Gothamist: Mayor Wants NYPD in Charge

Blike = Jump to conclusion (mat)

Fri, 30 Sep 2005 16:36:13 -0500

Who said NYPD is going to rush in? Can't you read? "take command of hundreds of officers who work for regional authorities during city emergencies"

y

Fri, 30 Sep 2005 16:33:50 -0500

Shit! Ferrer can't even write his own blog or follow campaign laws let along handle disaster management.

Blike Moomberg

Fri, 30 Sep 2005 09:46:50 -0500

There should be a head above the NYPD that has full authority over one thing: to oversee emergency operations. Let's say a terrorist blows himself up and a 10-story building with him. People are dead, lost limbs, blinded by shrapnel. People are trapped under rubble. Flames everywhere. Toxic chemicals in the basement are releasing fumes. The first responders should be EMT with medical equipment, and the FDNY with hazmat suits, ladders, and debris removal equipment. Definitely don't send in the NYPD first, armed only with handcuffs and guns. Bloomberg's plan is for the NYPD handle it first. Ferrer's plan is to have a single authority for emergency management, to best decide who should first respond. This is serious life-or-death stuff, and should be seriously considered when going to the voting booth. Bloomberg's businessman experience obviously didn't include disaster managment.

Zac

Fri, 30 Sep 2005 09:29:13 -0500

I think the point is, as we saw in the aftermath of Katrina, someone has to be in charge. It would be better to name the toll booth collector for the Henry Hudson Bridge as the point man in the case of an emergency than to just have a complete power vacuum. If you think about it, the police or fire commissioner for the City of New York are probably your two best options. Can you really imagine the NYPD taking orders from the Port Authority PD? As far as jurisdiction tiffs, you just have to go with the best of all options. Hopefully, the NYPD is comfortable with the fact that the Port Authority and MTA PDs knows their tunnels and bridges (or at least should) best.