New York City’s 2018 snow season began with a heavy snowfall in mid-November that took the city and its residents largely by surprise.

With such heavy snowfall already on the books, SelectCare wishes to provide our community with some helpful tips and resources that can make life a little easier during snow season. 

Clearing Snow From Sidewalks

Homeowners are responsible for snow removal on all sidewalks adjacent to their property and are at risk of Department of Sanitation fines if they fail to clear a four-foot-wide path for pedestrians.

To avoid fines, sidewalks must be cleared soon after snow stops falling. If the snow stops between the hours of 7 am and 5 pm, the sidewalk must be cleared within four hours. If snow stops between the hours of 5pm and 7 am, homeowners have 14 hours to clear a pedestrian path.

Volunteer Snow Removal Through 311

Snow removal is an important part of keeping communities safe following a storm, but the activity can prove extremely rigorous and, at times, dangerous for older New Yorkers.

To that end, NYC Service, a division of the Mayor’s office, is offering a snow removal volunteer-matching service through the city’s 311 service.

New York Homeowners in any of the 5 boroughs who are 60+ or disabled can request volunteer snow removal assistance by calling 311 and asking about the “NYC Service Snow Removal Program.”

Please note that this program only goes into effect during snowfalls of 6 inches or higher and that as a new program, organizers cannot guarantee a local volunteer for every request. If you wish to become a volunteer yourself, visit NYC Service at www.nyc.gov/service .

Monitor Storms and Power Outages with ConEd

When it comes to winter weather safety, information is the key to a good emergency plan. That’s why every New Yorker should bookmark this helpful real-time weather and power outage map of the 5 boroughs maintained by ConEd.

Ensure Your Apartment is Ready for Winter

Checking in on your home’s heating system can be a little task that keeps sneaking to the end of your to-do list, but ensuring your home’s internal environment is warm, well-insulated and well-stocked before a storm can save residents a lot of hassle.

In the event your home’s heat or hot water system is no longer reliable, be sure to refer to our previous post on NYC tenant’s rights to heat and hot water for additional resources.

Double Check Your Emergency Plan and Supplies

Having a well-organized emergency plan can make all the difference during a heavy winter storm. Be sure to check the expiry dates on all emergency food and medication kept in your house and ensure you have an up-to-date list of prescriptions your regularly use. For more information, check out our recent emergency prep toolkit and review NYC Emergency Management’s Winter Weather Guide.

SelectCare hopes you find this information useful. Our team of home health care experts have helped New Yorkers through the cold winter months for more than three decades and are ready to share our experiences with you and your loved ones today.

To learn more, call SelectCare today or request a free in-home care guide.