Hurricane Irene
Emergency Planning and Response
Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Peter Stuebe
Deputy Director
Metropolitan Transportation
Authority
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Hurricane Planning
• Objective:
– Provide evacuation services
– Protection of customers, residents, employees
and infrastructure
2
Hurricane Planning
• Worst Case: 2.3 Million New Yorkers
would be ordered to evacuate.
3
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
4
Hurricane Planning
• Lessons learned from Katrina
– Accommodations for pets
– Plan for earlier evacuation of health care
facilities
5
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
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Preparedness
• Mitigations
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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
All times refer to hours before the ZERO hour established by NYC OEM
Time
(hrs before 0 hour)
MTA Agency Actions
Notes
50 hours (or 24 hours
prior to the start of
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

Individual emergency management task forces begin
to convene regularly
Prepare equipment and personnel to implement
coastal storm service
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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
16
Transportation Strategy
• Fares in evacuation zones
• Pets
17
Additional Subway Service
18
Additional Bus Service
• In the worst case scenario, additional
service is required during the midday on
75 NYCT and 23 MTA Bus routes
19
NYC’s Satellite Evacuation Center System
• 65 Centers
• Shelters
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Shelters
21
Curtailment of Service
22
Curtailment of Service
• Safety of crews and bus operators
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Curtailment of Service
25
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
26
Communications
• Chairman Walder participated in press
briefings with the Mayor and Commission
of OEM
27
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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
• Any emergency is complex in NYC
• CIMS
– Used to define roles and responsibilities
• Information
• Decisions
• Resources
32
EOC
• Wednesday, August 24 – Activation of the
EOC for Planning Meeting
• Thursday, August 25 – Activation 24/7
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Other OEMs
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Damage Assessment
• Worst Damage to MTA on Pt. Jervis
35
After Action or “Hot Wash”
• Dozens of meetings
– Lessons learned
• Routine Tabletop Exercises
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