SHARP & M-ARK receive $40,000 From Benefit Concert and Disaster Relief Efforts

Highmount, NY - Belleayre Mountain began preparing its emergency evacuation center in response to a severe hurricane warning for the Catskill Region in anticipation of major flooding in the Phoenicia and Margaretville areas. Belleayre Mountain began preparing its emergency evacuation center in response to a severe hurricane warning for the Catskill Region in anticipation of major flooding in the Phoenicia and Margaretville areas. In the wake of Hurricane Irene, the emergency evacuation center was in full operation servicing 120 adults, 40 children and 20 dogs. During the first night, Belleayre was used as an emergency ambulance dispatch center because Margaretville Hospital and Kingston Hospitals were cut off by flooding and road closures. The emergency evacuation center included an expanded 16 bed, fully equipped medical response facility able to service ambulance calls.

Road closures made it necessary to establish helicopter landing zones in both the upper and lower areas to accommodate emergency evacuations and incoming food deliveries. Food deliveries and donations made it possible for the Belleayre Kitchen, operated by Centerplate, to provide an average of 1,200 meals a day as well as distributing 4,000 MRE’s provided by the American Red Cross. The evacuation center then expanded to include the NYS Office of Emergency Management headquarters with representatives from FEMA, OEM, Red Cross, and other Delaware and Ulster County relief offices, along with an area open to the public to apply for hurricane relief. All of Belleayre’s employees dedicated their time to the relief efforts and went above and beyond. A variety of duties were preformed including preparing, serving and delivering meals. The staff took turns in the food pantry unloading, signing in food donations, clothing donations, organizing the goods and assisting the public with their needs. Staff established helicopter landing zones and unloaded and then reloaded supplies to be sent out to communities in need. The new maintenance center was used to fix emergency equipment from Ulster County. The county provided mechanics to work alongside Belleayre employees to fix equipment and emergency vehicles including fire trucks, ambulances and heavy machinery.