Hurricane Ivan: 20 years later with 2 men who led the response and recovery in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH — “It was a heavy rain. it wouldn’t stop,” said Guy Costa, former Pittsburgh Public Works Director.

On Sept. 17, 2004, the remnants of Hurricane Ivan moved into the Pittsburgh region.

By the time it was all done, more rain had fallen in the area in a 24-hour period than ever before.

“Six inches of rain is a lot of water in Pittsburgh and there was nowhere for it to go,” said Costa.

The rising Three Rivers flooded the Tenth Street Bypass, the Mon Wharf, the “Bathtub” section of the Parkway East and the relatively new North Shore Park just below PNC Park, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

“It was higher than six feet. We should have marked it on the light post,” said Costa.

There is a plaque just outside of PNC Park along the Allegheny River marking the high water line from Hurricane Ivan.

The water also covered the iconic fountain at Point State Park and crept close to the entrance bridge at the park.

Costa recalled watching runaway boats and docks floating down the river.

“Pitt was playing Nebraska over here at the stadium on national TV and you’re watching TV and watching the boats going down the river, docks going down the river, going up on Point State Park,” said Costa.

While the city experienced some flooding along the rivers, communities across Allegheny County nestled along streams and creeks bore the brunt of the storm.

Dan Onorato was the County Executive at the time.

“We had four thousand homes underwater,” said Onorato.

People had to be rescued from their homes, businesses and cars.

One person was swept away in the raging waters of Chartiers Creek and died.

Authorities feared there could be even more fatalities.

“We weren’t sure for several days because you just didn’t know. We were trying to gather the data,” said Onorato.

While there was only one fatality in Allegheny County, thousands of homes across 80 communities were flooded.

“I remember being shocked by the damage and how widespread it was. You’d have 20 homes destroyed in one municipality, another 80 homes over here, 15 over here, 10 over here. It was scattered,” said Onorato.

Onorato and his team spent the next three months helping residents and business owners from Carnegie to Millvale to Tarentum get back on their feet.

With winter and colder temperatures on the way, they had to work fast.

“This was now October and it was dropping to 45 degrees that night. We had a FEMA meeting in Bridgeville, with 800 people, and I asked the question whose furnaces are still broken, the whole room raised their hands,” said Onorato.

With the help of corporations, foundations and the building trade unions, Onorato had furnaces and hot water tanks installed in more than five hundred homes.

He also lowered property assessments, reducing taxes for those impacted by Ivan.

“They were getting on average $700 back on their taxes just to help them out. It was a way for me at the county level to have an immediate impact on those 4,000,” said Onorato.

Onorato, who works for Highmark, left public service in 2012 after an unsuccessful bid for Governor.

Prior to becoming County Executive, he served on the Pittsburgh City Council and as Allegheny County Controller.

Today, 20 years after Ivan, he said it was the most challenging and rewarding time in office.

“That was the most fulfilling three months. We knew that people were hurting and to be in a position where you can rally all your resources to help this many people all at one time and to see people get back on their feet, that is what government’s about. If you can’t help at that moment in time, why were we in this business,” said Onorato.

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