State DOT Receives Award For Storm Response

ALBANY, NY (05/09/2012)(readMedia)-- New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Joan McDonald today announced that the New York State Academy for Public Administration has awarded the department its 2012 Public Service Excellence Award for outstanding contributions to public service in New York State for its emergency response late last summer to Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. The award is being presented in a ceremony this evening at the Hotel Albany in Albany as part of Public Service Recognition Week.

"Thousands of State DOT employees rose to the occasion last summer, helping to reconnect New Yorkers and their communities when they needed us most," Commissioner McDonald said. "I thank the State Academy for Public Administration for recognizing our team of emergency responders and support staff. Every DOT employee played a critical role in responding to the storms. It is that collective effort that makes DOT's response to this extraordinary event worthy of celebration and recognition."

SAPA is a unique public administration organization founded in 1974 to improve public service. The organization cited the NYSDOT team and three other award recipients for their vision, management skills, and ability to lead the way to an ever-higher level of service for New Yorkers throughout the state. The Academy also lauded them for their work "that will fundamentally improve the well-being of all state residents."

"In this time of permanent fiscal crisis, when public administrators are increasingly called upon to do more with less, this is a fitting opportunity to celebrate those in public service who go above and beyond," said SAPA Executive Director William T. Tyrrell. "Public Service Recognition Week is an opportunity to not only draw attention to the accomplishments of individuals but also to the agencies they represent."

Highways and bridges in eastern New York State, the Catskills and the Adirondacks were devastated by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee striking within days of each other beginning in late August. The two storms wreaked havoc on the transportation system, closing nearly 400 roads and bridges and disrupting rail and air travel across 36 counties. Many of those roadways were reopened within weeks. By late October, all but 15 of the 400 state highway road segments closed by the storms had been reopened. The State Route 42 Bridge in Green County reopened February 15, completing the restoration of all the state highway locations affected by the storms.

"Thanks to Governor Cuomo's leadership, the professionalism and proactive expertise of DOT employees and the help of our construction industry partners, most of New York's roads and bridges were quickly reopened to traffic," Commissioner McDonald said. "It was a tremendous effort – New Yorkers helping each other and demonstrating the true meaning of serving the public."

The response was the largest and most sustained NYSDOT emergency response and recovery event in recent history.

From Aug. 27 to Sept. 30, the NYSDOT statewide team of emergency responders and support staff was actively and intensively engaged in emergency response, damage assessment and recovery related to devastating, back-to-back storms - Hurricane Irene on Aug. 27 and Tropical Storm Lee on Sept. 3. Before the first storm hit, thousands of dedicated public servants at NYSDOT made preparations for the forecasted events. Once the storms hit, NYSDOT employees tirelessly worked as a team, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to save lives, reconnect communities, inform the public, limit further damage to property and the environment, and restore the transportation system.

Additional information about SAPA and Public Recognition Week is available at www.stateacademy.org or at www.psrw.org.

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