Emergency personnel work on a mock patient during a drill in July 2008
Public Safety and Emergencies
Keeping the public and our workers safe during the Hudson River dredging project is GE's first and most fundamental goal.
During project planning, GE evaluated potential project-related hazards that could occur during the project. As a result of this review, GE incorporated many measures into the engineering design of the project to minimize the potential for hazards.
GE coordinated with local elected officials, the public and with members of local police and fire departments and rescue squads to develop emergency response procedures relative to work activities. Among those agencies assisting GE were the Fort Edward, Kingsbury and South Glens Falls Fire Departments; the Fort Edward and Moreau Rescue Squads; the Fort Edward Police Department; the Washington County Sheriff's Department; the New York State Police; and the emergency services and fire coordinators of Washington and Saratoga counties.
Based on these discussions, responsibilities were assigned to project personnel and external emergency response organizations. These procedures and responsibilities are detailed in a
Community Health and Safety Plan, developed by GE. This Plan was implemented on August 24, 2007 when workers unearthed dynamite buried at the project site along the Champlain Canal where a wharf is being constructed. Numerous local and state emergency response organizations responded to the site. State police explosives experts safely destroyed the dynamite. GE expresses appreciation to the response units for their assistance.
Planning activities continued in July 2008 when GE project personnel and local emergency responders participated in a full-response drill at the Fort Edward processing and transportation facility. The drill simulated a vehicular accident at the site with multiple injuries. Participating agencies included the Fort Edward and Kingsbury Fire Departments, Fort Edward Village Police, Fort Edward Rescue Squad and the Washington County Public Safety Office.
Prior to the start of the drill, to allay any concerns about the activities, Fort Edward neighbors were alerted by phone by the Washington County Public Safety Office. If a real emergency had occurred, information about the incident and resulting activities would have been described.
To report an emergency, please dial 911.
