Preparing for Hurricane Irene

In preparation for Hurricane Irene, 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. Mayor Bloomberg recently announced that there will be a mandatory evacuation for those in Zone A by Saturday at 5PM. It is important that you check this map as many residents of the 28th Senate District reside in Zone A.
• This map also shows the locations of evacuation centers, which are marked with RED dots.
• Below are the evacuation centers for those in the 28th Senate District-(Bronx, East Harlem, Yorkville, & Roosevelt Island): 
  • Bronx Community College, 80 W 181st Street, Bronx 10453
  • P.S. 145, 1000 Teller Avenue, Bronx 10456
  • P.S. 306, 40 W Tremont Ave., Bronx 10453
  • William H. Taft High School, 240 East 172nd Street, Bronx 10457
  • P.S. 5, 564 Jackson Ave, Bronx 10455
  • P.S. 17, 19 East 103rd Street, Manhattan
  • P.S. 188, 215 West 114th Street, Manhattan
  • Hunter College, 695 Park Avenue, Manhattan
  • Newcomers High School, 28-01 41st Avenue, Queens (This is only included due to its close proximity to Roosevelt Island
• 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).
• Trains, Buses, and Bridges will also likely to be taken out of service during the hurricane. The MTA will be shutting down service beginning on Saturday at 12 PM. If you are planning to relocate for the hurricane, you should do so sooner rather than later.
• The Mayor has indicated that he will work closely with news organizations to get breaking updates to the public ASAP. Therefore, please stay close to a television or radio to get the latest info. 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.
• Other Items the Red Cross recommends you have on hand:
  • Water— at least a 3-day supply; one gallon per person per day
  • Food— at least a 3-day supply of non-perishable, easy-to-prepare food
  • Battery-powered or hand-crank radio
  • Extra batteries
  • First aid kit
  • Medications (7-day supply) and medical items (hearing aids with extra batteries, glasses, contact lenses, syringes, cane)
  • Sanitation and personal hygiene items
  • Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information)
  • Cell phone with chargers
  • Family and emergency contact information
  • Extra cash
  • Baby supplies (bottles, formula, baby food, diapers)
  • Pet supplies (collar, leash, ID, food, carrier, bowl)
  • Extra clothing, hat and sturdy shoes, rain gear

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