NYSG programming is increasing community awareness and preparedness for hurricanes and coastal storms

Contact:

Kathleen Fallon, NYSG Coastal Processes & Hazards Specialist, P: 631-632-8730, E: kmf228@cornell.edu

Stony Brook, NY, March 4, 2019 - Long Island is frequently impacted by coastal storms that include tropical systems such as hurricanes. The year 2018 marked six years since Superstorm Sandy and was the 80th anniversary of the 1938 Hurricane here. Although these storms occurred nearly 75 years apart, both resulted in the destruction of thousands of homes, loss of life, and hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.

By partnering with hurricane experts to discuss these events and advances in responding to such storms, New York Sea Grant (NYSG) is reminding Long Islanders that they must always be prepared since we never know when the next “big one” will hit.

In 2018, NYSG collaborated with the National Weather Service (NWS) and other emergency experts to host two workshops in local communities. Various organizations presented on hurricane-related topics, such as forecasting, preparedness, impacts, and response to the public audiences.

Addtionally, representatives of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals informed attendees how to evacuate pets, and Federal Emergency Management Agency staff conducted a hands-on activity that put attendees in a landfalling hurricane scenario to identify specific steps they can take to ensure the safety of themselves and others.

By invitation, NYSG participated in the 2018 Long Island Hurricane Symposium at Hofstra University. The interdisciplinary event commemorated the 80th anniversary of the 1938 “Long Island Express” Hurricane, assessed current hurricane science, and addressed future resilience opportunities.

Through these workshop and educational outreach events, NYSG provided hurricane-related information and resources to more than 70 community members from across Long Island. Additionally, NYSG strengthened its relationships with the NWS and universities as well as federal, state, and local government emergency organizations.

NYSG hurricane-related programming is steadily increasing stakeholder awareness and equipping their efforts to build resiliency against future hurricane hazards.


Although Superstorm Sandy hit Long Island hard in 2012, most businesses have rebounded; Inset, NYSG Coastal Processes & Hazards Specialist Kathleen Fallon welcomes the audience at a hurricane information workshop. Credit: Ryan Strother.

Partners:

• Federal Emergency Management Agency
• Hofstra University
• Nassau County Office of Emergency Management
• National Weather Service
• Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
• Suffolk County Department of Fire Rescue and Emergency Services
• Village of Quogue Emergency Management

More Info: New York Sea Grant

New York Sea Grant (NYSG), a cooperative program of Cornell University and the State University of New York (SUNY), is one of 33 university-based programs under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Sea Grant College Program.

Since 1971, NYSG has represented a statewide network of integrated research, education and extension services promoting coastal community economic vitality, environmental sustainability and citizen awareness and understanding about the State’s marine and Great Lakes resources.

Through NYSG’s efforts, the combined talents of university scientists and extension specialists help develop and transfer science-based information to many coastal user groups—businesses and industries, federal, state and local government decision-makers and agency managers, educators, the media and the interested public.

The program maintains Great Lakes offices at Cornell University, SUNY Buffalo, SUNY Oswego and the Wayne County Cooperative Extension office in Newark. In the State's marine waters, NYSG has offices at Stony Brook University in Long Island, Brooklyn College and Cornell Cooperative Extension in NYC and Kingston in the Hudson Valley.

For updates on Sea Grant activities: www.nyseagrant.org has RSS, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube links. NYSG offers a free e-list sign up via www.nyseagrant.org/nycoastlines for its flagship publication, NY Coastlines/Currents, which is published quarterly. Our program also produces an occasional e-newsletter,"NOAA Sea Grant's Social Media Review," via its blog, www.nyseagrant.org/blog.