Rockland County Legislators Jay Hood and Ed Day will hold a hearing in January 2013 to evaluate the county’s emergency response during Hurricane Sandy and the recovery efforts.
Hood, chairman of the legislature’s Public Safety Committee will invite the Director of the county’s Office of Fire & Emergency Services Gordon Wren, town and village leaders and representatives from local utility companies to appear before the committee to provide post-event analysis of storm preparedness, response, clean-up and restoration measures. The discussion will center on identifying actions that can be improved or implemented to increase public safety and storm relief as well as lessen the threat of property damage in the future.
Within a 14 month period, Rockand experienced Hurricane Irene and the freak October snowstorm in 2011 and more recently Hurricane Sandy, all of which caused signficant damage and extensive power outages.
“Over the past year, the Public Safety Committee met with emergency personnel and utility representatives to identify shortfalls in the response to Irene and the October storm and to develop and establish measures to improve upon response and recovery," said Hood. "This storm presented new factors - the shortage of gas and unprecedented school closures. It is essential that we collect data on Hurricane Sandy in a timely manner, so we may continue to analyze our storm response protocols.”
Day said it is essential to determine if changes recomended and agreed to last year were implemented for Hurricane Sandy.
“The committee did a lot of work last year as part of the aftermath of Hurricane Irene and the Halloween storm in identifying shortfalls and recommending improvements, and certain representations were made by Orange & Rockland to this community, said Day. "I look to be an active part of an effective post-event critical analysis on behalf of the people of Rockland. They all deserve answers to the hard questions, and rest assured we will do our utmost to obtain
that.”
Timely manner? I guess two months from now is timely in the Legislature's view.
or they could have listened to the weather channel and brought people in BEFORE the storm hit. no need to have 5-10 times the personnel 12 months a yr..as needed is fine. Given the weather patterns we are all in for for possibly forever it might be wise to have a nationwide emergency response team made up of active and retired utility workers at the ready to be deployed in advance of imminent disaster. a small yearly stipend [not included in pensions please] for just being on the list would be money well spent. if they come and the storm takes a rt turn and out to sea it goes-what did we really lose.not much
163,000 still without power http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57547551/11-days-without-power-sandy-victims-want-answers/ Congressman describes conditions as " mass chaos" Is that what you want?
The most common response that I have received to date is the monumental cost of burying these wires. What about the cost of maintaining these lines and the life threatening issues that they cause. What is the cost to each individual family every time power goes out. What is the cost for the cleanup (in the millions) after each storm. O&R will make the consumer pay either way. I would rather pay for the increase and not worry about losing power every time the wind blows.
"There were, in fact, SOME INROADS gained during the hearings held in the aftermath of the 2011 storms. TO THE DEGREE THAT WORKED HERE is precisely ONE? reason why we want them back. With a background in emergency planning and response with the NYPD, the timing must be after O and R has completed their post event analysis" before Ed Day comes to the rescue too late and "post event" he needs to explain why,with his background, he did not apparently act before the storm hit. I am so very tired of politicians coming late to the party and getting a pass. i get sick thinking about it. PLANES FLYING OVERHEAD AS I WRITE THIS The legislature has no control over O&R so why the hearings by them. the legislators should be part of the audience not leading the hearing.NO SPEACHES PLEASE Ed Day is thinking in RC supervisor mode already yet he did nothing that i can see to make sure O&R made preparations for the storm.he may be more guilty,WITH HIS BACKGROUND than anyone outside of O&R. when is the last time he talked to O&R before the storm.IMO he should have done more in the way of checking up on what O&R was doing.
hello--O&R- this is ed day, rockland legislator with a background in emergency planning and response speaking. could you tell me what extra measures you are taking to prepare for the imminent storm that is coming. We spoke after Irene and I am just wondering what you have implemented and what you haven't. so- to answer your question--yea--even if it was just a phone call.