The Pike County Commissioners approved the inclusion of two 16-passenger vans and two seven-passenger minivans into the county’s transportation fleet.

The 16-passenger van with a price tag of $52,736 each and the minivan, with a price tag of $31,537 each, are free courtesy of PennDOT and the Pennsylvania Lottery.

“The state realizes that there is a grave need for transportation in Pike County for the elderly and the handicapped,” said Keith Raser, director of transportation.

A few months ago, the transportation department was spun off from the Area Agency on Aging. The vehicles will mainly be used to transport the elderly to doctors’ appointments, and other necessary appointments.

Members of the public can use the buses, but will be charged at a much higher rate than the elderly,” Raser said.

In other developments, the commissioners approved the adoption of an official county Hazard Mitigation Plan. “Without such a plan, the county would be vulnerable to natural and human-made hazards, which may result in loss of life and property, economic hardships and threats to public health and safety,” said Sally Corrigan, director of the county planning department.

A new federal law requires state and local governments to develop a mitigation plan that outlines processes for identifying their respective natural hazards, risks and vulnerabilities, she said.

The Pike County Office of Community Planning and the Pike County Emergency Management Agency, in cooperation with other county departments, local municipalities and citizens of the county, developed the plan.

“Without this plan in place, the county is in danger of not receiving post-disaster funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency,” Corrigan said.

The plan includes guidelines for handling emergencies resulting from natural causes and human-made causes. “A human-made emergency would be a sudden influx of people dislocated from their homes due to floods, earthquakes and such who would come to the county for temporary housing and other forms of assistance and relief,” Corrigan said.