WHEREAS, the State of New York recognizes the importance of protecting the lives of our citizens in the event of a catastrophic natural or manmade disaster;
WHEREAS, the people of this State have a vital public safety interest in the establishment of well-trained urban search and rescue capabilities; and
WHEREAS, training, technical assistance and response are essential to the rescue of victims trapped in collapsed buildings and structures due to natural disasters and terrorist activities;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE E. PATAKI, Governor of the State of New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Laws of the State of New York, do hereby establish a pilot project for an Urban Search and Rescue team in the Capital region. Under the direction of the Disaster Preparedness Commission, I hereby create a task force comprised of the Department of State, the State Emergency Management Office, the Insurance Department, the Division of State Police, the Department of Environmental Conservation, the Department of Health and the Office of General Services. The chair of this task force shall be the State Fire Administrator.
This urban search and rescue task force shall report by June 30, 1998 on the feasibility of the Capitol region pilot for use in other regions of the state, and
FURTHER, pursuant to article 6-C, section 156 of the Executive Law, the Secretary of State and the State Fire Administrator shall train the Capitol region pilot team in the rescue of victims from collapsed structures caused by terrorist activities, or by other manmade or natural disasters. The Secretary of State and the Fire Administrator may expend the necessary monies for such rescue training and equipment and may, pursuant to applicable rules and regulations approved by the Director of the Division of the Budget, approve grants of funds from monies allocated and appropriated for this pilot project.
Signed: George E. PatakiDated: September 23, 1996
[FN[DAGGER]] [Revoked by Executive Order No. 9 (David A. Paterson), infra.]
[Revoked by Executive Order No. 2 (Andrew M. Cuomo), infra.]
N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. Tit. 9 § 5.43