This harsh season of storms and blizzards has done more than just snow-in the city’s winter-weary population. It has spurred the public to stay informed about coming weather emergencies.
The Office of Emergency Management announced that almost 4,000 people signed up within a two-day period for Notify NYC, the city’s emergency public messaging system. The program also experienced an all-time high of 2,375 people signing up on Thursday, February 25.
This is no coincidence, as that date was the start of a blizzard that ended up dumping more than 20 inches of snow on the city over two days. A total of 13 weather-related Notify NYC messages, which provide information about alternate-side parking suspension, road closures and school closures, were sent during this time.
The spike in new members follows a trend that began earlier in the month, when 2,862 people signed up for the services in a span of two days. More than 42,000 people have signed up for Notify NYC since the program went citywide in May 2009.
Subscribers to the program receive messages by email, text and telephone concerning emergencies and non-emergencies in their community. Those interested in signing up for the voluntary program should visit www.nyc.gov/notifynyc .
One more dangerous element to the snowy winter is that blood and platelet donations are low, according to the New York Blood Center (NYBC) serving New York City, Long Island, Hudson Valley and New Jersey.
While most donor centers remain open during snow storms, the weather forced many blood drives across the city to be canceled and this has severely depleted the city’s blood supply, according to a statement from the NYBC.
The group is urging prospective blood donors to come in as soon as possible to help replenish the blood supply. To find out where and when you can help, call the NYBC at 800-933-2566 or visit www.nybloodcenter.org.
One of the more pleasant aspects of the white stuff, at least according to schoolchildren, was the closing of all city public schools for only the fourth time in six years on Friday, February 25.
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said that he decided to close the schools after conferring with City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein and Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty. He also said that safety took precedence over education.
For this most recent storm, the Department of Sanitation of New York (DSNY) deployed 365 salt spreaders and 1,600 plows citywide to clean up after Mother Nature and started with 170,000 tons of rock salt to combat slick roads.
According to the DSNY, the city has been hit with over 50 inches of snow this season, the most since 2002.
