Officials Ready For The Cold, Urge Preparedness From Public

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – The city and the county are joining forces to prepare for the next 48 hours of brutally cold air.

That's in part because it's been decades since we've seen these kind of temperatures in our area. The Port Authority says it will operate on a regular schedule. Buses are stored mostly indoors, so they should start OK.

If you use a Park and Ride, officials say to wait in your car until your bus comes. The T shouldn't have any weather problems.

If you're at home and have heating problems (in Allegheny County) call 211. If you're in the city, you can call 311.

You should also be prepared for an emergency with supplies, including canned foods, water, a flashlight and have alternative heat and a way to communicate.

Emergency workers are being prepared to respond, in case you have problems bigger than you can handle.

Watch Bob Allen's report:

"Most of our crews have not worked in temperatures this cold, so we've taken extreme precautions to protect them, the vehicles to make sure they function in extreme cold," said Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Michael Huss.

That means things like bringing in Port Authority buses for warming stations if there's a fire or some other emergency. Many districts have already made cancellations because Tuesday, students will be waiting for the bus in sub-zero temperatures – more than any child can handle.

"The combination of the temperature and the wind-chill is what's driving this decision as well," said Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Linda Lane.

She says they also hope to prevent children from having to walk to school in the extreme cold as well.

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