NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Press Conference on Major Winter Storm Response

Winter Storm Preparedness and Response

• ❄️ New York City workers, including DSNY, have been working tirelessly in freezing conditions to respond to the major winter storm.
• 💡 The city is prepared for up to 11 inches of snow, with continued heavy snowfall expected, sustained 35 mph wind gusts, and freezing rain overnight.
• ⚠️ Temperatures are colder than any sustained period in eight years, posing a fatal risk to those without shelter.

Education and Remote Learning

• 📚 Tomorrow, January 26th, will be a remote school day for all students due to extreme weather conditions, with no in-person instruction.
• 💻 Systems have been stress-tested, students sent home with necessary materials, and vendors are ensuring system capacity for virtual learning.
• 🏫 For students in grades 6-12 with a scheduled professional learning day, tomorrow remains a day off.

Homelessness and Warming Centers

• 🆘 Ten warming centers have been opened in school buildings across the city, operational through at least tomorrow evening, providing full meals.
• 🏥 This is in addition to 126 shelters, over 50 hospitals, and 35 safe havens available for those in need.
• 📞 New Yorkers are urged to call 311 if they see anyone requiring help, as these calls will be rerouted to 911 during a Code Blue.
• ✅ No one in the city will be denied shelter, with hospitals and shelters having a fully open door policy.

City Operations and Transportation

• 🚗 DSNY pre-salted highways and major streets, deploying over 2500 sanitation workers on 12-hour shifts.
• 🗺️ The public plow tracker is live at nyc.gov/plownyc, showing that a full plow across the city was completed by 8:30 a.m.
• 🚇 All subway lines are operating, mostly as locals, with deicing trains and snow throwers deployed.
• 🚌 Buses are running with some delays and reroutes due to localized conditions, with the entire fleet outfitted with chains.
• ⛴️ NYC Ferry has suspended all service, the Staten Island Ferry is running hourly, and all bus service at Port Authority is suspended.
• 📚 All three public library systems will be closed today and tomorrow.

Public Safety and Community Support

• 🏠 The single most helpful action New Yorkers can take is to stay at home and off the roads.
• 🤝 Countless stories of neighbors helping each other with meals, navigating slippery conditions, and grocery shopping highlight New York's compassionate and caring spirit.
• 📝 New Yorkers are encouraged to sign up for Notify NYC updates by texting 'notify NYC' to 692692.
• ⚠️ When shoveling, New Yorkers should pace themselves and be careful with space heater usage, keeping them at least 3 feet from flammable materials.
• 📞 For remote learning support, parents and students can call the DOE support desk at 718-935-5100 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.