Mayor's Message: Winter Storm Gail - December 16, 2020
Posted on: December 16, 2020 - 8:03pm
Hi everyone,
As I look out my windows, snow is blanketing the neighborhood. Right now it looks magical but by tomorrow we expect a foot or more to have fallen. We have declared a “Snow Emergency” in the Village starting today at 6 pm, and expect windy, wintry conditions until at least noon tomorrow.
Thanks to DPW Superintendent Gunther and his team, our roads have been salted, and the plows are already out clearing the streets. They are ready to deal with whatever comes our way. Hopefully the impact on our community will not be too severe.
HoH Emergency Preparedness Link: We have consolidated lots of useful information on the Village’s “Emergency Preparedness” button which can be found on the home page of the Village website. It has checklists on planning ahead for a weather emergency and what to do during and after a weather emergency. On these lists you’ll find information on reporting and tracking outages with the utility and telecom/internet providers as well as other ideas you might find valuable.
Doing Your Part: One of the most helpful things residents can do in a snow emergency is to get cars off the streets. Park in your driveway if you have one, or ask a neighbor if you can share theirs - they may welcome the request as more cars normally means less shoveling! This simple act will make it so much easier for the snowplows to get through, which will mean our streets will be cleared sooner and more effectively. There will be no recycling tomorrow so you don’t need to put it out. Alternate side of the street parking rules will be in effect. Once the snow starts in earnest please stay in unless you absolutely need to go out.
Neighborhood Helplines: Now is the time to activate your neighborhood helpline and make plans on how you will support one another if you lose power. Please include people who are new to the Village as well as neighbors who are not so tech oriented. Our Parks and Recreation team will check in with everyone who signed up on “Are You OK” tomorrow morning, but if you do lose power/heat and have elderly neighbors who are in a similar situation please let us know ASAP so we can make sure they are safe and warm.
Power Outages: If you lose power report it as soon as you can – you can click HERE, or text REG to OUTAGE (688243) and follow the prompts (you will need your account number and to confirm your zip code). You can also reach Con Edison by phone: 1-800-75-CONED. Don’t forget that if you are in an apartment building it helps for each household to report the outage so the magnitude of the situation is clear. If you lose power and are under quarantine/isolation and can’t remain at home due to the storm please contact the Westchester County Covid-19 hotline at 1-866-588-0195 and explain your situation and/or let me know.
Help Shoveling Snow: After the storm, if you need help shoveling snow, you can hire a student by contacting Jill Iturbe, who runs the Youth Employment Services at 914-478-6265 or IturbeJ@hohschools.org (youth who want to sign up to offer help should be in touch with Jill too!).
In our house, we are charging our phones and computers, lighting a fire, snuggling up under fleecy blankets, preparing mulled wine and hoping for the best!
Do stay safe!
Sincerely,
Nicola Armacost
Mayor