GOSHEN, N.Y.—As dozens of officials quietly conversed on the Orange County Emergency Services Center floor, a man on the loudspeaker sharply interrupted.
“A tropical storm warning and flood warning are in effect. Heavy rainfall has produced widespread flooding, numerous road closures, utility outages, downed trees with down wires, continued river concerns. Response priorities include evacuation, sheltering, transportation issues, power failures, and the need for power restoration, resource tracking, and monitoring river gages,” he said.
“This is a drill.”
The annual full-scale emergency exercise was held on Sept. 9 at the Emergency Services Center in Goshen, located near the Sheriff’s Office and Correctional Facility. …