HURRICANE “SANDY”  NYPD RETIREES AT THE MILLER FIELD POD

The NYPD Chief of Personnel activated the Retiree Mobilization PLan for the first time on November 2, 2012.    NYPD Retirees were advised by a blast email of the following:

Dear Retirees:

Due to the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy; the Police Commissioner has ACTIVATED the Department’s Retiree Mobilization Plan effective immediately. This disaster has affected the whole tri-state area and if you are able to assist in anyway please contact the Personnel Bureau at 646-610-6612 or email retirees@nypd2.org . The email should contain a good contact number and location / Patrol Bureau you can assist in.<>

Respectfully,
Personnel Bureau

Lieutenant Michael Ryan, Office of the Chief of Personnel, NYPD  directed retirees to respond to the Point of Distribution (POD) at Miller Field,  Staten Island to assist in distribution of food, clothing, supplies with the Office of the Mayor at that location.
Lt. Ryan is the Coordinator of the Retiree Mobilization Plan.  He has been with the RMP since its inception in October,  2005.   He and Inspector Theresa Tobin, Commanding Officer,  Staff Support Services of the Personnel Bureau have been conducting Mock drills and mobilizations of members of the RMP since October, 2005.  

The following request for assistance was sent by Personnel Bureau to aid members of the NYPD who have lost their homes in the storm:

The Department is seeking to assist members of the service who have lost or suffered severe damage to their homes and are in need of shelter. If you are willing to host a member of the service (and / or their family) in your home please contact the Personnel Bureau office at (646) 610 5878, 4356 or 4355 between the hours of 0800 and 1800.

Members reported to Miller Field and met personnel from the Mayor’s Office.  A temporary headquarters was established for members of the RMP to check in,  detail rosters were prepared and sent by FAX to the Personnel Bureau in 1 PP.     Retired members of the NYPD who were not previously registered members of the RMP were registered at the THQ check in and given NYPD RMP Vests.   The retirees rendered yeoman assistance in moving bulk supplies.    Portable Hydraulic Pallet Jacks were donated for use by the members.    The US Park Dept personnel from Gateway, Fort Wadsworth donated one jack and the New Dorp High School Custodian donated a second jack.   The jacks proved to be invaluable in moving bulk supplies and loading them into trucks.   

A privately owned trailer was donated for use as a Temporary Headquarters Vehicle.
The approach of a Nor’Easter Storm forced the POD to cease operations on Wednesday,  November 7, 2012.  Retirees were advised to be prepared to continue operations on Friday, November 9, 2012.  Perishable goods were transferred into trailer trucks pending more clement weather.



           LtoR: Reggie Harrison,  John Scotto,  PO Morna Davis, Dan Ingellis, Mike
           Cordaro, Steve Lawson,  Lt Mike Ryan, Joe Piraino



               Det Eddie Reuss (ret) with Captain Edward Reuss (ret)


                   Danny Ingellis manning the barriers



             LtoR:   Joe Piraino,  Eddie Reuss,  George Blanchard

i
         LtoR:  Bill Silvestri, Jim Gaglione, Gary Glessing, Mike Paccione


           LtoR:  Steve Lawson with Joel Campanella



           LotR:  Mike Cordaro, PO Morna Davis,  Dan Ingellis  and Lt Michael Ryan



             Asst.Chief Philip Banks,  Community Affairs Bureau visits at the Miller Field site
               LtoR: Joe Piraino, John Scotto, Steve Lawson, DI Mike Nemoyten, CAB, Ralph Cefarello,
               Diana Scotto, Eddie Reuss, Mike Cordaro, Gary Glessing



             Arnie and Roe Roma always ready to help their neighbors





Bulk supplies were unloaded by hand from trucks, and with the assistance of NY State Assemblyman Michael Cusick, (D-NY) a forklift was brought to the site.   Ret PO Bill Silvestri climbed onto the forklift and showed his mastery of that equipment.  The forklift and Hydraulic Pallet Jacks enabled the retirees to load and unload large quantities of food and supplies for distribution to New Dorp Beach,  Oakwood Beach, and Tottenville.



           NY State Assemblyman Mike Cusick is thanked by Captain Ed Reuss (Ret) at Miller Field
           Photo Courtesy of Staten Island Advance


The Retiree Mobilization Plan sent retirees to three Boroughs of the City of New York.  This report covered the Staten Island POD only.   There were also two other locations in Brooklyn and Queens that retirees responded to.

The NYPD RMP was deacitvated after 2 weeks with the following message from the NYPD Personnel Bureau:

Dear Retirees: On November 2, 2012 the NYPD activated the Retiree Mobilization Plan. The RMP was activated in response to the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The response, dedication, and professionalism displayed by the “Finest Retirees” has been unparalleled. The NYPD and the citizens of the City of New York owe a tremendous deal of gratitude to each of you. Effective 1800 hours, November 14, 2012 , the Retiree Mobilization Plan has been DEACTIVATED.
In addition, due to the efforts of New York City agencies, the RMP training session scheduled for November 17, 2012 at Police Headquarters, with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) has been postponed. A new date TBD
In closing we would like to wish all the “Finest Retirees” and their families a very Happy and Safe Thanksgiving.

Respectfully, Personnel Bureau

This first deployment of the Retiree Mobilization Plan will be the subject of future critiques.  I wish to extend my admiration for the NYPD retirees who responded and displayed unselfish dedication to their community and for a job WELL DONE.   It is known that many actrive and retired members of the NYPD as well as the general public suffered damage to their homes during this “superstorm”.  


PAST TRAINING SESSIONS WITH THE RETIREE MOBILIZATION PLAN

RETIREE MOBILIZATION TRAINING AT OUTOOR RANGE

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS TRAINING FOR RETIREES

NYPD RETIREE TRAINING SEMINAR

CIMS TRAINING FOR RMP RETIREE VOLUNTEERS

NYPD MOBILIZATION PLAN FOR RETIRED COPS

NYPD RETIREE MOBILIZATION PLAN


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