County Manager Again Extends State of Emergency in Southern Sullivan County

Monticello, NY – Sullivan County Manager Joshua Potosek has again extended a State of Emergency for the towns of Forestburgh, Highland, Lumberland and Tusten in southern Sullivan County effective immediately until 6:00 P.M. Tuesday, March 6, 2018, due to significant ongoing impacts from this past Friday's nor’easter.
 
“Upon discussion with town officials and upon advice of our team at the Emergency Operations Center, I am keeping the State of Emergency in force through tomorrow evening,” said Potosek. “We continue to invest all available resources to work collaboratively with the State, local towns and villages, the Army National Guard and the utilities to restore power and reopen roads in these and other towns.”
 
“Thousands of trees were downed by Friday's storm, taking electrical, phone and cable lines with them – and in some cases, destroying poles and transformers in the process,” Sullivan County Public Safety Commissioner Rick Sauer explained. “The amount and extent of the damage means we'll have teams fanning out all across the County tomorrow to assess and repair damage – utilities on the power lines, followed immediately by County, town and National Guard personnel to remove trees and clear roads.”
 
This emergency declaration DOES NOT BAN TRAVEL on County and local roads in the areas of Forestburgh, Glen Spey, Pond Eddy, Eldred, Yulan, Barryville and Narrowsburg, nor is travel restricted in the portions of Sullivan County outside the previously mentioned towns.
 
School districts throughout Sullivan County should be open tomorrow, provided they have power to their facilities and can safely bus students to their campuses. Eldred Central School District, situated in the heart of the hardest-hit area, plans to be open but is still awaiting the restoration of power, as of 6 p.m. today.
 
List of Warming Centers, Shelters
 
The following warming centers and shelters are open to the public:
Federation for the Homeless (8 a.m.-4 p.m. only), Monticello
United Methodist Church, North Main Street, Liberty
Highland Town Hall, Proctor Road, Eldred (dry ice available, as supplies last)
Tusten Town Hall, Bridge Street, Narrowsburg (dry ice available, as supplies last)
Youngsville Firehouse, Shandelee Road (dry ice available, as supplies last)
Fallsburg Town Hall, Railroad Avenue, South Fallsburg (dry ice available, as supplies last)
White Lake Firehouse, Route 17B (dry ice available, as supplies last)
Mamakating Environmental Education Center, South Road, Wurtsboro (daytime only)
Lake Huntington Firehouse, Lake Huntington Road (dry ice available, as supplies last)
Mamakating Town Hall, Route 209, Wurtsboro
Forestburgh Firehouse, Route 42 (dry ice available, as supplies last)
Camp Simcha, White Road, Glen Spey
Woodridge Village Hall, Dairyland Road (dry ice available, as supplies last)
In addition, the Callicoon Center Firehouse on The Gulf Road (County Route 123) will be open tomorrow from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. distributing water and dry ice.
 
Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a State of Emergency for Sullivan County on the state level. Representatives from the Governor's Office, NYS Dept. of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, New York Power Authority, NYS Dept. of Transportation, State Police and the New York National Guard were deployed to the Sullivan County Emergency Operations Center in Swan Lake. They are working closely with County and local officials on recovery efforts and to facilitate in the coordination of the response from the utility companies.
 
Numerous mutual aid crews have also been deployed, from as far away as Texas and Canada, to speed the restoration of services. The American Red Cross' Metro NY chapter is also actively assisting in the provision of water and shelter.