New York National Guard Leaders Discuss Disaster Response Duties

Media Advisory

EAST SYRACUSE N.Y. (09/13/2010)(readMedia)-- Leaders of the New York Army and Air National Guard will meet at the Doubletree Hotel Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday this week to refine their plans for dealing with state emergencies and natural disasters in central New York and throughout the state.

Reporters are invited to attend the opening session for remarks from the Adjutant General, Major General Patrick Murphy; New York State Deputy Secretary for Public Safety Mary Kavaney, and Divison of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Acting Commissioner John Gibb. Murphy will be available for interviews.

WHO: Major General Patrick Murphy, the Adjutant General of New York, Deputy Secretary for Public Safety Mary Kavaney and key leaders of the New York National Guard's regional joint task forces.

WHAT: The annual New York National Guard Domestic Operations Planning Conference gathers National Guard leaders to refine their plans to respond to natural disasters or other state emergencies at the direction of the governor. The commanders of the New York National Guard's regional Joint Task Forces and their staff officers met with other military and civilian emergency responders to discuss common concerns and review operating procedures.

WHEN: 12:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 14

WHERE: Doubletree Hotel, 6301, State Route 298, East Syracuse

Coverage Opportunities:

An opportunity to interview Major General Patrick Murphy, the Adjutant General and commander of the New York National Guard, as well as local Guard leaders, about the New York National Guard's plans to respond to emergencies in New York.

BACKGROUND:

The 16,500 men and women of the New York Army and Air National Guard provide a unique force that can respond to natural disasters –floods, tornados, snow or ice storms, or hurricanes-at the direction of the Governor of New York, as well as assisting in other state emergencies.

The military assets available to New York Army and Air National Guard units such as helicopters, cargo planes, engineering equipment, tactical vehicles and specialized communications equipment and the trained personnel the Guard can bring to bear; are a unique asset for New York's residents.

For example, when it appeared that Hurricane Earl might come ashore on Long Island the New York National Guard was ready to commit 500 Soldiers prior to the hurricane to begin emergency relief operations. Other troops would have followed on as required.

In 1998 the New York Army National Guard sent thousands of troops to the North Country in response to a major Ice Storm and following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks more than 2,500 Soldiers and Airmen were on duty.

The New York National Guard has special teams trained to extract individuals trapped in a ruined building, decontaminate them and treat them, as well as teams that can identify the presence of chemical, biological, and radiological hazards and weapons. The New York National Guard will organize the main force of the Federal Emergency Management Region II Homeland Response Force in 2012 and also maintains a standing security task force in New York City; Joint Task Force Empire Shield.

The New York National Guard has divided the state into Joint Areas of Operation in which a Joint Task Force is responsible for commanding all National Guard forces in the area and working with local governments and officials.