On Sept. 21, a bus carrying members of the Farmingdale, Long Island, High School Band ran off Interstate 84 in the Orange County town of Wawayanda. The bus went down a 50-foot ravine and overturned. Two adults on board were killed and 45 people were injured. One of the dead was the school’s band director and the other was an adult chaperone. Quick action by first responders was credited with saving lives.
On Oct. 23, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul invited first responders, students in Farmingdale High School’s band, school and community leaders and family members of the deceased to join her for a ceremony at the State Museum in Albany recognizing the efforts of the estimated 200 rescuers who rushed to the scene and quickly got the most seriously injured to hospitals.
“Pennsylvania firefighter Hayden Thompson was the first person on the scene that day, and he wasn’t even on duty,” Hochul said. “He wasn’t called there. He was working his day job as a truck driver when he saw the wreck. That’s one of the remarkable things about our first responders, every one of them would do the same thing, even when they’re off the clock.”
Hochul had special praise for Orange County Sheriff’s Deputy Brian Kelly, Silver Lake Fire Chief Mike Morstatt, and Slate Hill Fire Chief Shaun Graham, as being the first on-duty responders at the scene, quickly followed by members of the New York State Police and other agencies.
“Put yourself in their shoes for a moment,” Hochul said. “They rushed down a hill toward the wreckage. It would not have been unusual for that bus to go up in flames at any second. And it would have happened while it was being surrounded and approached by these first responders. Think about the first moment they peered into the bus – the chaos, the shattered glass, the crushed metal, the screams, the cries for help, the fear on the faces of children, smoke billowing out of the engine, the clock ticking in your head. You don’t know how much time you have. Every second counts, and you don’t know how many are seriously hurt. But I have no doubt they look upon all of you that there are people, mostly the students, who are alive today because of your actions in those early, most pivotal moments.”
Hochul said that she had met many first responders over the years and found that none think of themselves as heroes. She said that to the state and the grateful families of the Farmingdale High School Band and the Farmingdale community they are heroes.
“A lot of people can’t summon that sense of courage and that sense of helping others that is required to be in your positions,” Hochul said. “Please know you have a state that will never, ever take for granted your service. That’s what sets you apart, that’s what makes you special. I am so proud and indeed humbled to honor each of you here today.”
Hochul’s honoring of the first responders came about three weeks after Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus had gone to the county’s Emergency Services Center for an “after-action review” of what happened on the day of the accident.
“I have been moved by all the messages I’ve received from county residents offering compassionate well wishes to the victims and thanking and commending our first responders,” Neuhaus said. “I also want to acknowledge SUNY Orange, Orange-Ulster BOCES, the City of Middletown Police, and Enlarged City School District of Middletown, and the Orange County Department of Mental Health who collaborated to set up a family reunification center at SUNY Orange. This incident tested our training and fortunately, our procedures passed the test.”
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the accident. It has released a preliminary report that contains basic facts about the accident but does not provide analysis and does not reach any conclusions. After investigators have gone through all available evidence and conducted interviews with witnesses, survivors, first responders and others the NTSB will adopt a probable cause of the accident and make any recommendations it deems advisable to help avoid similar accidents.
Some law enforcement sources had suggested shortly after the accident that a front tire may have failed, resulting in a loss of control by the driver.
