Panel Emphasizes the Importance of Community Connectedness in Emergency Reponse

Scarsdale was caught off guard in 2012 when Hurricane Sandy took down the power and knocked out Village Hall's communication system. Though Village Managers did manage to send out emails using the school's servers, and used a back-up plan to call residents with daily updates, the situation was far from ideal. Since that time, the Village has taken steps to ensure they will be better prepared in case of another emergency and has also issued recommendations to residents about what they can do to be ready.

This year's Village budget includes funds for a generator for Village Hall and they have also rewired their phone lines so that they have a back-up communication system in case their lines go down.

A group called the Scarsdale Community Support Council was formed to make recommendations on coordinating emergency response efforts and to promote the social and emotional wellness of the community.

The Council joined forced with the Scarsdale Forum on Thursday April 14 to discuss the Village's emergency response plan and increase resident's awareness.

Deputy Village Manager Robert Cole presented the Village's Emergency Management Plan, highlighting the Village's protocols and chain of command. He explained that in times of crisis, local, state and federal authorities can declare a state of emergency that allows for the use of resources to assist local governments and also permits municipalities to recoup their costs following the emergency.

The Village's incident command system provides a framework for communications from the incident commander down to the respondents. He explained that rules for the Unity of Command and Span of Control dictates the command structure, with each supervisor managing only three to five people. The unified command reporting structure requires police, fire and public works commanders to report to one source that assigns priorities.

As a resident, what can you do to ensure your own safety? Cole advises that residents do the following:

Before an emergency: Make plans to be initially self-sufficient

During an emergency: Trust your emergency management official

After an emergency – support your community

He advised all Scarsdale residents to sign up for the Village's Blackboard Management System to receive emergency notifications from the Village of Scarsdale. He recommended that you provide the Village with both your email address and cell phone number, as sometimes texts will go through when email goes down. Here is the link to Blackboard Connect: 

What else should you do?

Be informed and identify likely local hazards and understand how to access information.
Make a plan with your family on where to meet in case an emergency prevents you from coming home.

Assemble an emergency kit – Click here to see the Red Cross recommendations for what you will need: or visit FEMA for their guidelines.

Keep your important papers in one place so that you can access them in case you need to get out quickly.

Several members of the Community Support Council then held a panel discussion. The panelists included Council Chair Linda Hillman Chayes, Minister Fran Grenley, former President of the Greenacres Association Barry Meiselman and President of the Murray Hill/Middle Heathcote Neighborhood Association, Laura Miller. Chayes explained that the Council was formed five years ago after a cluster of suicides and seeks to develop an interconnected Village support system and promote a greater sense of community in Scarsdale.

They recommended that residents get to know their neighbors, "Not just for emergencies: but because that's what enriches our lives," said Grenley. Meiselman shared how neighbors were able to help one another during the storm, offering shelter to those without heat. He encouraged everyone to get their neighbors contact information so that they can reach out to them in case of an emergency. Laura Miller is working to increase membership in neighborhood associations and encourages everyone to sign up for their own neighborhood association. She said, "We are hoping to hold more events to increase connections, reduce risks and make people feel connected."

Photo Credit: Marjorie Meiman