PREPARING FOR HURRICANE SANDY

As you may know, Hurricane Sandy will soon approach us. Due to the severity of upcoming Hurricane Sandy, Governor Cuomo has ordered a system-wide shutdown and suspension of all Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) subway, bus, and railroad service as of 7pm tonight. Schools will be closed tomorrow until further notice. 

In preparation for Hurricane Sandy, I urge all of you to take the necessary precautions to protect yourselves and your loved ones. Below you will find some helpful information and recommendations to ensure that you are adequately prepared should hurricane conditions occur.

Additionally, you may lose power and email access, so I suggest you print this email, along with the corresponding evacuation map, and any other information you need to ensure your safety. Please share this information with others, especially the elderly and sick who may not be getting the proper information, and help them stay informed.

Where to get Information:

• On the New York City Office of Emergency Management or www.nyc.gov/severeweather websites you can find out if you live in a hurricane evacuation zone by plugging in your address here. Or use your phone to call 311 for further information. This is the best source for up to the minute hurricane information for New York City residents.

•  You can also find a map of the NYC hurricane evacuation zones here. If you live in an ORANGE (Zone A) area, you should be prepared to evacuate. This map shows the locations of hurricane evacuation zones as RED dots. It is important that you check this map as many residents of the 28th Senate District reside in Zone A.  If you live in Zone A, you must evacuate your home and be in shelter by 7 PM tonight.

•  You can report power interruptions or service problems as well as view service restoration information online at www.conEd.com. Or you can call Con Edison 1-800-752-6633. (If possible, have your Con Edison account number available and report whether your neighbors also have lost power).

• The MTA will be shutting down subway service beginning tonight at 7 PM and bus service beginning at 9 PM tonight. If you are planning to relocate for the hurricane, you should do so sooner rather than later.

• Please stay close to a television or radio to get the latest information. Remember, a battery powered radio works during a blackout.

• You may also call 311 for the latest updates.

What to Do:

• If you have a terrace or outdoor space, make sure to take everything inside. High winds are expected.

• If you live by a construction site that has materials which do not appear to be safely secured to a stable structure, please call and notify 311.

• If you see downed electrical wires, do NOT go near them or touch them. Instead, report any downed wires to Con Edison and your local police department immediately.

• If you have a medical or other emergency, call 911.

• Check twitter for additional updates at http://twitter.com/nycgov.

What to Have:

• Whether or not you are in an evacuation zone, you should make sure to have basic necessary supplies readily available.

• Gather a "Go Bag" that includes: essential documents in waterproof bags/containers, extra cash, medications, flashlights, working batteries and other items you'll want to have in the event of an evacuation.

Once again, please use the resources listed above to ensure your safety and the safety of those close to you. Be sure to follow the news, listen to the radio, and call 311 for further updates. Please be prepared and be safe!