Transcript: Mayor de Blasio Calls Into WCBS Radio to Discuss the City's Response to Tropical Storm Isaias

August 4, 2020

Michael Wallace: We want to jump in here and bring on Mayor Bill de Blasio live as he gives us an update on the storm in the city. Mr. Mayor, thanks for joining us.

Mayor Bill de Blasio: You're welcome, Michael. This storm is really showing us something – very high winds for the next couple of hours. So, really want to tell all your listeners how important it is – stay inside, don't take chances with this kind of weather. We want everyone to be safe.

Wallace: What kind of damage reports have you received so far?

Mayor: Well, Michael, we've got – very, very sadly we've lost one New Yorker in Queens. We'll get all the details, but apparently someone who was in their car and a tree branch fell and they died immediately. And we've got another person in critical condition in Brooklyn. So, this has been a very damaging storm, obviously. We've got something in the nature of 2,000 tree limbs down or damaged seriously. Definitely have power outages in some parts of the city. And as soon as the storm passes, those can be addressed quickly, hopefully. But it's a couple more hours that we'll really be in the thick of this.

Wallace: I know there have been a lot of concerns about flooding especially along the South Shore of Queens. Have you gotten any reports of any flooding or storm surge?

Mayor: At this point our Emergency Management office is saying we're seeing less of the flooding, more of the wind damage. So, most of the rain has now passed. It's really the wind now that is causing the biggest challenges.

Wallace: You had asked for a lot of – for people to stay home if they could today. Did people heed that warning or are you seeing too many people out at the –

Mayor: Look, there are a lot of people – of course I get anyone, especially essential workers, who have to be out, it's always a challenge. I do have the impression that people got the warning and took it seriously. But we want to just keep reminding people, it's not a time to go out for a walk. If you're doing something that is not essential, stay inside. And even if you're driving around, stay inside if you have any choice in the matter. Again, the worst of this is going to go to about five o'clock. So, it's only a limited period of time. But these are very, very serious winds. And just to give you an indication, Verrazzano Bridge has been closed, George Washington Bridge is under serious restrictions. No one should take chances with this wind.

Wallace: Mayor Bill de Blasio joining us live here on WCBS. You've mentioned the winds which unfortunately, one person was killed, another seriously injured. Tell us about the power outages as you know of them so far. Where are they and what kind of restoration estimates are they giving you?

Mayor: Yeah, what I've got so far, Michael – they're widespread around the city. Tens of thousands of households, primarily because of overhead lines [inaudible] before the crews can really get to work on it. But in many locations in the city and hopefully generally we're talking about things that can be resolved pretty quickly once the winds go away.

Wallace: Mr. Mayor, we appreciate you joining us on short notice and thanks for being with us and good luck the rest of the way this afternoon.

Mayor: Okay, thanks very much – take care now.