The starting point for post 9/11 Environmental Issues is NYCOSH (New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health): http://www.nycosh.org/index_environment_wtc.html
They are a non-profit that coordinates the work-related health and safety advocacy for a lot of unions and other groups in NYC (there are similar groups in other cities, in Philadelphia it's called PHILcosh or something like this). Their web site lists the significant events/legislation that have happened/been enacted on health issues since 9/11. I just started digging into all their materials, enough to see that a timeline needs to be created just to get up to speed with the major players we need to interview. So I thought I would start working on this.
I also contacted the office of US Representative Jerrold Nadler whose jurisdiction covers lower Manhattan, I believe, and has been very active in air quality and other environmental issues. His office gave me some material to go over, so I'm going to start digging into that.
Lastly, I'm going to see if there are any scientists on campus or at the NYU Medical Center who know how to test the air quality.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Handicapped Evacuation
I spoke to someone who told me there is a "Mayor's Office of Disabilities", so this would probably be a good place to start on evacuation procedures. After this, would be the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) which is responsible for coordinating the activities of all city agencies during an evacutation - which means their responsibility is to get an agency to tell citizens where to go (and their responsiblity ends right there).
This slack, though, is picked up by the New York office of the American Red Cross - which has a much better handle on the fact that during an emergency there will be actual people that need to be dealt with. They give talks around the city a few times a month on emergency preparedness and the head public communications there is a very nice person (at least when I spoke to her two months ago). When I told her I didn't know that anyone in the city was actually working with the public on what to do in an emergency, she paused and said, "in that case, we need to be doing a better job." and she was sincere about it, so I took it in a good way.
I should get her name out of my files and then either Molly or me can go after her, and possibly go to one of her public presentations to ask her specifically about Handicapped Evac.
This slack, though, is picked up by the New York office of the American Red Cross - which has a much better handle on the fact that during an emergency there will be actual people that need to be dealt with. They give talks around the city a few times a month on emergency preparedness and the head public communications there is a very nice person (at least when I spoke to her two months ago). When I told her I didn't know that anyone in the city was actually working with the public on what to do in an emergency, she paused and said, "in that case, we need to be doing a better job." and she was sincere about it, so I took it in a good way.
I should get her name out of my files and then either Molly or me can go after her, and possibly go to one of her public presentations to ask her specifically about Handicapped Evac.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Project notes
This is a good start on the project blog. A reminder to save copy of your memos and research info. in work folder(s) at your NYU email address/other email address. Also begin to make to-do list of things, people, web sites, etc. you want to check out. Then mark off each item when it's done. So we can get to know our project partners, tell a bit about yourself in the profile, as some have already done.
Building Codes
Building Code team:
I contacted DDC (the Dept. of Design and Construction) and John Ryan Martine there (MartineJo@ddc.nyc.gov) in public affairs but he told me to contact DOB (dept. of Buildings). While waiting for them to get back, I saw the DOB web site lists something called the "World Trade Center Building Code Task Force" which first met in March 2002, and had a public hearing in August 2002. They have an email address (WTCBCTF@buildings.nyc.gov) but I haven't tried it yet.
I contacted DDC (the Dept. of Design and Construction) and John Ryan Martine there (MartineJo@ddc.nyc.gov) in public affairs but he told me to contact DOB (dept. of Buildings). While waiting for them to get back, I saw the DOB web site lists something called the "World Trade Center Building Code Task Force" which first met in March 2002, and had a public hearing in August 2002. They have an email address (WTCBCTF@buildings.nyc.gov) but I haven't tried it yet.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Topics
Fire codes: Andrea & Mike
Building codes: Andrew & Jon
Construction: Guelda, Lance, Andrew, & Erika
Site Safety: Chad, Mike, Joy
Emergency response: Liz, Andrew, & Matt
Environmental issues: Kathryn, Guelda, Liz, Joy, & Mike
Workers: Lance, Matt, Molly, & Joy
Building associations: Andrew
Safety gadgets: Molly
Handicapped evacuation: Molly & Mike
Multiple jurisdictions/port authority: Soo, Jon, & Erika
Policy: Andrew, Soo, & Guelda
History: Jon, Jon, & Jon
Public concerns/unions: Andrew & Mike
Community organizations: Molly, Andrea, & Mike
Building codes: Andrew & Jon
Construction: Guelda, Lance, Andrew, & Erika
Site Safety: Chad, Mike, Joy
Emergency response: Liz, Andrew, & Matt
Environmental issues: Kathryn, Guelda, Liz, Joy, & Mike
Workers: Lance, Matt, Molly, & Joy
Building associations: Andrew
Safety gadgets: Molly
Handicapped evacuation: Molly & Mike
Multiple jurisdictions/port authority: Soo, Jon, & Erika
Policy: Andrew, Soo, & Guelda
History: Jon, Jon, & Jon
Public concerns/unions: Andrew & Mike
Community organizations: Molly, Andrea, & Mike
NYPD restricting "amateur" air quality testing
NYPD Seeks an Air Monitor Crackdown for New Yorkers, Village Voice, 1/15/08
http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0803,thompson,78873,2.html
http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0803,thompson,78873,2.html
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