FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Release 06-012 - Update #2
July 22, 2006
CONTACT: OEM, Andrew Troisi 347-386-1315

UPDATE ON THE CITY’S RESPONSE TO POWER OUTAGES

The City’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) has been coordinating inter-agency response to the blackout situation affecting the northwest sections of Queens. On Tuesday, July 18 OEM activated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC). For residents in the affected areas, a Special Services Center was opened at 45-22 32nd Place in Long Island City. This Center can assist area residents with questions about food spoilage claims and other blackout-related issues. City agencies have dispatched additional personnel and equipment to the affected areas to respond to any issues. Residents and business owners without power should call Con Edison at 1-800-75-CONED.  Residents with questions about the Special Services Center or about food spoilage claims should call 311.  All emergencies should be reported to 911.  The following is an update of City agency of resources deployed to the affected areas in Queens:

Police Department
The NYPD continues to deploy additional personnel in the affected areas. Last night, a attempted burglary arrest was made. Two males carrying burglary tools were apprehended attempting to break into a commercial establishment. The NYPD has deployed an additional 500 police officers, 50 traffic agents, eight mobile response vehicles, and 12 commands posts throughout areas in the 114th and 108th Precincts. Each command post is staffed with a Community Affairs Police Officer. Sixty-seven light towers are also operating in the area and all intersections without functioning traffic signals are being staffed by NYPD personnel. Department vehicles also continue to patrol with turret lights to increase NYPD visibility in the area. In addition, the NYPD Aviation Unit continues to survey the area. The NYPD is also working with OEM to identify customers with life sustaining equipment to ensure they have the resources they need.

Fire Department
Response times for both fire and EMS have remained stable. The Fire Department has ordered its 16 local fire companies in the affected areas to be mobile. There have been no increases in fire activity in the affected area. One structural fire was reported last night. There were no reported injuries as a result. The firehouses of Engine 325/Ladder 163 and Engine 263/Ladder 117 continue to run on back-up generators.

EMS has not reported any unusual increase in medical emergencies. EMS Station 49 continues to be mobile. The EMS Mobile Emergency Response Vehicle (MERV) is stationed at Steinway Street and Ditmars Boulevard with a BLS Ambulance.  In addition, the FDNY Safety Battalion has also been dispatched to the area. The Fire Safety Education Unit has also been deployed to the area to hand out fire prevention and safety information.

Department of Transportation
DOT continues to enhance its services throughout the affected area. Crews of electrical inspectors continue to survey traffic signal equipment and DOT staff continues to work with private electrical contractors to resolve power issues. DOT has assigned an additional crew to help install STOP signs at locations that need them and remove those signs at signals that are functioning normally again. To date, DOT has installed and removed temporary STOP signs at more than 60 locations. Currently, there are five traffic signals malfunctioning at steady, 38 at flashing and 53 are completely out in the area. DOT is also working closely with the NYPD to provide additional traffic control personnel as needed.

Department of Sanitation
Sanitation has enhanced service throughout the affected areas. As of this morning, Sanitation trucks have serviced 1,200 homes and collected more than 30 tons of waste. Last night, in addition to service normally assigned to the area, five additional collection trucks were dispatched. Seven additional trucks will be added to trash routes throughout the day. Sanitation trucks will continue to respond to 311 calls and will be driving neighborhood routes to collect any additional refuse including spoiled foods.

Human Resources Administration
HRA has opened a Special Services Center at the Astoria Job Center (45-22 32nd Place, between Queens Boulevard and 47th Avenue) and is providing information for residents in the affected areas. Agencies including Small Business Services, Department of Consumer Affairs, Department for the Aging, Health and Hospitals Corporation, Economic Development Corporation and the Mayor’s Community Assistance Unit have all provided staff to the Center. The center will remain open until power is restored.

NYC Small Business Services
SBS continues to reach out to local small businesses and to date, staff has visited nearly 400 businesses in the affected area. Of these businesses, nearly 100 had perishable items.

These businesses were provided with ConEd claim forms for reimbursement for up to $7,000. Today, SBS will continue its outreach in the neighborhood. SBS will also continue to staff the Special Assistance Center through the weekend.

Department of Environmental Protection
DEP, in conjunction with DOHMH, will conduct additional water testing at the Bowery Bay Wastewater Treatment Plan. Grid power has been restored to the facility. The plant is functioning normally and no increased odors have been detected in the community. Scheduled emergency fuel deliveries to Bowery Bay have been cancelled and the facility's fuel reserves are full. 

Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
DOHMH has dispatched 25 food inspectors over the past three days to address food safety issues in area restaurants and ensure that restaurants discard spoiled food. DOHMH staff has also conducted beach water inspections. Other than standard rain-associated advisories, water quality at Orchard Beach is acceptable and the beach remains open.  In addition, two mental health professionals have provided assistance via phone to residents seeking help at the Special Assistance Center. DOHMH has also intensified analysis of syndromic surveillance trends so that the city can quickly detect any heat- or diarrhea-related increases in the affected areas and citywide. To date, there have been no such increases. DOHMH is also prepared to intensify rodent control activities in the area if needed.

Taxi and Limousine Commission
At the request of the 114th Precinct, the TLC is continuing to deploy a 10-officer squad to assist with traffic control in the area. TLC also continues to provide personnel to staff the OEM Emergency Operations Center.

Health and Hospitals Corporation
HHC has deployed a mobile medical unit at the intersection of Ditmars Boulevard and Steinway Street. The medical unit is staffed with medical personnel to address any health issues that may arise for affected residents. HHC will also deploy three commuter vans to transport area residents to the mobile medical unit, the Special Services Center, or local hospitals if needed. HHC has also put on alert its home health care agency to monitor patients in the affected community and will be ready to provide additional assistance to any other homebound individuals.

Department for the Aging
Department for the Aging has been operating its nine senior centers and has extended its hours through the weekend to provide additional services to seniors. They are running on full power and will provide food and water to seniors. Aging has also deployed two access-a-ride vans to transport area seniors to these centers. To date, more than 480 seniors have visited these centers. Affected homebound seniors can call 311 for transportation to a center. During the power outage, 150 seniors receiving Meals-on-Wheels or senior home health services were checked on and contacted. Meals-on-Wheels food deliveries were completed Friday.

Department of Consumer Affairs
In addition to DCA staff at the Special Assistance Center, DCA Inspectors are on-call to monitor any reports of short supply and price gouging in the area. 311 will route to DCA any inquiries related to black-out specific reports of price increases or shortages of the following: milk, large gallon (more than 1 gallon) bottled water, and ice.

Department of Parks and Recreation
The Parks Department has opened a mini-pool (for children accompanied by parents) at P.S. 10., which will be open from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. In addition, the Astoria Pool will continue to operate its normal hours and will remain open until 7:00 p.m. for open swim and until 8:30 p.m. for lap swimming.

Department of Finance
The Department of Finance has directed City Marshals to suspend towing vehicles for unpaid parking tickets in the 114th and 108th Precincts until power is restored to the area. This suspension only affects the tows of cars where the owner owes more that $350 in parking judgment debt when the debt is older than 90 days. NYPD will continue to tow cars for violations, such as parking in a bus lane.

Department of Citywide Administrative Services
DCAS continues to provide staff to the OEM Emergency Operations Center. This morning the DCAS Central Storehouse was open for a pick-up by the American Red Cross of seven pallets of water to be distributed in the affected communities.

Economic Development Corporation
EDC has assisted several companies and housing co-ops obtain emergency generators from Con Edison including Silvercup Studios, National Envelope, Playbill, Inc., and two housing co-ops in the NW Queens Boulevard Gardens. EDC also reached out to 18 area companies to offer assistance.

Mayor’s Community Assistance Unit
CAU has reached out to more than 20 local civic leaders and elected officials and providing them with information on where additional City resources are being dispatched and how the community can access assistance. CAU has been in contact with every local elected official and continues to redirect resources as needed.

Community Emergency Response Teams
The Queens Community Board 1 CERT will be deployed to Astoria Park. The East Sixties Neighborhood Association CERT will support American Red Cross operations later today

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CONTACT: OEM, Andrew Troisi 347-386-1315