New Yorkers Advised To Prepare For High Winds

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Published on April 12, 2020, 5:25 pm
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The New York City Emergency Management Department today advised New Yorkers to prepare for gusty winds that could affect the city on Monday. The National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Warning in effect for New York City from 06:00 a.m. through 06:00 p.m. Monday, April 13, 2020. Damaging winds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 65 mph are expected. These could lead to the potential for property damage and power outages. Moderate to heavy rainfall is also forecast to move into the region early Monday morning, and is expected to taper off in the afternoon. A total of 1 to 2 inches of rainfall is expected with this system, with locally higher amounts possible. 

“With the gusty winds we are expecting tomorrow, we want you to take precautionary measures to secure your property. Bring in any loose, lightweight objects like garbage cans, potted plants, or lawn furniture that can be easily blown away,” said NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Deanne Criswell. “New Yorkers are asked to continue to heed our stay-at-home guidance during CoViD-19, especially during tomorrow’s storm.”

NYC Emergency Management continues to work closely with National Weather Service to monitor the weather. The City’s Flash Flood Emergency Plan has been activated to ensure a quick, effective, and coordinated response to any flooding. Additionally, the City’s Downed Tree Task Force has been placed on alert. This multi-agency task force is responsible for coordinating the response to a large downed tree event.

The Department of Buildings (DOB) has issued a weather advisory to remind property owners, contractors, and crane operators to take precautionary measures and secure their construction sites, buildings, and equipment during the high winds expected. The department will perform random spot-check inspections of construction sites around the city. If sites are not secured, the department will take immediate enforcement action — issuing violations and Stop Work Orders, where necessary.

Safety tips

  • To prepare for a possible power outage, charge cell phone batteries, gather supplies, and turn your refrigerator and freezer to a colder setting. If you lose power, items that need refrigeration will stay cooler for longer.
  • If your power goes out, disconnect or turn off appliances that would otherwise turn on automatically when service is restored. If several appliances start up at once, the electric circuits may overload.
  • Make sure your flashlights and any battery-operated radios or televisions are working. Keep extra batteries.
  • If you lose power and have a disability, access and functional needs, or use Life Sustaining Equipment (LSE) and need immediate assistance, dial 911.
  • If a tree-related emergency occurs during this time, please call 911. All other tree or limb issues should be reported to 311.
  • Do not use generators indoors.
  • Do not walk or drive through flooded streets, the actual depth of the water may not be apparent. Turn around, don’t drown!
  • Have heightened awareness of cars, particularly when approaching or crossing intersections.
  • Never touch or go near downed power lines, even if you think they are safe.
  • Report any downed power lines and avoid standing in floodwater, as it can carry electrical current.

New Yorkers are also encouraged to sign up for Notify NYC, the City’s free emergency notification system, to stay informed about the latest weather updates and other emergencies. To learn more about the Notify NYC program or to sign up, please visit NYC.gov/NotifyNYC, call 311, or download the free app for your Android or Apple device. You can also follow @NotifyNYC on Twitter.

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Jonas Bronck is the pseudonym under which we publish and manage the content and operations of The Bronx Daily.™ | Bronx.com - the largest daily news publication in the borough of "the" Bronx with over 1.5 million annual readers. Publishing under the alias Jonas Bronck is our humble way of paying tribute to the person, whose name lives on in the name of our beloved borough.