The Village of East Hills took a major step toward strengthening community safety Wednesday night, Nov. 12, voting unanimously to establish a local Office of Emergency Management following an in-depth presentation by two longtime first responders.
The new office, the first of its kind among villages on Long Island, will coordinate preparedness, communication, and training during emergencies, ranging from storms and power outages to mass-casualty events.
“We think there needs to be an internal structure, an office of emergency management, that can act as a liaison and facilitate coordination between all the assets the state, county, and federal government have to offer,” said Scott Fishkind, who presented alongside David Diamond, both veterans of emergency response with decades of experience.
Fishkind and Diamond explained that the office will follow the federal Incident Command System, which provides a clear chain of command and communication structure during crises.
“It’s a living, breathing document,” Diamond said. “It expands or contracts depending on the incident. Whether it’s a fallen tree, a blackout, or a regional disaster, you’ll always know who’s in charge and who reports to whom.”
Fishkind emphasized that preparedness extends beyond professionals.
“We have AED machines everywhere, but no one has actually put their hands on one,” he said. “Part of our job will be to train residents — CPR, radio use, basic readiness — so when something happens, people know what to do, not just where the equipment is.”
The new Office of Emergency Management will include command, logistics, operations, and communications sections, with the ability to activate village staff, volunteer residents, and outside agencies when needed.
Diamond said the team hopes to acquire a dedicated trailer stocked with supplies, radios, and laptops through grants. The office will also develop databases to identify residents with special medical needs so they can be checked on during power outages.
Mayor Michael Koblenz, who supported the measure, recalled the lessons learned during Superstorm Sandy when the village rented a generator to keep Village Hall running for two weeks.
“We were the only game in town,” Koblenz said. “People came to shower, charge phones, and eat. You have to think ahead, that’s what this is all about.”
Fishkind said the OEM would also help unify emergency language and communication across agencies, a problem that plagued responses during 9/11 and other crises.
“Every agency used different codes,” he said. “There was no common language. We’re going to fix that on the village level so everyone — police, security, DPW, volunteers — can talk to each other when radios or cell networks go down.”
Trustee Stacey Siegel and Deputy Mayor Brian Meyerson asked whether the OEM would handle smaller local incidents, such as tree limbs blocking roads on Halloween. Diamond said yes, if local resources are strained.
“Any event that taxes local resources becomes a major incident,” he said. “If DPW can’t handle it immediately, this system can mobilize the right people in minutes.”
The board approved the creation of the East Hills Office of Emergency Management and appointed Fishkind and Diamond as co-chairs.
“We’ve always tried to be ahead of the curve,” Koblenz said. “This will make sure we stay there.”
Earlier in the evening, Wyatt Per, a high school junior, was sworn in as the founder of Teens Linking Communities, TLC, a volunteer initiative that pairs students with senior residents who need help with small household chores or companionship. Teens who volunteer will be eligible for community service hours, said Per.
“I’ve already started getting emails from residents,” Per said. “I’m assigning teens to help based on location.”
The board agreed that Per’s initiative is “a great idea,” and looks forward to working with Per.
Later in the meeting, Richard Tocci, chairman of the Roslyn Highlands Fire Department’s Length of Service Award Program, urged the board to support raising the retirement benefit for volunteer firefighters from $20 to $30 per month of service and extending the maximum from 30 to 50 years.
“We’re in desperate need of new ways to recruit and retain members,” Tocci said, noting that department membership has fallen from 104 in 2016 to 64 this year. “We want to keep people on board and make it worth their time.”
In other business, trustees focused on local traffic and safety improvements, approving the installation of new stop signs at several intersections along Midwood, Teakwood, and Greenwood Roads after residents reported heavy cut-through traffic during morning and evening hours.
“It’s become a major pass-through,” said resident Sammy Janowitz, explaining that drivers use the residential streets to avoid congestion on Glen Cove Road and Northern Boulevard. “Between 7 and 9 a.m., it’s a freeway.”
The Traffic and Safety Committee, in collaboration with the Department of Public Works, recommended installing four stop signs to slow vehicles and enhance safety.
The board also voted to maintain temporary no-parking restrictions on Birch Drive, where ongoing home construction has made the narrow street difficult for emergency and sanitation vehicles to access. Trustees agreed that the restrictions will remain until major building projects are completed.
The meeting concluded with Koblenz assuring residents that the village is ready for winter weather. “Our trucks are ready and able,” he said. “We have more salt than we need.”
The next board of trustees meeting will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 9.
