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Hurricane Irene

Emergency Planning and Response

Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Peter StuebeDeputy Director

Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Hurricane Planning

• Objective:– Provide evacuation services

– Protection of customers, residents, employees and infrastructure

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Hurricane Planning

• Worst Case: 2.3 Million New Yorkers would be ordered to evacuate.

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Hurricane Planning

• Components of MTA Plans– Agency and All-Agency plans

– Evacuation routes

– Communications plans

– Use of shelters, reception centers

– Protection of equipment

– Evacuation or shelter of employees

– Service Curtailment

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Hurricane Planning

• Lessons learned from Katrina– Accommodations for pets

– Plan for earlier evacuation of health care facilities

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Hurricane Irene

• Challenge and test of the region’s preparedness– 7,500 Health Care Evacuations

– 7,500 took refuge in City shelters

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Preparedness

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Preparedness

• Mitigations

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Preparedness

Preparedness

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• Mitigations

Preparation

• Homeless

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Evacuation

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Hurricane Evacuation

• Challenges– MTA timelines must conform to service area

timelines

– Coordination with City and other agencies to ensure evacuation

– Movement of equipment

– Safe shelter of employees

– Resumption of service

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Timelines for Hurricane Evacuation

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Time (hrs before 0 hour)

MTA Agency Actions Notes

50 hours (or 24 hours prior to the start of coastal storm service)

Individual emergency management task forces begin to convene regularly

Prepare equipment and personnel to implement coastal storm service

Railroads will establish a time for the last rush hour

36 hours Begin to secure infrastructure that will not impact service

 

20 hours Coastal storm service begins Lanes configured at Bridge & Tunnel facilities

 

16 hours Service in some non-evacuation areas reduced Some railroad branches

8 hours Rail service begins to shut down  

6 hours Bus service begins to shut down  

3-6 hours ( or when winds reach 39mph on B&T facilities)

Traffic barriers in place on Bridge & Tunnel facilities  

ZERO HOUR All personnel and assets are secured  

All times refer to hours before the ZERO hour established by NYC OEM

Where was Irene 50 hours prior to Zero Hour?

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Transportation Strategy

• Maintain near normal service during rush hour

• Supplement where needed

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Transportation Strategy

• Fares in evacuation zones

• Pets

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Additional Subway Service

Additional Bus Service

• In the worst case scenario, additional service is required during the midday on 75 NYCT and 23 MTA Bus routes

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NYC’s Satellite Evacuation Center System

• 65 Centers

• Shelters

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Shelters

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Curtailment of Service

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Curtailment of Service

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• Safety of crews and bus operators

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Curtailment of Service

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Customer Communications

• MTA as “Target”– Past 2 years improvements in customer

communications• Countdown clocks

• Internet and cellular

• Special web info and signage

– Managing the Message• Critical to our success

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Communications

• Chairman Walder participated in press briefings with the Mayor and Commission of OEM

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Customer Communication

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Emergency Operations Center

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Who Was There?

• City

• State

• Federal

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CITYWIDE INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

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• Any emergency is complex in NYC

• CIMS– Used to define roles and responsibilities

• Information

• Decisions

• Resources

EOC

• Wednesday, August 24 – Activation of the EOC for Planning Meeting

• Thursday, August 25 – Activation 24/7

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Other OEMs

Damage Assessment

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• Worst Damage to MTA on Pt. Jervis

After Action or “Hot Wash”

• Dozens of meetings – Lessons learned

• Routine Tabletop Exercises

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