NYC Emergency Management's latest episode of ¡PREPÁRATE! talks with Commissioner Manuel Castro from the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs, and the agency's role in serving immigrant communities of new York.

First Deputy Commissioner Christina Farrell and Director of Individual Preparedness Abby Banks discuss the Ready NY and CERT programs for the 20th anniversary.

In recognition of September as National Preparedness Month, the latest episode of New York City Emergency Management’s Spanish podcast ¡Prepárate!, features Ernesto Morales, alerts coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s San Juan, Puerto Rico office. As part of the National Weather Service team in Puerto Rico, Morales coordinates messages before and during weather events impacting the island. On the heels of the one-year anniversary since Hurricane Fiona, Morales stresses that being prepared can save lives and help with response operations by emergency responders.

On the latest episode of ‘Prep Talk’, Cari Olson, assistant commissioner of the Bureau of Environmental Surveillance and Policy with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, discusses the dangers of extreme heat during the summer months. Ms. Olson shared what precautions New Yorkers should take to beat the heat, and how the city responds to heat emergencies. “My team is responsible for building a foundation of environmental health data and research, that is then used to improve the health of all New Yorkers,” said Cari Olson, assistant commissioner of the Bureau of Environmental Surveillance and Policy with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. “For example, we track the health impacts of heat and who is most vulnerable. The triggers for a heat emergency issued by the National Weather Service and Emergency Management are based on data we compiled. As we began collecting data we observed that, once the heat index hits 95 or above, and that is a combination of heat and humidity, there was an exponential increase in deaths from heat in our vulnerable communities.” To prevent heat illness and learn more ways to beat the heat, visit NYC Emergency Management’s Beat the Heat website at NYC.gov/beattheheat, or DOHMH’s Extreme Heat and Your Health page at nyc.gov/site/doh/health/emergency-preparedness/emergencies-extreme-weather-heat.page.

On this episode of “Prep Talk” Camille Joseph Varlack, chief of staff to the Mayor of New York City, shares her story about what inspired her to pursue a career in law, challenges women still face in the workplace, and what she hopes to accomplish in her current role. Varlack also discusses what led her to a career in public service and why she eventually started her own law practice. Throughout her career she has overseen the City and State’s response to various emergencies and talks about which disaster was the most difficult to navigate, as well as the most rewarding thing about assisting New Yorkers during emergencies.

On this episode of “Prep Talk” Christina Curry, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of People with Disabilities, the first African American woman in the role, discusses how she became an advocate for the deaf and people with disabilities. Curry also talks about the many challenges people with disabilities face and how they may differ for people of color. She shares the importance of having diverse voices, especially when it comes to planning for and mitigating emergencies. She also discusses her goals for the agency and things everyone should be mindful of when interacting with people with disabilities. On this episode two ASL interpreters, Emilio Garcia and Jason Colon were present to ensure more accessibility. The transcript can be viewed here: https://bit.ly/3JWAgCg

Winter Weather Prep with DSNY by NYC Emergency Management

On September 19, 2022, Hurricane Fiona made landfall in Puerto Rico, five years to the day of Hurricane Maria. Four days after, Mayor Eric Adams sent a multiagency team of New York City employees to assess the island’s needs after the hurricane. The team was comprised of employees from the New York City Emergency Management Department, New York City Department of Buildings, New York City Department of Design and Construction, New York City Police Department, and  New York City Parks Department. Over the two-week deployment, team members visited over 47 municipalities and gathered information on structural damage to public and private buildings, roads, parks and other vulnerable facilities. On the latest episode of ‘Prep Talk’, team member Jason Rolon, deputy director of construction safety and engineering with the Department of Buildings, discussed the differences in the inspections after the earthquakes in Puerto Rico in 2020 and the damages from Hurricane Fiona. Jose Torres, a climber, pruner and crew chief also with NYC Parks Department shared the potential dangers from uprooted trees after the hurricane, in addition to their impact to overhead electrical cables, roadways and critical infrastructure.

As the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy approaches, New York City Emergency Management staff members reflect on the historic storm and the unprecedented impacts New York City faced. The storm forever changed New York City and was a pivotal moment in creating change to combat climate change and the increase in extreme weather events. On this episode of “Prep Talk” Herman Schaffer, deputy commissioner of community engagement and Heather Roiter, assistant commissioner of risk and recovery at NYC Emergency Management, discuss the catastrophic effects of Hurricane Sandy and the role that NYC Emergency Management played during the preparedness, response and recovery stages. They also discuss lessons the City has learned, programs implemented since the destructive storm hit, and how they prepare for future storms.

¡Prepárate! A Conversation with NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez by NYC Emergency Management

Prep Talk - Episode 83: Coordination with Utility Partners by NYC Emergency Management