Storms: Rescues, Dangers for Fire and Police

and Tredyffrin Police first responders had a hectic early morning Wednesday as heavy thunderstorm cells rolled through the area and dumped lot of hard, driving rain in a short period of time.

tells Patch conditions in some places were similar to the flooding problems the township experiences last year when the swept through Chester County.

Officers and Fire Department volunteers were called to several scenes throughout the night, including a lightning strike in the front yard of a house on Upper Weadley Road in Tredyffrin. Berwyn Fire Company Assistant Chief Eamon Brazunas says a bolt of lightning hit the yard of the home, sending a shock through the ground that knocked out power to the house. The people inside were helped to safety but unhurt.

While there were no serious injuries reported, the list of fire calls over a 24 hour period was unusually long, according to a report on the Berwyn Fire Company's Website. Berwyn first responders answered 20 calls in 24 hours, some more serious than others.

Call Log 05/15/2012 - 05/16/2012

2:13 a.m. - Medical Emergency, 400 block Conestoga Rd., Easttown
4:20 a.m. - Medical Emergency, 600 block Baron DeKalb Rd., Tredyffrin
8:57 a.m. - Motor Vehicle Crash, Rt. 202 Northbound & Valley Forge Rd., Tredyffrin
9:09 a.m. - Medical Emergency, 200 block Lancaster Ave., Easttown
9:10 a.m. - Motor Vehicle Crash, Rt. 202 Southbound & Chesterbrook Blvd., Tredyffrin
11:25 a.m. - Electrical Fire Inside, 700 block Lancaster Ave., Tredyffrin
2:58 p.m. - Medical Emergency, 1000 block N. Valley Forge Rd., Tredyffrin
4:04 p.m. - Medical Emergency, 500 block Berwyn Baptist Rd., Tredyffrin
6:42 p.m. - Medical Emergency, 90 block Dickinson Rd., Tredyffrin
11:56 p.m. - Fire Alarm, 500 block E. Swedesford Rd., Tredyffrin
12:16 a.m. - Fire Alarm, 200 block Drummers Ln., Tredyffrin
12:21 a.m. - Water Rescue, Church Rd. & Sugartown Rd., Easttown
12:35 a.m. - Water Rescue, Meadowbrook Rd. & Rt. 30, Tredyffrin
12:38 a.m. - Water Rescue, Lakeside Ave. & Rt. 30, Easttown
12:41 a.m. - House Fire, 400 block Upper Weadley Rd., Tredyffrin
12:55 a.m. - Water Rescue, Church Rd. & Sugartown Rd., Easttown
12:56 a.m. - Water Rescue, 200 block Lancaster Ave., Easttown
1:06 a.m. - Residential Rescue, 500 block Old Forge Crossing, Tredyfffrin
1:14 a.m. - Water Rescue, 700 block Richards Rd., Tredyffrin
2:52 a.m. - Odor Investigation Inside, 200 block Forrest Hills Circle, Easttown

Brazunas says the communities in an around TE were hit harder than much of Chester County simply by the way the thunderstorms happened to form and hit overnight.

Tredyffrin Police Chief Giaimo says some officers worked extended or early shifts to help meet demands for help in the middle of the night.

Were you awakened by the storm or worse? Tell us about your storm experience in the comments section at the bottom of this article.

Editor's note: The story has been updated with revised detail about the incident on Upper Weadley Road.

ALSO ON TE PATCH:

Storms damage major road in Tredyffrin, force closures.