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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 422-12
November 14, 2012

UPDATE ON CITY RECOVERY AND ASSISTANCE OPERATIONS

The following is an update of City Government’s Storm Response as of 5:00 PM on Wednesday, November 14, 2012

NYCHA Facilities

  • Power has been restored to all NYCHA residential buildings that were impacted by Hurricane Sandy.
  • Heat and hot water have been restored to 294 of the 386 buildings impacted by Hurricane Sandy.

More School Buildings Open

Three schools that had been closed for repairs following Hurricane Sandy opened today, allowing 2,300 students, their teachers and staff to return from their relocated school sites. One school will reopen to students and teachers tomorrow. Thirty-three schools will remain closed and their 15,000 students will continue to attend class at other schools.

Parents should continue to check the status of their schools by:

  • Clicking here for the school locator search or by going to www.nyc.gov/schools.
  • Call 311 or texting “nycschools” or ‘escuela’ to 877-877.

The Department of Education has coordinated transportation options for families with children who have been reassigned to other school sites:

  1. Full reimbursement for any family of a K-8 student at a relocated school taking MTA/cab service to and from school.
  2. 55 cents per mile reimbursement for any family of a student at a relocated school who uses their own vehicles.
  3. Free metro-cards will be distributed to all high school students at relocated schools who do not already have one.

Food, Water & Supply Distribution at City-Run Resource Sites

The City has opened food and water distribution sites in the hardest hit areas and are staffed by City employees, volunteers, the Salvation Army and National Guard. Locations and hours: http://www.nyc.gov/html/misc/html/2012/foodandwater.html.

From Thursday, November 1 through Sunday, November 11, the following have been distributed:

  • Approximately 2 million meals
  • More than 620,000 bottles of water
  • More than 170,776 blankets
  • 6741 cases of baby formula, diapers and wipes
  • 8,788 packs of new underwear (kids and adults)
  • 1,552 winter hats
  • 3,000 winter gloves
  • 3,405 socks
  • 4,000 hand-warmers
  • 9,414 D batteries
  • 13,240 C batteries
  • 1,496 AA batteries
  • 407 cases of garbage bags
  • 3,399 flashlights/lanterns
  • 729 cases of toilet paper
  • 2,136 cases of bleach and other cleaning materials
  • 20,000 cases of Ziploc bags
  • 6,000 masks
  • 10,000 boxes of cleaning wipes
  • 1,500 work gloves
  • 928 cases of soap and hand sanitizer
  • 320 cases of fruit and apple sauce
  • 150 cases of granola bars and canned food
  • 500 cases of Gatorade

Partnership with Local Food Trucks

The Mayors Fund to Advance New York City partnered with the NYC Food Truck Association, NYC Food Film Festival and local food trucks to coordinate hot food distribution in areas severely impacted by Hurricane Sandy in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island.

Since the start of the partnership, the food trucks have served or donated 88,052 meals. The locations and hours are available here: http://www.nyc.gov/html/misc/html/2012/hot_food.html.

Power Customers Out

  • Total Con Ed customers without power: 2,832
  • Total LIPA customers without power: 21,989

Trees and Debris

  • The tree service requests from both Hurricane Sandy and the nor’easter total 26,011. 
  • Of those requests, 15,432 were for trees down.
  • The City has addressed 12,831 of these emergency tree conditions and crews continue to work around the clock to address conditions.

Alternate Side Parking

Alternate side parking regulations are suspended indefinitely in the neighborhoods impacted by Hurricane Sandy. They include:

  • Queens Community Board 14: Broad Channel, Breezy Point, Belle Harbor, Neponsit, Bayswater, Edgemere, Rockaway Park, Rockaway and Far Rockaway, and is delimited by Jamaica Bay to the north, the Nassau County line to the east and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. Note that as Staten Island does not have ASP, that borough is not affected by the reinstatement of regulations in the remainder of the city.
  • Brooklyn Community Board 6: Red Hook, Carroll Gardens, Park Slope, Gowanus, Boerum Hill and Cobble Hill, and is delimited by New York Bay and the East River on the west, Atlantic Avenue, Court Street, Fourth Avenue, Warren and Pacific Streets on the north, Prospect Park on the east and 15th Street and the Gowanus Canal on the south.
  • Brooklyn Community Board 13: Coney Island, Brighton Beach, Gravesend and Seagate, and is delimited by Gravesend Bay on the west, 26th Avenue, 86th Street and Avenue Y on the north, Coney Island Avenue and Corbin Place on the east, and Lower New York Bay on the south (indicating that the west side of Corbin Place will be exempt from ASP regulations, while the east side will not, for example).
  • Brooklyn Community Board 15: Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Kings Bay, Gerritsen Beach, Kings Highway, East Gravesend, Madison, Homecrest and Plum Beach, and is delimited by Corbin Place, Coney Island Avenue, Avenue Y, 86th street, Avenue U and MacDonald Avenue, Avenue P and Kings Highway on the north, Nostrand Avenue and Marine Park on the east, as well as by the Atlantic Ocean on the south.
  • Brooklyn Community Board 18: Canarsie, Bergen Beach, Mill Basin, Flatlands, Marine Park, Georgetown and Mill Island and is delimited by Nostrand Avenue on the west, the Long Island Rail Road viaduct on the north, Van Sinderen Avenue and Louisiana Avenue on the east and Short Parkways on the south.

NYC Restore

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg launched NYC Restore to connect New Yorkers affected by Hurricane Sandy with the financial, health, environmental and residential services they need – as well as FEMA reimbursement. The initiative includes:

  • NYC Restoration Centers open from 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM in Far Rockaway, Gravesend, Coney Island and Staten Island
  • Centers in Red Hook, Breezy Point and Throggs Neck-Pelham Bay will open later this week.
  • Human Resources Administration staff will provide information on Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and temporary cash assistance
  • Department of Small Business Services will provide information on loans and reimbursements to small businesses
  • The Departments of Health, Consumer Affairs, Housing Preservation and Development and Aging, as well as the Administration for Children Services also on site
  • Information on NYC Rapid Repairs and FEMA reimbursements

More information is available at nyc.gov. 

NYC Rapid Repairs

Mayor Bloomberg announced NYC Rapid Repairs, a new program to send teams of contractors and City inspectors to areas impacted by Hurricane Sandy:

  • Under unprecedented partnership with FEMA, City will coordinate all repair work
  • Crews work to quickly and efficiently repair damaged homes
  • Homeowners can sign up on nyc.gov or 311 to secure; they must also register for a FEMA ID number from disasterassistance.gov or 1-800-621-3362

$500 Million for Major Repair Work

Mayor Bloomberg, Speaker Quinn and Comptroller Liu announced a $500 million emergency capital spending plan to make critical repairs to public schools and public hospitals damaged by Hurricane Sandy.

The City already has authorized $134 million in spending following Hurricane Sandy to provide emergency services and recovery and relief programs. Those expenses include:

  • $20 million for the Department of Transportation to repair the Battery Park Overpass
  • $1.7 million for the Department of Transportation to repair the Whitehall and St. George ferry terminals
  • $12 million for the Department of Sanitation Office of Emergency Management to remove debris
  • $2.5 million to the Department of Citywide Administrative Services and Human Resource Administration for food and water distribution.
  • $2 million to the Department of Citywide Administrative Services for the delivery of maintenance, repair and operations supplies for response operations
  • $5 million for electrical plumbing and water line inspections for homes in Staten Island and Queens
  • $1.1 million to the Office of Emergency Management for additional ambulances

Department of Buildings Application & Fee Waiver

As part of the City’s ongoing recovery and assistance operations to help New Yorkers affected by Hurricane Sandy, Mayor Bloomberg signed an emergency order today waiving application and permit fees for Hurricane Sandy repair work until further notice.

  • Buildings with significant structural damage in need of demolition, alterations or reconstruction will have all their repair work fees waived.
  • In addition, all fees for electrical and plumbing repair work will be waived until further notice for any building damaged by the storm.

Rockaway Ferry Service

On Monday, Seastreak began ferry service between the Rockaways and Manhattan. Ferries depart from Beach 108th Street and Beach Channel Drive and stop at Pier 11 in Lower Manhattan. There are free transfer between Pier 11 and East 34th Street in Midtown. One-way fares will cost $2.00

The Economic Development Corporation installed a temporary landing in the Rockaways to accommodate the temporary ferry service.

Sanitation 24-Hour Debris Cleanup Continues; Recycling Resumes

Mayor Bloomberg directed the Department of Sanitation to adjust collections schedule so that 24-hour cleanup could continue in the hard-hit areas of Staten Island, Queens and Brooklyn.

  • 802 pieces of sanitation equipment are working on debris removal, including 399 trucks, 115 mechanical broom, 73 front end loaders and 68 dump trucks
  • Sanitation crews have collected more than 239,000 tons of trash, debris and tree as a part of storm cleanup operations.

The heavily-impacted areas will continue to receive collection and debris removal around the clock.

Odd-Even Gasoline Purchasing System

An emergency order establishing an odd-even license plate system for gasoline purchases remains in effect until further notice. It operates as follows: 

  • Vehicles with license plates ending in an even number or ‘zero’ purchase fuel on even numbered days.
  • Vehicles with license plates ending in an odd number purchase fuel on odd numbered days.
  • Vehicles with licenses plates ending in letters will be deemed as odd numbered plates and can make purchases on odd numbered days.
  • Commercial vehicles, emergency vehicles, buses and paratransit vehicles, Medical Doctor (MD) plates and vehicles licensed by the Taxi and limousine Commission are exempt.

Mobile Medical Teams for Far Rockaway and Coney Island

The City has deployed mobile medical teams consisting of a paramedic and member of the National Guard to the Far Rockaways and Coney Island. The teams will go door-to-door in tall residential buildings from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM to:

  • Ensure residents’ medical needs are met
  • Conduct medical assessments to determine if  residents are safe
  • Connect residents with prescription medication
  • If needed, take residents to a field clinic or hospital for medical care

The teams have canvassed more than 35,291 apartments and reached more than 24,000 people in NYCHA properties, rental buildings and single-family homes.

Mobile Medical Vans with Prescription Services

The City has deployed vans staffed with primary care providers who will be able to provide medical care and distribute commonly prescribed drugs at several locations in the Rockaways, Brooklyn, and Staten Island. Volunteers are also going door-to-door to reach people who may have medical needs but remain in their homes without heat and power. The location and hours are available here: http://www.nyc.gov/html/misc/html/2012/medical_vans.html.

Support to Businesses

The City’s Department of Small Business Services and Economic Development Corporation have put together a package of support for NYC businesses impacted by the storm:

  • Emergency low-interest loans of up to $25,000 for businesses that have been interrupted and suffered damage as a result of the storm. Applications are available at any of the City’s NYC Business Solutions Centers, by calling 311 and asking for “NYC Business Emergency Loan,” or by visiting on.nyc.gov/contactnycbiz.
  • For businesses facing significant rebuilding costs, the City will provide sales tax exemptions of up to $100,000 on purchases of materials, equipment and related services needed to rebuild. Learn more here: nycedc.com/backtobusiness
  • For displaced businesses, the City has identified more than 170,000 square feet that will be made available free of charge, including 40,000 square feet of City space at the Brooklyn Army Terminal, and more than 125,000 square feet of space that private landlords have made available, across the five boroughs. A full listing of commercial spaces and other resources is available at nycedc.com/donations.
  • Information on disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration is available at any of the City’s NYC Business Solutions Centers, by calling 800-659-2955, or by visiting sba.gov/disaster.
  • Alliance for Coney Island—a nonprofit organization formed, with the help of the City, to continue the transformation of Coney Island into a year-round, world-class recreational oceanfront destination—launched ConeyRecovers.org, a multipronged relief and recovery effort to help Coney Island residents and businesses dealing with the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The Alliance is comprised of all major Coney businesses, and the City has provided them with $630,000 in funding originally allocated to the Coney Island Development Corporation which will wind down operations.

Shelter for Those without Heat

Evacuation shelters remain open and as of Monday morning, they were 1,464 evacuees and 450 staff. 

  • There are six shelters operating and two locations were those in need can seek referrals to shelter sites: http://www.nyc.gov/html/misc/html/2012/
    hurricane_shelters.html
    .
  • The City also has opened daytime-only warming centers at senior centers in every borough: 
    http://www.nyc.gov/html/misc/html/2012/warming_ctr.html.
  • Those who are using generators in their homes to run their heat should be very careful to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning by never using portable generators indoors, in garages or near open windows.
  • Early signs of hypothermia include uncontrollable shivering, confusion or sleepiness, slowed or slurred speech, stiffness in arms and legs, poor control over body movements and slow reaction.

Community Recovery Directors Assist with Immediate Needs in Impacted Areas

Mayor Bloomberg appointed senior level New York City managers this week to identify urgent needs, stay in close contact with the community leader and deploy resources to meet needs. The City’s Community Recover Directors are:

  • Haeda Mihaltses, Staten Island
  • Matt Mahoney, Manhattan and the Bronx
  • Nazli Parvizi, Brooklyn
  • Diahann Billings-Burford, Queens

Brad Gair Appointed Director of Housing Recovery Operations

The Mayor appointed Brad Gair, one of the nation’s top emergency management professionals, to lead the effort to address challenge of providing longer-term housing for New Yorkers displaced from their homes by Hurricane Sandy. Many buildings that were flooded are going to be out of commission for a long time because of damage to boilers and electrical systems. This includes public housing, as well as private apartments and houses.

Air BNB Temporary Housing

Air BNB, an on-line service that connects people seeking temporary housing with those who have unused space, has launched a new platform to link New Yorkers displaced by Hurricane Sandy to New Yorkers who want to offer free places to stay. Air BNB is providing with service at no fee, and information is available at airbnb.com/sandy.

Volunteering, Donating and Giving Blood 

  • To date, more than 12,800 donors from around the country have contributed over $38 million to the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City in support of Hurricane Sandy relief.
  • Cash donations to support these and other efforts can be made through the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City. Learn more here: nyc.gov/fund
  • Cash donations are preferable to in-kind donations because the logistics of collecting and distributing those supplies are complex.
  • Anyone wishing to make cash contributions can go to nyc.gov or call 311 for details.






MEDIA CONTACT:


Marc La Vorgna/John McCarthy   (212) 788-2958



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