Mayor Zohran Mamdani: Good morning, everyone. Before I speak about the winter weather that will soon arrive, I want to share the details of the fire that tragically took the life of a New Yorker this morning. Shortly after midnight, a four-alarm fire broke out on the 15th, 16th, and 17th floors of a residential building in Eastchester in the Bronx. Thanks to the immediate response of the FDNY, this fire is now under control. Fifteen people were injured, and tragically, one New Yorker passed away.
I mourn their loss and send my deepest condolences to their family. FDNY and EMS personnel are on site. They are managing fire suppression, safety operations, and building conditions. I am grateful to them and to every single city agency that responded to this emergency. This has been a whole-of-government response. FDNY worked in tandem with EMS, NYPD, DOB, NYCEM, and other agencies to manage the scene and support those affected. Utilities in the building have been shut down, and all 148 apartments have been vacated.
We have opened a reception center for displaced residents at a nearby school and are working closely with the Red Cross. I visited residents there this morning, and as you can imagine, this has been a deeply frightening and devastating morning for them. They are not alone. Our city will stand by them and do everything in our power to help them get back on their feet. There will continue to be a heavy emergency response presence in the area as operations continue, and I want to encourage New Yorkers to avoid the area and be prepared for heavy traffic delays in its vicinity.
An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway, and we will continue to share information with New Yorkers as we have. And as we tend to our neighbors affected by this fire, I want to thank all of those who run towards danger in this city so that others can run towards safety. These are the city workers that keep us safe every single day, who keep the city running, and who are leading our efforts to prepare for the winter storm that will soon arrive.
Now as for the storm, late this evening, snow will begin to fall in our city. Here is what New Yorkers should expect. Snowfall will begin around midnight, and it will intensify around 5 a.m. We expect 2 inches to come down before midday Sunday, at which point plow vehicles will begin operations across our city. Snow will fall at its heaviest rate in the late morning of tomorrow and early afternoon. Visibility will be very low. Winds will be gushing at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour.
New Yorkers can expect whiteout or near blizzard conditions. We anticipate that by Sunday evening, the snow will become sleet. By early Monday morning, the heaviest of the weather will have passed, although some precipitation could continue through the day. We expect at least 8 to 9 inches of snow, and likely more. This will not just be snow. This storm will also bring with it intense cold, a prolonged period of frigid temperatures that will last through the next week.
Frankly, it will be colder than any sustained period that New York has experienced in about 8 years. But New York, whatever comes for it, this city is ready. Over the past days, city workers have worked tirelessly to prepare our city for the snow and for the cold, and [the] City government has worked together in a way that should make every New Yorker proud.
DSNY workers have brined every highway and major roadway in our city. Teachers and public school staff have made sure that students have the devices they will need to learn from, should classes be held remotely on Monday. And school staff also did additional pressure testing last night and will continue over the weekend to ensure that, if needed, virtual learning can operate seamlessly. NYCHA has increased staffing should there be need for weather-related repairs.
And parks workers have also pre-salted our parks. The FDNY has increased the number of firefighters with each engine company. It is also operating under enhanced readiness, and the MTA has activated both its Incident Command System and its Emergency Operations Center. Additionally, NYC's Emergency Management Department has activated their winter weather plan and held daily coordination calls with city, state, and utility partners, as well as with the National Weather Service.
We have monitored 311 reports from past snowstorms to gather information on where city services were previously inadequately provided. Areas where not enough salt was laid, for example, areas that were overlooked, and we are now going to be addressing those shortcomings in advance of the storm. The result is a city where every agency is working in lockstep with the other. We are thoroughly equipped, and we are ready for whatever winter weather comes this Sunday.
Make no mistake, we are taking every precaution, and we are prepared for every possible amount of snow. The Code Blue that we declared on Thursday evening continues to be in effect, with homeless services outreach workers canvassing the five boroughs and connecting homeless New Yorkers with shelter. No one will be denied. All hospitals, all Department of Homeless Services drop-in centers, and all DHS shelters have a fully open-door policy. This means that we have enough shelter beds available for every single New Yorker in need.
Should homeless New Yorkers require hospital services, DHS will also connect daily with hospital emergency departments to assess needs and capacity. Please call 311 if you or someone you need requires access to warmth. During Code Blue periods, 311 calls will be rerouted through 911. We will not squander a single moment when it comes to ensuring that every single New Yorker is safe, is warm, and is inside.
Beginning today, we will also have more than 2,000 DSNY workers staffing each 12-hour shift. They will lay down salt as soon as snow starts to fall, and they will launch plowing operations soon after. We have more than 700 salt spreaders and 2,300 plow vehicles ready to be deployed. This is the largest snow fighting operation in the entire country. DSNY will be supported by the NYPD, who are on standby to provide escorts if needed. EMS will also work closely with NYPD, and ambulances will also receive escorts if necessary.
On Sunday morning, NYCEM will activate its Emergency Operations Center. This will be managed by NYCEM staff, with representatives from major agencies and utilities present in person. School facility, custodial, and operational teams will also be working throughout the weekend to ensure that schools are safe and cleared if schools reopen on Monday for in-person learning. And when medical services are required, ambulances will arrive no matter what.
Snow chains are on tires, extra ambulances are out in the field, FDNY tow trucks will be available, as will citywide tow trucks if needed, and the EOC will monitor a stuck ambulance dashboard in real time, with dispatch prepared to send out new units to respond to a call if an ambulance en route is stuck or has an issue.
