NY State EP Alert 12.12.2024|Winter Weather: State of Emergency Declared
Last night (Wednesday 12.11.24), Governor Hochul declared a State of Emergency in portions of the state including Western New York, the Finger Lakes, Central New York, and the North Country. Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Franklin, Genesee, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Oswego, St. Lawrence, Wyoming and contiguous counties are impacted. Other areas of the state are also expected to experience locally heavy rains with some flooding risks, and strong gusts of wind.
Providers in impacted areas must plan for risky weather conditions and difficult travel. Agencies must communicate with their most vulnerable patients before, during, and after the storm to perform safety and health checks. Make sure staff know to utilize your organization’s emergency management plan for those refusing to evacuate. If you incur expenses related to this weather emergency, keep careful track of them including receipts and other documentation. Emergency declarations have historically included opportunities for relief funds for impacted businesses and municipalities.
Visit the National Weather Service for NYS and click on the map for current conditions and predictions for your specific area. This link centers on Albany and the surrounding areas, so use the ZOOM feature to the right of the map to expand it. Visit the NWS page for all watches, warnings, and advisories relevant to your area.
General Precautions
Use extra caution when traveling, especially on snow covered surfaces and dangerous flooded roadways. Those in impacted areas are urged to be prepared for delays in commuting and supply delivery.
The NYC Office of Emergency Management and the NYS Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services offer the following safety tips:
- Keep your vehicle fueled.
- Know the safest route to higher ground.
- Keep protective supplies on hand (sandbags, etc.).
- Allow for extra travel time. New Yorkers are urged to use public transportation.
- If you must drive, drive slowly. Use major streets or highways for travel whenever possible.
- If you live in a basement apartment in a flood-prone area, prepare to move to higher ground.
- Do not drive into flooded streets or enter flooded subway stations.
- Check on friends, relatives, and neighbors, especially older adults and people with disabilities, access and functional needs, or health conditions. Help them to prepare if needed.
- Keep a close eye on the forecast and watch for alerts from the National Weather Service.
More Information
We encourage all providers and patients to sign up for NY Alert, the state’s Mass Notification System used to warn the public promptly of emergencies and provide other critical information. Notify NYC is another alert option for those in the five boroughs. Some notices are posted on the Notify NYC website, but by downloading the app, users can get location-specific information quickly.
For real-time travel information, motorists can call 511 or visit https://www.511ny.org/#:Alerts, New York State’s official traffic and travel information source. Motorists can download the Thruway Authority mobile app to view live traffic cams and get navigation assistance. An interactive map is also available online and shows traffic conditions for the Thruway and other NYS roadways.
Visit the Department of Environmental Conservation website for more tips and information on NY State efforts regarding flooding.