Audio & Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul is a Guest on Cbs 2 to Update New Yorkers on Winter Weather

Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul was a guest on CBS 2 to update New Yorkers on winter weather.

AUDIO: The Governor's remarks are available in audio form here.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

Doug Williams, CBS 2: New York Governor Kathy Hochul just declared a State of Emergency.

Ali Bauman, CBS 2: Yeah and the Governor actually joins us now on the phone. Governor, thank you for taking the time here, and tell us, what is your biggest concern over the next 12-24 hours?

Governor Hochul: Basically I'm concerned about safety on the roads. We have so many people that have traveled to see loved ones over the Christmas holidays and they may be planning their return trip tonight or tomorrow morning. And I'm just urging everyone, if you can stay off the roads just a few more hours, delay your travel plans and allow our plows to get out there and do what they do. That's my main concern.

If people are staying home, it's just a volume of snow. We'll be able to get through it. New Yorkers are tough. We've been through this before. But I'm just more worried about safety on the roads at this point.

And this is a widespread event. Right now we have the heaviest snow in Central New York and it's moving east, and we're going to see - this is not unprecedented, but when you're not used to it on a regular basis, it's a shock to the system and people aren't used to driving in it and they're not used to the delays. And so I just think the best thing is if you're able to -- many people have to go into work, I understand that -- but if you can stay home for the next day-and-a-half or next day even, it'll be much better for you and your family.

Doug Williams, CBS 2: Governor, you mentioned the shock to the system. It may come as one to many New York City residents, it's been quite some time since we've seen snow like this. So what is your role in monitoring the City specifically during a storm like this? What calls can you make versus what you decide to leave to the City authorities?

Governor Hochul: We are always cooperating as a partner to our local municipal governments. This is not just the City of New York, this is all of Long Island, it's the Hudson Valley, Central New York, it's the Capital Region -- it is 35 counties. And so my authority allows me to anticipate a serious crisis, real problems, and to be preemptive. And part of that is being able to declare a State of Emergency. And that State of Emergency gives us the flexibility we need to manage whatever comes our way.

For example, I'm from Buffalo, I've been through countless major blizzards and snow events that are paralyzing, and you want to be able to have State snow removal vehicles go on to local roads, but you can't do that if there's not a State of Emergency. So I wanted to make sure that all of our assets can be deployed to help the City of New York if necessary, or any of our counties to help them get through this.

So it's really a partnership relationship, but we prepare for this year round. We tabletop exercises, our emergency management teams have deep relationships in the City, throughout the State, and at a time like this, we rely on that and that trust of each other -- that they know that the State will be there to help them no matter what comes our way.

Ali Bauman, CBS 2: And Governor, we know heavy snow like this can sometimes bring down power lines. So how is the State preparing for the possibility of power outages?

Governor Hochul: That's my other largest concern as someone who was a young mom in Buffalo and we had a blizzard that kept our power out for about a week, and I had little kids at home in the dark without any warmth, and it is frightening. So what I know is to make sure that we have over 5,000 utility crews ready to be deployed if these power lines come down. That's more likely to come in a heavy snow event or if there's heavy winds that can take down trees and limbs that'll knock down the power. So my number one concern if that happens is getting the power restored immediately, so we are in constant communication with the utility companies about where they need to go to get the power and the heat back on.

Doug Williams, CBS 2: Governor Kathy Hochul, thanks so much, Governor for taking the time joining us on the phone this evening. We appreciate it.

Contact the Governor's Press Office