All Putnam County Government Offices, with the exception of essential services will be closed Thursday, 12/17/20

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Putnam County’s ICS team has continued to monitor the current winter storm impacting Putnam County. Based on the most recent forecast, Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell has ordered closed all non-essential Putnam County Government Offices for Thursday, December 17,2020.

This includes Putnam County Moves, our public transportation system, Croton Falls Commuters, any fixed route PART System, ParaTransit, Veteran’s Transports and Pre-K/EI Transportation to schools in Putnam and Westchester Counties.

“Highway crews continue to work to keep the roadways clear, but the mixture of snow and high winds have made it a tough battle,” said County Executive MaryEllen Odell. “It is imperative that the public remain off the roadways to allow the crews to continue to work safely.”

The storm is expected to bring several additional inches of snow before it begins to diminish around mid-day. This combined with wind gusts of 30 MPH or more will make driving treacherous. The public should avoid all unnecessary travel.

Residents are reminded that to report a power outage or downed wires you should call your local utility company; NYSEG 800-572-1131. Central Hudson 845-452-2700 or use their apps. If you use a generator, remember NEVER operate it in an enclosed space, even with a window or door open. This includes inside your home, basement or garage. Doing so can lead to a potentially lethal build-up of colorless, odorless, poisonous carbon monoxide gas.

Please call 9-1-1 ONLY if you need immediate police, fire or EMS response.

If you need help that is non-emergent, please call Putnam County’s United Way Information & Help Line at 2-1-1 which is available 24 X 7

Remember to follow all Putnam County updates on NY ALERT.

All Putnam County Government Offices, with the exception of essential services will be closing today, 12/16/20 at 3:00 pm and will be reopening 12/17/20 at 12:00 pm

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After meeting with the ICS Team and evaluating the impact of the expected winter storm, Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell has ordered the closing of all Putnam County Government Offices with the exception of essential services, at 3 pm on Wednesday, December 16, 2020. Non-essential government offices will reopen at 12 Noon on Thursday 12/17/20.

“After discussing the possible impact of the current storm with our ICS Team we made the decision to close non-essential offices early to allow our employees to not only get home safely but to keep the roads clear to allow our highway crews to safely remove ice and snow,” said County Executive MaryEllen Odell. “Providing emergency services to the public is a 24 X 7 job and one essential part is keeping the roads clear.”

In addition, please note the following:
• Our public transportation system which includes the Croton Falls Commuters and fixed route PART System as well as the Pre-K/EI Transportation to schools in Putnam and Westchester Counties will stop operations at 4 PM today, Wednesday, December 16, 2020.
• All transportation services will remain closed for the entire day Thursday, December 17, 2020
• Transportation services will resume normal operations on Friday, December 18, 2020.

Blizzard boxes, an emergency meal, have been delivered to our seniors. “As we will be unable to deliver essential meals to our seniors, we remind them that these emergency meals are available whenever they need them,” said County Executive Odell.

Remember to check on family, friends and vulnerable neighbors and If you MUST travel Thursday morning give yourself enough time and drive carefully.

Residents are reminded that to report a power outage or downed wires you should call your local utility company; NYSEG 800-572-1131. Central Hudson 845-452-2700 or use their apps. If you use a generator, remember NEVER operate it in an enclosed space, even with a window or door open. This includes inside your home, basement or garage. Doing so can lead to a potentially lethal build-up of colorless, odorless, poisonous carbon monoxide gas.

Please call 9-1-1 ONLY if you need immediate police, fire or EMS response.

If you need help that is non-emergent, please call Putnam County’s United Way Information & Help Line at 2-1-1 which is available 24 X 7

Putnam County Officials Urge Residents To Prepare For Possible Winter Storm Wednesday Night 12/16/20 Into Thursday 12/17/20

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Putnam County Officials Urge Residents To Prepare For Possible Winter Storm Wednesday Night 12/16/20 Into Thursday 12/17/20

Putnam County Officials are monitoring a large and potentially dangerous winter storm that is predicted to move into our area Wednesday afternoon, 12/16/20, increase in intensity overnight and end Thursday afternoon.

“This storm has the potential to bring more than a foot of snow to our area, and winds could gust up to 25 miles per hour,” said County Executive MaryEllen Odell. “The snow and gusty winds will make travel extremely dangerous. Residents are urged to make sure they are prepared.”

Take time now to review your emergency plans.

Make sure you have adequate amounts of food, water and non-perishable foods; a supply of essential medications; baby supplies including formula and diapers, a battery powered radio; flashlights; spare batteries and charged cell phones. Prepare in advance to get spare fuel for snow blowers and generators (always read and follow the manufacturer’s safety recommendations when using power equipment and never operate a generator in an enclosed space; fuel up your vehicles. Remember to check on vulnerable neighbors and family members.

Residents are reminded to report any outages to their local utility company.  NYSEG can be contacted at 800-572-1131. Central Hudson Gas & Electric can be contacted at 845-452-2700. Both companies have an app available for download to track outages.

Putnam County 9-1-1 is fully manned and should only be used for emergency requests for Police, Fire or EMS.

“I have spoken with Commissioner of Emergency Services, Kenneth Clair and we will continue to monitor the situation, but in the meantime, residents should prepare,” County Executive Odell said. “This storm combined with the pandemic is going to create challenges but we can be prepared. We are prepared to activate our Incident Command Team should we need to.”

Visit the Putnam County Bureau of Emergency Services Preparedness page at:

https://www.putnamcountyny.com/pcbes/oem/preparedness/

FEMA provides valuable information regarding emergency preparedness at: http://www.ready.gov/winter-weather

The Red Cross has a Winter Storm Safety Checklist at:

http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m4240231_WinterStorms.pdf

We will continue to monitor the progress of this storm and provide updates as needed.

Putnam County HMP – draft plan

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Putnam County and its municipalities have spent the past
several months updating the Countywide Hazard Mitigation Plan.
The general public is now invited to provide comments on the
draft Putnam County Hazard Mitigation Plan 2021 Update.
Please take a few moments to review the plan and provide
comments and feedback. The public comment period will end
December 6, 2020.

REVIEW AND COMMENT ON THE PLAN HERE

 

 

 

Hazard Mitigation Plan – We Need Your Input!

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Putnam County, along with its towns and villages, are in the process of updating the County’s 2015 Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP).  The update of this plan allows the county and participating jurisdictions to continue to be eligible for future pre-disaster mitigation funding from FEMA. Ultimately, these actions reduce vulnerability, and communities are able to recover more quickly from disasters.

To learn more about the project and submit input, please visit https://www.putnamcountynyhmp.com/

Full Volume Test for Indian Point Sirens Set for Wednesday, August 26th, 2020, at 6:00 PM

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Entergy is conducting a full-volume test of the Indian Point siren system in Westchester, Rockland, Orange and Putnam counties on Wednesday, August 26th, at approximately 6:00 PM.
During the test the sirens will sound for four minutes. WHUD Radio (100.7 FM) will test the Emergency Alert System immediately following the siren test.

County officials will use the siren system to alert the public during an emergency at Indian Point. A sample of the Siren Sounds can be found at our website. www.putnamcountyny.com/pcbes/oem/indian-point/
In an actual emergency, all the sirens would sound at full volume for four minutes. Sirens are not a signal to evacuate; but to alert the public to tune to their local Emergency Alert System (EAS) radio or TV station for important information. The EAS stations are listed in the booklet “Are you Ready ? Putnam County Indian Point: Emergency Guide,” which was distributed, as well as available online.

For additional information on this siren test:

Visit www.safesecurevital.org

Information on Indian Point emergency planning is on the New York Alert website:
https://alert.ny.gov/indian-point

 

Putnam County’s Office for Senior Resources Over 3,000 Food Bank Grocery Bags Delivered to Seniors

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This past Thursday marked the 3,000th grocery bag delivered by the Office for Senior Resources staff to the seniors of Putnam County. In addition to the daily home delivered meals and program materials transported to homebound seniors, OSR’s drivers bring a special package every Thursday. Those seniors who come to one of OSR’s 4 Friendship Centers to pick up a Grab n’ Go lunch during this pandemic also share in the bounty and receive a weekly grocery bag.

This bounty is courtesy of the United Way of Putnam and Westchester and the Food Bank of Hudson Valley under the direction of Food Drive Coordinator Faith Butcher. Each week the bag is different, and it might contain pieces of fruit, vegetables, onions (lots of onions!), yogurt, snacks, coffee, tea, a beverage, canned goods, eggs, bread, cheese and other items. Each Thursday morning, dozens of volunteers from the United Way, local food banks, other community organizations and local government come together to sort and bag truckloads of goods. The response of the Putnam County community to those in need during this coronavirus pandemic has been extraordinary and it is most appreciated by our seniors who look forward to each weekly surprise.

Our seniors are most at risk to dangers of the coronavirus, and the daily Home Delivered Meals, daily Grab n’ Go lunches, and the weekly United Way Food Bank Grocery Bag programs all work to help minimize the amount of shopping and the subsequent public exposure risk to our seniors. OSR has focused not only on the nutritional needs of Putnam County’s seniors during this crisis which has forced the temporary closure of its senior Friendship Centers but also on combating the dangers of loneliness and social isolation through a variety of telephone and internet video programs: Coffee and Conversation, Brain Fitness, Virtual Bingo, Zoom Dancing, Book Club Chats, Caregiver Support Groups, Online Exercise Classes and is working on more creative resources. 50 classes a week are offered! Any seniors interested in finding out more are invited to call the Office for Senior Resources at (845) 808-1700.

Response to Tropical Storm Isaias

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Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell praised the coordinated state, county and local response to Tropical Storm Isaias, which kept Putnam County residents safe during Tropical Storm Isaias and its aftermath.

“Once again, our county and local first responders made us proud,” County Executive Odell said. “The quick and sustained response of the members of the Incident Command Staff including Deputy County Executive Thomas Feighery, Bureau of Emergency Services Commissioner Ken Clair, Putnam County Highway Commissioner Fred Pena and the many municipal highway crews and fire and police departments that made sure our roads were cleared and our residents safe.  I also want to thank the volunteers like the Knights of Columbus, Ace Endico and the Paladin Center. They didn’t hesitate to step up and offer help to our residents. It’s that community spirit that makes Putnam County such a special place to live.”

Odell also thanked the state officials who were embedded at the Incident Command Center and provided invaluable assistance, including Michael Kopy, Director of Emergency Management, Dylan Miyoshi, Hudson Valley Representative in the Office of Regional Affairs, Tom Scaglione, Hudson Valley Representative of the state Department of Labor and Tom Cogdon, Executive Deputy of the Department of Public Service.

Ken Clair Jr., the commissioner of the Putnam County Bureau of Emergency Services said every town in the county had significant damage, with fallen trees blocking roads everywhere and bringing down utility poles and transmission lines.

“This storm was comparable to the 2018 tornado in terms of damage,” Commissioner Clair said. “Luckily, we have a really good team in the county. The Legislature, senior services, social services, county highway and local highway crews, the police, the fire departments, everyone knows their job in a storm. We push through and we get it done.”

County Executive Odell declared a State of Emergency on August 5 and called in the New York National Guard, who distributed water and ice to each municipality for its residents.

Odell said she wished she could say the same about the response by the public utilities that our residents pay for every month. While power has been restored throughout the county, it took far too long, Odell said.

“I’m totally disappointed in NYSEG and Central Hudson,” Odell said. “The utilities were not prepared and that is just not acceptable. Not having access to a reliable power source is more than an inconvenience, for many it is a matter of life and death.”

At the height of the August 3 storm, 90 percent of NYSEG’s 39,000 customers in Putnam County lost power. Central Hudson said 36,000 of its customers in Putnam County lost power. The utilities said that damage in Putnam was even worse than the county suffered in Superstorm Sandy in 2012. NYSEG reported 1,300 downed wires and 161 broken poles in our region.

View the Latest Storm Watch : 8.7.2020 Tropical Storm Isaias Recovery Update with County Executive MaryEllen Odell

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View the Latest Storm Watch : 8.7.2020 Tropical Storm Isaias Recovery Update with County Executive MaryEllen Odell

Putnam County EOC remains open. Over 16,500 customers are still without power. Comfort stations available. Water and Dry Ice available from local municipalities

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Overview

County Executive MaryEllen Odell and the ICS Team continue to meet at the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) monitoring the cleanup and restoration efforts from Tropical Storm Isaias.

“While we have seen a little more than half of impacted customers get their power restored, we still have over 16,500 without” said County Executive Odell, “NYSEG reports that expect to see significant progress by the end of the day and that they will continue to work around the clock to provide restoration”.

The County Executive has remained in close contact with Carl Taylor, President & CEO of NYSEG and Michael Kopy, NYS Director of Emergency Management to keep the restoration efforts moving forward. NYSEG reports they have brought in additional crews from across the United States and Canada. They have restored all transmission lines which allows work to move forward on the distribution system which supplies electricity to the customer. NYSEG expects 95% their customers restored by Monday, August 10, 2020.

Dry Ice and water is being made available to customers impacted by the outage. Residents should contact their local municipality for distribution information. Each municipality will establish their own location and schedule.

The entire region has seen cell service issues including inability to make phone calls and no internet. This has been reported by all carriers. They are working to restore service. Cell towers from New Jersey into our region sustained major damage and will require service. No ETA on complete restoration.

Residents are reminded about the dangers of Carbon Monoxide poisoning. Bureau of Emergency Services Commissioner Ken Clair reports that there have been 51 calls for carbon monoxide alarms since the onset of Tropical Storm Isaias. “Of great concern is that of the 51 calls, all 51 of them actually had high carbon monoxide readings”, said Commissioner Clair, “imagine if just one of those alarms hadn’t gone off”. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause sudden illness and death and is produced whenever a fossil fuel, such as gasoline, propane or natural gas, are burned. “All residents should have working carbon monoxide detectors in their residence, it is the only way to detect carbon monoxide” continued Commissioner Clair.

County Response

Putnam County Has Declared a State of Emergency

On August 5, 2020 at 12:00 a.m., County Executive MaryEllen Odell declared a State of Emergency for Putnam County. This declaration remains in effect through August 9, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. This declaration can be extended or revoked as the situation dictates

Putnam County Emergency Operations Center (EOC)

The EOC is currently at Level 2. The EOC is partially activated with Incident Command Team staff as well as specialists from other County departments, State agencies, Municipalities and utility companies. The EOC is on an extended workday schedule with round-the-clock monitoring

Comfort Stations

The County has established the following comfort stations: Comfort stations can be used by residents to recharge their phones and other electronic equipment and spend time in a warm/cool environment

Open Name Location
10 AM – 4 PM

 

 Friendship Center of Philipstown

(Former Butterfield Hospital Site)

 1756 NY-9D

Cold Spring NY
10 AM – 4 PM Knights of Columbus 10 Fair St

Carmel NY
10 AM – 4 PM German American Social Club 11 Kramers Pond Rd

Putnam Valley NY

 

Water & Ice Distribution

Please check with your local municipality for the availability of dry ice and the current schedule

Brewster

Brewster Village Town Hall
50 Main St

Bottled Water

Carmel

Knights of Columbus
10 Fair St

Dry Ice and Bottled Water

Kent

Kent Police Department
40 Sybil’s Crossing

Dry Ice & Bottled Water
24 Hrs

Mahopac

Roller Rink Parking Lot
740 Rt 6

Bottled Water

Patterson

Town Hall
1142 NY 311

Dry Ice Bottled Water
9:00 AM – While supplies lasts

Putnam Lake

Scott’s Putnam Lake Wines
74 Fairfield Dr

Dry ice & Bottled Water
10:00 AM – While supplies lasts

Putnam Valley

Putnam Valley Fire House
265 Oscawanna Lake Rd

Dry Ice and Bottled Water

Southeast

Town Hall
1360 Rt 22

Dry Ice & Bottled Water 9:00 AM – While supplies lasts

Traffic and Road Conditions

Putnam County Sheriff’s Office reports that we are seeing normal traffic patterns. Most traffic lights been returned to normal power or are operating on generator power. Most roadways are passable however motorists should use caution due to scattered debris and trees still entangled in wires

County Facilities

All County facilities are on their appropriate normal working schedule

Utilities

NYSEG – 15,500 without power. Expected that 95% of customers will be restored by 11:00 p.m. Monday, August 10, 2020

Central Hudson – 746 without power

Bureau of Emergency Services

Putnam County 9-1-1 remains fully staffed. The 9-1-1 Center reports a dramatic increase in the number of Carbon Monoxide calls. Residents are reminded to use caution when operating a generator, fumes from the improper use of a generator can KILL IN MINUTES. NEVER run a generator indoors or in a partially enclosed area like garages, car ports or under patio awnings. Generators should be placed outdoors far from windows, doors, crawl spaces, etc.

The public is reminded that 9-1-1 should only be used for EMERGENCY requests for Police, Fire or EMS.

Fire & EMS

All Putnam County fire & EMS agencies have been briefed regarding the event. Call volume has returned to a normal level

Highways and Facilities

Highway crews are continuing with debris removal and restoration efforts

Transportation

The fixed route PART System and the Croton Falls Commuters System are operating on a normal schedule for today, Friday, August 7, 2020

Putnam Hospital Center

Putnam Hospital Center has returned to normal power.

Information

Remember to check on neighbors, friends and family during this difficult time.

NYSEG Outage Website: https://outagemap.nyseg.com/

Central Hudson Outage Website: https://stormcentral.cenhud.com/

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Carbon Monoxide Can’t Be:

  • Seen
  • Heard
  • Smelled

But It Can Be Stopped!

Install CO detectors today!

Keep your family safe and install CO detectors (battery powered or battery backup) near every sleeping area in your home. Check the CO detector regularly.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless gas that can kill without warning. CO claims the lives of hundreds of people every year and makes thousands more ill. CO can be produced by common household items including gas and oil burning furnaces, portable generators, and charcoal grills.

  • Remember to have your furnace or boiler inspected every year
  • If operating a wood-burning stove or fireplace, be sure it is properly ventilated and has been professionally cleaned in the last year
  • Ovens, stoves and outdoor grills should NEVER be used to heat your home. Aside from causing a serious fire hazard when improperly used as a home heating source, these appliances can also cause a potentially lethal build-up of carbon monoxide gas
  • Never use a generator inside your home (including basement) or garage even if you open the doors or windows
  • Only use a generator outside more than 20 feet from your home, doors, windows, awnings or attached car ports