Hochul Declares State of Emergency
By Hank Russell
A blazing brush fire broke out in parts of Brookhaven and Southampton Towns on March 8, causing major roadways to be shut down. Nearly 90 fire departments responded to these incidents.
The cause of the fires has yet to be determined.
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine held a press conference at Westhampton Beach Fire Department, While firefighters diligently worked to put out the fire, and the Air National Guard assisted with water drops, “The biggest challenge right now is the wind,” he said, adding it has reached speeds of up to 30 miles per hour.
According to Romaine, the fire started at approximately 1 p.m. in Center Moriches, where Romaine lives. The blaze soon broke out in East Moriches, Eastport, the Pine Barrens and then “a big fire” in Westhampton Beach, just north of Francis S. Gabreski Airport, crossing Rivehead-Westhampton Road.
He also noted that Governor Kathy Hochul, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and local elected officials have offered their resources to help extinguish the fire.
At the time of the press conference, it was announced that a firefighter suffered burns on his face and was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital.
Romaine posted on social media, “Suffolk County [FRES (Fire Emergency Rescue Service)] is coordinating the response to three major brush fires on the East End. We are working with the town of Southampton closely. The National Guard is also involved in water drops that began [some time] ago. Sunrise[ Highway] remains closed past exit 58.”
Hochul appeared on CNN, warning residents against unnecessary travel, In the event of evacuation, she will send ferries out “if people are out in the coastal areas and their passage out of the area is blocked.”
She also issued a state of emergency in Suffolk County. “We are deploying resources as quickly as possible, and I have mobilized our agencies, the National Guard and the State Police to provide air and ground support to ensure we keep our Long Islanders safe,” she said. “I’ve declared a state of emergency to secure resources immediately. This is an evolving situation, and air quality is a concern — New Yorkers need to monitor the latest emergency alerts and prepare to evacuate if necessary.”
At the governor’s direction, the New York National Guard has four helicopters performing water drops, and a C-130 is supporting aerial monitoring. Additionally, the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control has opened the State Fire Operations Center and activated the state’s Fire Mobilization and Mutual Aid Plan to support any resource requests from local fire departments. Numerous other state agencies are providing support via drones, traffic management and personnel as well.
Hochul said she is not relying on the federal government because she learned of “troubling” news. “We just learned today — something very troubling is that Washington funding cuts are now affecting the National Fire Academy; literally today, canceled classes for first responders from all over the country, and these are the people we need on the front lines who are trained and experienced, and because of Washington budget cuts, they will not be continuing at all,” she said, “So, we’re in a crisis situation and the cuts [in] funding that train the people could save our lives is deeply troubling to me.”
Romaine also posted on his social media page guidelines from The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on what to do in the event of a wildfire. The agency recommends checking the air quality at airnow.gov or on their phone’s weather app. They also warn residents not to stay outside if local authorities tell them to; if someone has to go outside, they should wear a respirator approved by NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health). Hochul announced she will send 100,000 N95 masks to those affected by the wildfires by the morning of March 9.
In addition to closing the windows so the smoke does not come in, the CDC says residents should not light candles, gas or propane stoves indoors. Residents should also pay attention to their health symptoms or those of their loved ones, including asthma, COPD, heart disease, diabetes or if someone is pregnant.
27east reported that, according to Romaine, 75% to 80% of the Westhampton Fire has been contained as of 9:15 p.m. Hochul is expected to visit the area on March 9.
Long Island Life & Politics will continue to monitor the situation.