Residents filled the David Mack Center for Training and Intelligence once again on Sept. 28 to learn how to prepare for emergencies through annual New York State’s Citizen Preparedness Training Program.
The initiative, launched by Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office and coordinated with the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, aims to provide everyday New Yorkers with the tools and resources needed to respond to disasters and protect their families.
Tsgt. Alex Compere, a U.S. Air Force member, has presented the workshop around Long Island since August welcoming attendees and leading a power point presentation. His enthusiasm set the tone for the session, which combined safety instruction with hands-on demonstrations and personal advice.
“I love talking, I wasn’t nervous at all, I enjoy the technical side of things,” he said. “It’s important because you have to collect supplies now, not during disaster.”
Sfc. Wayne Stevens, who serves in the U.S. Army for almost 18 years demonstrated how to use a fire extinguisher, which is meant for small fires, anything large you would need to evacuate. The system as PASS: Pull, Aim, Squeeze and Sweep.
“Pull the pin, aim towards the fire, squeeze the trigger and you want to sweep at the base of that fire,” Stevens said. “Not up above it or in the middle, but right in the base of it,” Stevens said.
During the session, participants asked questions about disaster preparedness. One attendee shared a personal experience with flooding and the limitations of insurance coverage.
“Homeowners, renters – understand your coverage you need to understand it before the disaster,” he said. “Don’t understand it after disaster, when they be like, yeah, now we only cover structural damage.”
Most insurance policies cover structural damage such as from a sudden broken pipe, but do not cover floods from natural disasters. The separate policy must be purchased from a provider like the National Flood Insurance Program.
The discussion expanded to practical skills that can be used during emergencies, such as water storage and navigation. Compere described how some people use bathtubs to store treated water for future use.
Attendees received a disaster preparedness kit containing first aid supplies, flashlights, batteries and water pouches — essentials for sustaining a household during a power outage or storm.
The Citizen Preparedness Training Program began in 2014 and has since trained more than 300,000 New Yorkers statewide. State officials say the Uniondale session is part of a renewed push to reach more communities in Nassau County as the region faces increasingly severe weather patterns.
Speakers encouraged residents to stay informed through NY-ALERT, the state’s emergency notification system, and to share their preparedness plans with neighbors, especially seniors or those with disabilities.
The event was a partnership between the Central Nassau Club of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs Inc., the NAACP Freeport and Roosevelt Branch, and the Uniondale Police Activity League and Olena Nicks, legislator. Adrian Goodwin coordinated the event.
For more information or to sign up for future sessions, residents can visit dhses.ny.gov or call (518) 242-5000.
