POLLUTION RESPONSE IN POST DISASTER RECOVERY- BEST PRACTICES FROM HURRICANE SANDY

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 (1) ◽  
pp. 1041-1049
Author(s):  
LT Christopher M. Kimrey ◽  
CDR Eric J. Doucette
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Geographic Area ◽  
Hurricane Sandy ◽  
Coast Guard ◽  
Operational Planning ◽  
Environmental Response ◽  
Joint Agency ◽  
Post Disaster

ABSTRACT Operational Planning is the controlled process of quickly transitioning from chaos to calm; the ability to quell the unknown and create an environment of known, manageable hazards. The most notable challenge during all-hazards operations is moving emergency response operations forward in a concerted effort in somewhat nebulous and demanding environments, yet in accordance with all-hazards frameworks, laws and standing agency policies. Hurricane Sandy post-disaster response operations provided just the right test for that capability- an austere environment, an expansive geographic area, joint agency operations and latent hazards. Nevertheless, Hurricane Sandy post-disaster response operations, particularly those supporting Emergency Support Function 10 (ESF-10), proved infinitely successful, largely due to the deliberate operational planning and data processing methodologies developed to establish the clearest possible operational picture. Developed protocols, established later as a best practice, combined federal policies and regulations on pollution response operations and disaster response into a single operating standard for ESF-10 pollution response activities in support of Coast Guard Sector New York Unified Command operations in New York and New Jersey. Environmental response operations encompassed eight geographic Divisions and included thousands of potential pollution sources. This paper highlights specific methodologies for analyzing and prioritizing threats post-response, coordinating efforts across a joint-agency landscape and mounting an expeditious and efficient environmental response campaign in a concerted, unified manner.

Cross-sectional Survey of Long-Term Care Facilities in the Rockaway Peninsula: Preparedness and Response During Hurricane Sandy

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 194-200
Author(s):  
Lynn Jiang ◽  
Christopher Tedeschi ◽  
Saleena Subaiya
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Geographic Area ◽  
Hurricane Sandy ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Care Facilities

AbstractBackgroundFew studies have described the challenges experienced by long-term care facilities (LTCFs) following Hurricane Sandy. This study examined LTCF preparedness and experiences during and after the storm.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted 2 years after Hurricane Sandy to assess LTCF demographics, preparation, and post-storm resources. Surveys were conducted at LTCFs located on the Rockaway Peninsula of New York City. All LTCFs located in a heavily affected area were approached.ResultsOf 29 facilities, 1 had closed, 5 did not respond, 9 declined to participate, and 14 participated, yielding a response rate of 50% for open facilities. Twenty-one percent of the facilities had preparations specifically for hurricanes. More than 70% of the facilities had lost electricity, heat, and telephone service, and one-half had evacuated. Twenty-one percent of the facilities reported not receiving any assistance and over one-half reported that relief resources did not meet their needs.ConclusionsMany LTCFs lacked plans specific to such a large-scale event. Since nearly all of the LTCFs in the region were affected, preexisting transportation and housing plans may have been inadequate. Future preparation could include hazard-specific planning and reliance on resources from a wider geographic area. Access to electricity emerged as a top priority. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:194–200)

scholarly journals Crisis Decision-Making During Hurricane Sandy: An Analysis of Established and Emergent Disaster Response Behaviors in the New York Metro Area

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 436-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Chandler ◽  
David M Abramson ◽  
Benita Panigrahi ◽  
Jeff Schlegelmilch ◽  
Noelle Frye
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
New York ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Situational Awareness ◽  
New York State ◽  
Hurricane Sandy ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Health Departments ◽  
Public Health Staff

AbstractObjectiveThis collective case study examined how and why specific organizational decision-making processes transpired at 2 large suburban county health departments in lower New York State during their response to Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The study also examined the relationships that the agencies developed with other emerging and established organizations within their respective health systems.MethodsIn investigating these themes, the authors conducted in-depth, one-on-one interviews with 30 senior-level public health staff and first responders; reviewed documentation; and moderated 2 focus group discussions with 17 participants.ResultsAlthough a natural hazard such as a hurricane was not an unexpected event for these health departments, they nevertheless confronted a number of unforeseen challenges during the response phase: prolonged loss of power and fuel, limited situational awareness of the depth and breadth of the storm’s impact among disaster-exposed populations, and coordination problems with a number of organizations that emerged in response to the disaster.ConclusionsPublic health staff had few plans or protocols to guide them and often found themselves improvising and problem-solving with new organizations in the context of an overburdened health care system (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:436–442).

Using NYC 311 Call Center Data to Assess Short- and Long-Term Needs Following Hurricane Sandy

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Adriana Eugene ◽  
Naomi Alpert ◽  
Wil Lieberman-Cribbin ◽  
Emanuela Taioli
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Call Center ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Open Data ◽  
General Information ◽  
Hurricane Sandy ◽  
Initial Event ◽  
Long Term Consequences ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Objectives: Hurricane Sandy made landfall across New York City (NYC) in October 2012, but the long-term consequences of the storm are still not fully understood. We analyzed NYC data to quantify the extent of Hurricane Sandy-related concerns over time. Methods: Data on NYC 311 Call Center inquiries were downloaded from the NYC Open Data website (October 29, 2012 to May 26, 2020) to provide information about Sandy-related calls using the keywords “Hurricane” and “Sandy”. Results: In the first 2 wk after Hurricane Sandy, 15.6% of 311 calls were related to the storm. From 2012 to 2020, the volume of inquiries decreased from 87,209 to 25. The majority of calls in 2012 (49,181; 56%) was requesting general Hurricane Sandy information, and in 2020 assistance with property restoration (20; 79%) Conclusions: The long-term consequences of Hurricane Sandy in NYC persist into 2020, almost 8 y after the initial event. The needs of Hurricane Sandy victims have changed over time from requiring general information regarding closures, property destruction and immediate disaster relief to aid with legal, financial, and mental health consequences. Disaster response policy-makers must understand the changing needs of NYC residents to provide resources and prepare for future disasters.

Planning Restoration of Vital Infrastructure Services Following Hurricane Sandy: Lessons Learned for Energy and Transportation

2014 ◽  
Vol 01 (01) ◽  
pp. 1450004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rae Zimmerman
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Geographic Area ◽  
Transportation Systems ◽  
Hurricane Sandy ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Rail Transit ◽  
Important Indicator ◽  
Rates Of Change ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Time Periods

Hurricane Sandy arrived on October 29, 2012 with enormous adverse impacts on one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, the New York region, including its electric power and transportation systems that disrupted the social and economic fabric of a wide geographic area. How these services were restored is an important basis for proactively designing robust public services not only in areas affected by Hurricane Sandy but also for many similar areas and events worldwide. Recovery rates are one important indicator of consequences of disaster. Selected physical and social measures of recovery are analyzed for New York City electricity and rail transit services following Hurricane Sandy to capture the ability of these services to be restored over various time periods, and to illustrate the use of indicators of restoration for infrastructure service resilience analyses for disaster management and planning. Electricity impacts and recovery are presented in user-oriented terms as the ratio of customers affected and restored to both customers without service and total customers served in the period following the hurricane. Results showed that restoration rates varied among the boroughs of NYC potentially reflecting differences in infrastructure resilience and exposure conditions. Rail transit impacts and recovery were analyzed in terms of both the restoration of the two dozen subway lines as a physical measure and ridership by station as a user or social measure. Line recovery analyses showed that within about a couple of weeks of the storm almost 80 percent of the lines were fully restored, almost 20 percent were partially restored, and complete suspensions were rare indicating a high degree of restoration capacity. Ridership measured at stations was compared to levels and rates of change over various time periods around the storm period, as well as from the previous year. High correlations in ridership between single days before and after the storm indicated little redistribution of ridership across stations between those time periods, however, rates of change indicated about a 14–16 percent decline in ridership system-wide within a two week period following the storm relative to the same time period the year before, recovering later, possibly reflecting slower rates of social recovery relative to the recovery of the physical transit systems. A longer period of service quality effects occurred due to lingering equipment damage potentially attributed for example to water damage and corrosion from saltwater. These findings point to the importance of recovery time as at least an initial guide to ways of systematizing service restoration measures and are a foundation for physical, social, and institutional adaptation strategies some of which are already being put in place. Larger considerations remain however in interpreting recovery restoration goals and who decides them.

Climate Change, Extreme Events, and Hurricane Sandy: From Non-Stationary Climate to Non-Stationary Policy

2014 ◽  
Vol 01 (01) ◽  
pp. 1450008 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Solecki ◽  
Cynthia Rosenzweig
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
New York ◽  
Extreme Events ◽  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
Hurricane Sandy ◽  
Generation Process ◽  
Stationary Policy ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Policy Window ◽  
Post Disaster

This paper illustrates and examines the development of a flexible climate adaptation approach and non-stationary climate policy in New York City in the post-Hurricane Sandy context. Extreme events, such as Hurricane Sandy, are presented as learning opportunities and create a policy window for outside-of-the-box solutions and experimentation. The research investigates the institutionalization of laws, standards, and codes that are required to reflect an increasingly dynamic set of local environmental stresses associated with climate change. The City of New York responded to Hurricane Sandy with a set of targeted adjustments to the existing infrastructure and building stock in a way that both makes it more resistant (i.e., strengthened) and resilient (i.e., responsive to stress) in the face of future extreme events. Post-Sandy New York experiences show that the conditions for a post-disaster flexible adaptation response exist, and evidence shows that the beginnings of a non-stationary policy generation process have been put into place. More broadly, post-disaster policy processes have been configured in New York to enable continuous co-production of knowledge by scientists and the community of decision-makers and stakeholders.

M/V JOHN B. CADDELL

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 (1) ◽  
pp. 299005
Author(s):  
Kristen Potter ◽  
Bridgette Brown ◽  
Cornell Rosiu
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York State ◽  
The United States ◽  
Hurricane Sandy ◽  
Coast Guard ◽  
Public Attention ◽  
Staten Island ◽  
High Profile ◽  
Response Team ◽  
Sheriff's Department

Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast of the United States on October 29th, 2012, caused over $63 billion in damage, destroyed thousands of homes, left over 8 million people without electrical service, and killed at least 131 people in eight states. Amongst the damage was the unique case of the grounded Tank Vessel, JOHN B. CADDELL on New York's Staten Island. The CADDELL posed a distinctive challenge to pollution mitigation and eventual vessel removal efforts, being stateless/ownerless, and commanded high profile media/public attention. Responders used a variety of creative methods to ensure the surrounding environment was not further affected by the grounded vessel, including the authorized use of solidifying agents. This poster describes the procedures used to determine vessel disposition and explores the innovative use of solidifiers in this particular case. Determining final disposition of the vessel involved an extensive process of multi-agency cooperation and coordination. Leveraging the existing authorities of the New York's Sheriff's Department to dispose of abandoned vessels, the Coast Guard was able to work with local, state and federal partners to implement a removal plan. Additionally, National Strike Force and Coast Guard Sector New York personnel utilized the cutting edge technology of solidifying polymer agents to effectively reduce the amount of contaminants onboard the vessel. As per the Area Contingency Plan, the Regional Response Team-Region 2 (RRT-2) was activated, and was used to brief Federal and State member agencies on the planned protective use of a solidifier by the Federal On-Scene Coordinator during cleanup efforts. RRT-2 was provided a current situational brief, objectives, and a proposed application plan. RRT-2 concurred with the utilization plan, and contributed some additional recommendations, which enhanced cleanup operations conducted under the ESF-10 Mission Assignment from New York State.

Polycentric orders and post-disaster recovery: a case study of one Orthodox Jewish community following Hurricane Sandy

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 875-897 ◽  
Author(s):  
VIRGIL HENRY STORR ◽  
LAURA E. GRUBE ◽  
STEFANIE HAEFFELE-BALCH
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Jewish Community ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Disaster Recovery ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
The United States ◽  
Hurricane Sandy ◽  
Orthodox Jewish ◽  
Post Disaster

AbstractHurricane Sandy hit the East Coast of the United States on 29 October 2012, flooding hundreds of thousands of homes and costing over $50 billion in property damage. After Hurricane Sandy residents and communities required food, water and clothing, and in the weeks and months following, there was demand for cleaning supplies, building materials and contracting services. Polycentric orders, because of their flexibility and access to local knowledge, are well suited to respond to the challenges of disaster. We highlight the importance of privately provided social services within polycentric orders and illustrate that the private provision of these services was important to post-disaster recovery in the Orthodox Jewish community in the Rockaway Peninsula in New York.

Effect of Hurricane Sandy on Long Island Emergency Departments Visits

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 344-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyun Kim ◽  
Rebecca M. Schwartz ◽  
Jerrold Hirsch ◽  
Robert Silverman ◽  
Bian Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
New York ◽  
Long Island ◽  
New York State ◽  
Geographic Area ◽  
Hurricane Sandy ◽  
Positive Trend ◽  
Significant Drop ◽  
Ed Visits ◽  
The Impact

AbstractObjectiveThis study aimed to examine the effect of Hurricane Sandy on Long Island mental health emergency department (ED) visits and to determine whether these visits varied according to patient demographics or geographic area and intensity of the impact.MethodsIndividual-level de-identified data were extracted from the Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System from New York State ED visits from October 1 to December 2012 for residents of Nassau and Suffolk counties in Long Island. The dates of the ED visits were grouped into 4 periods: (1) pre-Sandy, October 1–28; (2) during Sandy, October 29; (3) post-Sandy I, October 30 to November 1; and (4) post-Sandy II, November 2–30.ResultsA total of 126,337 ED visits were recorded among 23 EDs. A significant drop in volume was observed on October 29; 399 more ED visits for physical health diagnoses were identified in the post-Sandy I period than in the pre-Sandy period. “Diseases of the respiratory system” was the only diagnosis group that showed a positive trend in the post-Sandy I period compared with the pre-Sandy period (increase of 4%). No significant changes in mental health visits were observed after Sandy landfall.ConclusionsThis analysis suggests that the critical temporal window during which ED resources should be increased is in the immediate aftermath of a hurricane. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:344–350)

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