County declares state of emergency

| 14 Mar 2017 | 11:01

— Orange County has declared a state of emergency, in effect from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Tuesday, March 14.
The declaration prohibits non-essential travel on all county and local roads as a major snowstorm hits the area. All county offices are closed on Tuesday and employees should not report for work unless specifically directed to.
“The safety of our residents is of paramount importance,” said Deputy County Executive Wayne Booth after he activated the County’s Emergency Operations Center at 6 a.m. on Tuesday in response to Winter Storm Stella.
“We urge the public to stay off the roads during the storm and to remain aware of weather advisories. The County’s Emergency Management team will continue to monitor the storm and provide residents with any important updates.”
The Emergency Operations Center in Goshen is the central point of administration for all public safety emergencies. Along with Booth, Orange County Commissioner of Emergency Services Brendan Casey and Deputy Commissioners Craig Cherry and Alan Mack are on site at the center monitoring the storm.
Several other agencies, including the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, State Police, the State Department of Homeland Security Emergency Services, American Red Cross, Orange and Rockland Utilities, Orange County Department of Public Works, the County’s Medical Reserves Corps and the State Department of Transportation, are also present at the center.
The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for Orange County in effect until Tuesday evening. According to the National Weather Service, approximately 12 to 18 inches of snow will accumulate in Orange County during the storm, accompanied by wind gusts as high as 40 mph.
NY-ALERT, New York State’s all-hazards alert and notification system, is one of the best ways residents can receive emergency information. To subscribe for this free service, please visit www.nyalert.gov. If you do not have internet access, you may still sign up for NY-ALERT by calling 1-888-697-6972.
For more information about storm-preparation efforts in Orange County as well as current weather advisories, visit the Division of Emergency Management’s website at orangecountygov.com/dem, or its Facebook page, facebook.com/OrangeCountyEmergencyManagement.