New York State Psychiatric Institute

Safety Committee

Review Of Emergency Response To Electrical Service Blackout - July 6 - 8, 1999

At approximately 10:00 PM on Tuesday, July 6, 1999, the Institute lost its electrical service due to a major Con Edison blackout affecting all of northern Manhattan.

Institute staff on site and automated systems responded quickly and effectively through the emergency.

• •Safety and Engineering staff immediately monitored conditions and took steps to minimize damage and maintain essential services.

Communicated with ward staff

Communicated with Con Edison and local authorities

Ran additional lines to provided emergency power to critical equipment

Off-duty staff were called-in or communicated via telephone

• •Nutrition Services Staff modified menus and served appropriate meals
• •All other staff performed their jobs as conditions permitted.
• •Emergency generator promptly supplied back-up power to critical functions*

Safety & Security systems

Lighting (full for wards, minimum safety level for other areas)

Ventilation and A/C

Elevator service

Pharmacy main medication refrigerator

Kitchen freezers & refrigerators

Lab specimen freezers

Power supply returned at approximately 9:30 AM, Thursday, July 8.

* Areas which were not covered by emergency generator or which experienced problems included:

Public Address System - All main components were powered, but system did not function.

Telephones - All analog phones functioned, but electronic (digital) instruments did not.

Pharmacy - Pharmacon System, two medication refrigerators were not covered.

South Elevators - none in service.

Lab Freezers, etc. - Not all equipment requiring coverage had emergency power.

These deficiencies are being reviewed for improvement.

Willie Herriott (Chief Safety & Security Officer), Peter Reynolds (Plant Superintendent), Hal Seligson (Safety Committee Chairman), and David Strauss (Deputy Director, Clinical) met periodically through the course of this emergency to discuss ongoing conditions and to plan for future improvements.

Additional detailed information is on file.

Report by Hal Seligson

July 8, 1999

cc: John Oldham, M.D., Director & Governing Body Member

Steven Papp, Deputy Director for Administration

David Strauss, M.D., Deputy Director, Clinical

Daniel Firman, Deputy Director, Quality Assurance

Safety Committee