Hurricane Sandy Information & Resources

Preparations: Secured all of BID outdoor advertising trash receptacles by anchoring them to the ground. Removed DSNY green basket cans to an inside location. Removed "BID On Culture" banners from light poles.

Monday 10/29/12

Walked through BID corridor to access damages. Took notes and photos regarding what needed to be addressed. Coordinated with DSNY on picking up of immediate hazardous debris. Picked up all news boxes that were blown all over the street. Swept and picked up dangerous tree limbs and branches. Conferred with Commanding Officer of NYPD/28th precinct on opening and closing of businesses.

Tuesday 10/30/2012

Continuation of clean up. Reported and addressed any dangerous situations. Piled and stacked the loose debris. Gathered and disposed of loose signage from stores and trash receptacles. Returned DSNY receptacles to their original places. Organized newspaper boxes that had been knocked over.

Wednesday 10/31/2012

BID Public Safety Ambassadors surveyed our businesses to assess their needs. Learned that some stores had no power and could not open. Other obstacles delaying openings included no methods of communication; not enough employees able to travel to work; and damaged or hazardous conditions.

Thursday 11/01/2012

BID Sanitation Team still in the process of removing and organizing debris and newspaper boxes.

Volunteer

New York City needs your help today. If you are available to volunteer and can safely report to a nearby shelter to assist with operations: Find a shelter location near you

For Health Professionals: The Red Cross is recruiting medically credentialed individuals to support NYC shelters. If you'd like to volunteer, please contact HealthServices@nyredcross.org.

The Red Cross is in great need of volunteers to work in their shelters. Sign up to be a Shelter Volunteer for the Red Cross.

Donate

Those who wish to donate goods and services to assist New Yorkers who suffered damage from Hurricane Sandy should visit Aidmatrix.

Those who wish to give cash donations, visit the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City.

Visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Your gift enables the Red Cross to get prepared and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to those affected.

Several corporations, such as United and American Airlines, have instituted programs to encourage people to donate to hurricane relief efforts. Learn more.

The 125th Street Business Improvement District sincerely hopes that you, your loved ones, and your homes and businesses are without damage from Hurricane Sandy.

We have been receiving updates about the status of the city, as well as resources to help you recover any damage that you may have experienced. Please go over the enclosed tips and resources we have collected to help you stay connected and rebuild after the storm.

Sincerely,
Barbara Askins
President & CEO
125th Street Business Improvement District

New York City: Status and Services

Transportation

Restoration of Bus, Subway, & Commuter Rail

Limited subway service was restored today. View the map of Hurricane Sandy Recovery Service as of Nov. 1st. In areas with no subway service, some shuttle buses are operating. Visit mta.info for more information.

The MTA began restoring Bus Service on Tuesday, and it should currently be nearly back to normal.

MetroNorth and Long Island Rail Road are offering close-to-normal service. Visit mta.info for information and schedules.

Fare-Free Rides

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the MTA's subway, bus and commuter rail services will be free for today and tomorrow, to encourage the use of mass transit as the region slowly recovers from the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy.

The free service will last until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, and will allow for free rides on the NYC Subway and Bus network, Long Island Rail Road, and Metro-North Railroad. Free travel will also be available on Access-a-Ride.

HOV Restrictions
Due to congestion as transit repairs continue, NYC Department of Transportation has established a temporary High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) restriction. Access to the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge and Ed Koch-Queensboro bridges will be limited to vehicles with three or more people only in the Manhattan-bound direction between 6 a.m. and midnight on Thursday, Nov. 1st and Friday, Nov. 2nd. Read press release from DOT for more information.

Electricity

Status of Service Restoration

About 900,000 customers served by underground and overhead electrical distribution equipment in New York City and Westchester County lost power due to the superstorm that walloped the area.

As of this morning, Con Edison had restored electricity to more than 225,000 customers affected by Hurricane Sandy. However, some buildings in restored areas may still be without electricity due to basement flooding or damage to local equipment.

Con Edison said today that based on an assessment of the unprecedented damage caused by Hurricane Sandy, it expects to restore the vast majority of customers who lost power by the weekend of Nov. 10 and 11. The remaining customer restorations could take an additional week or more. Read Con Edison's latest press release for more information.

Customers can report downed power lines, outages, and check service restoration status by computer or mobile device at www.conEd.com. They also can call 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633).

Dry Ice Distribution

Con Edison has been distributing dry ice at seven locations starting at Noon today to customers who are without power due to Hurricane Sandy. Dry ice will be distributed until supplies run out. The company will also have personnel at the locations (except the IBM Complex in Westchester County) to answer customers' questions.

Health/Safety Tips

Loss of Power/Flooding
If you have experienced loss of power or flooding, see the attached fact sheets about portable generators, keeping your food safe, and cleaning up properly to avoid health hazards.
Carbon Monoxide: Alert for Portable Generator Use
Floods: Food and Water Safety

Avoid Direct Contact with NYC Waterways

Due to flooding and power related shutdowns caused by Hurricane Sandy, wastewater treatment plants and pumping stations have discharged untreated wastewater into New York City waterways. The New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene advises that direct contact with the Hudson River, East River, New York Harbor, Jamaica Bay and the Kill Van Kull for recreational activities that would entail possible direct contact with the water should be avoided until further notice. View full press release for more information.

Damaged Buildings
- Enter a severely damaged building ONLY after local authorities have deemed it safe to do so.
- Look for safety hazards such as live wires, leaking gas or flammable liquids, poisonous gases, and damage to foundations or underground piping and notify the appropriate utility companies or emergency responders of any such safety hazards.
- Dry all areas and items quickly and thoroughly to prevent mold growth; food establishments especially should examine all surfaces, including sheet rock, for evidence of mold and take appropriate action immediately.
- Begin salvage as soon as possible to prevent further damage; cover broken windows and torn roof coverings immediately to protect merchandise from further damage. Separate damaged goods from undamaged goods, but beware of accumulating too much combustible debris inside of a building.

Electricity Safety Tips from Con Ed

-Do not go near downed wires. Treat all downed wires as if they are live. Never attempt to move or touch them with any object. Be mindful that downed wires can be hidden from view by tree limbs, leaves or water. Report downed wires to Con Edison and your local police department immediately.

-If a power line falls on your car while you're in it, stay inside the vehicle and wait for emergency personnel.

-Weather updates and news on power outages can be heard on most local radio and television stations.

Emergency Shelters

Shelters will remain open until residents can safely return to their homes. Click here for a list of emergency shelters or view a map to find a shelter accessible to you.

Garbage Collection

The City is making scheduled garbage collections as storm conditions permit. Recycling collections are suspended. All recycling should be stored until further notice. The Department of Sanitation is handling hurricane debris clean ups citywide.

Resources for Affected Businesses

Letter Below From Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer:

As New York City begins its recovery from Hurricane Sandy, business owners face daunting challenges. They need to know what programs are available to help them recover from the effects of the storm.

Here are some key sources of assistance that are coordinated by the New York City Department of Small Business Services and the New York City Economic Development Corporation:

1. For small to mid-sized businesses that are facing business interruption, NYC Business Emergency Loans will be available, with loans capped at $10,000. For information, click on this link or call 311.

2. For businesses facing displacement, the City is making short-term "swing" office space available at the Brooklyn Army Terminal, free of charge for 30 days. EDC has about 40,000 square feet of space at the Terminal that is now available for this use. Learn more.

3. For businesses requiring other emergency assistance the SBS Business Outreach Team and Emergency Response Unit is available to help impacted small businesses. Learn more.

4. For mid-to-large-sized businesses that need to undertake rebuilding, an emergency sales tax letter from New York City Industrial Development Authority (IDA) is available to allow businesses to avoid payment of New York City and New York State sales taxes on materials purchased for rebuilding. Please contact Shin Mitsugi at smitsugi@nycedc.com for information.

In addition, the following Federal Aid Programs for State of New York Disaster Recovery are available:

1. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides loans for business property losses not fully compensated by insurance, and for small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes that have suffered disaster-related cash flow problems and need funds for working capital to recover from the disaster. To learn more contact the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at www.disasterassistance.gov or by calling (800) 621-3362.

2. In addition, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) provides loans to individuals, families and businesses in an area whose property has been damaged or destroyed following a Presidential-declared disaster (such as Hurricane Sandy), and whose losses are not covered by insurance. To learn more, contact the SBA's Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955 or visit sba.gov.

Further information about these programs and others is available in Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's Guide to Disaster Assistance and Relief Funding and Senator Charles Schumer's Hurricane Sandy recovery website.