NEWS:
Edward A. Diana
Orange County Executive
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Orysia Dmytrenko / (845) 615-0510
Saturday, August 27, 2011 odmytrenko@oranegcountygov.com
Orange County Restricts Unnecessary Travel, Closes County Parks
Second Executive Order Issued during Hurricane Irene
(Goshen, NY) – Deputy County Executive James D. O’Donnell signed Executive Order No. 6 of 2011 today prohibiting all non-essential vehicular travel from all highways and roads within the County of Orange effective 9:00 pm tonight and concluding 7:00 pm Sunday evening. In addition, the order closes County parks and recreational facilities to the public until further notice. These actions are being taken as a precaution resulting from the predicted forecast of Hurricane Irene for Orange County that includes high winds and record flooding.
“At this point, residents should be as prepared as possible for Irene. Please stay indoors and off the roads. Continue to receive County updates via the internet, or on your local television and radio stations,” said Deputy County Executive O’Donnell. “Orange County is working hard to keep citizens safe and informed during this time.”
Deputy County Executive O’Donnell activated Orange County’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Goshen at 4:00 pm today to coordinate with the forty-two local governments and West Point calling in approximately thirty-eight federal, state, county and non-governmental agencies.
Orange County participated in a briefing by the National Weather Service earlier in the afternoon to receive the latest up-to-date information regarding Hurricane Irene. After which, Deputy County Executive O’Donnell held a conference call with the County’s municipalities to inform them on the County’s current emergency plans.
Orange County is currently in a Flood Watch. A flood watch is issued when weather conditions are favorable for very heavy rain and flash flooding. The County is also in a Tropical Storm Warning, defined as a cyclonic storm originating in the tropics and having winds ranging from 39 to 73 miles per hour (34 to 63 knots; 63 to 117 kilometers per hour).
The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) from Orange County Department of Heath are volunteering as call takers at the County’s EOC during the incident, while RACES volunteers – who are volunteer licensed radio amateurs – are monitoring weather conditions across in the county, including water levels at rivers, streams and creeks.
Executive Order No. 5 of 2011 was issued earlier suspending the County’s competitive bidding procedures effective 4:00 pm today, until further notice.
Orange County, under the leadership of County Executive Edward A. Diana and the Orange County Legislature, built a new state-of-the-art Department of Emergency Services facility at 22 Wells Farm Road in Goshen, which opened in July 2008 and is hardened to withstand a hurricane.
The Orange County website, www.orangecountygov.com, has a new section designated just for critical information regarding Hurricane Irene. Please continue to find the Orange County Emergency Management and Orange County Executive Edward A. Diana on Facebook and Twitter.
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