COUNTY ADVISES MOTORISTS TO BE AWARE PARKWAYS
WILL STILL BE FLOODED TOMORROW
Coordinated effort underway to deal with rain and wind storm

With today’s major storm causing widespread flooding, county officials are advising motorists that the flooding is likely to continue tomorrow, even if the rains are over.

Many parkways may still be closed tomorrow. County officials are warning residents to make arrangements and plan alternate routes to get to work. Residents should NOT drive through ponds of water.

Meanwhile, staff from the county's Office of Emergency Management are monitoring the storm and its impact on the area.

Here is the latest update:
Mamaroneck village: Village officials have ordered a mandatory evacuation for parts of the Orienta section of the village near Long Island Sound. These include: Flagler Drive, Orienta Avenue, North James Street, and other areas of the Harbor Heights area.

Mamaroneck town: Town officials have a voluntary evacuation order for some residents living on Hommocks Road, Pryer Manor Road, Dogwood Lane, Premium Point, Wildwood Circle, and Pheasant Run.

A shelter, supported by the Red Cross, has been set up at Mamaroneck High School for residents of Mamaroneck Town and Mamaroneck Village.

Rye: An evacuation center has been opened at the Rye Country Day School, with Red Cross support for food and water.

Road Closings:

Cross County Parkway East at the Hutchinson River Parkway

Hutchinson River Parkway North and South at East Lincoln Avenue (Pelham/Mount Vernon)

Bronx River Parkway North and South at Sprain Brook Parkway

Saw Mill River Parkway at the New York City line, Route 199 to I-87 at
Clarence Ave, both directions.

Bronx River Parkway closed: from 233 through Main Street;

Saw Mill River Parkway: closed from exit 7 - 16 (both directions and all ramps)
Saw Mill River Parkway: south bound closed at Elmsford (Rt. 119), north bound will be closed shortly

Bronx River Parkway: closed from Sprain Brook Parkway to Main Street in White Plains (both directions and all ramps)

Taconic State Parkway: closed at the 1.9 mile marker (between Commerce and Stevens)

Hutchinson River Parkway: closed from Exit 7 (US. 1) to Cross County Parkway (both directions and all ramps)

On the Web:

Hudson Valley Traffic
http://www.hudsonvalleytraveler.com/perl/WestchesterMapForm.pl

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April 13, 2007

WESTCHESTER COUNTY PREPARES FOR STORM
Sandbags being offered to coastal communities

Other Info

Westchester county officials are preparing for this weekend’s storm, by cleaning catch basins, preparing boats and road barricades and offering sandbags to local municipal governments.

The preparations are designed to help local communities for heavy rain and winds that could create dangerous roadways and major flooding in the area.

“Residents of the Sound Shore know first hand how flooding can damage their communities,” said County Executive Andy Spano. “That is why we are keeping a close eye on the storm, and reaching out to local governments and residents to help them get prepared.”

If your power goes out, you should call and report it to your utility. You can call Consolidated Edison at1-800-75-CONED, or NYSEG at 1-800-572-1131. And stay away from down power lines.

Several county departments are getting resources ready for the storm:

Emergency Services: The Department of Emergency Services is offering local municipal governments sandbags to help protect their communities from the storm. Emergency planners are also tracking the storm and reaching out to local municipal officials to offer assistance.

Public Safety: County police have prepared a boat and armored personnel carrier to use during the storm, and will have the Special Response team and Marine Unit personnel ready to respond, if necessary. They have also activated the Mounted patrol, and will have added additional patrol and communications staff to deal with the storm over the weekend.

Transportation: Extra bus drivers are being scheduled for Sunday and Monday mornings. At the airport, light aircraft owners are being notified of the potential storm and the need to properly secure their aircraft. Many corporate aircraft are expected to be flown out and secured at another airport. It is expected that most commercial flights will be cancelled. Passengers will be referred to their respective airline for information.

Public Works: Road maintenance workers are cleaning catch basins on the Bronx River Parkway. They will also be preparing barricades to close the Bronx River Parkway if it floods.

Parks:

• Pitch in for Parks – the annual county-wide volunteer spruce-up of parks and nature centers, originally scheduled for this Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., has been postponed until Sunday, April 22, same hours.
• If needed, the County Center will be used as a storm shelter, available after 10 p.m. on Sunday evening, when the last public show exits.
• Special effort has been made at Playland to prepare for the storm, such as the removal of picnic tables, etc. from low ground and the securing of doors and windows. Similar steps have been taken at the parks along the Long Island Sound and the Hudson River, including Glen Island Park in New Rochelle, Croton Point Park in Croton and George’s Island Park in Montrose. Vehicles assigned to these parks, including front-end loaders, tractors, generators etc., which could be needed for emergency response, have been filled with gas and moved to high ground.

At the North White Plains commuter parking lot, flood caution signs have been posted.

Health Department Tips
Plan Ahead

• Stock up on shelf-stable foods—canned goods, juices, and "no-freeze" entrees.
• Plan ahead how you can keep foods cold. Buy some freeze-pak inserts and keep them frozen. Buy a cooler. Freeze water in plastic containers or store bags of ice.
• Know in advance where you can buy dry and block ice.
• If you heat your home with oil, check to see that your fuel tank cap is tight so that rain or floodwater cannot enter your tank.
• If your home has a private well, it is advisable to fill your bathtub with water to use for flushing toilets and other non-drinking purposes.

Food Safety
If the power is out for less than 2 hours, then the food in your refrigerator and freezer will be safe to consume. While the power is out, keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to keep food cold for longer.

Cooking Safety

• Never use charcoal indoors – inadequate ventilation makes indoor cooking with charcoal dangerous and even deadly.
• Never use a gas grill indoors. Use the grill at least ten feet away from any building. Do not use the grill in a garage, carport, porch, or near any surface that can catch fire.
   

Drinking Water Safety

When power goes out, water purification systems may not be functioning fully. Safe water for drinking, cooking, and personal hygiene includes bottled, boiled, or treated water. The Health Department may make specific recommendations for boiling or treating water in your area.