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This is the first statewide Hurricane Evacuation Study to be conducted since 2009.
By Forum Staff
Governor Kathy Hochul on Friday announced a new Hurricane Evacuation Study that will improve public safety planning efforts for the New York City, Long Island, and lower-Mid-Hudson regions prone to impacts from catastrophic tropical storms.
The study will be conducted by the State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the National Hurricane Center, and local emergency management agencies, in New York City, Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island, and Westchester County. The State’s updated HES will be used to improve planning for the response to a catastrophic tropical storm, including potential hazards associated with tropical storms such as flooding, tornadoes, etc., sheltering resources and transportation issues, as well as other demographic and socioeconomic factors. This is the first statewide Hurricane Evacuation Study to be conducted since 2009.
“New Yorkers know all too well the devastating impacts tropical storms and hurricanes can bring to our coastal and inland communities along the Mid-Hudson to the eastern tip of Long Island, and everywhere in-between,” Hochul said. “My number one priority is keeping New Yorkers safe, and we will work together with our federal partners and local governments to ensure our communities and their emergency managers have the knowledge, resources and tools necessary to prepare for future storms.”
The National Hurricane Program, which includes FEMA, USACE and the NHC, will provide funding for the Hurricane Evacuation Study. DHSES’ Office of Emergency Management recently kicked off the first two phases of the study—hazard and vulnerability analyses—with all relevant federal and local partners in government. These phases of the study are expected to be completed next fall.
“We know that extreme weather events like hurricanes are getting stronger, more damaging, and more frequent. As climate change advances, knowing where the areas at highest risk of flooding and damage are will help us prepare and respond during future emergencies and builds on this administration’s investments in emergency preparedness. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul for launching this study that will help protect New York City in the years to come,” Mayor Eric Adams said.
“Hurricanes and tropical storms are powerful events that cause coastal and inland flooding and dangerously high winds that too often result in the loss of life and significant infrastructure destruction, widespread power outages, and disruptions to communities. Over the next few years, we’ll be working hand in glove with your local emergency managers to update evacuation routes and plans that help keep you safe in the event of an oncoming dangerous tropical storm,” State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said.
“New York District is pleased to support this new study effort for New York State to provide information necessary to ensure that the residents of New York State are prepared for future hurricanes and tropical cyclones,” U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District Commander, Col. Matthew Luzzatto added. “Partnership is the key factor in executing these types of large-scale endeavors and I look forward to continuing to work with our partners in New York State, and FEMA to solve some of the region’s toughest challenges when it comes to hurricane evacuation and other adverse weather events.”
