LEARNING FROM THE STORM-WESTCHESTER SHOULD PURCHASE BATTERY POWERED BARRICADES TO ILLUMINATE INTERSE
Release Date: March 26, 2010
LEARNING FROM THE STORM-- WESTCHESTER COUNTY AND LOCALITIES SHOULD PURCHASE BATTERY POWERED BARRICADES THAT CAN ILLUMINATE INTERSECTIONS CLOSED DURING STORM
I am writing to Westchester County Department of Emergency Services Commissioner Anthony Sutton and will be asking the county to apply for a grant to purchase battery powered barricades that can illuminate intersections closed during storms. These barricades should be made available to localities during storms. The town should also purchase these barricades for our own use if the county is unsuccessful in obtaining the barricades for localities.
During the most recent storm many roads around the county were closed. Downed trees and wires were blocking the roads.
My power was out for a few days and I had dinner one evening at my sister’s house in a neighboring jurisdiction. When I was driving home I made a sudden stop. Almost hit a tree. A yellow tape was the only indication that the road was closed. Many other roads around the county had inadequate signage advising of road closures.
SUGGESTION: the county should apply for stimulus funds to purchase battery powered road blocks with blinking lights. This would provide residents with some advance warning of road closures in the event of a disaster and avoid the possibility of drivers driving into trees. There were no Con Ed vehicles on the road I was on when I was driving on the road.
We should purchase (county-wide) more temporary stop signs that could warn people of closed roads.
Sincerely,
PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh Town Supervisor