Hurricane Sandy Damage Stemmed From More than Weather

NEW YORK CITY-A superstorm of insufficient resources, lack of preparedness and  old infrastructure contributed significantly to the major damage caused by Hurricane Sandy, according to a new report. The New York Building Congress Task Force on New York City storm preparedness, which was chaired by former Lieutenant Governor Richard Ravitch, has revealed that insufficient power and telecommunications reliability, uneven emergency response, vulnerable infrastructure and antiquated building systems all played a part in Sandy's wrath, the announcement of the report states.

The report, “Risk & Resiliency after Sandy,” makes several recommendations for future weather incidents in the areas of hardening utility grids; emergency planning and response; making buildings more resilient and infrastructure more redundant. It was prepared by 43 of the area's engineers, architects, contractors, developers, association and labor leaders, policymakers and academics.

Specifically, the Building Congress Task Force urges that federal relief funds be allowed for use by private utilities to help pay for capital projects that make the power system more reliable. The federal funds could be used to harden and better protect the existing power generation and distribution system, and to invest in alternative energies, the report suggests.

After examining government's response to the storm, the Building Congress found the need for more comprehensive disaster-preparedness plans, direct oversight and coordination by the Governor and Mayor, and improved communications protocols by government, utilities and the insurance carriers when communicating to each other and with the general public.

In addition, the Task Force calls for the adoption of a new “Emergency Responder Law,” which would enable architects, engineers and contractors to provide immediate, life-saving assistance without being constrained by fear of later litigation, according to the report.

“The city's reluctance to pre-approve and indemnify contractors limited the number of companies willing to assist in the immediate aftermath of the storm,” says Building Trades Employers' Association President and CEO Louis Coletti, who chaired the task force's emergency response committee. “If indemnification were in place, there would have been greater participation, and the work could have been done faster and at a lower cost to government.”

In addition, the task force is calling for the adoption of a new “Emergency Responder Law,” which would enable architects, engineers and contractors to provide immediate, life-saving assistance without being constrained by fear of later litigation.

The fact that so many buildings lost power, particularly those in Lower Manhattan, point to the need for New York City to revise and standardize its building codes and expedite acceptance of new FEMA flood maps. The new standards would require new construction and major renovations to be designed to withstand a one-in-200-year storm. The task force states that such a revision should be implemented no later than October 1^st.

In addition, the task force recommends that all buildings establish emergency preparation and recovery plans and that all tenants are made familiar with its provisions. The plan should address telecommunications needs as well as contingency plans in the event that power or water supplies are interrupted.

Meanwhile, the task force endorses such key transportation priorities as increased capacity on the LIRR's main line, creation of a new Trans-Hudson Tunnel and pursuit of Metro North-Penn Station access. The Building Congress also recommends a cross-harbor freight tunnel, a fourth major metropolitan airport and a new bridge or tunnel connection between Long Island and Connecticut.

“The lack of adequate emergency planning and procedures, a significant issue since 9/11, continues to be a stumbling block for the city,” says Building Congress president Richard Anderson. “Resolution of this issue is imperative in order to truly prepare for the next emergency.”