Scranton residents react to activated flood siren

Jason LiVecchi
·2 min read
1

SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A number of people in Scranton were startled over the weekend when the Shawnee Avenue flood siren was activated, even though there was no flood danger.

“At first, at first, I thought it was like a natural disaster, warning like a nuclear war was about to happen, I don’t know,” said Green Ridge resident Sadie Flynn.

A loud flood alarm startled people in the Green Ridge section of Scranton on Friday and Sunday.

“We noticed a lot of the kids are running down to the river because we didn’t know what the alarm was so these kids are running down to the river to check and see if the river was high and it wasn’t, so we just realize it was a malfunction,” said Carrie Mayer from Green Ridge.

The siren is located on Shawnee Ave and officials say the false flood alarm was triggered because of an electronic programming issue and there was never any flood danger to the public.

However, residents of the Plot Section said the noise was extremely loud and said they heard the siren once on Friday and a few times on Sunday including after 12:00 p.m.

Lackawanna County election preparations

“Sunday, a little after nine, I believe right after midnight,” said City of Scranton Fire Chief John Judge.

“It’s spun it was like really loud and then it got quiet and really loud then quiet,” Mayer said.

“Loud enough to wake all my kids, out of a dead sleep, and my wife out of a dead sleep,” Scranton resident Matthew Goff said.

The siren is located along the Lackawanna River below a 25-foot protective flood wall and residents say this weekend’s false alarm warning lasted several minutes.

Members of the Scranton Fire Department had to hop the fence and cut the power to the siren to stop those flood alarms from going off.

“We brought one of the ladder companies from the city one of the firetrucks put some ladders up to go over and we were able to secure it,” Chief Judge explained.

Again there is no threat to the public at this time.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com.