Sandy Death Toll in PA Reaches 12

At least 12 people in Pennsylvania have died as a result of Superstorm Sandy, while two other deaths have been unofficially linked to the storm.

The variety of causes – falls, fires, poisoning, even suicide – is a stark reminder that tragedy can strike in different ways.

Following are summaries from the Philadelphia Inquirer of the fatalities:

• Four people died, including a 90-year-old woman in Upper Merion Township, from carbon-monoxide poisoning from portable generators.
• An eight-year-old child died when a tree limb struck him outside his family home.
• A Berks County man was killed when a tree crashed onto his house.
• Two Lehigh County residents died from exposure to the cold.
• Two people were killed in vehicle accidents related to the storm.
• An 88-year-old Wayne County woman fractured her neck and died when she fell down the stairs in her home, […]

Tips for Preparing for Disasters

Here at Munley, Munley & Cartwright, our prayers and best wishes are extended to the victims of the storm Sandy and their families.

Meanwhile, Pennsylvanians are doing their best to return to work, school and normal routines.

According to the Associated Press:

The storm that did so much damage along the coast before it drenched Pennsylvania was blamed for at least nine deaths in the state. It was more than a mild inconvenience for the million-plus who lost power and the countless others whose homes were damaged by blowing rain and falling trees, but it was not the disaster for the state that some had feared.

Gov. Tom Corbett said there were no reports of major flooding as the center of the weather system drifted west and its winds diminished to 10 mph or so.

Power outages were the storm’s most damaging byproduct, […]

Boy Scouts Sex Scandal Includes Pennsylvania Men

Several men from northeastern and central PA convicted regarding Boy Scouts sex scandal

Several Pennsylvania men were named in files released by the Boy Scouts of America detailing how the organization dealt with allegations of child sex abuse.

The documents – made public after an Oregon judge ordered their disclosure in a lawsuit involving a man who said he was molested by a scoutmaster and that the BSA did nothing about it – have caused a national furor. They identify more than 1,000 leaders and volunteers banned from the group after being accused of sexual or inappropriate conduct with boys.

Included are the names of several men from Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania associated with the BSA who have been convicted of child sex abuse or investigated by police, according to PAHomePage.com:

Marcel Cinquina who heads up the Boy Scouts of Northeastern Pennsylvania says the organization has increased safety measures to protect children. […]

Accidental Shooting of Costumed Girl Is Grim Call For Halloween Safety

Scare reminds us to be extra careful on Halloween

It sounded too bizarre to be true, but the outcome was terribly real.

A nine-year-old girl was shot outside her western Pennsylvania home during a Halloween party by a relative who thought she was a skunk.

According to the Scranton Times-Tribune:

New Sewickley Township police say the girl was over a hillside and wearing a black costume and a black hat with a white tassel. Chief Ronald Leindecker says a male relative mistook her for a skunk and fired a shotgun, hitting her in the shoulder Saturday night.

Leindecker tells the Beaver County Times that the girl was alert and talking when she was flown to a hospital in Pittsburgh, about 30 miles away. Her condition was unavailable.

Leindecker says the man hadn’t been drinking and he doesn’t know whether charges will be filed. […]

Pennsylvania School Bus Drivers Win Safety Honors

Congratulations to those Pennsylvania students and bus drivers who won School Bus Safety awards at a recent ceremony in Harrisburg.

Twelve elementary and middle school students and six drivers from across the state were honored in the 2012 Pennsylvania School Bus Safety Poster Contest and Driver Safety Competition. The events were part of School Bus Safety Week from October 22-26.

This year’s poster theme was “Stand Back from the Yellow and Black.” It stressed the need for students to stay a safe distance from the bus so drivers can see them while loading and unloading. The dozen winners were chosen from among 475 public and private school student entries.

The driving competition tests bus drivers’ knowledge of safety rules and safe operation of their buses.

“Parents trust school bus drivers to take their children to and from school every day – and do it safely,” said State Police Safety Supervisor Richard Koontz in a DOT press release. […]