MAYOR ADAMS AND COMMISSIONER TISCH ANNOUNCE REMOVAL OF OVER 25,000 ILLEGAL FIREARMS FROM CITY STREETS SINCE BEGINNING OF ADAMS ADMINISTRATION AS RECORD LOW SHOOTINGS CONTINUE THROUGH 12th STRAIGHT MONTH, HONORS COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERRUPTERS WITH KEYS TO THE CITY OF NEW YORK

 

Gun Seizures Have Led to Four Consecutive Years of Shooting and Homicide Declines,Shootings Down 55 Percent, Homicides Down 35.5 Percent Under Adams Administration 

  

Mayor Adams Gives Five Keys to Providers in City’s Office to Prevent Gun Violence Prevention for Their Upstream Efforts to Prevent Gun Violence and Keep Communities Safe 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch today announced that the NYPD has removed more than 25,000 illegal firearms from New York City streets since the start of the Adams administration in January 2022, with this year alone, the NYPD already seizing more than 5,200 illegal guns. This success has helped drive shootings down by 55 percent and homicides by 35.5 percent since the beginning of the Adams administration. 

  

The decrease in these violent crimes can also be attributed to the upstream efforts of violence interrupters, who have worked to stop gun violence before it first takes place. As a result, Mayor Adams, today, awarded the Key to the City of New York to 29 organizations that participate in the Crisis Management System (CMS) program run by the Office to Prevent Gun Violence within the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development. CMS is a partnership of organizations including a network of residents, credible messengers, and community leaders-that mediate community conflicts, connect young people aged 16 to 24 most at risk of gun violence to mentorship and risk reduction plans, and mobilize the community to promote peace and shift norms around the use of violence. It is comprised of a street outreach and violence intervention model, with wrap-around services that improve quality of life, address trauma, and promote peace among those most affected by violence, while also ensuring historically disenfranchised New Yorkers have access to opportunities needed to thrive. Twenty-nine total providers were honored for their work to keep communities safe with one Key to the City of New York for each borough.  

  

“Our administration has been laser focused on public safety, and that focus has led to years of meaningful, visible improvements, including a whopping 55 percent decrease in shootings since we came into office,” said Mayor Adams. “The numbers don’t lie, which is why we are proud to announce yet another milestone of 25,000 guns removed from our streets since we took office. In a world where just one gun can tear an entire community apart, removing 25,000 of them has saved untold number of lives and kept families whole. This builds on our incredible record of public safety, including driving a 55 percent decrease in shootings and 35.5 percent reduction in homicides citywide since the beginning of this administration. The first 11 months of 2025 had the lowest number of shooting incidents and shooting victims ever recorded in an 11-month span. We know we cannot do this work alone, which is why we are proud to give the Key to the City to the 29 nonprofit providers in the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development’s Crises Management System program, who interrupt violence and keep communities safe every day. I hope their work will continue to grow and thrive so New Yorkers can continue to experience the safety and peace of mind they deserve.”  

 

“Removing illegal guns from our streets is one of the most important ways we protect lives, and the NYPD has stayed relentlessly focused on that mission,” said NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “Since the start of the Adams administration, our officers have seized more than 25,000 illegal firearms — over 5,000 of them this year alone. That work has helped drive shooting incidents and shooting victims to their lowest levels ever, by far, in 2025. These results are not accidental; they reflect precision policing, smart deployment, and the commitment of officers who put themselves in harm’s way to keep communities safe. I’m grateful to Mayor Adams for making public safety a top priority, and to every member of the NYPD whose work continues to make New York City safer.” 

  

“Gun violence is a serious issue, and we must deal with it seriously. The complex challenges of gun violence are multi-faceted and go way beyond the gun,” said Mayor’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Partnerships Executive Director Pastor Gilford T. Monrose. “The clergy partnership that Mayor Adams initiated and funded within the faith community changed the way we dealt with the root causes of the violence in this city. Removing over 25,000 guns and ending the year with the lowest number of individuals shot proved that coordination with strong clergy leadership, and a shared responsibility for public safety, resulted in a continued decline in gun violence to historic lows.” 

 

Honoring Violence Interrupters

Mayor Adams awarded five keys, one per borough, to 29 organizations that participate in the CMS program: 

  

Brooklyn 

•   Brownsville In, Violence Out, CAMBA, Inc. 

•   Brownsville Think Tank Matters, Inc. 

•   East Flatbush Village, Inc. 

•   Elite Leaders, Inc. 

•   The God Squad, 67th Precinct Clergy Council, Inc. 

•   Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island, Inc. 

•   Kings Against Violence Initiative, Inc. 

•   Man Up Brooklyn, Inc. 

•   Save Our Streets Justice Innovation, Inc. 

•   University Settlement Society of New York Switching Lifestyles 

•   The Wick Against Violence, Southside United Housing Development Fund, Corp. 

  

Bronx 

•   Bronx Raises Against Gun Violence, Good Shepherds Services 

•   Guns Down Lives Up, Lincoln Hospital 

•   Release the Grip Urban Youth Alliance International, Inc. 

•   Save our Streets Justice Innovation, Inc. 

•   Stand Up to Violence, Jacobi Hospital 

  

Manhattan 

•   Getting Out, Standing Against Violence East Harlem 

•   Harlem Mothers Stop Another Violent End, Inc.  

•   Manhattan Legal Aid Society 

•   Not Another Child, Inc.  

•   Street Corner Resources, Speak Peace Forward 

Queens 

•   100 Suits for 100 Men 

•   Community Capacity Development 

•   King of Kings Foundation, Inc. 

•   Life Camp, Inc. 

•   Queens Royal Priesthood, Inc. 

•   Wheelchairs Against Gun Violence 

•   Where Do We Go From Here 

  

Staten Island 

•   Central Family Life Center, True 2 Life 

  

Mayor Adams’ Record on Public Safety

The NYPD is one of New York City’s first lines of defense against gun violence, and officers continue to save countless lives every day by continuing to remove illegal firearms from city streets. The department’s focused enforcement helped make 2024 the fourth-lowest year for shootings in the city’s recorded history, and now, in the first 11 months of 2025, New York City has seen both the lowest number of shooting incidents and shooting victims ever recorded in an 11-month span, beating the previous recorded low set in 2018 by 44 incidents. For the first 11 months of 2025, shooting incidents decreased by 22.7 percent compared to the same period last year, representing 191 fewer shooting incidents.  

  

These record-low crime numbers were largely driven by the NYPD’s Fall Violence Reduction Plan, a data-driven, precision-policing strategy to combat shootings and all violent crime. The plan consists of 54 zones covering 38 communities, with up to 1,800 uniformed officers assigned to nightly foot posts in precincts, public housing, and the subway system. Since its inception on October 13, overall index crime is down 16.4 percent and shootings are down 36.4 percent in the zones during deployment hours.  

  

The NYPD’s ongoing work to target and take down the most dangerous gangs also plays a role in driving down shootings and removing guns from the streets. So far this year, NYPD detectives have carried out 61 gang-related takedowns, and the department has seized more than 5,200 illegal guns since January — bringing the total number of illegal guns seized since January 1, 2022 to over 25,000. 

  

The fall plan results continue the precision police work initiated on May 5, 2025, when the NYPD deployed more than 2,000 officers to 72 summer violence zones in 40 precincts, eight housing police service areas, and 10 transit commands. During the summer months deployment, crime in those zones declined 18.3 percent — with over 400 fewer victims — and included decreases in all seven major crime categories. Also, in the summer violence zones, shooting incidents declined by 47.3 percent and shooting victims declined by 43.8 percent. Every borough in the city saw crime declines in their respective summer zones, with Staten Island down 70.8 percent, Queens down 36.2 percent, Manhattan down 22.7 percent, Brooklyn down 11.2 percent, and the Bronx down 10.2 percent. 

  

Overall, major crimes also continue to trend downward across the five boroughs. In November 2025, major crime declined 5.6 percent citywide, driven by decreases in most major crime categories, as well as notable reductions in transit crime, housing development crime, and retail theft. From January through November 2025, major crime citywide dropped 3.1 percent compared to the same period last year, resulting in 3,621 fewer victims of major crimes across the five boroughs. 

   

Out of the more than 25,000 guns seized since the beginning of the Adams administration, over 1,600 of them have been identified as ghost guns — unserialized, and therefore untraceable, firearms that are assembled through components purchased either as a kit, as separate pieces, or manufactured using 3-D printers. These weapons are fully functioning firearms and often end up in the hands of criminals as well as underage purchasers. Incidents involving ghost guns reflect a dangerously escalating trend — one that the NYPD is leading the charge against. The NYPD recovered 17 ghost guns in 2018, 48 in 2019, 150 in 2020, 263 in 2021, 528 in 2022, 401 in 2023, 435 in 2024, and already 295 so far in 2025. 

  

In July 2024, Mayor Adams led a charge supporting an effort urging the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold commonsense ghost gun regulations. Along with Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., Mayor Adams announced the filing of an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court case of Garland v. VanDerStok, in support of federal regulations issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that require ghost gun parts to have serial numbers and compel background checks for prospective buyers of ghost gun home-assembly kits.   

  

Every firearm taken off a city street is only one part of the equation. Ensuring meaningful consequences for the small percentage of New Yorkers who carry illegal firearms and commit acts of violence is equally critical. The 2019 state legislative changes to discovery were necessary to improve the fairness of the criminal justice system, however, some of the consequences have crippled the system, leading to case dismissals for technical violations and increased case processing times, including for firearm charges. Prior to discovery reform, local district attorneys declined to prosecute or dismissed 32 percent of non-violent felony cases in New York City — that number increased to nearly 52 percent in 2024. 

  

Ending gun violence continues to be Mayor Adams’ top priority. In his first month in office, in January 2022, Mayor Adams released the “Blueprint to End Gun Violence,” which laid out his priorities to immediately address the crisis of guns on New York City streets. Pursuant to the blueprint, in March 2022, the NYPD launched its Neighborhood Safety Teams to focus on gun violence prevention in areas that account for a disproportionate amount of citywide shootings. 

  

Mayor Adams’ comprehensive gun violence strategy also includes upstream solutions guided by the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force he established in June 2022, which focuses on diversion programs, prevention efforts, and expanded opportunities for young people — all targeting the root causes of gun violence to ensure a safer environment for all New Yorkers. The task force’s commitments are formalized in the “Blueprint for Community Safety,” an investment of nearly $500 million to create safer, more resilient communities, with a focus on intervention and prevention. 

  

The Adams administration also leads the Gun Violence Strategies Partnership, a 30+ multi-agency law enforcement partnership focused on strengthening investigations and prosecutions of the most severe gun offenders who drive violence in New York City. Members of the team meet every weekday morning to review felony gun violence arrests from the previous 24 hours and share intelligence to ensure perpetrators are held accountable and New Yorkers are kept safe. The partnership reviewed more than 700 cases in 2024, resulting in 85.5 percent of individuals being held on bail or remanded. 

  

Today’s announcement continues to build on Mayor Adams’ “End the Culture of Anything Goes” campaign, which highlights the work the administration has done to date to change the culture and laws that prevented people with severe mental illness from getting the help they needed, while simultaneously making the investments necessary to support outreach, harm reduction, wraparound services, and housing — all in an effort to make lasting impacts in lives and communities. Mayor Adams is bringing the same energy and approach that proved to be successful in carving a new path to help people with severe mental illness to address other health crises, like gun violence, playing out on city streets. 

NYS OFFICE OF ADDICTION SERVICES AND SUPPORTS SHOWS SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN 2025, SETS COURSE FOR 2026

Overdose Deaths Decline by More Than 30%, Demonstrating Effectiveness of Statewide Strategy and Strategic Investments 

The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (NYS OASAS) has taken significant steps to expand and enhance addiction services across New York State and ensure that all New Yorkers in need are able to find help and support. This includes expansions across our entire system of care. Together, these efforts have helped contribute to a drop in overdose deaths of more than 30% in 2025. OASAS Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham spoke about the accomplishments of the agency over the past year, and the plan for the coming year in a video news release available here. 

Throughout 2025, OASAS invested in numerous initiatives across New York State. Those initiatives include increased access to medication for addiction treatment through mobile medication units and brick-and-mortar programs, as well as enhanced access for those in correctional facilities. The agency has also worked to get opioid settlement funding out quickly to communities and programs that need it most, while collaborating with the Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Board to implement recommendations and priorities. 

Other accomplishments include significant investments in the addiction services workforce, strong public awareness efforts to educate New Yorkers about the services available throughout the state, where to find help for themselves or a loved one, and efforts to address the stigma that keeps many people away from seeking services, as well as initiatives to help address problem gambling. 

For more information, please contact the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports at communications@oasas.ny.gov.

MAYOR ADAMS, NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS PRESIDENT AND CEO DR. KATZ ANNOUNCE MERGER BETWEEN NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS AND MAIMONIDES HEALTH MOVES FORWARD

 

Maimonides Would Officially Become Part of NYC Health + Hospital System, Continue Shared Mission of Caring for All Without Exception 

  

$2.2 Billion Grant from Governor Hochul Supports Partnership and Protects Safety Net Health Care in Brooklyn 

  

Partnership will Allow Maimonides to Adopt a New, Unified Electronic Health Record, Access Higher Medicaid Rate, and Continue to Provide Essential Specialty Care While Staying True to Maimonides’ Unique Culture and Identity 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Dr. Mitchell Katz, and Maimonides Health Chief Executive Officer Ken Gibbs announced that NYC Health + Hospitals will move forward with a partnership that will allow Maimonides Health to become a part of the city’s health care system, pending final legal and regulatory approval. Maimonides Health is a Brooklyn health care system with three hospitals and more than 80 community-based sites. By joining the public health care system, care provided by Maimonides facilities will be reimbursed at a higher rate by Medicaid, bolstering its financial position. The merger also allows Maimonides to adopt Epic, the state-of-the-art electronic health record platform, which will allow it to improve care coordination and its ability to collect revenue. Maimonides patients will be able to access their health records online and contact their care team digitally through the portal. Patient care will continue uninterrupted during the transition. The partnership is supported by $2.2 billion over five years from New York state to protect safety net health care in Brooklyn. 

  

“By bringing two storied health care systems together under one umbrella, we will ensure that Brooklynites, and all New Yorkers, can continue to receive the high-quality care that they deserve,” said Mayor Adams. “NYC Health + Hospitals is the envy of cities everywhere, and New Yorkers trust the care they receive at its 11 hospitals and many other patient care sites. This effort preserves and strengthens care in my home borough of Brooklyn, and will be great for the thousands of patients who use Maimonides every day. I thank Governor Hochul, Dr. Katz, and Maimonides for joining in this shared vision to serve all patients and deliver the trusted care they deserve.” 

  

“We are proud to be part of the solution that preserves this cherished Brooklyn community hospital and welcomes it as an affiliate of our own public network of hospitals,” said First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro. “This is an historic occasion and a ‘win-win’ scenario for all.” 

  

“This is an exciting opportunity for NYC Health + Hospitals and Maimonides, two institutions with their own respected history and traditions, but both committed to providing high-quality care for all New Yorkers,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Katz, MD. “All of our 11 hospitals have their own identity and culture, and Maimonides will retain its unique character and commitment to the communities it serves. As we move forward, we will work with its amazing, dedicated clinicians and staff to ensure a smooth transition for everyone, especially its patients. We are deeply grateful to Governor Hochul for her support to ensure that Brooklynites continue to receive health care from the providers they know and trust.” 

  

“Joining NYC Health + Hospitals will allow Maimonides to build on our history of providing outstanding specialty care to the communities we have proudly served for decades,” said Maimonides Health President and CEO Ken Gibbs. “We are grateful to have a partner who shares our commitment to working with communities to meet their needs, and we are grateful to Mayor Adams, Governor Hochul, and Dr. Katz for giving us this unique opportunity to expand access to our care across Brooklyn.” 

 

NYC Health + Hospitals, Maimonides Partnership 

Governor Hochul announced the grant on October 16, 2025. The Health Care Safety Net Transformation Program encourages partnerships with safety-net institutions by providing strategic capital and operating support, in addition to required regulatory flexibility, to improve the resilience and sustainability of safety-net hospitals and to expand access to high-quality care. On November 20, 2025, NYC Health + Hospitals’ Board of Directors voted unanimously to pursue a partnership.  

 

Today’s announcement also reflects the dramatically improved financial position of NYC Health + Hospitals in recent years. Under Dr. Katz, president and CEO since September 2017, NYC Health + Hospitals has undergone several changes to improve its finances: 

  

•   NYC Health + Hospitals consolidated all of its electronic health records across the system, allowing care teams to more easily refer patients across different sites and improving data collection for the system. The health system adopted Epic as its electronic health record, and has become recognized by the platform for several years running for adopting best practices to streamline care coordination and improve the patient experience.  

•   NYC Health + Hospitals expanded its team of financial counselors, who help patients enroll in health insurance if they are eligible. It also improved the patient workflow to ensure that all patients were asked for their health insurance information and connected to a financial counselor if they did not have health insurance.  

  

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, NYC Health + Hospitals’ direct patient care revenue surpassed $5.7 billion — an increase of over $2.5 billion from FY 2019. The health care system now has patients in primary care, with 459,000 in FY 2025 — an increase of approximately 43,000 patients from FY 2018.  

  

While there are still a number of other legal and regulatory steps that must be advanced, the partnership is expected to be complete before April 1, 2026. At that point, Maimonides will be part of the NYC Health + Hospitals system. 

  

Delivering Results for New Yorkers 

Today’s announcement further builds on the work the Adams administration has done to keep New Yorkers healthy. Other achievements include: 

  

•   Launching HealthyNYC, a signature initiative to increase New Yorkers’ life expectancy to 83 years by 2030, which has already exceeded its goal. 

•   Announcing a major evolution of Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division (B-HEARD) — the city’s health-led response to 911 mental health calls — that will shift the focus even further towards a health-first response by streamlining management to be fully operated and managed by NYC Health + Hospitals in the coming months. 

•   Launching Bridge to Home, a new, innovative support model designed to help patients living with severe mental illness who are ready to be discharged from the hospital but do not have a place to go. 

•   Expanding the Lifestyle Medicine program  to six additional sites, making the program available citywide (the program first launched in 2019 with support of then-Borough President Adams). The program has provided over 10,000 group visits and served more than 1,300 patients in the past year. 

•   Launching NYC Baby Boxes to give over 7,000 families a year at four NYC Health + Hospital locations boxes that contain a collection of postpartum and newborn supplies, including diapers and wipes, clothing, games, and several resource guides on what to expect after giving birth.  

•   Filed multiple lawsuits against vaping and e-cigarette companies, and shut down over 1,600 illegal cannabis stores, seizing over $116 million in illegal products, much of which were being sold to children as part of “Operation Padlock to Protect.”  

•   Issued a landmark Health Commissioner’s Advisory identifying unfettered access to social media as a public health hazard and filed a lawsuit to hold the owners of five social media platforms accountable for their role in helping fuel the nationwide youth mental health crisis. 

•   Opening 16 school-based mental health clinics that bring mental health services to more than 6,000 students in New York City Public Schools across the Bronx and Central Brooklyn.  

•   Making plant-based meals the default choice for lunch and dinner at all 11 hospitals. The health system has served over 2 million plant-based meals since the program began in March 2022. 

•   Hiring over 3,400 nurses in 2024 alone, replacing many temporary nurses who had held those positions, saving more than $150 million in recruitment costs. Additionally, through its professional development and staff engagement initiatives, NYC Health + Hospitals improved its nurse turnover rate to just 7.3 percent in 2025, far below the national average of 16.4 percent — saving the health system more than $88 million in nurse turnover costs. As recently as 2019, the public hospital system’s staff nurse turnover rate was 46 percent.  

•   Launching “Housing for Health,” which has housed over 1,000 patients experiencing homelessness. As part of the Housing for Health initiative, in collaboration with the New York City Housing Preservation and Development, the health system opened the Woodhull Phase II apartment building, a $41.5 million 93-unit apartment building that contains both supportive housing and affordable housing. Additionally, the health system expanded its medical respite bed program, which offers patients experiencing homelessness a place to stay for up to 90 days after a major health event, in addition to expanded medical services that are not available in shelter, to serve an additional 100 patients a year. 

•   Responding to the international asylum seeker humanitarian crisis by opening the Asylum Arrival Center, which provided unified intake, medical, social, and reconnection services to more than 155,000 individuals. The health system also ran the Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center program, which provided temporary shelter and wraparound services to more than 140,000 people, including over 40,000 children.  

•   Opening Extended Care Units at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County and Elmhurst, building on a successful program at Bellevue. The long stay units serve patients with severe and persistent mental illness and offer psychopharmacological treatment, rehabilitative activities, including music and art therapy, reading, and various exercises.   

•   Launching the Domestic Violence Shelter Mental Health initiative alongside the New York City Department of Social Services, the Mayor’s Office to End Gender-Based Violence, and the Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health. The program is now available at 41 domestic violence shelters, where NYC Health + Hospitals’ staff have conducted over 5,600 behavioral health appointments and served over 700 patients. 

•   Growing NYC Care to over 140,000 active members and expanding its coverage to include durable medical equipment, such as wheelchairs, rolling walkers, and CPAP machines.   

•   Launching telehealth abortion care . In its first year, the service provided over 2,700 virtual visits, mailed over 800 medication abortion kits, and referred an additional 1,050 patients for in-person care. 

•   Distributing over 1,000 smartphones to patients leaving Rikers Island, enabling them to remain engaged in health care and mental health treatment, connect with job and housing resources, and stay connected to loved ones upon returning to their communities. 

Governor Hochul Urges Caution Ahead of Ice and Lake Effect Snow Systems

Winter Weather Advisories for Ice Accumulation Have Been Issued for the North Country, Mohawk Valley, Central New York, Southern Tier, and Mid-Hudson and Capital Regions This Afternoon Through Monday Afternoon

Rain Also Set to Impact Western New York; Flood Watches Issued as Totals of One to Two Inches Expected

Lake Effect Snow to Impact Areas of the North Country, Finger Lakes, Western and Central New York Beginning Monday into Wednesday; Snowfall Totals Between One and Two Feet Possible for Areas off the Great Lake Coasts

Hazardous Travel Conditions with Near Whiteout Conditions Possible Monday and Tuesday; Drivers Should Take Extra Precautions, Leave Extra Time Between Destinations

Empty Tractor Trailer and Tandem Ban Beginning Monday Morning on State Highways in Western New York

More Than 6,700 Utility Workers on Standby Across the State to Engage in Damage Assessment, Response, Repair, and Restoration Efforts

New Yorkers Can Sign Up for Weather and Emergency Alerts by Texting 333111

Governor Kathy Hochul today urged caution ahead of another winter weather system set to bring ice to a majority of the state Sunday into Monday and lake effect snow beginning Monday. Cold air moves in Sunday night, increasing chances for slippery travel conditions as ice accumulates. Western areas of the state could see excessive rainfall and flooding combined with high winds before lake effect snow moves in. Monday begins a long duration, lake effect snow event with parts of the North Country, Western and Central New York seeing the potential for one to two feet of snow through Wednesday. As forecasts throughout the week solidify, lake effect snow may continue throughout the week. Commuters in these windows have the potential to experience hazardous, near whiteout conditions, and drivers should leave themselves extra time between destinations and have their vehicles packed with safety essentials. A State of Emergency declared by Governor Hochul on Friday, December 26 for more than half of New York’s counties remains in effect.

“Winter storms are approaching several regions of New York State bringing ice, snow and high winds that will make roadways hazardous,” Governor Hochul said. “New Yorkers should monitor local forecasts and take caution to avoid travel in impacted areas. Plow crews, emergency management teams and utility personnel have been deployed and are ready to keep New Yorkers safe throughout the storm.”

Winter Weather Advisories for ice accumulations from one-tenth to onehalf an inch of flat ice are in effect for the North Country, Mohawk Valley, Central New York, Southern Tier, and Mid-Hudson and Capital Regions through Monday afternoon. As ice accumulates, there is potential for downed trees, tree limbs and power lines.

A Flood Watch also has been issued for parts of Western New York, the Finger Lakes and the North Country as a slight risk of excessive rainfall is possible. One to two inches of rain could cause flooding of rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying areas. Strong winds also are anticipated for these regions, with gusts of 60 to 70 mph possible.

Winter Storm Warnings and Watches are also in effect for parts of Western and Central New York, Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley and North Country as snow begins Monday afternoon and continues through Wednesday. Parts of the North Country, Western and Central New York could see between one to two feet of snow with this system combined with high winds and cold temperatures. Snowfall rates of up to two inches an hour and strong winds will create significant blowing and drifting snow and near whiteout conditions in lake effect areas. Drivers should leave themselves extra time between destinations and pack emergency supplies to help ensure their safety.

In addition to preparing for rain and wind, New Yorkers should also prepare to protect against the dangers that can result from colder weather and winter activities. Under state regulation, a Code Blue is automatically in effect whenever the temperature and wind chill equal less than 32 degrees. Local social services districts are legally required to take necessary steps to ensure those experiencing homelessness have access to shelter and that shelter hours are extended. New Yorkers also should check out these Cold Weather tips from the Department of Health; additional tips for preventing frostbite and hypothermia; information on Carbon Monoxide poisoning; information on the proper use of generators; and safe winter driving tips.

The New York State Department of Transportation is advising motorists that the Skyway (State Route 5) in the City of Buffalo, Erie County, will be closed in both directions beginning at 6 a.m. on Monday, December 29 until further notice, at the request of the City of Buffalo, due to high winds forecasted.

Beginning at 6 a.m. on Monday morning until further notice, an empty tractor trailer and tandem ban will be taking place on the following state highways in Western New York:

• I-190
• I-90 (Thruway Authority Section from Exit 46 to the PA Line both east and west bound)
• I-290 (From I-190 to I-90)
• I-990 (I-90 to State Route 263 Millersport Highway)
• Rte 400 (I-90 to State Route 16)
• Rte 219 (I-90 to State Route 39)
• I-86 ( PA Line to I-390)

The New York State Department of Labor advises workers and employers to engage in extreme cold weather best practices such as:

• Limit outdoor work, provide frequent breaks in warm areas and schedule outdoor work during the warmest times of the day.
• Ensure access to clean drinking water.
• Stay hydrated with warm beverages and avoid drinking caffeine.
• Wear proper PPE, including at least three layers of clothing, gloves or mittens, thick socks, insulated footwear and a hat, hood or hard hat liner.

View more information on best practices for working in cold weather.

Winter Storm Warnings and Watches, Winter Weather Advisories, High Wind Warnings and Wind Advisories have been issued, and New Yorkers should closely monitor their local forecasts and look for updates issued by the National Weather Service. For a complete listing of weather alerts, visit the National Weather Service website.

New Yorkers should also ensure that government emergency alerts are enabled on their mobile phones. They should also sign up for real-time weather and emergency alerts that will be texted to their phones by texting their county or borough name to 333111.

Winter Driving Safety Tips

• Monitor the forecast for your local area and areas you may be travelling to.
• Avoid unnecessary travel.
• If you must travel, make sure your car is stocked with survival gear like blankets, a shovel, flashlight and extra batteries, extra warm clothing, set of tire chains, battery booster cables, quick energy foods and brightly colored cloth to use as a distress flag.
• If you have a cellphone or other communications device such as a two-way radio available for your use, keep the battery charged and keep it with you whenever traveling. If you should become stranded, you will be able to call for help, advising rescuers of your location.
• The leading cause of death and injuries during winter storms is transportation accidents. Before getting behind the wheel, make sure that your vehicle is clear of ice and snow; good vision is key to good driving. Plan your stops and keep more distance between cars. Be extra alert and remember that snowdrifts can hide smaller children. Always match your speed to the road and weather conditions.
• It is important for motorists on all roads to note that snowplows travel at speeds up to 35 mph, which in many cases is lower than the posted speed limit.
• Oftentimes on interstate highways, snowplows will operate side by side, to safely clear several lanes at one time.
• Motorists and pedestrians should also keep in mind that snowplow drivers have limited lines of sight, and the size and weight of snowplows can make it very difficult to maneuver and stop quickly. Snow blowing from behind the plow can severely reduce visibility or cause whiteout conditions.
• Motorists should not attempt to pass snowplows or follow too closely. The safest place for motorists to drive is well behind the snowplows where the roadway is clear and salted. Never attempt to pass a snowplow while it's operating.

Power Outage Safety Tips

• Check with your utility to determine area repair schedules.
• Turn off or unplug lights and appliances to prevent a circuit overload when service is restored; leave one light on to indicate when power has been restored.
• If heat goes out during a storm, keep warm by closing off rooms you do not need.

To Report an Electric Outage, Call:

• Central Hudson: 845-452-2700
• Con Edison: 800-752-6633
• National Grid: 800-867-5222
• NYSEG: 800-572-1131
• O&R: 877-434-4100
• PSEG-LI: 800-490-0075
• RG&E: 800-743-1701

For more safety tips, go to www.dhses.ny.gov/safety.