Fw: Severe Weather Advisory

I wanted to alert you to the following advisory from the Mayor regarding today's snowstorm.     If you could please share this information with any elderly neighbors who live near you and  check in with  them today/tonight and  make sure they're okay, I'd greatly appreciate it.   For the latest information about today's  snowstorm, please visit the NYC Severe Weather website at  http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/html/nycsevereweather/weather_home.shtml .   You can also call 311.   Thanks  and stay safe and warm. – Best, Christine C. Quinn, Speaker     SEVERE WEATHER ADVISORY   Last night, Mayor Bloomberg issues severe weather advisory .     T he public is advised that significant snowfall has been forecast starting  this  afternoon through Saturday morning.   Please avoid all unnecessary driving during the duration of the storm and, until further directed, to use public transportation wherever possible. As New Yorkers are making their commuting plans for tomorrow, they should be aware that driving conditions will be difficult.   If you must drive, use extreme caution.     The MTA has advised of potential service disruptions, and information about any service changes to public transportation is available on the MTA website at  http://www.mta.info/ .   Any vehicle found to be blocking roadways or impeding the ability to plow streets  will be subject to towing at the owner's expense.   Alternate side parking is suspended citywide through Sunday. Due to anticipated high winds the Staten Island Ferry will be operating on a modified schedule beginning tomorrow afternoon.   The Emergency Management, Fire, Police, Sanitation, and Transportation Commissioners will be taking all appropriate and necessary steps to preserve public safety and to render all required and available assistance to protect the security, well-being and health of the residents of the City.   City government and public schools are open .   though a fterschool programs are subject to cancellation.   Due to potential power outages and transportation difficulties, New Yorkers are advised to stock up on potential supplies, including medicine.

Hurricane Sandy Emergency Update

Hurricane Sandy Update: December 10,2012 Dear Partners,   The following information is designed to keep you updated as we recover from the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy.   As the situation is constantly changing, check our social media sites for the latest information. Twitter at @NYCOEM and Facebook. Individual Recovery Assistance  Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (DSNAP) Services: From December 12 - December 19, residents living in 10 full zip codes and two partial zip codes of NYC most impacted by Sandy are eligible for temporary food assistance. This assistance will only be available for seven days.  For more information about how to apply, click here.       Deadline for FEMA Disaster Assistance Approaching: Anyone affected by Sandy (homeowners, renters, and businesses) should apply for federal disaster assistance as soon as possible. Register at www.disasterassistance.gov or by calling FEMA at 800-621-3362 (FEMA). FEMA applications for Sandy relief must be in by December 31. Before you call, be sure to have the following information ready: Address of affected property  Insurance information Social Security Number    Benefits Plus: For information on some government benefit programs in response to Hurricane Sandy, click here.    NYC Restoration Centers: NYC Restore helps New Yorkers in the areas most affected by Hurricane Sandy get access to important information and services to help them recover. The types of assistance provided include NYC Rapid Repairs, food and nutrition assistance, temporary housing information, health and medical benefits, business restoration, counseling services, financial assistance, and personal records and information. Click here for more information.      Locations Where Prepared Food is Available: To find a list of locations in Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island where prepared food is available, click here.     Brooklyn Sandy Relief Legal Clinic: The Brooklyn Sandy Relief Legal Clinic will be staffed by disaster relief-trained law students and volunteer attorneys, who will offer storm-related legal and application assistance in regards to insurance claims, FEMA applications and appeals, public assistance, and housing. Walk-ins are welcome. Location:  Brooklyn Borough Hall 209 Joralemon Street Room 320 Brooklyn, NY 11201 Phone:  718-802-3890 Email:   sandyrelief@brooklynbp.nyc.gov  Hours of Operation: Tuesdays: 1- 4PM Thursdays: 9AM-12PM   Car Recovery Hotline: If your car may have been towed or moved after Sandy, please call 1-800-244-5094 to find out where your vehicle is located.   Benefits Plus: For a list of some disaster related services and resources post Hurricane Sandy, click here. ASPCA Emergency Boarding Facility: The ASPCA has opened a temporary, emergency pet boarding facility. Pet owners who are currently unable to care for their animals due to Hurricane Sandy can place them in this temporary facility now through December 17. Pets can be visited daily or picked up at any time. For more information, call 347-573-1561.      Health Department: As the recovery from Hurricane Sandy continues, the Health Department urges New Yorkers to protect themselves from health and injury risks during cleanup. Properly using portable generators to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning  Safety recommendations for cleaning up homes    Information on hypothermia     Housing Recovery Resources   NY State Housing Choice Vouchers: NY State's Housing choice vouchers are available to assist very low income residents who have been permanently displaced. For more information, click here.     NYC Housing Recovery will make a pool of vacant apartments available exclusively for New Yorkers that have been displaced from their homes because of Hurricane Sandy. Displaced households can register with the City for assistance in finding short or long-term housing. After completing a profile on the NYC Housing Recovery portal, people who want help finding an apartment will be contacted by a representative from the City to help match them with one of the approximately 2,500 available apartments which include income-restricted and market rate units. Learn more    Rapid Repairs: If your home was damaged due to Hurricane Sandy, you can sign up for City assistance with repairs through the NYC Rapid Repairs Program by going to  NYC.gov or calling 311. In order to apply you will need a FEMA ID number, which you can get at  www.disasterassistance.gov. For more information, click here.    Property Tax Relief Initiative: New property tax relief initiatives to assist New Yorkers whose homes were severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy have been announced . To provide immediate relief, the Finance Department, with the authorization of the City Council, will issue an interest-free extension on the next property tax bill for residential properties damaged beyond repair or in need of extensive structural repairs before they can be re-inhabited. The grace period will postpone payments due on Jan. 1, 2013 to Apr. 1, 2013. For more information, click here.   Water Bills Suspended for Properties Severely Damaged by Sandy: Mayor Bloomberg and Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Carter H. Strickland Jr., announced that the City will temporarily suspend water bills for customers whose properties were severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy. Residential and commercial properties that the Department of Buildings has tagged red or yellow will not have to make a monthly water bill payment until June 1, 2013. Click here to read more.   Insurance Information Institute: For answers to questions regarding insurance policies and claims, check out www.iii.org, a great resource for improving the public's understanding of insurance.   What you need to know about filing and settling an insurance claim after a disaster FAQs on what is and is not covered in insurance policies if your business has been affected by the hurricane Prepare Your Homes for the Winter: Hurricane Sandy has left many homes without heat just as temperatures are dipping below freezing. If your home will be without heat for an extended period of time you should consider hiring a qualified plumber who can safely "winterize" the home by shutting off water and draining the pipes until the heating system can be restored. Failure to do this could result in burst pipes and thousands of dollars in additional water damage. Recovery Resources for Non-Profits and Businesses   NYC Nonprofit Recovery Loan Program: The City has introduced a new recovery program that will provide at least $26 million of interest-free loans to help nonprofit organizations rebuild after Sandy. Additionally, pro-bono lawyers will provide legal service to impacted nonprofits. Click here to read more.     $5.5 million Matching Grant Program for Small Businesses: The Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City and the Partnership for New York City is providing $5.5 million in grant money for small businesses. The matching grants are designed to provide additional financial assistance for local businesses already seeking low-interest loans through the city's existing Emergency Loan Fund. Click here for more information.       Business Recovery Zones: Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced the creation of Business Recovery Zones and new initiatives to help small businesses in areas most impacted by Hurricane Sandy. Business Recovery Zone leaders will identify neighborhood-specific needs, coordinate action plans and follow-up, organize City resources, and provide a central point of contact for businesses and agencies. To read more, click here. Hurricane Sandy Business Recovery Information: New York City, including the New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS) and The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYEDC) is coordinating a set of services to help New York businesses in recovering from the effects of Hurricane Sandy. For an outline of available assistance, click here.   Volunteer and Donations Below are resources that you can use to support local relief efforts:   Cash Donations: Cash donations are the best way to support relief efforts.  To give cash donations visit the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City.You can also text NYCFUND to 50555 to give $10 to the Mayor's Fund that will help provide essential aid and supplies to New Yorkers in need.    Volunteer: Visit the NYC Service website for the most up-to-date volunteer opportunities throughout the five boroughs.   AidMatrix: If you are a company or organization with access to a large volume of items and would like to donate them to the disaster relief effort, visit the AidMatrix portal.  At this site you can match a posted need or make a general offer of supplies.  Other Resources  Make Disaster Preparedness Your New Year's Resolution: On December 13th, join the Department of Homeland Security for a webinar on the importance of individuals and households being better prepared for disasters. Click here to register. Hurricane Sandy FEMA Related Jobs: For a listing of FEMA jobs in New York that have come about after Hurricane Sandy, click here.  Reinvent Payphones Design Challenge: Payphone availability remains critical in times of emergency, as seen by an increase in their usage after Hurricane Sandy. Reinvent Payphones is an opportunity to shape the future design and functionality of payphones and their surrounding enclosures.This challenge launched by Mayor Bloomberg has the goal of rallying urban designers, planners, technologists, and policy experts to create physical and virtual prototypes that imagine the future of New York City's public pay telephones. Click here to read more.  Disclaimer The NYC Citizen Corps Council Newsletter is being offered for general informational purposes only.  Messages are sent through the NYC Citizen Corps Council Newsletter to help members of the public make informed decisions relating to fast-breaking developments.  Under the circumstances, the City assumes no duties to registrants or others and disclaims any right for such persons to rely on the system or its messages.  Also, no assurances can be made that the messages sent through the NYC Citizen Corps Council Communication Network will be timely, complete or fully accurate or that registrants will receive a particular message.

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