With Hurricane Sandy moving up the east coast, County Executive
Robert P. Astorino today urged residents to use extreme caution and
evacuate from low-lying coastal areas if requested by local officials.
"This is not the time to be a hero. This is not the time to be a
thrill-seeker," he said, during a noon press conference. "This is a
dangerous storm."
Previously, Astorino suspened all Bee-Line Bus service and paratransit service and closed the Bronx River Parkway.
The county's Emergency Operations Center is fully operational, and
the county continues to work with local governments and the state and
utilities to prepare for the storm, he said.
Earlier in the day, Astorino toured Mamaroneck and Rye, where he said he was surprised to see so many people walking around.
Highlights of the county's response:
- Bee-line buses service is suspended indefinitely
- No paratransit service
- Indian Point is operating normally
- If you lose power, remember to notify your power company. (A link to list of phone numbers is below)
- If you see downed wires, report them to the police and stay away from them. Assume they are live.
- All county parks will be closed Monday and Tuesday.
- Mandatory evacuation in low areas of Mamaroneck.
- People in flood zones should consider voluntary evacuation
- Bronx River Parkway is closed as of 6 a.m. Monday
- Other parkways may be closed as a preventive measure
- Call 2-1-1 for non emergency information
- Call 9-1-1 only for emergencies
- County offices will be opened, but with limited staffing likely
- Airport officially opened, but all flights suspended
Residents looking for further non-emergency information should call 2-1-1.
United Way's 2-1-1 helpline offers information about shelters,
evacuation routes, road closures, recovery services, power outages,
donations, volunteer opportunities, and other disaster-related services.
Call specialists can communicate with callers in more than 250
languages. The line is available from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a
week with expanded hours possible during emergencies.
