ORISKANY, September 26 — The convoy of Dominican emergency officials rolled into the State Preparedness Training Center this week, and by the time the sessions wrapped, roughly forty of them had cycled through tactical search-and-rescue drills, emergency communications work and mental health support training built jointly by two New York agencies. The summit — formally the Emergency Management and Infrastructure Protection gathering — ran from September 21 to 25 at the SPTC in Oriskany, a facility that trains New York’s own first responders.
The curriculum was developed through a joint effort between the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and the New York State Bridge Authority, with the Bridge Authority and DHSES delivering critical infrastructure protection and post-earthquake inspection training.
A partnership built over years
The visit traces back to Governor Kathy Hochul’s trip to the Dominican Republic in November of last year, when she and President Luis Abinader signed a Declaration of Intent — a bilateral agreement to share expertise, resources and technologies aimed at protecting citizens from extreme weather. Hochul met with Abinader and Congressmember Adriano Espaillat to further strengthen the relationship between New York State and the Dominican Republic, according to an official New York State announcement. The announcement did not specify where that meeting took place.
Hochul said, “As home to around a million Dominican Americans, New York shares an unbreakable bond and a vital partnership with the Dominican Republic as we confront climate change.
We are honored with the visit of the Dominican President and we welcome our colleagues to Oriskany to share critical emergency strategies, tactical training and innovations that will save lives and build resilience from New York to the Caribbean.” Abinader said, “Saving and protecting the lives of Dominicans is a top priority for our government, and we highly value this collaboration agreement with the Governor of New York, which advances that objective.”
Training that crosses borders
The curriculum zeroed in on three areas: tactical search and rescue, emergency communications, and critical responder mental health support. The Bridge Authority and DHSES handled the infrastructure protection and post-earthquake inspection modules. DHSES Commissioner Terry O’Leary said, “New York is home to some of the nation’s most experienced emergency management professionals who have dedicated their lives to keeping their communities safe.
Thanks to Governor Hochul’s record investments in emergency management staff and training, we are proud to partner with Dr. Alacantara and the New York State Bridge Authority to host this delegation of public safety professionals from the Dominican Republic at our State Preparedness Training Center.
By sharing our expertise in preparedness, search and rescue, emergency communications and recovery, we are helping to build safer, more resilient communities in both New York State and the Dominican Republic.” Bridge Authority Executive Director Dr. Minosca Alcantara said, “The people of the Dominican Republic and New York have long shared strong ties rooted in our communities, history, and shared commitment to public service.
That relationship was further strengthened through the historic Declaration of Intent signed by Governor Hochul and President Abinader last year, which established a framework for greater cooperation in areas including disaster preparedness, emergency response and mitigation. This week’s training visit is a meaningful opportunity to build on that commitment by bringing together emergency operations professionals from New York and the Dominican Republic to exchange knowledge, share best practices and strengthen our ability to prepare for and respond to emergencies.
These kinds of partnerships not only deepen the ties between our two governments, but also help ensure that we can learn from one another and better protect the communities we serve.” NYSBA Board of Commissioners Chair Joan McDonald said, “This week’s visit offers a unique opportunity for our state to share its expertise in emergency response and infrastructure management with a nation that many New Yorkers are closely connected to.
I applaud Governor Hochul, Dr. Alcantara, and Commissioner O’Leary for their leadership on this initiative, as well as to all who coordinated the logistics to make this international exchange and training exercise a reality.
I’m sure this will not only be of invaluable benefit to the Dominican Republic, but also a chance for New York to continue learning and strengthen its own resiliency.” Consul General of the Dominican Republic in New York Jesús Vásquez Martínez said, “This initiative reflects the strength of a relationship built over years, which today continues to advance toward increasingly concrete areas of collaboration, training and knowledge exchange.”
What comes next
The summit is part of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly. B-roll of the delegation’s visit to the State Preparedness Training Center is available to stream on YouTube and in TV quality, and photos are also available. A Spanish translation of the announcement is available.
What to watch next: whether the Declaration of Intent produces further joint exercises, and whether the emergency communications and post-earthquake inspection modules become standing programs between the two governments.
