Hudson Valley Transportation Management Center:

With Officer Libretti, and three other classmates doing the same sort of project, we went on our first trip to the Hudson Valley Transportation Management Center. We got picked up in his cop car, put in the back, and very quickly after our mid-morning departure there were rumors flying that we got arrested and different scenarios were hitting twitter. We found it funny and even asked Officer Libretti to go along with it and maybe even put our heads down when we were being "put into" his police vehicle. We were on our way to Hawthorne to get a guided tour of the center. I had never heard of such a place before nor has it really ever crossed my mind that there was so much man power put into making sure transportation ran smoothly and the other services they offer. 

The Front View

The Command Center With Several Monitors Displaying Traffic Cameras and Emergency Calls

On our tour we got to see the main room with everyone working on their computers, watching their monitors as well as the many screens on the wall to make decisions about traffic as well as report the traffic information to the general public. Behind this, still able to see the wall of monitors, but in a closed off room is where several people are working to take emergency 911 calls and use this system that confused me to dispatch an ambulance/ police, and transfer calls. Using both computer monitors, they click what call to answer, check locations, report it based on severity where it will appear on one of the monitors on the big screen. While we were there there was a kidnapping at a school nearby so it was on the top of the list on the monitor. 

We continued our tour and went underground to where the governor would go and there was a podium in the front and desks upon desks lined up with a plate stating who they were/ representing. This is where they have emergency center meetings and addressing. During the hurricane that is where many organizations from the fire department, to the school board of education would meet to make executive decisions. 

The center collects and reports real time traffic information, is the main link between transportation agencies, public safety agencies, media entities and the traveling public. It is also a 911 call center, State Police dispatch and HELP truck operations center, and also the command center for incident response to conditions that impact traffic flow in Westchester County and the Hudson Valley. It is the "surveillance" in a way of 7 counties just north of New York City. And since 9/11 it is now equipped with additional space for emergency operation centers.