New Emergency Response Trailers Deployed Across New York State

 

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Office of Emergency Management are deploying a fleet of 24 fully equipped Emergency Response Trailers across New York’s crude oil transportation corridor. The state-of-the-art trailers will be stationed at key locations and strengthen New York's response to crude oil transportation incidents in support of the state’s recently developed Geographic Response Plans.

“Protecting public safety is our top priority and these new trailers will help ensure our first responders can respond swiftly and efficiently in any spill emergency,” Governor Cuomo said. “This administration remains committed to enforcing the toughest possible standards and we will continue working so that crude oil is transported safely across New York.”

The new Emergency Response Trailers will be stationed across the state and managed by DEC and county entities responsible for emergency management. Locations for trailer deployment will be coordinated with DEC’s Division of Environmental Remediation Emergency Response Coordination Section and based on approved Geographic Response Plans. The GRPs include strategies and tactics to respond to crude oil incidents that are specific to each as identified by local county emergency planning committees.

“Thanks to Governor Cuomo’s leadership, New York is a national leader in rail safety with the most stringent rail regulations in the country. Strategically locating these new spill response trailers along the state’s crude oil corridor will protect our communities and strengthen New York’s spill response capabilities,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said. “DEC will continue to work with federal and local partners to effectively mitigate risks posed by the transport of high volume of crude oil.”

“The new emergency response trailers give first responders another valuable tool to use to respond to any crude oil or chemical spill incident,” said Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner John Melville said. “I applaud the Governor’s ongoing commitment to help ensure that the state’s first responders have the needed equipment and training to help keep our communities safe.”

Each trailer is equipped with absorbent material, booms, and other tools necessary to control and contain a crude oil or petroleum spill. The trailers can be quickly deployed to address spill emergencies and help control and limit any resulting environmental impacts. Photos of the trailers are available here.

Three of the 24 trailers will be dispatched to Buffalo, Albany, and Rochester. Twenty one trailers will be dispatched to New York’s 21 Crude by Rail Mainline counties, one trailer for each county. By region:

Three for Region 3 – Orange, Rockland, Ulster

Four for Region 4 – Albany, Greene, Montgomery, Schenectady

Four for Region 5 - Clinton, Essex, Saratoga, Washington

Two for Region 6 – Herkimer, Oneida

Three for Region 7 – Cayuga, Madison, Onondaga,

Three for Region 8 – Genesee, Monroe, Wayne

Two for Region 9 – Chautauqua, Erie

The Emergency Response Trailers build on Governor Cuomo’s ongoing commitment to reduce potential dangers associated with the transport of crude oil across New York State. Following a series of out-of-state disasters involving the transport of crude oil by rail, the State has taken a series of aggressive actions to improve the safety and reliability of the practice.

Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo