The city is investigating its slow response to the post-Christmas storm that dumped 20 inches on the city and stranded thousands of people on stuck subways and at their homes on unplowed blocks. Hundreds of abandoned buses and cars got stuck in streets that couldn't be plowed.
Sanitation Commission John Doherty said Friday on WOR radio that the city needs to look at getting private tow truck drivers and other private equipment into action sooner.
He expects warmer weather will melt some of the leftover snow Friday. The city may collect garbage Monday for the first time since the storm.
The City Council is calling for an investigation into why so many neighborhoods were still buried in snow, and Public Advocate Bill de Blasio sent a letter to Bloomberg demanding to know what happened.
Text of Bill de Blasio's letter to Mayor Michael Bloomberg:
Dear Mayor Michael Bloomberg:
I am writing to express concern and seek answers about the City's response to this past Sunday's snow storm. My office has become aware of concerns voiced by New Yorkers who are unable to leave their homes or immediate vicinity as a result of unplowed roads and public walkways. It has become evident that the outer boroughs have been disproportionately affected by the lack of plowing after Sunday's snow storm.
The storm on Sunday was severe and although the City is working feverishly now to clear the streets, I believe that the City could have taken a more precautionary approach. I am concerned that the City did not take the necessary steps to help minimize the disruptions to transportation, sanitation, and emergency services. Additionally, I think the City should have made more decisive steps to keep drivers off the roadways and prevent so many abandoned vehicles from obstructing the City's snowplows. With more winter storms ahead, it is imperative that we learn from our experiences to better prepare ourselves for future storms and natural disasters.
To better understand how the City handled this Sunday's severe storm, I request the following data from the Office of Emergency Management, the Department of Sanitation, and call information from 311 and 911. This data will be a key tool in evaluating what steps need to be taken in the future during severe storms.
Office of Emergency Management
The Office of Emergency Management is responsible for helping New York City plan and prepares for emergencies, as well as coordinates for a timely response and recovery. I have several questions regarding the Office's preparation for Sunday's storm.
Department of Sanitation
I have several questions about the process the Department of Sanitation undertook to ensure that streets were being plowed in a timely fashion.
311
My office has received hundreds of calls from constituents regarding the snow storm and many of them are being placed on hold for long periods of time when they contact 311. To that end, I have several questions about the handling of calls regarding the storm.
911
From my understanding there is a review taking place regarding the processing of 911 calls. Please provide my office with the scope of this review and the methodology being used.
Thank you and I look forward to your timely response. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Bill de Blasio