The Multipurpose Center at AF Veteran Town Park was used last night as an emergency shelter for the first time to provide shelter to 32 displaced residents of 172 Saw Mill River Road. A sprinkler went off in the building which activated the Elmsford Fire Department to respond. The water went all the way down to the bottom floor and was running out of the door on to 9A. All the light and wall sockets got wet becoming a potential fire hazard.
Mayor Bob Williams of Elmsford contacted me shortly after the incident. I reached out to Joe Lucasey and asked him to make the multipurpose center available as an emergency shelter. Syd Henry of the Elmsford Fire Department and Chief Joe DeCarlo of the Greenburgh police department stayed in contact with me during the evening hours.
The Red Cross provided beds. The 32 displaced residents were interviewed and efforts are continuing to find shelter for the families since the building won’t be habitable for a while.
A special thanks to Greenburgh CERT volunteers who spent evening hours helping out. The CERT volunteers who helped are:
Jeanne Apicella…Lisa Cruz…Patricia & Richard Edelson…Nat Federici…Marilyn Ghilardi…Sharon Hernstadt…Stacey Irvine…Susan Plath…Harold Rose…Larry Seberg…Eva Yasgur…Peter Yam.
When I stopped by at the shelter to observe the operations I was impressed with the professionalism of the volunteers (Red Cross & CERT volunteers), police and fire depts. I would also like to thank the Greenburgh Parks dept for their efforts.
WE LEARNED…
One of the problems we experienced was lack of food. As a result of this –I’m going to reach out to supermarkets and food stores in Greenburgh and will ask for vouchers that the police/CERT team can use only in the event of an emergency. Those evacuated would have been more comfortable if we had more food to offer them. The CERT team will be setting up a special account and will accept dollar donations that could be used in the event of a future emergency.
We probably should have used the Theodore Young Community Center as a shelter rather than the multipurpose center. They have shower facilities.
POLICE COSTS—We had to station a police officer at the center during the evening. We will ask the Town Attorney to investigate whether we can bill the landlord for the costs the town incurred in providing the emergency shelter.
The Town Board will be recognizing the volunteers at the next Town Board meeting—next Wednesday night.
PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh Town Supervisor
