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East Hampton supervisor outlines storm response, $1 million budget modification and request for state help
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Summary
Supervisor Kathy Burke Gonzalez said the town cleared roads within 48 hours after a historic blizzard, ran twice-daily coordination calls during the February storm, enacted a real-time 20-person text thread for responders, and approved a budget modification of about $1,000,000; the town will seek state reimbursement for expenses.
East Hampton Town Supervisor Kathy Burke Gonzalez told East End News the town's emergency response to a severe winter blizzard included pre-storm planning, continuous coordination among department heads and contractors, and rapid road clearing to restore access for emergency vehicles.
Gonzalez said the town convened department heads before the storm and established a 20-person text thread to relay real-time information. During the February blizzard the town held two daily calls — 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. — to coordinate operations across police, marine patrol, parks, highways and contractors. She credited local contractors and the highway department with clearing roads within 48 hours and finishing major cleanup within 72 hours despite wind gusts over 60 miles per hour.
The supervisor said power outages and hazardous winds delayed some utility crews; she described staging by utility partners at the local airport and regular communication to coordinate road access for crews.
Gonzalez said the town made a budget modification for approximately $1,000,000 to cover storm costs and signed a letter with the Suffolk County Supervisors and Mayors Association requesting state reimbursement for expenses related to the storms.
What happens next: the town will track storm-related expenses and pursue reimbursement from the state; the full interview is available on LTV's YouTube channel.
