For Immediate Release:October 21, 2019
CONTACT: dobcommunications@buildings.nyc.gov,
(212) 393-2126

CITY AGENCIES UTILIZE LATEST TECHNOLOGY DURING WEEK-LONG DISASTER PREPAREDNESS EXERCISE

Interagency Training Exercise, Conducted in Lead up to Anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, Keeps New York City Prepared For Potential Natural Disaster Threats

New York, NY – Last week, the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) and the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) wrapped up the 2019 Damage Assessment and Power Restoration Full Scale Exercise, a five-day inter-agency disaster preparedness training program held at Fort Totten, Queens. During this annual full scale exercise, staff members from DOB and FDNY rehearsed the latest Citywide Incident Management System (CIMS) protocols and best-practices for emergency responders during wide-scale major disasters in an urban environment as large and complex as New York City, emphasizing the role of technology in improving disaster response logistics.

“Climate change in recent years has led to more frequent, more powerful, and more destructive hurricanes. Seven years after Superstorm Sandy, we know that regular preparedness training and education remain our best tools in responding to any potential disaster.” said Buildings Commissioner Melanie E. La Rocca. “ I thank FDNY Commissioner Nigro and NYCEM Commissioner Criswell for their continued partnership in these critical training exercises.”

“We have seen firsthand how important training and preparedness are to handling the many dangers and that come with responding to incidents during natural disasters like Hurricane Sandy,” said Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro. “This close collaboration and training between multiple agencies and organizations will leave all of our members better prepared for when disaster strikes.”

“Communication and coordination are at the heart of our mission to build a culture of preparedness, and continued practice among City agencies is the roadmap to an effective and efficient emergency response,” said NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Deanne Criswell. “We welcome every opportunity to participate in trainings that ensure our first responders and emergency managers are fully equipped to help the people who need us the most in their time of distress.”

The 2019 Damage Assessment and Power Restoration Full Scale Exercise training exercise is part of New York City’s Continuity of Operations Program (COOP), and represents a continuation of similar exercises conducted throughout the year which provide a proactive framework for city agencies to respond to, and help the city recover from, natural disasters and other emergencies. Each year, these interagency exercises provide training on the use of the latest mapping and logistics technologies, used to improve New York City’s readiness in the event of a major disaster.

Following the events of Superstorm Sandy in 2012, the City of New York implemented major modernizations of their post-disaster and emergency response planning, training, and inspection protocols, with the use of data-driven GIS mapping technology. These new protocols and mapping technology allows emergency responders to more effectively coordinate resources, assess damage city, and triage responses in the neighborhoods of most need. These GIS-mapping-location intelligence technologies and major disaster response strategies were first deployed in a real-world situation in 2017 as part of New York City’s aid for Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. These efforts helped local authorities quickly identify safe emergency shelter sites, and assess structural damage of critical facilities throughout the island.

(Department of Buildings real-time post-disaster assessment map of San Juan, Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017.)

During last week’s training exercises at Fort Totten, emergency response staff, engineers, architects and senior leadership from both DOB and FDNY took part in intensive classroom training sessions and simulated field exercises, in order to gain practical experience responding to potential natural disasters and other wide scale emergencies. Topics of training included business continuity, post-disaster standard operating procedures, building damage assessment, structural stability inspection protocols, GIS mapping applications, and drone-to-map demonstrations. Following each day of training, the participants engaged in open discussions on disaster response strategies, intended to help shape future interagency exercises and real-world emergency responses.

In addition to DOB and FDNY, representatives from New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM), New York City Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), New York City Parks Department, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Structural Engineers Association of New York (SEAoNY), Con Edison, National Grid and PSEG, observed and participated in this full scale exercise at Fort Totten.

(DOB and FDNY staff conducting disaster preparedness exercises last week in Fort Totten, Queens.)

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