Hurricane Preparedness for New Yorkers

    Hurricane Preparedness for New Yorkers          

Dear  Friend,

Hurricane Irene is slowly making its way towards the  eastern United 
States. There is a strong chance the New York metropolitan  area will experience 
hurricane or tropical storm conditions this weekend,  including flooding. 
While the possibility of major damage is low, I urge  you to take a moment 
today to evaluate your level of  preparedness.

The _New  York City Office of Emergency Management_ 
(http://cts.vresp.com/c/?ManhattanBoroughPres/253facdd2f/8faf644a6b/ce3c1192fb)  offers a wealth of 
 information about preparing for the hurricane and for disasters in  
general. You can enter your street address _here_ 
(http://cts.vresp.com/c/?ManhattanBoroughPres/253facdd2f/8faf644a6b/226ff8a5c1)   to determine if you live 
in a hurricane evacuation zone and your level of  risk.

I join the Mayor in encouraging you to have emergency kits of  basic 
supplies and “go bags” of essential documents, extra cash,  medications, 
batteries and other items ready to grab in the unlikely event  of an evacuation. The 
American Red Cross suggests that you designate a  meeting spot and set up 
alternative sleeping arrangements in case you and  your family members are 
separated. The Red Cross has printable checklists  in a variety of languages 
on its _website_ 
(http://cts.vresp.com/c/?ManhattanBoroughPres/253facdd2f/8faf644a6b/a46b3e06d1/vgnextoid=92d51a53f1c37110VgnVCM1000003481a10aRCRD&vgnextf
mt=default) .

Finally,  stay close to a television or radio throughout the weekend to get 
the very  latest information on emergency conditions. You can also call 311 
and/or  sign up at the _Notify  NYC website_ 
(http://cts.vresp.com/c/?ManhattanBoroughPres/253facdd2f/8faf644a6b/c96d54d4f8)  to receive updates about 
emergency events via e-mail, SMS  or phone.

While our minds are currently focused on the hurricane,  it is always wise 
to be prepared for the unexpected. Don’t wait until it’s  too late. Make a 
plan today!

Sincerely,

Scott M. Stringer,
Manhattan Borough  President