Pennsylvania Readies Significant Public Information Effort to Assist Papal Visitors, Residents

HARRISBURG, Pa., Sept. 24, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Tom Wolf today announced that his administration will maintain a robust and significant public information effort to inform and prepare the public for the events surrounding the Papal visit.

Additionally, state agencies will support the City of Philadelphia, the federal government and other partners with public safety, transportation and public health for Pope Francis' historic visit to Philadelphia.

"The commonwealth will do all we can to support and assist our federal and local partners and to make sure people are safe during the Papal visit," Governor Tom Wolf said. "Our priority is to help people be prepared and safe and to ensure people from across the country and world can enjoy this tremendous event."

Agencies involved in the weekend's events — primarily the Departments of Transportation, Health, Human Services, as well as the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency — will be tweeting preparedness tips and helpful information throughout the Papal Visit and into Monday. The governor's Twitter account will also be putting out preparedness and visitor information over the course of the next five days.

PennDOT has regional and statewide accounts populated by the PA 511 traveler alert system, which offers real-time alerts on emergencies and travel conditions for travellers. PennDOT and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission also launched http://papal511.com to help those travelling to and around the festivities in Philadelphia this weekend.

If there are any unplanned incidents involving PennDOT roads, public health, or public safety, we will also be using these accounts as well as the Pennsylvania State Police's social media to post updates for the public.

Accounts posting updates include:

• @GovernorTomWolf
• @PennDOTNews (Real time alerts: @511PaPhilly and @511PaStatewide)
• @PAHealthDept
• @PAHumanServices
• @ReadyPA
• @PAStatePolice 

Visitors and residents are also encouraged to follow the City of Philadelphia's social media accounts, including @PhiladelphiaGov, @PhilaOEM, @Philly311, @PhillyPolice, and @PHLPublicHealth, along with the official account of the World Meeting 2015 (@WMF2015) and @RedCrossEasternPA.

For more information on preparedness, residents and visitors are encouraged to read the Commonwealth's Papal Visit FAQs (also in Spanish), and tips from Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.

Communications personnel from the Governor's Office and state agencies will also staff both the Media Filing Center in the Pennsylvania Convention Center and the U.S. Secret Service's Joint Information Center beginning today.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Jeffrey Sheridan, [email protected], @jeffreysheridan, 717-783-1116
J.J. Abbott, [email protected], @jjabbott, 717-783-1116

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor

Related Links

http://www.governor.state.pa.us