Donation Follows Mayor’s Trip to Visit Island, Survey Needs with Local Delegation After Hurricane Fiona Hit in September
New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced the donation of two standard-size New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) collection trucks to the municipal governments of Vieques and Yabucoa in Puerto Rico. The donations come as Puerto Rico continues recovery efforts from Hurricane Fiona, which devastated the island in September. The donation is being coordinated by the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Service (DCAS) in close collaboration with the New York City Office of Emergency Management (NYCEM) and DSNY. The trucks are expected to arrive in Puerto Rico by January 2023.
“Immediately after Hurricane Fiona hit Puerto Rico earlier this year, my team and I were on the ground assessing needs for New York’s ‘sixth borough’ and providing the resources necessary to offer what assistance we could to those impacted,” said Mayor Adams. “Though the hurricane and its aftermath may have faded from the headlines, this donation of two sanitation trucks underlines our unwavering commitment to our Puerto Rican brothers and sisters amid their ongoing recovery process.”
“Our hearts are with the people of Puerto Rico as they continue to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Fiona,” said DCAS Commissioner Dawn M. Pinnock. “DCAS is proud to coordinate this donation with NYCEM and DSNY, and will continue to explore avenues to provide needed support using city assets.”
“When New Yorkers see the iconic white collection truck — whether getting trash off our streets or fighting extreme weather — they know it means one thing: Help is on the way,” said DSNY Commissioner Jessica Tisch. “Soon, the people of Puerto Rico will be able to feel that same sense of relief as these trucks begin to provide critical infrastructural capacity for communities beset by recent natural disasters. New York stands with Puerto Rico, and DSNY is proud to do our part.”
“New York City is always ready to spring into action and assist those in need. Soon after Hurricane Fiona devastated Puerto Rico, we sent a multi-agency team to assess the damage,” said NYCEM Commissioner Zach Iscol. “We admire the resiliency of the people of Puerto Rico and we are proud to donate two sanitation trucks in support of the people of our honorary sixth borough.”
Puerto Rico has been reeling from the effects of natural disasters since Hurricanes Maria and Irma made landfall in 2017. This past September, Hurricane Fiona brough torrential rainfall to some areas of the island, severely impacting the government’s ability to provide critical services to its residents. Among these major issues is the inability to effectively collect waste. Puerto Rico’s sanitation trucks have suffered major mechanical failures and the necessity to use alternate routes have impeded their service. With the donation of these two trucks, Puerto Rico stands to make strides in improving its collection service and mitigating this serious public health issue.
DSNY has identified the collection trucks that will be sent to Puerto Rico and is working collaboratively with DCAS and NYCEM to deliver them to the island. The two Mack trucks, manufactured in 2015 and 2016 respectively, will be transported directly from New York City to Puerto Rico and are worth more than $500,000 together.
New York City has a strong track record of stepping up to assist other regions here and abroad in the wake of natural disasters. The city donated fleet and construction equipment to Indonesia in 2004 following the tsunami that ravaged the nation. It also donated a New York City Police Department rescue truck to Greenburgh Police Department in Westchester, New York and a Fire Department of the City of New York FDNY fire truck to the West Hamilton Volunteer Fire Department in Howard Beach, New York in 2015.
“At DCAS, we know how critical municipal fleet trucks and equipment are to emergency response,” said New York City Chief Fleet Officer and DCAS Deputy Commissioner Keith Kerman. “On behalf of all of New York City’s fleet professionals, we are proud to work with DSNY and NYCEM to extend this support to our friends in Puerto Rico. “
“My heart is so grateful for the response of all New Yorkers in the efforts to help our Puerto Rican brothers and sisters in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona,” said New York State Senator Luis Sepúlveda. “The history of our people goes hand in hand and is united by a brotherhood of many years. When the hurricane tragedy struck, Mayor Eric Adams put all his efforts to help Puerto Ricans here and there. He visited the island and brought needed resources for our people. As a Puerto Rican, as a Latino, as a New Yorker, I thank the mayor and the city agencies for this new donation that reaffirms our commitment to our brothers and sisters and is a sign of the importance that this administration has given to our people.”
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