PHOTO: Gov. Cuomo this week announced the creation of NY Responds, a new approach for coordinating and strengthening the state’s emergency preparedness. Photo Courtesy of Gov. Cuomo’s Office
Gov. Andrew Cuomo this week announced the creation of NY Responds—a new approach for coordinating and strengthening the state’s emergency preparedness.As part of NY Responds, Cuomo said on Monday at the Emergency Planning Summit in Albany, every county will have access to universal emergency management software. This software—provided at no cost to localities—will enable both local governments and state agencies to submit and share disaster-related information, including incident reports, resource requests, and real-time tracking of assets and weather conditions.
“Through NY Responds, every county in this state will have access to first-class emergency management technology, which will help both local and state officials stay as informed and coordinated as possible when responding to difficult situations. This is part of how we are building this state to be stronger and smarter than ever before,” Cuomo said.
Additionally, Cuomo announced the state is supplementing its stockpile of emergency response resources with an additional $50 million worth of equipment—including 130 Special Weapons and Tactics plow trucks, 62 tow blowers, 16 snow plows, 16 loaders, 11 graders, 10 medium dump trucks with plows, eight truck blowers, and two high axel vehicles—in advance of the winter storm season.
Core components of NY Responds include Universal Statewide Emergency Management Software: For the first time in state history, every county will have access to the same emergency management technology to provide and receive updates on local disasters. Area governments will now have one system for entering incident-specific information and resource requests; monitoring request prioritization, status and decisions; and accessing a common operating snapshot that shows other relevant incidents in the region.
Currently, counties throughout the state utilize a variety of competing software systems—or have no emergency management software whatsoever. This universal technological infrastructure promises to enhance the ability of local and state officials to respond quickly and accurately to disaster incidents, prioritize and reallocate resources as needed, and monitor the progression of a disaster from beginning to demobilization.
Incident and Asset Tracking: The universal software will be aided by mapping and location technology, which enables faster development of a common operating picture. The enhanced system allows for access to more than 100 data layers, such as power outages, traffic cameras, and status reports on critical infrastructure.
Additionally, the state has installed global positioning units in approximately 1,840 vehicles operated by Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, the state Department of Transportation and the state Thruway Authority. This, Cuomo said, allows the state to remotely track the location and status of critical emergency response assets such as plows, dump trucks and utility vehicles in real time. The state has also installed GPS units on stockpile items such as generators, light towers and sandbaggers. Positioning units are also set to be installed in approximately 1,400 other DOT vehicles.
Weather Forecasting: The statewide emergency management software will also be complemented by real-time weather forecasting and modeling through the state Early Warning Weather Detection System (Mesonet). When completed, the 125 Mesonet sites around the state will feed real-time data to the National Weather Service and enhance the emergency management response of both state and local governments during severe weather events.
The rollout of NY Responds to all counties is estimated to cost $1.5 million, with additional annual maintenance costs of $406,000.
By Forum Staff
