Mayor Mamdani Mobilizes Citywide Winter Response, Expands Code Blue and Supercharges Snow and Ice Removal

NEW YORK - Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani today announced a sweeping, citywide mobilization to prepare New York City for winter weather, including a $25 million investment in an expanded Code Blue system and a supercharged snow and ice clearing operation. Across City agencies, thousands of workers, new equipment and enhanced emergency protocols are being readied to protect New Yorkers from extreme cold and keep the city moving through the winter months.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), a strong El Niño is expected to bring a warmer, wetter winter, increasing the likelihood of rain, sleet and ice, as well as potentially heavy, wet snow during major storms.

"We have spent the past year preparing for any challenge winter throws our way. We have trained our workers, readied our equipment and strengthened our protocols because keeping New Yorkers safe can't begin when the first storm hits," said Mayor Mamdani. "This winter, we're doing things differently - we're expanding Code Blue to reach more New Yorkers in need, equipping New York's Strongest to clear snow and ice faster and leaving no stone unturned when it comes to protecting our neighbors from the cold. No New Yorker should face the dangers of winter alone, and no part of our city should be left behind."

"Throughout 2026, we have been working closely with our partner agencies, nonprofit agencies, elected officials and other stakeholders to update our winter plans and include all that we learned during the extreme cold temperatures and snowstorms that New York City experienced earlier this year," said NYCEM Commissioner Christina Farrell. "Winter weather can be dangerous for everyone, but particularly for vulnerable populations. With just a few weeks until the official start of the winter, we encourage New Yorkers to review and update their winter heating safety and emergency plans. Visit nyc.gov/beready to get started."

Investing $25 Million in an Upgraded Code Blue System

Last winter, Mayor Mamdani coordinated dozens of agencies during the city's first-ever 24-hour Enhanced Code Blue activation. The administration opened new warming shelters, deployed warming buses and activated the City's Strengthening Communities partner network in person for the first time.

This winter, Mayor Mamdani is building on those efforts with a new, upgraded Code Blue system that will put more outreach teams, vehicles and warming sites in the field as cold weather intensifies.

Backed by $25 million in new City funding, the system will scale up resources according to the severity and duration of cold, snowy and icy conditions. New measures include:

• Reaching New Yorkers wherever they are. More than 300 additional canvassers will follow designated walking and driving routes through high-impact areas in all five boroughs, covering 75% of locations where homeless New Yorkers are known to stay. Teams will engage every person they encounter, rather than relying on predetermined lists. This approach builds on the City's success with Code Red operations this summer, which engaged 20 times more people than previous efforts.
• Bringing medical care directly to New Yorkers in need. Up to 55 NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H) WARM mobile units will provide medical support and transportation to warming centers, medical facilities and other warm locations. Each team will include a registered nurse or nurse practitioner.
• Opening more places to get warm. H+H will open at least three hospitals as warming centers and will open all 11 facilities during the most severe weather. The Department of Homeless Services (DHS) will activate eight drop-in centers, four new warming centers and 20 warming buses at peak level, scaling resources according to Code Blue level. The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) will extend hours at four syringe service providers to give clients overnight access to warm spaces.
• Adding more low-barrier shelter options. The City is adding more than 600 single- and double-occupancy rooms, creating 800 beds, giving homeless New Yorkers more options for safe, warm shelter during the coldest days of the year.
• Hiring additional nurses. Nurses will partner with outreach teams during extreme weather to check on people's health and safety, provide on-site clinical care and competency assessments and escalate to a higher level of care when appropriate.

These new measures will build on existing Code Blue practices, including wellness checks on older adults by NYC Aging and open-door policies across the DHS shelter system.

The Department of Social Services (DSS) and DOHMH will continue outreach through existing networks, including an estimated 12,000 people served through Adult Protective Services (APS), the HIV/AIDS Services Administration (HASA), domestic violence services and Medicaid home care. Teams will check that these New Yorkers are safe and warm, have heat and essential supplies at home and know where to turn for help.

DOHMH will also activate health-focused outreach teams to expand operations in key areas of concern, including major transit hubs.

Supercharging Snow and Ice Clearing Operations

New York's Strongest are preparing to work even faster this winter. The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) has spent the past year strengthening its snow and ice clearing operations, with a particular focus on pedestrian infrastructure and ensuring streets and sidewalks are accessible to older adults and people with disabilities.

The agency has more than 2,200 vehicles ready to be turned into snowplows, more than 700 salt spreaders, 47 pieces of specialized equipment to clear protected bike lanes and 7,000 uniformed Sanitation Workers trained for snow clearing.

New this year, DSNY has:

• Mapped pedestrian infrastructure routes into snow removal routes. DSNY has formally incorporated every bus stop, sidewalk and crosswalk into its internal route maps, allowing the agency to better deploy snow clearing resources more effectively during and after snowstorms.
• Established new forecast triggers. New protocols will allow the agency to pre-position contractor equipment to clear pedestrian infrastructure before and after snowfall.
• Expanded coverage on Staten Island. Eight new plow sector routes have been added in the borough's hilliest areas, bringing more equipment to its steepest and narrowest streets.
• Upgraded its plows. A total of 678 plows and spreaders have been outfitted with new composite plow blades that adapt to the contours of roadways, clear snow more effectively and reduce damage to roads, bridges and highways.
• Restored its existing equipment. All 705 large and small salt spreaders and other snow removal equipment have been serviced and restored following extensive use last winter.
• Acquired its first snow blowers. The agency has acquired 120 snow blowers to clear bus stops and crosswalks faster, along with an expanded fleet of pickup trucks to transport equipment where it's needed.
• Stockpiled salt. DSNY has secured 500 million pounds of salt to deploy across the city.
• Overhauled the Emergency Snow Shoveler program. DSNY has already registered more than 3,000 Emergency Snow Shovelers, compared with only a few hundred at this point last year.

City agencies are also working together to enhance DSNY's snow and ice clearing capacity:

• The Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) purchased $2 million in small snow clearing equipment like tractors and gators with plow attachments and established new protocols with JCDeceaux and Citi Bike to clear bus stops, bikeshare infrastructure and other priority transit areas faster.
• NYC Public Schools (NYCPS) has acquired 10 all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) equipped with snowplows, 650 snow blowers and approximately 3,000 shovels, ice choppers and other tools. The department has already upgraded existing equipment with 190 new snowplow and blade attachments.
• The Parks Department (NYC Parks) is preparing nearly 400 vehicles operating out of 11 garages across the five boroughs to clear more than 2,000 miles of pathways following snowfall, prioritizing park perimeters, commuter hubs and other high-traffic areas.
• The Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) is stocking the City's Central Storehouse with up to six months' worth of calcium chloride and rock salt.

Prepositioning Emergency Resources

NYCEM and the City's first responders are constantly monitoring conditions and preparing to activate emergency operations centers to coordinate agencies and deploy resources when needed.

As New York City readies for a wetter, heavier winter, NYC Parks and City agencies are preparing to activate the Downed Tree Task Force to respond to fallen branches and trees. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) is preparing to deploy tow trucks during storms to clear roads, assist stranded motorists and keep snowplow routes open.

NYPD will also assist in downed tree operations, escort DSNY snowplows, transport DHS employees providing services for at-risk New Yorkers and deploy officers at high-volume traffic locations to help emergency vehicles reach their destinations safely.

The Fire Department (FDNY) will adjust on-call staffing across all engine companies during extreme weather emergencies and strategically preposition high-axle vehicles for rapid deployment ahead of coastal flooding.

NYCEM is also updating mutual aid agreements to ensure the City can access additional resources if needed during a winter emergency.

Activating Outreach Networks

NYCEM will lead citywide communications about cold, snow, ice and other changing weather conditions through Notify NYC, which now reaches more than 1.6 million subscribers, as well as through other communication networks.

The agency is also hosting preseason briefings with private-sector partners, the Advance Warning System, the Disability, Access, and Functional Needs Advisory Council (DAFN) and elected officials at every level of government.

NYC Aging will work with its network of service providers to prepare older adult centers, adjust home-delivered meal schedules and coordinate wellness checks for vulnerable clients ahead of, during and following extreme weather.

The Mayor's Office of Community Safety is partnering with community organizations to strengthen outreach during the winter months. Efforts include engaging young people, especially during the holidays and winter break, distributing essential winter supplies and proactively connecting vulnerable New Yorkers with support.

The Department of Buildings (DOB) is conducting outreach to more than 40,000 construction and development industry professionals to start implementing site-specific winterization procedures, including properly securing temporary construction equipment in anticipation of winter storms, ensuring temporary heating equipment complies with the City's Fire and Building Codes and planning to implement winter weather housekeeping procedures to clear work sites of snow and ice.

Readying New Yorkers' Homes for the Cold

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) has spent the year preparing its public housing developments for winter.

To ensure reliable heat and hot water, the Authority conducted preventative maintenance, inspections and necessary repairs on every single piece of its heating infrastructure: 965 boilers, 1,472 hot water systems and 1,507 heat distribution systems.

Last month, NYCHA cut the ribbon on a new, state-of-the-art, 12,271-square-foot heating training facility. The facility will provide hands-on instruction for all 654 active frontline heating employees, as well as future hires.

Since last winter, NYCHA has invested more than $121 million in heating infrastructure upgrades at four developments, with another $728 million across 20 developments nearing completion this winter.

The Authority has also invested more than $9.7 million this year in heating equipment repairs and replacements to improve service for the upcoming season, with an additional $6.4 million committed to ongoing heating and hot water projects.

NYCHA maintains a reserve of mobile boilers that can be deployed during a severe heating emergency. Twenty-two mobile boilers are currently connected to developments, with four more additional units available for deployment if needed.

For tenants in privately managed housing without working heat, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) will conduct tens of thousands of inspections in response to complaints. This winter, for the first time, HPD will respond to every nonanonymous heat complaint, rather than grouping together complaints from multiple apartments in the same building and closing all complaints when the first is resolved.

In extreme cases where a landlord fails to correct a heating issue, HPD will conduct emergency repairs, assessing issues with heat and hot water, restoring services and billing the landlord. For buildings that repeatedly fail to provide heat, HPD's Housing Litigation Division will take cases to Housing Court to obtain court orders for repairs and, where appropriate, civil penalties.

HPD is also improving monitoring and emergency response protocols at Mitchell-Lama and Tenant Interim Lease (TIL) buildings, including improved communication with tenants and building managers, proactive storm preparation and heated buses in the event of a heating emergency at a privately owned Mitchell-Lama development.

Protecting New Yorkers From Rising Utility Costs

Fuel oil prices have risen by nearly 70% over the past year and continue to rise. The Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice (MOCEJ) and the Mayor's Public Engagement Unit (PEU) are canvassing all five boroughs to help New Yorkers lower their energy bills.

HPD will proactively assist New Yorkers who receive HPD rental subsidy with signing up for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), which can help cover the cost of utilities.

NYCEM is also coordinating with Con Edison, National Grid and PSEG-Long Island to prepare for potential natural gas and electrical outages, including how outages will be tracked and how utilities will respond and expedite restoring power. This year, NYCEM will receive utility notifications filed with the New York State Public Service Commission, allowing the agency to identify possible gas service problems sooner.

NYCPS has tripled its emergency fuel delivery contracts, and DCAS is overseeing fuel quality and supply at approximately 5,500 City locations and conducting interagency exercises to streamline fuel delivery during emergencies.

Preparing Schools and Students for Winter

NYCPS is working with students, families and school leaders to ensure schools are ready to transition to remote instruction during a weather emergency.

Preparations include rapid device distribution, three load tests of digital learning platforms during the school year and a practice remote learning assignment this fall to help every student prepare to learn remotely if needed.

Readying Rikers Island for Winter

In preparation for the 2026-27 winter season, the Department of Correction (DOC) has completed extensive repairs and upgrades to Rikers Island's heating system.

Crews replaced nearly 80 sections of heating equipment, repaired dozens of leaks and restored lighting, pumps and ventilation in underground steam tunnels. These improvements will help ensure reliable heat and hot water throughout the winter, with backup capacity if part of the system goes down.

In addition to daily temperature readings, people in custody have been provided with warmer clothing.

How New Yorkers Can Prepare Now

New Yorkers can take the following steps to protect themselves, their families and their neighbors this winter:

1. SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY ALERTS: Stay informed about extreme weather, power outages, emergency resources and more by texting NOTIFYNYC to 692-692 or download the mobile app.
2. REPORT HEAT AND HOT WATER ISSUES: During heat season, which runs from Oct. 1 through May 31, every New York City tenant is legally entitled to heat and hot water. Apartments must maintain a temperature of at least 62 degrees Fahrenheit overnight, regardless of the outdoor temperature, and at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit during the day when the temperature falls below 55 degrees. If your apartment does not have adequate heat or hot water, contact your landlord. If the problem is not addressed promptly, call 311 to request an HPD inspection. Uniformed inspectors can issue violations and, when warranted, coordinate emergency repairs.
3. ACCESS AFFORDABLE ENERGY: Energy costs are a significant household expense - you can learn about programs to help lower your energy bills by visiting nyc.gov/utility-advocacy
4. PRACTICE FIRE SAFETY: Fires and fire-related fatalities increase during the cold winter months. Protect yourself, your family and your community by following the FDNY's winter fire safety guidance at www.fdnysmart.org
5. PREPARE YOUR SNOW CLEARING EQUIPMENT: Property owners are responsible for clearing a four-foot-wide path on their sidewalks to allow safe passage for wheelchairs and strollers. Make sure your shovels and other equipment are ready before the first storm.
6. PROTECT YOUR PIPES: Homeowners are responsible for protecting their pipes and water meters from freezing. Follow these simple steps to protect your property: on.nyc.gov/485DQ8O

"After last winter, we took a hard look at what worked and what didn't, and we're changing how we do Code Blue," said DSS Commissioner Erin Dalton. "Instead of working from a list of names, DSS will work from a map, covering blocks, subway stations and parks where we know most people are living outside. We tested this approach during Code Red this summer, and we saw much better results: 20 times more people engaged and 7 times the people placed inside. With additional faster transport and up to 800 more low-barrier beds waiting, we expect this approach to reach more people, bring more of them inside and keep more New Yorkers safe through the coldest nights."

"Last winter was one of the coldest and snowiest we've seen in decades, which is why we are preparing early for the cold weather ahead of this season," said NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister F. Martin. "The best protection is to plan ahead, and that's why the Health Department is already working with syringe services providers to open overnight coverage when there is a Code Blue and expanding our outreach efforts to support DSS during long cold snaps."

"Extreme cold is a public health emergency, and because the most vulnerable New Yorkers can't always come to us, we will meet them where they are with life-saving care," said Dr. Ted Long, NYC Health + Hospitals Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Clinical Services and Population Health. "Building on the success of our warming center and WARM mobile units last winter, we are expanding our WARM units with our partners at DHS to make sure we are going where we are needed most. Our teams are ready to bring warmth, compassionate care, and a path to ongoing, lasting support to every New Yorker who needs it."

"The Department of Sanitation plans all year long to develop a strategic and adaptable playbook for every unique winter storm scenario, continually revising routes, assessing past performance and overhauling equipment," said Sanitation Commissioner Gregory Anderson. "Last snow season, New York City received the most significant snowfall in years, and we have taken those lessons to heart and upgraded our strategy for clearing streets, public spaces and pedestrian infrastructure. We are prepared, equipped and ready to keep all New Yorkers safe and moving this winter, whether they drive, walk, ride, bike or roll."

"As the winter approaches, NYC DOT is ready to keep the East River bridges safe and clear of snow, deploy 76 trucks and personnel to support DSNY's snow clearing and melting operations and put more than $2 million in new snow clearing equipment to work," said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. "Our teams will also provide real-time roadway updates and implement new protocols to help clear bus stops and bikeshare stations. I am deeply grateful to the City workers who are dedicated to keeping our city safe through snow, ice and freezing frosts."

"NYC Parks is a four-seasons operation. As soon as summer ended, Parks has been focused on winterizing more than 3,400 drinking fountains to protect our underground infrastructure and preparing our crews and equipment to quickly respond to downed trees and snow-covered sidewalks," said NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura. "We're proud to work together with our sister agencies to ensure New Yorkers can safely enjoy the winter season and move around the city after a storm, and we're ready to handle whatever comes our way this winter."

"As temperatures drop, we are entering what is traditionally one of the busiest times of year for the Fire Department," said Fire Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore. "We know New Yorkers will be looking for ways to stay warm but some of those methods can create serious safety hazards. We want to remind everyone that taking a few simple safety precautions can mean the difference between life and death. Help us prevent fires and save lives this winter. Visit FDNYSmart.org for important winter safety tips."

"During periods of extreme weather this winter, the NYPD will be out in full force to protect New Yorkers," said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. "From answering emergency calls, to responding to people in danger and helping to clear dangerous conditions, the men and women of this department always show up when they are needed. When dangerous conditions require the rest of the city to stay inside, the members of the NYPD will be on call to keep communities safe."

"The safety and wellbeing of New Yorkers with disabilities are top of mind for the Administration as cold weather approaches," said MOPD Commissioner Nisha Agarwal. "We are family members, friends, neighbors and co-workers who face additional barriers during the winter months. MOPD is a trusted messenger for people with disabilities, and we work to ensure the needs of people with disabilities are addressed by City agencies on the front lines because everyone deserves to be safe and warm this winter."

"We can't prevent cold weather from occurring, but we can all work together to help keep older New Yorkers safe when the temperatures drop," said NYC Aging Commissioner Dr. Lisa Scott-McKenzie. "Please check in on your family, friends and neighbors to ensure that they are safe and warm. A friendly phone call or a knock on the door can literally save lives. I commend Mayor Mamdani for bringing the full resources and energy of the City together to ensure our fellow New Yorkers are provided with timely information as well as the support to provide assistance when needed. I look forward to continuing our strong collaborations on the behalf of older adults."

"Every division of HPD stands ready to keep New Yorkers safe this winter, as we embrace new technology and innovative policy to ensure conditions are corrected faster," said HPD Commissioner Dina Levy. "With a new commitment to investigate every identified heat complaint, HPD will work tirelessly to keep New Yorkers safe and warm."

"Preparing our developments for the winter is a year-round responsibility, and NYCHA has taken significant steps to ensure residents have reliable heat and hot water throughout the colder months," said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. "From conducting preventative maintenance across every piece of our heating infrastructure and investing in critical equipment upgrades to strengthening our emergency response capabilities and expanding hands-on training for our frontline heating workforce, we are taking a comprehensive approach to winter readiness in service of NYCHA residents across the five boroughs."

"Thanks in part to sustained educational outreach and strong enforcement of the city's Construction Codes, we have seen a tremendous improvement in construction work site safety so far in 2026, with worker injuries reaching near record lows and an over 50% drop in work site fatalities compared to 2025," said Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani. "It is critical that we keep that momentum going as we enter the winter season, so we will be conducting more outreach to the construction industry about preparing their work sites to prevent cold weather-related slips and falls."

"Preparing for winter starts long before the first snowfall, and we're already gearing up for inclement weather," said DCAS Commissioner Yume Kitasei. "From prepping building heating systems to stocking emergency supplies and safeguarding fuel deliveries, DCAS is helping ensure city agencies have what they need to serve New Yorkers through the coldest months."

"DEP closely tracks winter weather conditions and maintains around-the-clock emergency response teams ready to deploy at a moment's notice. New Yorkers can count on our dedicated workforce to keep critical water services operating through even the harshest conditions," said DEP Commissioner Lisa F. Garcia. "Most water main breaks occur during the winter, when repeated freeze-thaw cycles place additional stress on underground infrastructure. Last year's cold snaps also required staff to thaw frozen hydrants and replace burst outdoor water meters. DEP is prepared for these kinds of challenges so that, no matter the temperature, we can respond quickly, restore service swiftly, protect public safety and keep New York City running."

"As temperatures drop, no New Yorker should have to choose between staying warm and putting food on the table. The City is helping households access programs that can lower utility bills, including the Energy Affordability Programs and Home Energy Assistance Program, which provides support with heating costs," said Chief Climate Officer Louise Yeung. "We're also working with building owners to make buildings more energy efficient and reduce heating costs. Most importantly, we want New Yorkers to know what resources are available and how to access them before the coldest months arrive."

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