By Nick Buglione
He's endured blizzards and a bout of pneumonia brought on by waiting in the cold rain at a bus stop, and he's not about to let last week's terrorist attack in London scare him into staying home.
"What am I going to do, stop living?" he said. "I've got to work."
Police and emergency-response officials in both Nassau County and New York City are stepping up efforts to ensure that local commuters arrive at work safely and make it home safely in the coming weeks.
Following the four terrorist bombings on London subway trains and a bus that killed more than 50 and injured 700, Nassau County police are intensifying patrols at all Long Island Rail Road stations, where uniformed officers will "park, walk and talk."
"This means that the officer will park his or her car, walk through train platforms, ticket offices, waiting rooms and inspect for suspicious persons, packages and vehicles," said Tim Driscoll, deputy county executive of public safety.
The department's Bureau of Special Operations will also conduct high-visibility patrols of railway facilities and trains, Driscoll said, while the aviation unit will conduct fly-overs of railroad lines and facilities.
As Nassau County residents make their way to work in New York City, they can rest assured that similar safety measures are being taken there, said Jarrod Bernstein, a spokesman for the New York City Office of Emergency Management.
More officers have been assigned to subway and bridge duty, Bernstein said. What's more, city agencies are prepared to handle bombings similar to the ones that rocked London last Thursday, he said. "We did a multi-agency drill in 2004 that consisted of a terrorist attack in the subway," Bernstein said. It was organized after the bombing of the train in Madrid that took hundreds of lives.
In addition, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has brought in additional police officers to step up security in the entire New York City system, according to MTA spokesperson Mercedes Padilla.
Though a high alert was issued only for mass transit systems, area hospitals are on guard as well. "We remain vigilant, and we have instituted, as we have in the past, additional security measures," said Shelley Lotenberg, spokeswoman for Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow. "We're on alert."
Commuters can play a big role in preventing terrorist attacks on mass transit systems, said Dr. Joseph Ryan, a chairman of the Pace University Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology. A 25-year veteran of the New York City Police Department, Ryan is an expert on homeland security, and was a security consultant for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
Ryan said that commuters should be on the lookout for anything suspicious on subways and buses. If something or someone doesn't look right, they should notify police or mass transit officials, he said. "Don't just let something happen - be proactive," he said.
Sam Zambuto, a spokesman for the Long Island Rail Road, said customers should be on heightened alert, and should be "more aware of their circumstances when traveling."
Announcements similar to those that ran after the Sept. 11 attacks, reminding commuters to pay close attention to their own baggage and to look out for and report suspicious baggage and behavior, have been running since last week's London attacks. The announcements include the phrase, "If you see something, say something."
But a woman identifying herself only as May, a longtime bus rider from Elmont, said transit officials are mistaken if they think the bombing of a buis or train can be thwarted.
"Look how easy it is. I could be carrying something [explosive], for all anybody knows," she said, pointing to the rainbow colored shopping bag on her arm. "We are defenseless."
In the wake of Sept. 11, Ryan believes that New York City is far less vulnerable to terrorism. Michael Canino, the chairman of the United Transportation Union, which represents LIRR conductors, agrees with Ryan. "There's a huge police presence in the city right now," Canino said. "Penn Station is probably the safest place on earth."
Canino also said that train conductors have been anxious since the attacks of 9/11, but that security measures have greatly improved since then - and since the London attacks. He was quick to point out that the conductors are trained how to react in dangerous situations. "They're trained on what to recognize as out of the ordinary," he said. "We went through this last year during the Republican National Convention on suspicious packages, and the police came down and spoke with the guys."
Despite the inherent dangers involved in operating what is essentially a moving target, Canino said that the conductors are committed to doing their job, no matter what. "It's something that has to be done," he said. "We can't give in to terrorists, just like the police and fire departments can't. It's up to us to move the people, and to keep things moving."
Still, commuters shouldn't let that interfere with their everyday lives, Ryan said. "Don't give up," he said. "You still have to ride the subways. If you give up, then you're giving in to the terrorists."
Although no group has officially been blamed for the London bombings, the Islamic Center of Long Island has condemned the terrorist attacks, stating, "This violent and reprehensible act violates the Islamic principles of the sanctity of life and the safety and security of innocent civilians."
Peralta said he's too set in his ways to pursue another mode of transportation and has too many bills to retire. He said he doesn't put much thought into the prospect of mass transit terror, and has faith that authorities are keeping a close watch on the buses and rails.
"I'll assume they're doing their job," he said. "They just have to make sure I keep getting to mine."
Brian Zanzonico, Esther McKenna, Marley Seaman and Chris Munzing contributed to this story. Comments about it? NBuglione@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 236.
