Citizens' Voice from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania • T8

ASSESSMENT IMPORTANT CONTACT INFO, ADVICE WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 'H' If iM il A mandatory evacuation remains in effective for residents of a 22-mile swath from Exeter to Shickshinny. While the Susquehanna River slowly recedes from its record 42.66-foot rise, officials warn residents and curious onlookers to remain out of areas in the flood plain. The record-high level has "incredibly stressed" the levee system, officials said Friday. SolomonPlains Junior High School, 570-826-7222 State Street Elementary School in Larksville was at capacity Friday. West Side CTC, 75 Evans St.

Pringle. Wyoming Area Secondary School in Wyoming, 570-814-8780 Special info: For shelters at capacity, the American Red Cross asks that residents try to go to a different location. Pets are allowed in the shelter. Pets must be in a kennel and they must be up to date on shots. Residents are asked to bring proof of shots and food for pets.

For additional information, call the American Red Cross at 570-823-71 6 EMERGENCY SHELTERS Dallas Middle School, 570-417-6086 GAR High School in Wilkes-Barre was at capacity Friday. Hanover Area High School, 570-760-061 4 or 570-831-2300 Lake-Lehman High School, 570-591-2052, 570-760-8944, 570-690-41 09 Luzerne County Community College in Nanticoke, 570-591-2052 Northwest Area High School Misericordia University in Dallas, 570-332-2937 Pittston Area High School, 570-81 7-0885 Plymouth Twp. Municipal Building, 925 W. Main Plymouth Twp. West (Main StreetSans Souci Parkway) between the intersection of Trailer Park Road in Hanover and Market StreetMain Street Nescopeck: State Route 93 between Miner Street and Broad Street; State Route 339 between Smith Hollow Road in Mifflin and Broad Street; State Route 301 5 (Broad StreetBlack Street) between West Zenith and Broad Street Newport Township: State Route 3004 (Main StreetNewport Street Kirmar Avenue) between Main Street Pond Hill Road in Conyngham and Gruver StreetAlden Mountain Road Noxen: State Route 41 5 between Lake Drive in Harvey's Lake and State Route 29 Pittston: State Route 2019 (Columbus AvenueOak StreetTedrick Street); State Route 2024 (Main Street Maffett Street) between James Musto BP in Jenkins and Tedrick StreetYatesville Road Plains Township: State Route 2004 (Main StreetCarey Avenue) between Haines Street and Poplar Street.

Salem Township: State Route 4004 (West Butler StreetShickshinney Valley Road) between Saw Mill Road and Carson Lane Shickshinny: State Route 1 1 North is closed between the intersections of Walnut St in Berwick to the intersections of 2391 88 Slocum Township: State Route 3008 (Ruckle Hill RoadBlytheburn Road) between Miner Street in Conyngham and Schmids Road West Pittston: State Route 1 1 between Spruce Street in Salem and Susquehanna Avenue Wilkes-Barre: State Route 1009 (Market Street) between SR 1 1 (Wyoming Ave) in Kingston and River Street Market Street Wyoming: State Route 1021 (8th Street Bridge). PennDOT advises all drivers in flood-affected areas to avoid traveling unless absolutely necessary. Floodwaters prevent drivers from seeing if a roadway is compromised, and can be deeper than they appear. Potholes and sinkholes can also develop due to the weight of the water. BRIDGES The Cross Valley Expressway and Carey Avenue bridges remained late Friday the only two bridges connecting the east and west side in the Greater Wyoming Valley.

ROAD CLOSURES State Route 29 between Exit 3 (Nanticoke) and Exit 2 (Wilkes BarreAlden) Conyngham: State Route 239 between State Route 303680 in Nesco-peck and US 1 1 Duryea: State Route 2006 (Main Street) between Phoenix Street and Stephenson Street Fairmount Township: State Route 4013 (Mossville Road) at the intersection of Bethel Hill Rd in Fairmount to the intersection of State Route 1 1 State Route 4015 (Bethel Hill Road) between Mossville Road and Johnson Talcott Hill Road Hanover Township: State Route 2001 (Ashley StreetSt. Mary's Road) between West Cemetery Street in Ashley and Main Street; State Route 2002 East (Main StreetSans Souci Parkway) between Kosciuszko AvenueJefkin Street in Nanticoke and Trailer Park Road Hunlock Creek: State Route 401 6 (Main RoadHunlock-Harveyville Road) between Sorbertown Hill Road and Hartmen Road to Reyburn Road; State Route 1 1 South between the intersections from 401 60260 SH in Hunlock to Columbia County (1 9) Jenkins Township: State Route 2004 (River StreetMain StreetCarey Ave) between Carey Street in Plains and Thompson Street Kingston: State Route 1029 (Manor DriveDug RoadNorth Street) between Highland Avenue and Mapleleaf Road Lehman Township: State Route 29 between US 1 1 North and Hartman Road Nanticoke: State Route 2002 West (Main Street Sans Souci Parkway) at the intersections of Dundee Road in Hanover to the intersection of Market StreetMain Street; State Route 2002 Power and natural gas have been shut off to nearly 2,200 customers in Luzerne County, nearly 1 ,400 in West Pittston. PPL advises customers to arrange for electrical inspections at their properties prior to power being restored. Natural gas service has been shut off to about 1 ,700 in the Wlkes-Barre area. UGI Customers whose natural gas service is affected by severe flooding are asked to call UGI Penn Natural Gas at 1-800-276-2722.

Submerged gas meters or regulators must be turned off and inspected by qualified utility personnel before service can be restored. Under no circumstances should a customer attempt to turn the gas back on themselves, a UGI spokesman advised. UGI personnel will restore each individual gas service and relight pilots to functioning equipment when it is safe to do so. PPL PPL advises customers to report outages and other power emergencies, including downed power lines, immediately by calling 1 -800-DIAL-PPL (1 -800-342-5775). When prompted, press 1 for "electrical emergency." PPL warns customers to stay clear of electrical equipment where there is standing water, such as a Clean and disinfect washable surfaces that have come in contact with floodwa-ters.

Wash with soap and water; then disinfect with a mixture of household bleach and water one and a quarter-cup of bleach per gallon of water if flood-waters come from sewers and a quarter-cup of bleach to a gallon of water if floodwaters aren't tainted by sewage. Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleaner. Wear rubber boots, rubber gloves and eye protection when disinfecting surfaces and try not to breathe bleach fumes. Discard upholstered furniture, mattresses, bedding and stuffed toys soaked in floodwaters. Soaked and soiled carpeting should also be discarded.

If you try to salvage carpeting, dry it out and then shampoo it with a commercial rug cleaner. Clean, dry and check your furnace, water heater, washer, dryer and other appliances before using them. Don't handle electrical equipment in wet areas. Call a plumber or an electrician, if needed. To remove odors from refrigerators and freezers, use warm water with a detergent and wipe dry.

If an odor persists, try a solution of one teaspoon of baking soda or one cup of household ammonia per gallon of water. Throw away foods that have come in contact with floodwaters. The Wyoming Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross is asking for donations to help with the costs to shelter the Wyoming Valley's displaced residents. To donate: Write checks to the Wyoming Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross at 256 N. Sherman Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

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