Gov. Hochul and Mayor de Blasio Pledge to “Do Something Different” to Protect Against Storms

By Yehudit Garmaise

     While nine New Yorkers died in last night’s record-shattering rainfall, the tri-state area has recorded 22 tragic deaths in New York's most devastating and shocking storm on record.

     “Even the morning after, we are still uncovering the true depths of the loss: the human loss, which is hard to imagine,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said this morning. “People who were in their cars, their homes, and their basements succumbed to the ravages of a brutal storm, and their families much be in such pain this morning.”

     The records that were shattered last night: 3.5 inches in one hour, as recorded in Central Park last night, broke a record that was set a week ago."

     Brooklyn recorded eight inches of water last night, and Staten Island recorded nine inches.

     “[The record-breaking rain] says to me," Gov. Hochul said. "There are no more cataclysmic and unforeseeable events. We need to foresee these in advance and be prepared,” said Gov. Hochul, who said that New York has learned, from Hurricane Sandy, how to fortify its coastal shore lines.

    “Where we have a vulnerability is with our streets: with our higher elevations now and flash floods, which were unknown before,” she said. “This is the first time we have had a flash flood event of this proportion."

    In fact, flooding has forced several state highways to remain closed, and Metropolitan Transportation Association (MTA) service remains suspended.

     State fire, police and other emergency workers participated in at least 100 rescues in Rockland and Westchester Counties.

     After thanking "everyone who was involved last night," Gov. Hochul gave a shout-out to the city's transit workers.

     "Our transit workers are heroes, especially all the bus operators who had to be deployed to take people from stations where they needed to go," Gov. Hochul said. "It was an extraordinary rescue operation, just a few short hours ago.

     In speaking about a new efficiency, as the state and city works together better than ever since Gov. Hochul took office, she said, "The collaboration that was going on, the constant communication between our teams helped to save lives.

     "But we have to assess where we are today, and where are going next. How do we get money to the people who need it."

    Gov. Hochul said that as soon as the state continues to attend to the protecting and bolstering the storm protections in the coastal areas, she will address the “drainage systems in New York City that need to be enhanced.

    “Because of climate change, this something we are going to have to deal with.”

     Both Gov. Hochul and Mayor Bill de Blasio pledged to “do something different” to protect the streets and against the elements. 

    “In the past week, two record rainfalls are upon us, and it is not a coincidence,” warned Gov. Hochul. “Global warming is upon us. Things are going to get worse and worse.”

     “We have to identify the areas where the drainage systems need to be enhanced. I deployed resources yesterday morning, but we didn’t know that the heavens would open up and bring Niagra Falls to New York.”

     “We are going to have to assume that now things are going to be worse in every situation from Mother Nature,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said. “Yesterday a two to four inch warning turned into the largest amount of rainfall on record.”

   “The systems were strained way beyond capacity.

   “We are going to need more money than we ever imagined. The federal government is now, finally, truly committed to infrastructure spending. We are talking that we need tens of billions of dollars to help.”