergency calls, having inspected 220 trees. Crews are prioritizing trees blocking roads trees on homes and cars, and hazards impacting Parks & Recreation sites and summer programs.

If you need to report a tree emergency:

  • Call 911 if a tree is blocking a road or has fallen on a home, car, or other property.
  • Call PECO at (800) 841-4141 if downed wires are involved. If you encounter a downed power line, stay away and assume it’s energized.
  • Use 311 for non-emergency tree issues.

How to report a downed tree.

Disaster recovery

If you experience property damage from a severe storm, there will be a need to present documents for insurance claims, to our office through a damage tracker, or to a government agency who may provide financial assistance. Health and safety are priorities. This includes cleaning up and food safety after a disaster or power outage. Read our documenting damage blog post for more information.

Sanitation pick-up

Sanitation teams assessed streets and driveways in the storm area to determine accessibility for trash and recycling collections.

Trash and recycling collections are on regular schedule. Crews will make every effort to access all streets and driveways on collection routes. Residents whose normal collection area is inaccessible should be reported to 311.

The Sanitation Department has crews with heavy equipment, smaller teams with mechanical brooms, and laborers assisting in the storm response by removing heavy debris, sweeping and washing streets, and collecting materials in the storm areas.

SNAP food replacement

SNAP households may be eligible for replacement SNAP benefits (PDF) if their food was destroyed as a result of the extended power outage caused by a natural disaster or severe weather event. SNAP households that experienced an extended power outage or are still without power can immediately request a replacement in person or by phone with their County Assistance Office and must apply within 10 days of the incident.

Power outages

After the storm Saturday afternoon, PECO reported 26,000 outages. They continue to restore power to customers, working to replace damaged infrastructure like downed poles and power lines. If your electric power is interrupted, you can report and track the outage online with Check My Outage Status or PECO’s Outage Map.

Flooding

Flash flooding can cause quick and heavy rainfall leading to flooding and overwhelmed storm drains. Avoid flooded areas as best as possible. If you see an inlet that is clogged or not draining, call PWD at (215) 685-6300.

Property inspection

Residents concerned about structural damage can call 311 or contact the Department of Licenses and Inspections’ Contractual Services Unit (CSU) directly at (215) 686-2480 (7:00 a.m. -3:30 p.m. daily). Inspectors will visit homes in the affected area free of charge.

Scam awareness

Residents should 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. Suspected scams can also be submitted to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office.

Contact the City

For non-emergency questions, call 311 during business hours. You can also visit a Neighborhood Community Action Center for assistance.

Receive updates

Residents can receive emergency information and recovery updates by texting STORMPHL to 888-777 to enroll in the City’s free emergency text alert system.