Moving forward with lessons learned from Hurricane Sandy, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed nine bills last week to increase the city’s preparedness and improve its response to future storms. Each law focuses on a different issue that was raised during Sandy, some of which call on the New York City Office of Emergency Management to work with partner agencies to develop plans to:
- organize relief operations following a severe weather event;
- track people who have special medical needs in the city’s shelter system;
- assist vulnerable and homebound persons following a severe weather event; and
- ensure access to food, water and fuel.
Additional bills included the requirements to develop traffic management and sheltering plans as well as a small
business and nonprofit recovery plan. The Office of Emergency Management must regularly review its plans regarding severe weather events and provide copies to the City Council along with any updates within 60 days.
In a
statement, Bloomberg thanked city leaders “for working with us to craft legislation that will improve the city’s readiness for coastal storms and other potential emergencies.”
