Latest news with #DivisionofHomelandSecurityandEmergencyServices
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Watertown hasn't had precipitation-free weekend since last year
May 23—WATERTOWN — Rainy weekends have been a real phenomenon that north country residents have been feeling for months on end. That's according to the latest data from the State Weather Risk Communication Center at the University of Albany, published on Facebook by the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. In fact, according to the data from SWRCC, the last time the Watertown area had a weekend without any precipitation was Dec. 14 and 15, 2024, a graphic shows. Phillip Pandolfo, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Buffalo, said the north country has been stuck in a cold, dreary pattern because of low pressure systems, which can be common in the spring. "They tend to stick around wherever they set up," he said. This current low pressure system came from the Midwest, Pandolfo said, and settled over Lake Ontario, bringing rain and cold to the north country throughout the week. "These types of weather systems are very normal in spring," he said. Memorial Day weekend is looking to be another rainy, cold end of the week before the weather starts to take a turn on Sunday with highs expected to be close to 60 degrees with a "lower end chance" of rain, according to Pandolfo. Memorial Day itself seems to be the best chance for a nice day as there is less than a 20% chance of rain with temperatures in the mid-60s, Pandolfo said. Another low pressure system is set to make its way into the north country again as the week progresses, but there is "a lot more uncertainty" about that system, Pandolfo said.
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
National Guard helps battle wind-fueled wildfires burning on New York's Long Island
Firefighters on New York's Long Island were battling a wind-driven brush fire in the Pine Barrens on Sunday, hours after Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency and said authorities were determined to avoid the type of devastation that swept across Southern California two months ago. The state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services warned Sunday that wind gusts of up to 40 mph were likely, complicating efforts to douse the flames. "Fire activity is ongoing in Suffolk County," the agency said in a social media post. "There is an elevated wildfire risk in several areas due to dry, windy conditions." Hochul said late Saturday that she had spoken with Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine and offered any necessary state resources. She said National Guard helicopters were providing air support and that "multiple state agencies are on the ground." Romaine, speaking at a briefing late Saturday, said county Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services were coordinating the response from about 80 agencies since at least four brush fires ignited Saturday on the East End area of Long Island. All but one fire was extinguished, and the lingering blaze near the town of Westhampton was 80% contained, Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico said in a Facebook post. 'We maximized our firefighting capabilities to stop the fire from spreading, then we tried to contain it,' Romaine said. 'But it is not under control as I speak.' Romaine told News 12 that an arson investigation was underway. Romaine said the fire marshal and arson squad are checking cameras in the area, including drones and investigating evidence trying to determine whether the fires were intentionally set. Palisades, Eaton fires 100% contained: California blazes finally extinguished At least one area highway was partially shut down because of the fire. No evacuations had been ordered, but Romaine said that could change if wind gusts fuel an epansion of the blaze. One firefighter suffered burns to his face; no other injuries had been reported. At least two buildings were damaged. "We are working with the town of Southampton closely and multiple police agencies," Romaine said. Hochul told CNN the fires are burning in a nature preserve, but that firefighters feared winds could drive the fire toward populated areas. She said authorities were acutely aware of the destruction cause by the California wildfires that swept through Pacific Palisades and Altadena, killing at least 29, burning almost 60 square miles, and destroying thousands of homes. 'All those images of what happened in the Palisades are so front and center in our minds,' the governor said, recalling the deadly wildfires that devastated California this year. 'We need to be proactive, preventative and try to stop the worst from occurring with all the power that we have and that's exactly what we're doing.' Suffolk County covers much of central and eastern Long Island, the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens are on the eastern end, separated from Suffolk County by Nassau County. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: National Guard helps battle wildfires burning on Long Island
USA Today
09-03-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
National Guard helps battle wind-fueled wildfires burning on New York's Long Island
Hear this story Firefighters on New York's Long Island were battling a wind-driven brush fire in the Pine Barrens on Sunday, hours after Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency and said authorities were determined to avoid the type of devastation that swept across Southern California two months ago. The state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services warned Sunday that wind gusts of up to 40 mph were likely, complicating efforts to douse the flames. "Fire activity is ongoing in Suffolk County," the agency said in a social media post. "There is an elevated wildfire risk in several areas due to dry, windy conditions." Hochul said late Saturday that she had spoken with Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine and offered any necessary state resources. She said National Guard helicopters were providing air support and that "multiple state agencies are on the ground." At least four fires ignited Saturday Romaine, speaking at a briefing late Saturday, said county Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services were coordinating the response from about 80 agencies since at least four brush fires ignited Saturday on the East End area of Long Island. All but one fire was extinguished, and the lingering blaze near the town of Westhampton was 80% contained, Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico said in a Facebook post. 'We maximized our firefighting capabilities to stop the fire from spreading, then we tried to contain it,' Romaine said. 'But it is not under control as I speak.' Romaine told News 12 that an arson investigation was underway. Romaine said the fire marshal and arson squad are checking cameras in the area, including drones and investigating evidence trying to determine whether the fires were intentionally set. Palisades, Eaton fires 100% contained: California blazes finally extinguished No evacuations have been ordered as of yet At least one area highway was partially shut down because of the fire. No evacuations had been ordered, but Romaine said that could change if wind gusts fuel an epansion of the blaze. One firefighter suffered burns to his face; no other injuries had been reported. At least two buildings were damaged. "We are working with the town of Southampton closely and multiple police agencies," Romaine said. Hochul told CNN the fires are burning in a nature preserve, but that firefighters feared winds could drive the fire toward populated areas. She said authorities were acutely aware of the destruction cause by the California wildfires that swept through Pacific Palisades and Altadena, killing at least 29, burning almost 60 square miles, and destroying thousands of homes. 'All those images of what happened in the Palisades are so front and center in our minds,' the governor said, recalling the deadly wildfires that devastated California this year. 'We need to be proactive, preventative and try to stop the worst from occurring with all the power that we have and that's exactly what we're doing.' Suffolk County covers much of central and eastern Long Island, the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens are on the eastern end, separated from Suffolk County by Nassau County.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NY prison strikes: State gives final offer with deadline to return or be fired
A labor standoff that has roiled New York's prison system for more than two weeks reached a critical point on Friday, March 7, with striking correction officers ordered to return to work that day or they would be fired. State officials had made public on Thursday night the terms of their latest offer to workers, with a sharp deadline attached. They promised in a video address that the state wouldn't penalize those who took part in an illegal strike as long as they showed up for the morning or evening shift on Friday. Those who failed to return would be subject to termination. How that ultimatum played out was not immediately clear. State officials declined to say on Friday afternoon how many workers failed to show up for the morning shift, and the union representing New York's 13,500 correction officers and sergeants said it didn't know how many members had returned to work and how many balked at the deal. The strike began at two prisons on Feb. 17 and spread to many of the 40 other facilities in New York, forcing Gov. Kathy Hochul to deploy several thousand National Guard members to take the place of absent correction officers. Workers later returned to their jobs at some sites, but those at 32 prisons were still on picket lines at the beginning of this week. Correction officers were protesting forced overtime, understaffing and what they say are unsafe work conditions. They're also demonstrating their continued opposition to a 2021 law that restricted the use of long-term solitary confinement as a disciplinary action. In Thursday night's video address, the head of the prison system laid out terms the state was offering based on his direct discussions with prison workers after talks with their union failed to end the strike. They included ending 12-hour shifts and returning to eight-hour shifts as soon as the strike ended and prisons returned to normal. The state also agreed to continue suspending the HALT Act — the solitary confinement law — for 90 days and set up a committee to improve prison safety. "I'm here to say that I heard my workforce," said Daniel Martuscello III, commissioner of the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. "I want to support them, and continue to support them and continue to work with them on the safety issues that they've raised while out on the line. I want to end this illegal strike. We need to get back to some form of normalcy." Martuscello was joined by another commissioner who delivered the stern message that accompanied the state's offer, which she said applies only to those who returned to work on Friday. For all others, the state would file civil contempt charges, refer their names to the attorney general, and pursue terminations. "This deal will not be offered again," said Jackie Bray, commissioner of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. "We want you back, we need you back," Bray said. "You need to come back to work tomorrow." Sing Sing: Corrections officers, state negotiate after pickets outside Sing Sing, other prisons The strike violates a 57-year-old state law that prohibits most public employees from walking off the job over labor disputes. The prison workers took that action on their own, without the blessing of their union, the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA.) Earlier in the strike, state officials and NYSCOPBA leaders negotiated a potential resolution to the strike with the aid of a mediator, but most workers rejected it and stayed on the picket lines. The terms of that agreement were similar to those the state put to workers on Thursday. In a statement to its members on Thursday, NYSCOPBA leaders said they refused to sign the new proposal, in spite of pressure from Hochul's administration, even though it was similar to the consent award the had negotiated in mediation. They said new version was "stripped of any assurances that it will be legally binding in the future" and was presented with too little time to review it. "Do not mistake our intentions or motivation," they wrote. "We want to reach an agreement that gets our members back to work as soon as possible, but we cannot allow our desire for a quick result to jeopardize our ability to obtain a fair agreement that adequately safeguards our members' health and physical well-being and ensures their ability to reclaim a work-life balance in the immediate future." Chris McKenna covers government and politics and The Journal News and USA Today Network. Reach him at cmckenna@ This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: NY prison strike: Workers ordered return to work March 7 or be fired
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DOCCS has started terminating benefits and correction officer jobs
DANNEMORA, NY (WVNY/WFFF) — Monday marks the 16th day correction officers across New York have been off the job, protesting what they say are unsafe work conditions. Despite the state starting terminations and ending insurance benefits, many officers say they will not back down. The state's Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) Commissioner, Daniel Martuscello III, along with the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner, Jackie Bray, held an online meeting urging correction officers to go back to work. 'Individuals on unauthorized absence are deemed resigned if they are absent for 10 workdays and don't provide an excuse satisfactory to management, or explain their absence by the end of the 11th workday,' said Bray. 'All absences due to the strike have been deemed unauthorized absences.' Those that don't may lose benefits such as health insurance, and even possibly lose their jobs. 'Yesterday, we began termination of correction officers. Today, we will be terminating health insurance for corrections officers who have been AWOL and their dependents,' said Bray. Retired Correction Officer, Jim Mazzotte has been spending time outside Clinton Correctional, in Dannemora, supporting the striking officers. He said, 'They're not budging and they're just tired of being threatened. They want action. They want action from the governor. They want action from the commissioner.' The Taylor Law prohibits public employees, such as correction officers, from participating in a strike. If they do, they could face criminal charges. The current strike officially started on February 17, 2025, impacting 38 of the state's 42 prisons, according to Bray. Bray also said there are more than 5,300 National Guard men and women working inside the prisons, costing the state roughly $25 million so far. She also said the officers could be fined, depending on the total cost. When it comes to repealing the HALT Act, which has been a main focal point for the correction officers, Martuscello said, 'In terms of the executive order, as you know the legislature can override an executive order with 50 percent, plus one. So therefore, there's really no change that we can immediately make to the halt act, other than to go to the legislature to make changes.' That is what the officers have been demanding since the first day. As of Monday morning, officials said that only a handful of officers have been terminated based on missing 11 consecutive shifts for the strike. We're told some officers returned to work Sunday night and Monday morning. Many said they're not going back to work until they get what they need. Watch the full online meeting here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
