Orange County, NY - For A Year Local Officials Are Preparing For Satmar Rabbi's Death

Kiryas Joel, Monroe, NY - Three levels of law enforcement are choreographing how to manage the traffic that will inundate the Monroe-Woodbury area when the Satmar grand rebbe dies and tens of thousands of mourners pour into Kiryas Joel for a funeral and burial.

Although the 91-year-old spiritual leader has made a surprising recovery since he fell unconscious at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan last week. But his grave illness forced state, county and local authorities in Orange County to renew preparations for the expected crowds.
The state police, who are coordinating the response in Orange County, won't release details of the plans. Capt. Michael Cahill of Troop F headquarters in Middletown said that law enforcement has been developing plans for nine months to a year, focusing on traffic control.