Tragedy On The Hudson

At approximately 5AM, one worker was killed and two crew members went missing when a tugboat transporting a crane on a barge from the Albany area to Jersey City, New Jersey, collided with a barge in the construction space of the new Tappan Zee Bridge. The two workers are still missing and presumed dead. The one victim was currently removed from the water was identified as Paul Amon, 63, of Bayville, New Jersey.

The NY State Police put divers in the water to search for the two other victims. The County Police, who keep a boat on the Hudson in the area, assisted with the search. At one point the Governor toured the area. In fact, several politicians could be seen in the area campaigning among the first responders. Sadly, they were not kept out of the scene. We refuse to name them because it was the wrong time and place for campaigning.

The tugboat sank into the depths of the Hudson River after the collision. People on scene said the tugboat pilot had been heard on the radio saying, “Steer left, steer left.” Apparently, he could see there was some kind of obstruction he could see and was trying to avoid it. This, of course, is assuming those accounts are correct. The County’s all-volunteer Hazardous Materials Response Team responded to provide decontamination of the divers when they returned to the Tarrytown shore. The all-volunteer Tarrytown Fire Department was an integral part of this operation overall.

Our hearts and prayers go out to those affected by this horrific event.

County’s Special Operations Open House

HazMat/WMD Full Scale Exercise

Westchester County has the highest taxes in the United States. We also have the highest threat assessment according to many, with perhaps the possible exception being Washington DC. So it was no wonder that with funds secured from tax dollars elsewhere, which of course we still all pay for, Westchester County's Department of Emergency Services hosted a Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Exercise. In all, 56 agencies participated. An unofficial breakdown was 42 paid agencies and 14 volunteer agencies for the 6-hour exercise.

Members of the HMRT getting prepped to respond into the "hot" zone.

Part of this scenario was some sort of bus incident that the Valhalla Fire Department responded to and immediately called 60 Control, the communications arm of DES, for assistance. 

In this photo above, members of the Westchester County all-volunteer Hazardous Materials Response Team get prepped to suit-up to make entry into the hot zone consisting of some sort of release of an unknown chemical. Once they were suited up and the totally encapsulated Level A suits were sealed, two team members went into the scene to do an evaluation. Armed, literally with pH tape on their sleeves for gross reactive readings, along with other metering devices to assist these HazMat responders, they went into the "hot zone". Initially, two responders from this team went to see if they could identify what the chemical agent being used might be. Then two more followed to assess the damage and wounded.

As the event unfolded, different emergency response agencies, mostly comprised of fire and police departments responded to the scene. In an event such as this, given the extreme weather we were experiencing, many of the responders were "recycled" through a rehab station and then allowed back into the event. With all of the departments being brought in, there was an abundance of equipment and personnel. In fact, many said there was too much of everything being brought in to the scene and that would be one of the points mentioned in the "after wash" critique.

While the responders were doing what they do, there were other staffers from a number of agencies monitoring all of the events, taking copious notes. While our taxes may not be lowered anytime soon, we can rest assured that we are well protected.

2 Workers Die In Hastings-On-Hudson Explosion

Two workers lost their lives while working on what is believed to be a 500 gallon heating oil tank located and buried in the backyard of a home at 65 Hillside Avenue. An unknown quantity of gasoline was also found stored in the adjacent garage and of-loaded into a 55-gallon drum. The multi-family home is owned by Django Morrison. Apparently, the two workers were attempting to cut the tank so it could be removed from the ground and were unaware there was still product in it. As they cut into the metal tank with a saw, sparks from the saw must have ignited the vapors and product, causing the remaining product to explode. Unconfirmed reports believed they worked for Three D Maintenance Corporation of Elmsford.

The Hastings-On-Hudson Fire, Police, EMS and Highway Departments all responded to the scene. Other police agencies assisted including the Westchester County Hazardous Materials Response Team, OSHA, PESH, and others. At one point County Executive Rob Astorino stopped by to survey the aftermath at the scene. Once the explosion happened, witnesses stated the oil tank flew upwards about 75 feet into the air, landing in the woods behind the property some 50 or 60 feet from its original location. The workers bodies were thrown approximately 20 feet from where they had been working and are thought to have died instantly. Paramedics on scene performed CPR on both victims to no avail.

Several helicopters flew overhead filming the activity on the ground and other media representatives were in attendance as well. This tragic event, could have been avoided had proper safety precautions been observed and implemented before the removal process began. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of these workers.

5/8/2015 - Addendum: ABG has learned the identities of the two workers: Luis Jacho, 52, and Mora Segundo, 50, both residents of Ossining. We've since learned from unconfirmed sources that the outside oil tank had been used to store gasoline, probably either old gasoline or excess from different pieces of equipment. Modern gasoline additives cause gasoline to have a shelf life and can "gum-up" fuel lines if left to sit unused. Disposal of used or outdated gasoline is cumbersome and sometimes shortcuts are taken. Apparently, Mr Jacho and Mr Segundo were unaware of the tank having gasoline in it and its volatility. Had this tank been used as intended to store oil, the workers might have still created a hazardous condition by cutting the tank with product in it but the outcome might not have been fatal.

Forecast Called For A Dusting

Two days ago a suspicious package arrived at the Journal News’ new offices containing white powder. Most white powder calls are nothing more than a crackpot taking a stab at being threatening – without the nerve to actually confront someone face-to-face. Located on Westchester Avenue across from where their old facility had resided for years, this prompted a full police and fire response, the all-volunteer County Hazardous Materials Response Team, County Health and several others. Ultimately the white powdery substance was a dusting of a harmless powder. Haz-Mat responders took the call seriously but commented afterwards that it was just another hoax. The County’s all-volunteer County Hazardous Materials Response Team responds to approximately 100 white powder calls a year.

Today, Friday, found the White Plains police and fire units called to the White Plains Public Library for another white powder call. This time it was mail addressed to the Journal News, but because it was suspicious to them, their people drove it in a private car to give it to the White Plains Police. They parked in the below-ground library parking structure. ABG learned that they had put the mail in a plastic garbage bag and secured it. The police refused to do anything with it and called the Westchester County Hazardous Materials Response team to the scene to investigate. The determination by the police was to tow the car to the safety of the Valhalla campus to continuing to try to determine what the powdery substance is. As a precaution, the two responders in Tyvek suits who removed the package were decontaminated by the police under the watchful eyes of the HazMat Team, with water. At no point was the public at any risk.

It’s no wonder an upset public is lashing out at the Journal News after they printed their interactive map of gun owners in Westchester County. ABG is not happy about what the Journal News did but is equally unhappy that people are taking to threatening them in this way. ABG would ask those who are upset with what the Journal News did to take a different course of action against them. Those actions can include canceling your subscription, canceling your advertising in the paper, write a letter to their editor and complain that their actions were wrong, boycott advertisers in the paper and let the advertisers know it. But please, please do not threaten them this way. The bloggersphere that we work within and alternate forms of media will continue to grow. They will continue to shrink by their own accord because their actions aren’t sincere. Rather, they are trying to make the news with stories such as these. The media should never become the story. We can only hope.