Flooded station in 2021 in the wake of Hurricane Ida. Credit: Kerry Burke/New York Daily News
And two years later, Tropical Storm Ophelia brought yet another major rainstorm that shut down subway lines, damaged homes and hospitals, and flooded the streets. As much as 8.65 inches of rainfall fell during a 24-hour period.
Thankfully, no New Yorkers died during Ophelia, but the City’s response raised concerns about the Adams Administration’s progress in implementing hurricane preparedness plans put in place after Ida. Shortly thereafter, my office launched an investigation to assess the City’s storm readiness and response, making several recommendations for improvement when we released our findings last spring.
New analysis from my office of key storm preparedness indicators shows that the Adams Administration has made inadequate progress. As of August 2024, the City is lagging on increasing enrollment in emergency notifications and replacing aging catch basins. Plus, 10 years after Hurricane Sandy, a significant portion of federal recovery funds have yet to be spent.
To weather the storms to come, we need stronger emergency weather management from City Hall. That is how public trust can be restored, systems improved, harm reduced, and lives spared.
My office will continue monitoring key preparedness indicators through November 2024 to assess the City’s ongoing readiness for severe storms. Our goal is to provide transparency to help ensure that New Yorkers are kept safe in the face of climate threats and disasters.
Thank you,
Brad
