Mobilization Exercises: Long Island USAR Training

摘要

When dealing with cata-strophic events, New York State's Long Island has distinct issues because of its population and its geography. The island of eight million is connected to the continental United States by an aging and limited bridge and tunnel system. Almost all land- and seaborne resupply must travel through New York City, which creates additional bottlenecks, confusion, and delays. These factors complicate disaster response to the island's communities. In its history, the island has faced fre- quent catastrophic disasters, natural and manmade [e.g., the 1991 Nor'easter (inspiration for the film The Perfect Storm), the 1996 Boeing 747 TWA Flight 800 crash, the 2012 Super Storm Sandy, and the 2013 100-year blizzard]. Because of this Suffolk County (the island's easternmost county) has spent years studying target hazards, developing action plans and protocols, and continuously reassessing its ability to respond during catastrophic events.