Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)

Emergency Management

Andrew McMahan, MPH, MEP, AMBCIJanuary 30, 2018

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority

1

2

3

Emergency Preparedness

• Planning– Written Plans & Protocols– Training– Drills and Exercises

• Agency Level• All-Agency Executive Level • NYS, NYC, Other OEMs

– Business Continuity• After Action Reviews

4

Emergency Preparedness

HQ Role• Executive Decision-

Making• Multi-Agency

Coordination• Communications

• Coordination• Board and Elected

Officials

• HQ Preparedness• MTA Police Department

5

Emergency Plans

• Natural Hazards– Winter Storm– Coastal Storms– Flood– Heat– Public Health

• Other– Regional Evacuation– Continuity of Operations

6

Weather-Related EmergenciesChallenges

– Weather forecasts / timing– Resource requests– Varying impacts across MTA region– Difficulty of our employees reporting for work– Service adjustments and resumption of full service– Risks of stranded trains– Coordination with other entities– Political will to support disruption

7

Weather-Related Emergencies• Challenges

– Weather Forecasts / Timing

8

Preparation and response was informed by hard learned lessons –1) Water can be devastating – 1990, 2007 Flash floods

9

Preparation and response was informed by hard learned lessons –2) ‘Taking the hill’ is not always the best strategy – 2010 blizzard

10

Preparations

11

Preparations

12

Sandy caused major flood damage across the system

13

Rockaways track washout

8 flooded under-river tubes

Train yards and bus depot with significant flood damage

NOT EXHAUSTIVE Numerous other locations with moderate flooding and wind damage including•Downed trees•Roof / canopy / siding damage•Communication / signal systems damage

…but minimal damage to rolling stock,

Staten Island Railway – major flood damage atworkshop and St. George Terminal

8 stations with major flood damage –Whitehall St-South Ferry, 148th

St, 207th St, Dyckman St, Beach 116th St, 86th St Sea Beach, Coney Island

And no customer or employee injuries

Damage

14

15

Flooded stations – South Ferry

Rockaways washout – southern washoutBefore After

Damage

17

Sandy Recovery (NYCT)

18

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Nov

1

Nov

2

Nov

3

Nov

4

Nov

5

Nov

6

Nov

7

Nov

8

Nov

9

Nov

10

Nov

11

Nov

12

Nov

13

Nov

14

Nov

15

Nov

20

Dec

3

Dec

21

Date

Prop

ortio

n of

Ser

vice

ClosedTrack MilesPeak Capacity

Temporary solutions that facilitated prompt service restoration require permanent fixes and upgrades

19

• Fan plants

• Circuit Breaker Houses

• Power feeds

• Reduced pumping capacity

Reduced redundancy

Temporary configurations

• Temporary power lines for pumps

• Temporary pumps

• Temporary wiring for signals, fans, comms

Examples

New York City Transit

Restored service does not mean repaired assets – Montague tube signal failure example

20

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

May 12 Jun 12 Jul 12 Aug 12 Sep 12 Oct 12 Nov 12 Dec 12 Jan 13 Feb 13 Mar 13 Apr 13 May 13 Jun 13 Jul 13

Sandy outage

Number of customers delayed due to signal failures in Montague Tube

21

MTA Winter Weather Travel Guidewww.mta.info

22

2018 Storm Response

Fill in Agency Name on Master 23

Fill in Agency Name on Master 24

Communications

Real-Time Service Appshttp://web.mta.info/apps/

25

26

Long-Term Resiliency

27

28

Andrew McMahanDirector of Emergency Management and

Operations Supportamcmahan@mtahq.org;