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Legislator Ed Day (R-New City/Pomona) said on Thursday that Rockland County government falls short when it comes to providing up-to-the-minute and accurate information to residents during emergencies. Day arranged for a review and evaluation of the county?s emergency communications system policy and methodology at Tuesday?s Public Safety Committee meeting. Day said he felt an assessment was needed after receiving numerous complaints from residents about the difficulty they encountered in obtaining local information during Hurricane Sandy.
?To be blunt, Superstorm Sandy, was the third time in a year that the citizens were crying out for timely and critical information during an emergency, and that is totally unacceptable, ? said Day. ?While communications from utilities such as Orange and Rockland are an important part of the discussion, the first line of information flow lies with government, and too many feel that government continues to come up short on the matter.?
Day noted that the county emergency radio system at 1640 AM and InfoRock, ?its information and referral service are the backbone of the county?s communications system with the public. Day, a former law enforcement executive, said he thinks both system have limitations. InfoRock is available at 845-364-2020 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and its database can be searched anytime.
?The county radio system not only has ?dead spots,? but cannot even be received in certain parts of our county, and InfoRock while well intentioned and reasonably effective for routine matters, it is not a 24/7 operation and by definition cannot be fully relied upon during times of crisis,? said Day. ?Some callers were even told to call their local radio station, WRCR 1300 AM, for information.?
The county does provide emergency information to other services ? Nixle and NY Alerts ? that residents can subscribe to.
The first of two hearings before the Public Safety Committee will bring in officials from the Office of Fire & Emergency Services to explain the operations and challenges of the emergency communications system. ?At the second hearing in either late March or April, United Way officials have been invited to explain and demonstrate the ?2-1-1? information and referral service.?
In addition to calling for an analysis of existing communications, Day suggested possible improvements could include an interface between the county?s information system and ?211? plus a formal agreement of service with the local radio station.
?My goal is simple and direct,? said Day on Thursday. ?Where we are now is unacceptable.?
Day said the intent of the hearings is to assess the status of emergency communications in the county, what options there are to improve and expand them and what the county needs to do to achieve that. The first hearing scheduled for the March 12 meeting of the Public Safety Committee begins at 5 p.m. and is open to the public.?
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