Crash gate on I-84 urged in aftermath of Farmingdale band bus crash

ALBANY — Local leaders and first responders near the site of Thursday’s fatal charter bus crash carrying Farmingdale High School band members said a “crash gate” between highway exits would have allowed far quicker access for emergency crews, but efforts to create the emergency route have failed for more than 20 years.

State and local officials said they aren’t sure how much faster a crash gate would have allowed access by emergency personnel, who were widely praised for a fast response. But Slate Hill Fire Chief Michael Dally said Monday that speed is critical in such devastating crashes so that victims can get as much care as possible within the “golden hour” when trauma victims have their best chance of recovery.

Dally said there are nearly weekly accidents in the area, including three fatal crashes on that stretch of road in the last three months.

Crash gates are often metal gates on a roadway that link opposite lanes of a highway and are inaccessible to anyone but emergency and maintenance crews. In addition to speeding first responders' access to a scene, supporters say crash gates can substantially reduce the time traffic is tied up near an accident.

On Monday, state Sen. James Skoufis (D-Woodbury) and Assemb. Karl Brabenec (R-Deerpark) said they are working to get Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state Department of Transportation to support a request for federal approval of the crash gate.

“There is over 10 miles of roadway in between the nearest access points,” Skoufis said. The Slate Hill fire company and emergency medical technicians have to "travel miles and miles and miles to one of those other access points, then miles backtracking on Route 84 to the scene of the accident,” he said.

“There are a number of sites to see for access,” Brabenec said. “Every single second counts for our first responders to get to these accidents. This is how we save lives.”

Two adults — Beatrice Ferrari, 77, of Farmingdale, a chaperone and retired teacher, and Gina Pellettiere, 43, of Massapequa, Farmingdale high’s director of bands — were killed in Thursday's crash in which a chartered bus went down a 50-foot ravine. Dozens of students were injured. As of Monday, seven people remained hospitalized.

The crash gate is an annual appeal made by emergency crews.

"Right now, we have a 12-minute response time," Jason Wood, the Wawayanda fire chief at the time, said during a 2008 news conference covered by the Times Herald-Record of Middletown. “If we had the access gates, it would cut us down to two minutes."

By Michael Gormley

michael.gormley@newsday.com@GormleyAlbany

Michael Gormley has worked for Newsday since 2013, covering state government, politics and issues. He has covered Albany since 2001.