Response plan reviewed

In the wake of last fall's crash and with the risk of being a potential target for terrorists, city officials are considering a multi-agency drill

BY GRAHAM RAYMAN | STAFF WRITER

April 29, 2004

Despite long-term concerns about safety and security, there has never been a multi-agency drill involving the Coast Guard, city police and firefighters for a major Staten Island Ferry emergency.

The Oct. 15 ferry crash and a consultant's report that followed have spurred city officials to consider holding the first multi-agency ferry disaster exercise.

In February, the city-funded consultants from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point hired to examine the ferry service stated that the city needs to conduct a full review of emergency response plans, urging "coordinated exercise scenarios with police, fire, Coast Guard and private tugs."

Besides the risk of a maritime disaster such as the Oct. 15 crash of the Andrew J. Barberi, ferries long have been identified as a potential terror target. Only a month before the crash, the Coast Guard formally described passenger ferries in general as prime targets.

The consensus among emergency agencies, city officials said, is that overall response to the Oct. 15 disaster went well, though it was not without problems. Once the vessel was turned and brought into the slip about 20 minutes after the crash, paramedics and doctors boarded, along with firefighters and police equipped with special rescue equipment.

There were already extra fire units on Staten Island, including Fire Department doctors who were conducting a medical drill at St. Vincent's Hospital.

Still, as Newsday reported yesterday, while the crew did aid passengers after the crash, they were not following any particular emergency protocol. For example, just about every crew member immediately ran up to the pilothouse the first chance they got, rather than remain at a specific post. And most of the crew had not had emergency training, particularly in first aid.

Passengers complained that they didn't get timely information on what had happened. Police radio transmissions indicate the rush-hour traffic on the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, the Belt Parkway and the Gowanus Expressway delayed some emergency vehicles, until the lower level of the bridge was closed. The high winds forced a police helicopter to delay its response.

There was some confusion about which agencies were allowed access to the scene. A group of Coast Guard investigators, for example, was temporarily prevented by police from boarding the vessel until their superiors got involved.

Department of Transportation officials said discussions will begin in earnest after the new chief operations officer starts work in two weeks.

"We will work with the city Office of Emergency Management on this," DOT spokesman Tom Cocola said.

Officials with the Fire Department also said such an exercise is in the discussion stages.

Fire Department spokesman Mike Loughran added that the agency already has a plan for a ferry terminal emergency.