In the wake of the devastating flash floods that occurred on July 4 along the Guadalupe River in Texas — which as of Thursday claimed 134 lives — Town Supervisor Brian Walsh said Pine Plains is “extremely” prepared to handle a flash flood, citing established emergency protocols as safeguards for residents.
Flash floods usually occur due to heavy rains from hurricanes and tropical storms. Parts of Pine Plains are designated as Zone A by FEMA — these are high-risk areas that have a 1% chance of flooding in any given year. Most of the Zone A areas are near Thompson Pond, Stissing Lake, Twin Island Lake, Shekomeko Creek, and Wappinger Creek.
If flooding strikes Pine Plains, the Fire Department and Highway Department would be activated immediately, Walsh said. The town’s community center, located on South Main Street, above the library, might serve as a Red Cross shelter for evacuees, said Walsh, who has also served as Chief of the Pine Plains Fire Company for close to a decade. The space can accommodate 285 people, according to the town website.
The National Weather Service issues daily forecasts and sends a variety of wireless emergency alerts when there is a threat of flooding. There are several alerts the service issues: A flood watch indicates weather conditions that could lead to flooding; a flood warning means flooding is imminent;: and a flash flood warning is issued when sudden, violent flooding is about to occur or is already occurring. Residents would receive additional alerts from the county in case of imminent danger.
Emergency alerts can be affected by cell service problems, as demonstrated during a 911 outage on Tuesday, July 15. Dutchess County’s 911 services were interrupted from approximately 3 to 9 p.m. because of an issue with a Verizon fiber optic transmission line, according to an email from the county.
Dutchess County Emergency Management — an agency that assists municipalities during emergency disasters and coordinates with state and federal agencies for support — monitors potential weather-impacts 24/7, according to Acting Commissioner William Beale, who administers the county’s Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan. The plan, last reviewed in September 2024, includes measures to prepare for before, during, and after a weather-related emergency situation, including public warning systems and communicating information to residents.
The county is the only one between New York City and Albany with state accreditation for emergency management planning, he said. The New York Emergency Management Accreditation Program recognizes that Dutchess County’s policies and practices meet or exceed standards in all primary aspects of emergency management — mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
“When we anticipate a significant storm event facing Dutchess County, we will have a conference call prior to the impact with all the chief elected officials from the town, cities and villages,” Beale said, adding that they also use radio, television news, and social media to disseminate emergency information. Residents can follow the Dutchess County Emergency Management Facebook page for updates and alerts.
The county also has a Hazard Mitigation Plan, with sections on its towns and villages. Last updated in 2016, it notes that there has been no reported flood damage to structures in Pine Plains in the preceding decade, with only one insurance claim, for just over $2,000, filed since 1978. (The plan expired during the COVID-19 pandemic; the county is working with municipalities to revise it, according to Beale.) The document assesses a variety of natural hazards, including droughts, snow storms, earthquakes, and hurricanes, and lists steps to mitigate risks of flooding — such as land use management and zoning ordinances in the floodplain areas..
“With respect to what happened in Texas, they received more than 16 inches of rain in a very short amount of time,” Beale said. “That is beyond any expectations, an act of God, really. Here in Dutchess County, if we anticipate getting 3 inches of rain in an hour, we have protocols in place to minimize impact.”
Walsh also added that the town’s relatively high elevation, flat farmland, and gravel terrain naturally absorb significant amounts of rainwater. In his 43 years in Pine Plains, he said only one storm has caused major flooding in the area: Hurricane Irene in 2011, which downed trees and caused flash flooding that led to the closing of roads and bridges.