Response to Tropical Storm Isaias
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
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
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
|
Bottled Water |
Carmel |
Knights of Columbus
|
Dry Ice and Bottled Water |
Kent |
Kent Police Department
|
Dry Ice & Bottled Water
|
Mahopac |
Roller Rink Parking Lot
|
Bottled Water |
Patterson |
Town Hall
|
Dry Ice Bottled Water
|
Putnam Lake |
Scott’s Putnam Lake Wines
|
Dry ice & Bottled Water
|
Putnam Valley |
Putnam Valley Fire House
|
Dry Ice and Bottled Water |
Southeast |
Town Hall
|
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
View the Latest Storm Watch : 8.6.2020 Tropical Storm Isaias Recovery Update with County Executive MaryEllen Odell
View the Latest Storm Watch : 8.6.2020 Tropical Storm Isaias Recovery Update with County Executive MaryEllen Odell
Putnam County EOC remains open. Over 25,700 customers are still without power. Comfort stations available. Water and Ice available from local municipalities
County Executive MaryEllen Odell and the ICS Team at the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) continue to monitor the cleanup and restoration efforts from Tropical Storm Isaias.
“The wind gusts from the storm did a large amount of damage in a relatively short period of time”, said County Executive Odell, “NYSEG reports that damage from this storm surpassed the damage to our region done by Superstorm Sandy in 2012 and they will continue to work around the clock to provide restoration”.
County Executive Odell continues to meet with Carl Taylor, President & CEO of NYSEG and Michael Kopy, NYS Director of Emergency Management. NYSEG reports that there were 1,300 downed wires in addition to more than 161 broken poles in our region. Currently there are more than 1200 company and contractor (line and tree) resources actively working in the Brewster division (the Brewster Division serves not only Putnam County but upper Westchester and parts of Dutchess County). NYSEG expects 50% of it’s customers to be restored by Thursday, August 6, 2020 evening with 95% 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.
Water and Ice Distribution
(Please check with your local municipality for the availability of dry ice and current schedule)
Carmel |
Knights of Columbus
|
Wet Ice and Bottled Water |
Kent |
Kent Police Department
|
Bottled Water
|
Mahopac |
Roller Rink Parking Lot
|
Wet Ice and Bottled Water |
Patterson |
Town Hall
|
Bottled Water
|
Putnam Lake |
Scott’s Putnam Lake Wines
|
Bottled Water
|
Putnam Valley |
Putnam Valley Fire House
|
Wet Ice and Bottled Water |
Southeast |
Town Hall
|
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
|
Comfort stations available:
Friendship Center of Philipstown (former Butterfield Hospital site). 1756 NY-9D, Cold Spring NY
Knights of Columbus, 10 Fair St, Carmel NY
Both facilities are open from 10 AM until 4 PM. Residents can use the facilities to cool down and recharge their phones and other electronic equipment.
All County facilities resumed a normal operating schedule however our public transportation system which includes the Croton Falls Commuters and fixed route PART System is suspended and expected to resume normal operations on Friday, August 7, 2020.
NYSEG reports that currently 23,600 customers are without power. Central Hudson reports 2,000 customers are without power.
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 remains fully manned and should only be used for emergency requests for Police, Fire or EMS.
Safety Near Fallen Wires:
- You can’t tell if a power line is energized just by looking at it. You should assume that all fallen power lines are live and proceed with extreme caution.
- If you see a fallen power line, stay at least 30 feet away from it and anything touching it. The ground around a power line and any objects it contacts, such as a fence, may be energized. Call 911 to report the condition so that emergency responders and Central Hudson or NYSEG are notified.
- If a downed wire comes in contact with your vehicle, stay inside and wait for help. If you must get out because of fire or other danger, jump clear of the vehicle to avoid any contact with the vehicle and the ground at the same time. Land with your feet together and hop with feet together or shuffle away; don’t run or stride.
- Do not attempt to move a fallen power line or anything else in contact with it using an object such as a broom or stick. Even non-conductive materials or cloth can conduct electricity if slightly wet.
During a Power Interruption
- Contact neighbors to see if their power is off. A loss of power may be the result of a blown fuse or a tripped circuit breaker.
- To report a power interruption, contact your utility company.
- Keep refrigerators and freezers closed as much as possible. Most food will last 24 hours if you minimize the opening of refrigerator and freezer doors.
Please continue to monitor NY-Alert for updates
Majority of Putnam County remains without power. State of Emergency remains in effect due to the effects of Tropical Storm Isaias. All government offices to open on a normal schedule Thursday August 6, 2020
While the majority of our roads are now passable thanks to the efforts of our Highway Departments” said County Executive MaryEllen Odell, “we still have an unparalleled number of residents without power and our highway crews along with the utility companies will continue working to clear debris and restore power”. NYSEG and Central Hudson report over 35,000 customers are without power. NYSEG is projecting that 50% of customers will be restored by 6:00 PM Thursday evening and full restoration could take until the weekend.
County Executive Odell has remained at the Emergency Operations Center along with the Incident Command Team to oversee the County’s response efforts.
NYSEG is working with local towns and villages to provide water and wet ice for distribution. Dry ice will be available Thursday morning. Residents should contact their local municipality for distribution information. Each municipality will establish their own location and schedule.
All Putnam County Facilities will return to a normal working schedule Thursday August 6, 2020.
To assist the public the County will have two comfort stations open for Thursday August 6, 2020:
Friendship Center of Philipstown (former Butterfield Hospital site). 1756 NY-9D, Cold Spring NY
Knights of Columbus, 10 Fair St, Carmel NY
Both facilities are open from 10 AM until 4 PM. Residents can use the facilities to cool down and recharge their phones and other electronic equipment.
Residents are reminded to use 9-1-1 for emergency calls only.
Generator Safety:
• NEVER operate a generator 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.
• Only have an experienced electrician connect a generator to your home. Improperly installed generators may overload circuits, cause a fire or shock hazard, and can result in serious injury or property damage. Improperly installed generators can also back-feed onto electric lines and endanger repair crews working to restore service.
• Plug appliances directly into the generator using a heavy-duty, outdoor-rated extension cord that is designed to handle the wattage of all the appliances being connected.
• Generators should be sized to meet the needs of the appliances they are connected to. If too small, appliances can be damaged, and the generator can overheat, creating a fire hazard.
County Executive MaryEllen Odell declares a State of Emergency
Click to view the video below.
Putnam County Executive Declares State of Emergency due to the effects of Tropical Storm Isaias. Towns & Villages to distribute water and wet ice
On August 5, 2020 at 12:00 am, Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell declared a State of Emergency for Putnam County. “This storm caused an unprecedented amount of damage to our electrical infrastructure with an estimated 86% of all customers without power” said County Executive Odell. “To enable our resources to be effectively deployed I am declaring a State of Emergency for Putnam County”. A State of Emergency Declaration will stay in effect for a period not to exceed 5 days.
NYSEG is working with local towns and villages to provide water and wet ice for distribution. Residents should contact their local municipality for distribution information. Each municipality will establish their own location and schedule.
To assist the public the County has established two comfort stations:
Friendship Center of Philipstown (former Butterfield Hospital site). 1756 NY-9D, Cold Spring NY
Knights of Columbus, 10 Fair St, Carmel NY
Both facilities are open from 10 AM until 4 PM. Residents can use the facilities to cool down and recharge their phones and other electronic equipment.
Residents are reminded to use 9-1-1 for emergency calls only.