New York City Office of Emergency Management Joseph F. Bruno, Commissioner 1 Table of Contents
Hyperlink Feature PrepWhereveraring there is a handfor cursor icon, 2009 you can click to get more information H1N1 onInfluenza that subject online. nt first detected the H1N1 virus in New York City when a large pg.1 Introduction: Commissioner’s Letter pg.2 Plan and Prepare for Emergencies pg.10 Educate the Public About Preparedness pg.14 Coordinate Emergency Response and Recovery pg.18 Collect and Disseminate Critical Information pg.22 Seek Funding to Support the Overall Preparedness of NYC Introduction: Commissioner’s Letter
Dear Fellow New Yorkers,
New York City is a complex place. Aging infrastructure and a growing population make the potential for emergencies a matter of routine. The rapid development and bustle of the city creates confusion even in the airspace above the city. The Office of Emergency Management (OEM), with its 24-hour Watch Command, remains vigilant and prepared to respond and bring all of the needed resources of this great city to any emergencies that may affect us.
This is OEM’s third report, covering July 2007 to November 2009, and we have made it digital to align our actions with Mayor Bloomberg’s campaign for a greener New York City.
In spring 2009, a new strain of the H1N1 flu virus surfaced in New York City. Fortunately, OEM and the Health Department had the City’s Pandemic Flu Plan prepared and had already developed a pandemic flu guide. The Health Department, Department of Education, OEM, and many other agencies worked together to develop a massive response to prepare for the likely return of the H1N1 virus in fall 2009. This program, which harnessed the planning power of a large number of City agencies and other governmental and private sector groups, included operational plans detailing vaccination for the city’s 1.4 million school children, alleviating overcrowded hospital emergency departments, continuance of education, feeding and medical programs for public school children who might be displaced due to a flu outbreak, and public messaging and outreach.
With so much going on in New York City, it is important to keep New Yorkers informed about emergencies to help them stay safe. In 2008, the City introduced Notify NYC, a public emergency notification system, in four pilot areas. Since going citywide in May 2009, Notify NYC has alerted more than 27,000 residents to 184 incidents around the city.
As I look back on the past two years and the developments in the City’s emergency plans, responses, and education campaigns, I see great advances. I also see a bright, energetic, and innovative future for this great agency.
Sincerely,
Joseph F. Bruno Commissioner New York City Office of Emergency Management
1 Members of New York’s Urban Search and Rescue team hone their search and rescue skills at a drill in upstate New York. 2 Over the past two years, OEM has continued to work with key partners throughout New York City and the region to build plans that increase the City’s ability to respond to and recover from local disasters.
Preparing for Coastal Plans Storms New York City’s Coastal Storm Plan Preparing for 2009 (CSP), initially developed in 2006 I<8;PE
E\nPfib:`kp and private sector and non-profit F]ÔZ\f] D`Z_X\cI%9cffdY\i^#DXpfi Afj\g_=%9ilef#F 3 Winning designs from the What If New York City… post-disaster housing design contest. Here are some more ways the CSP has Disaster Housing “What If New York City…” grown over these past two years: Recovery Plan With support from the Rockefeller The Disaster Housing Recovery Plan Foundation and in consultation with Emergency Sheltering addresses three phases of post- Architecture for Humanity-New York, The City’s emergency shelter disaster housing: emergency sheltering, OEM sponsored an open design program has the capacity to house interim housing, and permanent competition to generate temporary 600,000 people in more than 570 housing. The plan details housing housing solutions for the thousands secure, staffed, and supplied facilities options for displaced residents after of New Yorkers who might be displaced throughout the city. the emergency sheltering phase. It in the event of a catastrophe. Architects, coordinates the talent and expertise industrial designers, engineers, StormStaff Training Program of city, state, and federal agencies inventors, and students from 30 With the help of the City University of to rebuild communities as quickly countries answered OEM’s call for New York, OEM created StormStaff, a as possible and provide renters and innovative proposals. These designs training program for City employees homeowners access to new housing outperform traditional post-disaster who would staff shelter facilities options. The plan includes a decision- housing solutions, mobile homes, during an emergency. The training making playbook and a structure for by addressing issues unique to urban includes pre-incident training online regional and national expansion. areas, such as high population and classroom courses, and just-in- density and lack of open land. time training at the shelters through printed materials, videos, and In January 2008, 10 winners were instructor-led training. awarded $10,000 each to further refine their designs as the foundation for OEM’s SAHANA Shelter Management Disaster Housing Recovery Plan. System The winning designs varied widely Developed in partnership with the and included the use of recycled City’s Department of Information shipping containers, housing barges, Technology and Telecommunications experimental carbon fiber compounds, (DoITT), SAHANA helps OEM assign and off-the-grid sustainable strategies. City staff to the shelters and direct After another evaluation by a technical residents into the largest emergency advisory committee, two of the 10 sheltering system in the country. designs were recommended for SAHANA maintains a roster of more further development and prototyping. than 140,000 City employees who All 117 submissions, including the winners, would staff evacuation centers and are currently exhibited online for shelters and has the ability to notify public viewing at www.whatifnyc.net. and deploy these staff within hours. 4 Heavy rain leads to flooding on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Mitigating Disasters Managing Disaster Responding to Flash In 2008, OEM led the development Logistics Floods of New York City’s Natural Hazard Charged with distributing life- sustaining On the morning of August 8, 2007, Mitigation Plan to assess the city’s supplies like food, water, and ice to the a major rain storm caused flooding natural hazard vulnerabilities and public within 72 hours of a disaster, OEM in the city’s streets and subways, to identify mitigation opportunities. developed the Disaster Logistics Plan. disrupting the morning commute of The plan represents a partnership The plan identified eight staging areas millions of New Yorkers. In response, among 39 city, state, and federal and more than 200 points of distribution the Mayor’s Office of Operations government authorities, and in the city, and outlines the systems, convened the Flood Mitigation combines input from the private processes, and procedures required to: Task Force, which included OEM, sector, academic institutions, the Department of Environmental • rapidly acquire supplies. community organizations, and Protection, the Department of citizens. It is the backbone of the • manage staging areas to receive Sanitation, the Department of City’s mitigation program and equipment, materials, and personnel. Transportation, the Fire Department, provides a strategic plan to secure • distribute supplies to emergency and the Police Department. The task and apply federal mitigation funds operations or directly to the public. force developed procedures to identify in New York City over the long term. fast-moving storms and prepare the Emergency Supply Stockpile City’s roads and sewers ahead of time. The City’s emergency supply stockpile By outlining steps like cleaning catch consists of 5,700 pallets of medical basins in recurring flood locations, supplies, personal care items, cots, monitoring known and projected blankets, food, water, and baby and flood-prone areas during intense rains, pet supplies. It is designed to support and establishing assistance centers, the basic needs of thousands of the plan details the steps the City will people for up to seven days. It can be take to mitigate the effects of flash deployed in 48 hours to distribution floods on residents and infrastructure. points throughout New York City. In addition, OEM developed the Ready New York Flooding guide to inform Managing Disaster- New Yorkers about how they can Related Debris prepare for flash flooding. Since the During 2009, OEM engaged its planning task force approved the plan in 2007, partners to revise the 2007 New York it has been activated more than a City Debris Management Plan. The dozen times. group developed an all-hazards plan for any incident that would generate significant amounts of debris. This new FEMA-approved plan contains the guidance and procedures for large-scale debris clearance, removal, and disposal after any major disaster. 5 Members of the City’s Animal Planning Task Force staff a pet preparedness event in Union Square. Animal Health Regional Catastrophic Regional Disaster Communications and Safety during Planning The Regional Executive Liaison Disasters A joint project of the New York City Team coordinates timing, decision- During a disaster, animals can hinder and the Northern New Jersey Urban making, and operations among local first responders’ efforts, as well as a Area Working Groups, the Regional governments during disasters. It pet owner’s decision to go to a shelter. Catastrophic Planning Grant Program provides a forum for local executives Animals left behind when owners improves catastrophic preparedness to quickly resolve regional issues. For evacuate may face a lack of clean by linking regional operational example, since the beginning of the water, food, and/or shelter. To address capabilities, resources, and plans. H1N1 outbreak, representatives from these issues, OEM and the City’s The geographical area represented local jurisdictions have been holding Animal Planning Task Force published by the Regional Catastrophic Planning biweekly calls to share information the Disaster Animal Response Plan in Team includes New York City, the and discuss best practices for November 2009. The plan describes cities of Newark and Jersey City, the communicating with the public, a coordinated response to animal State of New Jersey, as well as dispensing vaccines, and planning for health and safety issues during a Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Pike surges in health care demand. disaster, such as search and rescue, County, Pennsylvania. sheltering, veterinary care, adoption, Special Needs AWS Plan and mortality management. The population of this 12,000- The Special Needs Advance Warning square-mile area is approximately 22 System (AWS) provides timely and Managing Donations million people, representing one in actionable information to people and Volunteers 14 Americans. A Regional Integration with special needs during incidents during Disasters Center with full-time disaster planners requiring evacuation. OEM has The Donations and Volunteer is building regional capabilities for recruited a coalition of hundreds of Management Plan, released in October evacuation and sheltering, radiological public agencies, non-governmental 2009, establishes a coordinated dispersal device attack response, organizations, and private sector response to the predictable outpouring disaster housing recovery, critical entities who provide care, services, of supplies and volunteers that follow infrastructure protection, mass and information to people with large-scale disasters. The plan uses fatality, debris management, special needs quickly and effectively. an existing web-based portal (www. continuity of operations, and disaster The AWS Plan uses these partners, aidmatrix.org/nyc) and the City’s 311 logistics planning. along with directed messaging, to call center to provide a clear and user- provide targeted information to friendly process for matching donated In support of this regional catastrophic vulnerable populations in New York resources and spontaneous volunteers planning, the New York State Office City before and during disasters. AWS to the needs in the field. of Homeland Security (OHS) entered information is communicated in real- into an agreement with OEM, whereby time through conference calls, e-mail, OHS agreed to permit OEM to receive and the AWS website. and administer regional catastrophic planning grant funds (more than $17 million) on behalf of all of the regional jurisdictions. 6 OEM’s Disaster Simulator allows staff to practice managing large- scale emergencies, like an incident at a major airport, without incurring costs or imposing disruptions. Learning Management Tools System The Learning Management System Citywide Incident (LMS) is a web-based application that Management System enables OEM to centralize all aspects Curriculum of its training. From course registration The Citywide Incident Management to certification for all CIMS agencies, System (CIMS) has been in effect LMS tracks individual training for more than five years and has portfolios, stores records, communicates been successful in ensuring that with users, and creates various emergencies in New York City are training reports. Additionally, one of managed under an organized system. the most valuable benefits of LMS is its CIMS promotes communication ability to deliver online training, which between the City’s first response enables OEM to expand its outreach and subject matter expert agencies. and training beyond the traditional In 2009, OEM introduced a New classroom format. York City-specific suite of classroom and interactive web-based courses grounded in the fundamentals of the Incident Command System to train City agencies in CIMS. The curriculum is compliant with the National Incident Management System. Disaster Simulator The Advanced Disaster Management Simulator is a virtual reality system that simulates emergencies and their surrounding environments. It has five stations for the incident commander and four section chiefs, as set forth by CIMS structure. Training sessions allow players to talk to each other using CIMS while they respond to mock disasters. 7 In June 2009, OEM hosted a COOP conference for states, cities and other public entities to share best practices and enhance public sector preparedness. COOP COOP in action OEM manages the Continuity of In March 2009, a fire forced the Operations Planning (COOP) program, New York City Employees Retirement which ensures the City’s major System (NYCERS) to evacuate its agencies can continue providing building. OEM COOP staff helped essential public services in NYCERS reorganize its administration the event of an emergency that severely and workflow to maintain essential disrupts government operations. functions while the building was repaired. OEM has been guiding City agencies through the planning process and is in the final stages of facilitating the development of one of the largest and most comprehensive municipal continuity plans in the nation. OEM developed a standardized planning methodology and procured customized software to build uniform plans. More than 200 essential City services have been identified across 43 agencies. The team has also created an extensive toolkit, including a web portal for agency COOP administrators to gather resources, ask questions, and download their plans. The program also includes weekly client meetings, a monthly working group, and a 24-hour help line. Hundreds of City employees have been trained in COOP practices and software. 8 Exercises Operation SAFE Path HurrEx 08 2009 HurrEx 08, planned as part of the On May 17, 2009, OEM and the Port HurrEx Exercise Series, was a two-day, Operation Vigilant Authority of New York and New Jersey full-scale exercise held in Brooklyn that Guard hosted Operation Safe PATH 2009 to tested the supply, staffing, training, On November 2, 2009, NY-TF1, the practice the emergency response to and setup of hurricane evacuation City’s Urban Search and Rescue simulated explosions on a New Jersey- centers and shelters prior to the arrival (US&R) team took part in Operation bound PATH train. More than 800 of evacuees. This exercise allowed Vigilant Guard, a joint training emergency responders participated players to practice plans and procedures exercise with military, state, and from an array of response and subject- for opening evacuation centers and local first responders. The three-day matter expert agencies, including shelters in the event of a coastal storm. exercise simulated the response to police, firefighters, and environmental It also gave OEM an opportunity to an earthquake resulting in collapsed and health officials. The two-hour test the ability of its CERTs to work buildings and damage to critical exercise took place at the World Trade alongside City employees. infrastructure including power grids Center PATH station. and water and waste systems. Penn Station Full- CERT In Action Scale Exercise The 28 advanced search and rescue CERT (Community Emergency Planned after the transit attacks in teams are strategically located Response Team) volunteers participated Madrid and London, the Penn Station throughout the United States and are in Operation Safe PATH as accident Full-Scale Exercise provided a learning experts in the use of the specialized victims. The first responders environment for first responders tools, equipment, and techniques welcomed the chance to train with to exercise emergency response required for the most dangerous real people and the CERT volunteers plans, policies, and procedures as conditions. NY-TF 1 is managed by the had the opportunity to learn victim they pertain to a terrorist-initiated Office of Emergency Management and triage techniques first hand. explosive incident on the track level is composed of members of the New of Penn Station. Almost 400 first York City Fire and Police Departments. responders participated in the exercise in August 2007. Firefighters respond to a mock explosion at Penn Station. 9 Volunteers hand out preparedness guides to passersby at a National Preparedness Month kick-off fair. 10 Among OEM’s biggest tasks is educating New Yorkers about preparing for emergencies. Ready New York Ready New York Video In the past two years, OEM distributed On January 28, 2009, OEM hosted the I<8;PE E\nPfib:`kp Ready New York, in cooperation with The Ready New York video is available F]ÔZ\f] on OEM’s website and various video D`Z_X\cI%9cffdY\i^#DXpfi introduced Ready Schools to teach Afj\g_=%9ilef#F 11 Ready NYC Campaign Incident-Based Distribution A Ready New York outreach In 2009, OEM and the American Red The Incident-Based Distribution coordinator teaches students to prepare for emergencies at P.S. 41 Cross in Greater New York contracted Program was created in 2008 to in Staten Island. with the Ad Council to develop increase awareness about disasters Ready New York City, a multimedia in affected communities. Following advertising campaign designed to incidents such as power outages, encourage New Yorkers to prepare fires, water main breaks, and building for emergencies. The campaign evacuations, OEM sends emergency presents a simple preparedness preparedness guides and information answer to overcoming events to area residents and businesses to that could “turn your world upside remind them how they can be better down” - get a kit, make a plan, and prepared for future emergencies. be informed. It features TV spots and ads on billboards, telephone kiosks, OEM sends Ready New York guides newspapers, bus shelters, and other to local elected officials so they can media in both English and Spanish. encourage preparedness among their constituents. Since the program’s inception, 47 incidents have been flagged for inclusion in this program and more than 12,100 Ready New York guides have been distributed to affected-area residents and businesses. 12 Growth of CERT In the past two years, OEM’s CERT program trained 541 new volunteers through a total of 24 classes, and hosted four graduation ceremonies at OEM headquarters, Fire headquarters, One Police Plaza, and Randall’s Island FDNY Training Academy. There are now 56 active CERTs across the city, including two corporate teams. The program has more than 1,000 active, credentialed volunteers. The CERT program also expanded its post-training, continuing education curriculum in 2009. CERT partnered with the Health Department, Con Edison, and the Center for Independence of the Disabled, NY, among other organizations, to offer Ready New York’s Frank Lowe receives specific post-training programs on an award from Mayor Bloomberg topics like utility infrastructure, for his efforts to prepare NYC’s seniors cultural competency, and the for emergencies. particulars of aiding persons with special needs. More than 600 members participated in the post- training program. Throughout the past two years, CERT members have been working to develop close relationships with faith-based groups, schools, and local businesses to build community disaster networks in advance of emergencies. CERT volunteers also give Ready New York and Ready Expansion of Private NYC Service New York for Kids presentations and Sector Partnerships In April 2009, the Mayor’s Office assist with tabling events in their During the past two years, the Public/ introduced NYC Service to increase communities. Private Initiatives Unit developed volunteerism among city residents. partnerships with the New York One of NYC Service’s six focus Disaster Volunteer State Restaurant Association, the areas is emergency preparedness, Conference hotel industry, the Mayor’s Sports spearheaded by OEM. OEM is working OEM, as the coordinating body for the Commission, a network of cultural with NYC Service to find volunteers New York City Citizen Corps Council institutions, and professional sports to join CERT, give Ready New York for (CCC), organized annual disaster organizations like the NY Yankees, Kids presentations in City schools, volunteer conferences. The 2008 NY Mets, and Madison Square Garden and staff special events such as the conference taught organizations how to plan ways the City can give and annual National Preparedness Month to prepare to recover during a two-day receive assistance while preparing for kick-off. OEM also created Ready New workshop. and responding to emergencies. Yorker and Notify NYC tool kits to allow citizens to become Ready New Yorkers In May 2009, the CCC hosted the In 2009, the Public/Private Initiatives on a self-guided basis. NYC Service has 2009 Disaster Volunteer Conference. Unit expanded its outreach efforts also become an active part of the NYC More than 200 representatives and and educated more than 400 small Citizen Corps Council. volunteers attended the event to business owners at 18 emergency learn how to be more effective leaders preparedness events across the city. during times of emergency. The unit also introduced NYContinuity, a monthly newsletter that informs hundreds of business partners about the latest business continuity news and upcoming educational events. 13 U.S. Airways 1549 is pulled from the Hudson River after an emergency landing. 14 OEM’s new CIMS mobile coordination center has room for multiple agencies to work together at the scene of an emergency. Emergencies in a city as large and complex as New York require a coordinated response. OEM ensures first responders have the information and resources they need. CIMS Mobile Enhancing Field Steam Pipe Explosion Coordination Center Response On July 18, 2007, a geyser of steam and OEM’s CIMS Mobile Coordination OEM led the effort to implement mud erupted almost 70 feet in the air Center, the newest and most versatile Recommendation # 10 of the Mayor’s near Grand Central Station after a 24-inch of our mobile assets, provides City World Trade Center Health Panel, steam pipe exploded beneath Lexington agencies with an on-scene work space which enhanced the Health Department Avenue at 41st Street. The force of the to facilitate interagency coordination and Department of Environmental explosion ripped a 40-foot hole in the at an emergency. It can accommodate Protection’s field response to street, flipped a nearby tow truck, and a meeting of 40 people, or provide 20 occupational and public health rained debris on the area. The City work stations equipped with phones, emergencies. The new efforts bring established a frozen zone around the computers, and internet service. subject matter experts into the field incident, while more than a dozen It is OEM’s third largest conference and help keep the public informed agencies and numerous businesses room, with almost 500 square feet about hazardous conditions in their worked to clean the area, restore of space. Through collaboration neighborhoods. utilities, repair the damage, and keep with DoITT, OEM staff is able to traffic moving. This incident also marked incorporate the New York City Wireless the first time the Corporate Emergency Network capabilities within the Access System (CEAS) was activated. Coordination Center. 15 Crane Collapses Helping Residents After Building OEM coordinated emergency On March 15, 2008, a construction Vacate Orders sheltering for the Bay Ridge residents, crane on East 51st Street between City agencies can order buildings to damage assessment, debris removal, 1st and 2nd Avenues detached from be vacated for structural or fire safety and clean-up. Watch Command its moorings, crashed into multiple hazards or other defects that pose a collected information about citywide buildings, and broke into pieces. One danger to occupants. The Emergency flood damage, which led to a federal building collapsed and many others Vacate Operations Protocol supports disaster declaration and funding were severely damaged. The largest residents in New York City who have for Queens and Brooklyn residents. section of the crane lay propped been ordered to vacate their homes OEM worked with FEMA, the State against a building. Dozens of residents due to unsafe conditions. The protocol Emergency Management Office, and many businesses were displaced. coordinates the relocation process other New York City agencies, non- OEM worked with other City agencies for affected residents between City governmental organizations, local and private contractors, as well as the agencies and non-profit partners and elected officials, and community Red Cross and CERT volunteers, to manages incident information. groups to open a Disaster Assistance disassemble the crane, clean up debris, Service Center and help residents shelter residents, re-route traffic, Brooklyn Tornado recover from the storm damage. recover stranded pets, and return the On August 8, 2007, a thunderstorm neighborhood to a fully functional state. battered New York City. The storm Providing Services to Disaster produced torrential rains, hail, and a Victims Two months later, on May 30, a second tornado in Brooklyn. The rain severely The Disaster Assistance Service construction crane collapsed on the affected subway service and flooded Center Plan is a partnership between corner of 1st Avenue and 91st Street. basements across the city. The tornado OEM and the NYC Human Resources The City vacated eight buildings damaged houses in the Bay Ridge, Administration to provide a one-stop containing 212 residential units and 10 Kensington, and Williamsburg neighbor- location for all services available businesses, closed the surrounding hoods of Brooklyn. The storm also from governmental and non- streets, and cleaned up the debris. caused significant damage in the Forest governmental agencies to people Hills, Jamaica, and Flushing neighbor- affected by significant disasters. Department of Buildings in Watch hoods of Queens due to flash flooding. These services include emergency Command cash assistance, food stamps, Based on OEM’s experience at the two housing assistance, crisis counseling, major crane collapses, engineering small business counseling, and staff from the Department of Buildings disaster mitigation. is now assigned to OEM. This provides subject matter expertise for responses to building-related matters, including unsafe buildings, collapses and danger of collapses, construction accidents, and illegal and improper construction. On March 15, 2008, a construction On August 8, 2007, a tornado tore crane collapsed and crashed through through neighborhoods in Brooklyn multiple buildings on the east side. and Queens. 16 Mutual Assistance Also, New York-Task Force 1 (NY-TF 1) Watch Command immediately Though OEM is a New York City from the Urban Search and Rescue established communications with agency, its staff often assists System, deployed with FEMA’s Incident New Jersey to coordinate efforts and with emergencies beyond the five Support Team for Hurricane Dean in share information. OEM responders boroughs. During the past two years, August 2007, Tropical Storm Dolly in worked with marine response OEM has sent staff to assist with the July 2008, the Republican National agencies to establish a command post, response to California’s wildfires, Convention in August 2008, and a passenger and crew receiving center, Hurricane Gustav in Louisiana, Hurricane Omar in October 2008. and a location to secure the aircraft Hurricane Dean in Houston, Texas, and Additionally, NY-TF1 deployed a 35- for a National Transportation Safety Hurricane Ike in Harris County, Texas. member task force to the Gulf Coast Board (NTSB) crash investigation. in response to Hurricanes Ike and In addition, the City, through OEM, Gustav in 2008. Thankfully, the crash of US Airways entered into an intergovernmental Flight 1549 caused no casualties. The agreement with the New York State Maple Syrup Odor crash showcased the great potential Emergency Management Office In 2008 and 2009, 311 received a for coordinated regional response. for local deployment of employees number of calls from residents in the Since then, OEM has implemented and/or equipment out of state. Bronx and Manhattan complaining improved communication capabilities The Agreement set out the terms of a “maple syrup-like” odor. The and procedures with both the regional and conditions that the City and its Department of Environmental and national FAA control centers. agencies must satisfy when providing Protection, using plume modeling and local resources to assist other states air sampling technology, determined Providing Services to Families in recovery efforts pursuant to an the odor was non-toxic. OEM’s The Family Assistance Center (FAC) Emergency Management Assistance Watch Command and GIS units used Plan is a partnership between OEM, Compact request. computer-aided mapping systems the American Red Cross in Greater to locate the origin of the maple New York, and the NYC Office of syrup smell by mapping resident Chief Medical Examiner. A New odor complaints and reports from York City FAC provides information, On January 15, 2009, US Airways 1549 CERT members while adding wind emotional support, translation, made an emergency landing on the conditions for the days when the and emergency social services to Hudson River. odor was reported. Watch Command families and friends of victims after shared the data with New Jersey a mass fatality incident in New York and Westchester County to identify City. The FAC will coordinate victim the source, a perfume manufacturer identification services and mental located in North Bergen, New Jersey. health assistance. The FAC plan The mystery was solved by some good ensures coordination with key agencies human and computer detective work. such as the National Transportation Safety Board and the FBI. Flight 1549: Miracle on the Hudson ACCIDENT OVER On January 15, 2009, US Airways Flight the Hudson 1549 was struck by a flock of geese that On August 8, 2009, a small private disabled both engines minutes after plane collided with a tour company departing from LaGuardia Airport. The helicopter above the Hudson River. flight crew was forced to land the plane OEM helped coordinate the recovery on the Hudson River. Miraculously, of the two aircrafts and victims and all passengers and crew survived the opened a FAC to address the needs crash with only minor injuries. of foreign national and US victims’ relatives. The plane floated downstream for two miles while passengers and crew members were rescued from its wings by commuter ferries and NYPD and FDNY boats. Once rescued, the passengers and crew dispersed to hospitals in both New Jersey and New York City. 17 Watch Commanders monitor incidents throughout the city 24 hours a day. 18 Notify NYC’s multimedia advertising Notify NYC Since the program began, the City campaign features web banners, has sent out 243 messages related to radio spots, TV ads on taxi monitors, Notify NYC, the City’s emergency and even Department of Sanitation notification system, sends 184 incidents across all five boroughs. truck posters. notifications and alerts to subscribers By the end of 2009, more than regarding emergencies occurring 27,000 people had enrolled to receive in New York City. These messages notifications. can be issued via phone, e-mail, and text message. In addition to Alerts sent through Notify NYC are also providing emergency notices and posted at www.nyc.gov and on Twitter updates, the service will provide school and distributed to call takers at 311 closure information, public health and 911 to ensure that information the advisories, and unscheduled parking City provides is accurate, timely and rule updates. consistent. 19 In 2009, OEM launched a presence on a number of social media sites to help keep New Yorkers informed about emergencies. Web 2.0 Facebook On June 16, 2009, OEM expanded its With more than two million users in internet outreach and introduced new New York City, Facebook alone has the ways New Yorkers can stay informed potential to help OEM keep millions of about emergency information and New Yorkers informed and prepared community events through Facebook, for emergencies. Twitter, and YouTube. Twitter OEM’s Twitter page provides updates about emergencies occurring in New York City, as well as increases public awareness of press releases and official statements during emergencies. Notify NYC messages are sent out via Twitter to expand the program’s reach. 20 Public Safety Data Critical NY State Archives Center Infrastructure GIS OEM was a 2008-2009 award In spring 2007, OEM created the Public Data Sets Project recipient for the New York State Safety Geographic Information System GIS converted architectural drawings Archives’ Local Government Records (GIS) Data Development Center to for all 468 subway stations in New York Management Improvement Fund collect, organize, and supply the City City into GIS data sets in July 2009. (LGRMIF) grant for archiving with geospatial data for public safety The process began to help incident documents of historical significance. purposes. commanders in the police and fire departments identify barriers that With the LGRMIF grant funds, OEM While many agencies develop data might hinder the deployment of established the OEM Historical sets for individual needs, the GIS Data personnel and equipment into the Records Assessment Project for the Development Center collects, combines, subway system. The revised data purpose of cataloging and storing and refines the data to transform it sets display the location and size records related to the September 11 into something that can be used for of exits, including emergency exits attacks and their aftermath. various purposes. for evacuations, and information on hidden spaces like storage and For example, to help the Health equipment rooms, corridors, and Department create a citywide strategy other sealed-off areas. for H1N1 prevention and containment, the GIS Data Development Center The GIS format also allows new fields helped the Department of Education of data to be easily added to the visualize and identify which types of existing maps. For example, information schools, like elementary or special about the buildings directly above the needs, occupied which buildings, and subway station can be viewed on the subsequently, which groups of children same maps as those of the stations would be at risk. themselves. A viewing and querying application has been developed for incident commanders to use at any emergency scene that includes a subway station. SUBWAY STATION OEM’s GIS unit makes detailed maps R to help first responders understand O O M the challenges of a particular location. T Y P E R O O M T Y P E DRAFT OO RO OM TY PE PE TY OM O Z R Z RO E O E M M TYP P 3 3 O E Y L3 T T E M N O D O R R SS OO SS M T YPE D N T R O O OM P TY L PE T F R M RA MP UP MM MM E 3 3 D 3 N T O P R T E L T O S DN T P F O O O M Y R E M T ZZ T M T P M Y U SS O P E O PP R RO 21 OM TY 1 PE 11 PP TH OO R B OO M T YPE TH MM OO B 11 UP 1 TO ST D N T O P L T F R E M L333 SS Z Z E M O T N D DRAFT * SOME DATA HAS BEEN MODIFIED FOR THE PURPOSE OF PUBLIC VIEWING Mayor Bloomberg visits OEM’s Watch Command during the holidays. 22 Summary of Grants Received 2007-2009 GRANT AREAS OF FOCUS Homeland Security/DHS Projects in geographic information systems, continuity of operations, Ready New York, CERT, regional evacuation, emergency stockpile, human services, Citywide Incident Management System, Citywide Asset and Logisitics Management System, Coastal Storm Stockpile, and Notify NYC Citizen Corps/DHS, New York State Incorporating non-profit and volunteer organizations in disaster preparedness Emergency Management Office Metropolitan Medical Response Medical planning and coordination efforts for mass casualty events System/DHS Ready NY/Private grants - supported Development, translation, and printing of Ready New York guides, and advertising by AIG and McGraw Hill for the Ready New York program Corporate CERT/UBS Training of second corporate CERT and funding for an accompanying neighborhood-based CERT Local Emergency Management Administrative operations of NYC OEM Performance/DHS, New York State Emergency Management Office Regional Catastrophic Planning Grant Development of regional planning projects and plans for the region including Program/DHS Northern New Jersey, New York, Conneticut, and parts of Pennsylvania What If NYC…/Rockefeller Foundation Post-disaster provisional housing design competition Interoperable Emergency Revision of the Tactical Interoperable Communications Plan and exercise costs to Communications Grant Program /DHS test those plans Urban Search and Rescue/FEMA Staff and equipment to administer the Urban Search and Rescue program 23 CERT volunteers practice response skills during a drill at the Fire Academy on Randall’s Island. 24