EMERGENCY MEASURES: Panelists at a recent meeting of Princeton Future were, from left: Jamie Chebra of Capital Health, Dean Raymond of Mercer County, Dann Dingle and Pam Hersh of the University Medical Center of Princeton, Paul Ominsky of Princeton University, Princeton Borough Police Lieutenant Robert Currier, Frank Setnicky of PFARS, Bob Gregory of Princeton Emergency Services, and Mark Freda of the Transition Task Force.

Coping with storms such as last year’s Hurricane Irene and other emergencies was the focus of an open meeting held at Princeton Public Library last Saturday by Princeton Future. About 50 people attended the forum, which began with presentations by representatives of local police and fire departments, hospitals, and first responders, and concluded with brief breakout discussions led by the representatives.

Preparedness was a recurring theme. Paul Ominsky, Princeton University’s Director of Public Safety, used the example of Hurricane Irene to illustrate how important it is to plan ahead. “We met several days before the storm,” he said, which averted major disruptions. The 30 volunteer firefighters who come from the University’s staff, as well as the students who work with PFARS (Princeton First Aid & Rescue), were part of “a pretty seamless system,” he added. “We’re actually the third police department in town. We have sworn campus police officers, a dispatch center, communications officers, security officers, a fire marshal, and an event staff of 22 retired police officers. The University tries to be self-sufficient so that we’re not taking up municipal resources.”

The widespread use of mobile phones and constantly improving technology has considerably changed the system of emergency response, said the forum moderator, Bill Metro. Unlike with land lines, mobiles don’t indicate a caller’s location. So those fielding the calls have to take the time to ask where the emergency is happening. “There is a greater volume of calls coming into 911 dispatchers, because so many people at a scene might be calling at once,” he said. “In some ways, 911 centers are going backwards in terms of efficiency. But they’re doing the best they can.”

The speakers described emergency management at different levels, starting with the local officers and moving to the county, state, and federal departments. Dean Raymond, Mercer County Emergency Management Coordinator, also stressed the importance of personal preparedness. Individuals should have an emergency contact who can care for pets and keep an eye on the house should a medical emergency arise.

The consolidation of Princeton Borough and Township will improve response to emergencies, more than one of the presenters said. Frank Setnicky of PFARS said the number of calls for assistance has increased by about five percent each year. “We know it will increase more in 2013, but there is no way to know how much,” he said, referring to the opening of the University Medical Center at Princeton’s new facility on U.S. Route 1 in Plainsboro.

Pam Hersh, vice president for Government and Community Affairs for Princeton Healthcare System, which operates the hospital, stressed that the move will not clog traffic on the highway, as many fear. Since 70 percent of those served by the hospital come from areas on the other side of Route 1, an extra turning lane has been added to the Harrison Street exit, and the hospital has paid for a system that will allow responders from PFARS and Princeton University to change the traffic light during an emergency, the transition is expected to go smoothly, she said.

Dann Doyle, Director of Security and Emergency Management at UMCP added that all of the hospitals in the county, including the new Capital Health facility that recently opened in Hopewell Township, have made an effort to coordinate with the use of emergency equipment. “Yes, we compete,” he said. “But behind the scenes, I’ve got each of these guys on speed dial.”