Shelter Island Town to Pursue Better Emergency Response

Chief Jim Read acknowledged Tuesday during the council work session that two recent floods were not recognized in time to give residents advance notice.

As the city’s emergency management coordinator, Chief Read said he is constantly looking for ways to respond and send notifications to the public.

More changes are in the works, he announced Tuesday, in a three-pronged approach to improve the effort.

• Research into roads that need to be raised, or implementing other ways to deal with flooding, which is becoming increasingly common.

• Purchase in 2025 of a “flood vehicle” that would be assigned to emergency responders and paramedics for use in transporting patients from areas where flooding is more common, such as the Ram Island Causeway.

• Improvements to notifications so that residents in some areas can be warned to evacuate if flooding is expected so they don’t get stuck on impassable roads.

It’s not just the Ram Island Causeway that’s causing flooding problems. Bridge Street and West Neck Road experienced flooding this year.

Other spots will emerge from a study that Chief Read and city engineer Joe Finora are working on to identify areas of concern and develop ways to work around problems caused by road flooding.

But with everything the two officials can propose and request to address grant money, the public should be alerted to emergency and non-urgent but important information.

The existing Red Alert system will be upgraded to a “Notify Me!” system, where people have to register online, just like for notifications about public meetings.

While city officials work to identify potential emergencies in advance and even notify people of a road closure that isn’t necessarily an emergency but could be, for example, a roadway closed for repairs, the Notify Me! system can provide alerts via the city’s website.

Chief Read said the vehicle he has in mind to drive through flooded areas could cost as much as $100,000, for which he hopes grant money will be available next year.

The chief said he plans to organize meetings with neighborhood associations to alert the public to sign up on the city website through the Notify Me! system.