The New York City Emergency Management Department, together with Congress Member Max Rose and Staten Island Borough President James Oddo, and the National Park Service today announced plans to establish a Borough Coordination Center (BCC) on Staten Island for emergency responders. The BCC will serve as a hub for NYC Emergency Management responders to mobilize and coordinate emergency assets during large-scale emergencies on Staten Island. It will adopt the strategic, borough-response model implemented during Tropical Storm Isaias last August.
"In response to Tropical Storm Isaias, NYC Emergency Management quickly established field operations centers in the boroughs that experienced the bulk of the storm's impacts. This strategy allowed us to quickly and effectively mobilize and deploy resources to the areas that needed help the most," said NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Deanne Criswell. "We intend to use this model for future emergencies, and I am thankful to Borough President Oddo, Congress Member Max Rose, the U.S. Coast Guard and National Park Service for their support in helping us continue to build a robust emergency response structure in this city."
"This is an example of Staten Island finally being put first. All levels of government will now know where to show up whenever a big storm or a major emergency hits our borough. With our own 'Staten Island Situation Room,' we will be able to tackle any crisis comprehensively, instead of running around with our heads cut off," said Congress Member Max Rose. "I cannot thank Borough President Oddo, Commissioner Criswell, the National Park Service and the Coast Guard enough for moving heaven and earth to make this happen so quickly."
"Good things have always resulted when two or more of Staten Island's elected officials talk openly, honestly, and collaboratively with each other. That is what Congressman Rose and I have done for two years and this project sprung from that ongoing dialogue. We are excited and grateful to be a part of the creation of the new Borough Coordination Center. As leaders on the island, we have always been more comfortable with a local incident command center on the ground on Staten Island during emergencies," said Staten Island Borough President James Oddo. "The BCC will allow local, state, and federal responders to coordinate and implement essential strategies for the borough from the Island itself, which is imperative to a well-executed plan on our most dire days."
"We at the National Park Service are pleased to be able to work with our partners in the City to explore options to house NYC Emergency Management in historic Fort Wadsworth. It would be a win for interagency coordination as well as the communities we all serve," said Jen Nersesian, superintendent Gateway National Recreation Area.
During the response to Tropical Storm Isaias, NYC Emergency Management deployed its Interagency Coordination Center to Staten Island Mall parking lot to coordinate field response operations in the borough. This mobile command center allowed the agency, along with its private partners, to strategically deploy resources throughout the borough. Under this new plan, the BCC would serve as the central hub for coordination and response. Staten Island Borough President Oddo is dedicating capital funds to the project to renovate a vacant location at Fort Wadsworth. In the interim, the agency will outfit space provided by the U.S. Coast Guard and National Park Service to serve as a temporary coordination center in the event of a major emergency on the island.
"In response to Tropical Storm Isaias, NYC Emergency Management quickly established field operations centers in the boroughs that experienced the bulk of the storm's impacts. This strategy allowed us to quickly and effectively mobilize and deploy resources to the areas that needed help the most," said NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Deanne Criswell. "We intend to use this model for future emergencies, and I am thankful to Borough President Oddo, Congress Member Max Rose, the U.S. Coast Guard and National Park Service for their support in helping us continue to build a robust emergency response structure in this city."
"This is an example of Staten Island finally being put first. All levels of government will now know where to show up whenever a big storm or a major emergency hits our borough. With our own 'Staten Island Situation Room,' we will be able to tackle any crisis comprehensively, instead of running around with our heads cut off," said Congress Member Max Rose. "I cannot thank Borough President Oddo, Commissioner Criswell, the National Park Service and the Coast Guard enough for moving heaven and earth to make this happen so quickly."
"Good things have always resulted when two or more of Staten Island's elected officials talk openly, honestly, and collaboratively with each other. That is what Congressman Rose and I have done for two years and this project sprung from that ongoing dialogue. We are excited and grateful to be a part of the creation of the new Borough Coordination Center. As leaders on the island, we have always been more comfortable with a local incident command center on the ground on Staten Island during emergencies," said Staten Island Borough President James Oddo. "The BCC will allow local, state, and federal responders to coordinate and implement essential strategies for the borough from the Island itself, which is imperative to a well-executed plan on our most dire days."
"We at the National Park Service are pleased to be able to work with our partners in the City to explore options to house NYC Emergency Management in historic Fort Wadsworth. It would be a win for interagency coordination as well as the communities we all serve," said Jen Nersesian, superintendent Gateway National Recreation Area.
During the response to Tropical Storm Isaias, NYC Emergency Management deployed its Interagency Coordination Center to Staten Island Mall parking lot to coordinate field response operations in the borough. This mobile command center allowed the agency, along with its private partners, to strategically deploy resources throughout the borough. Under this new plan, the BCC would serve as the central hub for coordination and response. Staten Island Borough President Oddo is dedicating capital funds to the project to renovate a vacant location at Fort Wadsworth. In the interim, the agency will outfit space provided by the U.S. Coast Guard and National Park Service to serve as a temporary coordination center in the event of a major emergency on the island.
