Chesco Emergencey Services Made 300 Rescues In Ida's Wake

WEST CHESTER, PA — Coatesville resident Belinda Cosella hung out her upper story window watching emergency crews get people on Fifth Street out of their homes, waiting her turn to be helped to safety. Hers was one of 300 rescues made within 10 hours by Chester County emergency crews on Wednesday and Thursday in flooding brought by Hurricane Ida.

Cosella said emergency teams had her and family members walk downstairs and out their front door at the corner of Olive and Fifth streets, wading through waist-high water so they could be lifted into a rescue boat. Across the street, a long ladder was aiding others out of homes and into boats, as one man is seen swimming down the street in a video.

She told Patch on Thursday afternoon that she was safe for the time being and will be temporarily staying in the home of someone who is on vacation and offered it. "After that, we just need a new place to live; we've got to get out of here. We had a fire two years ago," she said.

Chester County was among the hard-hit areas in Wednesday's storm and Thursday's flooding across the Mid-Atlantic.

As Hurricane Ida weakened and tracked northeast, Chester County was in its path and got more than a month's worth of rain dumped on its towns, fields, and waterways. Chester County Emergency Services said on Friday that the 9-1-1 Communications Center processed more than 4,000 calls during Tropical Storm Ida, resulting in over 300 storm-related rescues within 10 hours.

The County has reported one storm-related fatality. Four first responders were injured during rescue operations, according to the County's report.

Chester County is now advising residents on how to report damage and document their own clean-up costs.

Michael P. Murphy, Director of Chester County Emergency Services said, "Anyone who has experienced property damage should report the damage to your municipality. We ask for only one submission per household."

"Please keep and maintain receipts and records of the cost associated with clean-out and recovery from this storm," added Murphy.

Units from Chester County Rescue Task Force, New Castle County, Delaware, Lancaster County, Delaware County, and Camden County, New Jersey made more than 300 water rescues during the storm, which resulted in the rescue of multiple individuals from vehicles, homes, and businesses.

The National Weather Service has confirmed that an EF1 tornado struck and significantly damaged a neighborhood in East Nottingham Township on Wednesday.

Downingtown Borough, Coatesville City, Caln Township, and Modena Borough all sustained significant damage to homes, businesses, roadways, and infrastructure. Costs have not yet been calculated, the County said.

During the height of the storm, more than 8,000 PECO customers in Chester County were without power.

Pickering Creek Dam in Schuylkill Township was at a warning and evacuation stage early Thursday morning, resulting in localized evacuations before calling off evacuation efforts later in the morning. Aqua PA had to shut down the operation of its two plants there. Customers of the Pickering East and West facilities were asked to conserve water as Aqua worked to restore operations. Read that story here.

A mass care shelter was established at the Coatesville Area Senior High School for Chester County residents that needed shelter. This public care shelter is expected to remain open until Sunday, Chester County Emergency Services said.

"Any residents who are still in need of housing assistance should contact 2-1-1. Help is available through that number any time, day or night," said Murphy.

Nine County bridges are closed pending engineer inspection. One of these bridges is closed indefinitely at Camp Bonsul Road in New London and Elk Townships over the Big Elk Creek.

In southern Chester County, Brandywine Creek crested at over 19 feet, passing Wednesday forecast of 17 feet, and marking the highest waters it's seen in the last 100 years. U.S. 1 through the Chadds Ford area closed on Wednesday as rains deluged the area. Read that full story here.

PECO reported more than 200 outages around Chester County on Thursday morning — less than 5 percent of customers — but said more reports were coming in. PECO alerted residents not to move trees or debris because of the danger. By Friday afternoon 131 outages remained in Chesco, according to PECO.

"Do not touch or move downed wires and consider all downed wires as energized and extremely dangerous," PECO's message said.

Social media has been full of photos of local flood damage. West Chester Borough saw trees downed and roadways flooded. Police posted some photos: