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Misaskim Coordinates meeting for State and local agencies
Date: January 01, 2010
After working alongside the NYS
Department of Homeland Security during
numerous occasions to address security,
health and safety issues in our community,
Misaskim has invited the NYS Department of
Homeland Security to tour Misaskim's
headquarters and gain a better understanding
of the services Misaskim offers to the
community and to government agencies. The
NYS Department of Homeland Security headed
by Thomas G. Donlon, Director, James Sherry,
Chief of Staff New York State DOH and Seny
Tavers, Special Assistant to Deputy Secretary
for Public Safety and Homeland Security were
all present. They also brought several
additional state agencies to the meeting, such
as the New York State Department of Health
and the New York State Emergency
Management office Representatives. Misaskim
extended an invitation to other local
organizations of areas covered by Misaskim,
such as the New York City Office of Emergency
Management, Representatives from the NYPD,
Police Commissioners office. NYPD
Assistant Chief Joseph Fox from Patrol Boro
Brooklyn South along with numerous of his
commanding officers from local precincts, a
special delegation from the NYPD Counter
Terrorism District was also present. Chief
Lawson from the Lakewood NJ police
department and representatives from the
Rockland County sheriffs office sensed the
urgency of this meeting and traveled the
distance to partake in the meeting. Many
Jewish leaders representing a variety of major
jewish organizations were all invited.
Representing these organizations were Rabbi
Pesach Lenner, Young Israel's executive
director, David Pollack, Representing the
Jewish community relations council. Rabbi
Dovid Cohen, the CEO of Hatzalah, Rabbi
Berish Frielich special assistant to the
superintendent of the New York State Police
Liaison. Rabbi Kenarik from Peekskill Yeshiva &
many others.
The meeting began with a tour of Misaskim's sophisticated equipment and EOC, an enlightening introduction to some of Misaskim's services on behalf of the community in times of crisis. Then, participants watched a P o w e r P o i n t presentation, further detailing the vital community work of Misaskim, the need for these services and the sensitivities of our community. Afterwards, a speaker explained to the officials that Misaskim, along with several other community agencies, such as Hatzolah and Shomrim represent a small army. With a total of approximately two-thousand highly trained soldiers, they are our community's volunteers. This small army is ready to be dispatched at a moment's notice in time of emergency and they are there to service the community and be a go-between for law enforcement agencies. After all, as one person said wryly, ''when someone in our community has a heart attack, Hatzolah is called before 9-1-1.'' And so, it is imperative that these organizations work hand in hand with the government agencies. At the end of this informative meeting, the assistant of the Director of Homeland Security, summarized the impression of the attendees: ''If all the places we've gone to would get to see what these organizations offer to their community, [...and would offer them to their own communities,] things would be a lot easier for everyone.'' |
