REMARKS
Council Member Kevin C. Riley discusses flood preparedness and emergency response in the Northeast Bronx
0:26:20
ยท
3 min
Council Member Kevin C. Riley addresses flood preparedness and emergency response issues in his Northeast Bronx district, highlighting the need for better outreach, collaboration with community organizations, and improved assistance for displaced residents. He emphasizes the importance of informing residents about programs like Notify NYC and calls for a more adequate plan for emergency responses.
- Riley describes his district's vulnerability to flooding due to its proximity to lakes, rivers, and ponds.
- He suggests partnering with local organizations like Bronx Neighborhood Housing Services to improve outreach.
- Riley expresses concerns about the city's response to emergencies, including both flooding and fire incidents, and the need for better support for displaced residents.
Kevin C. Riley
0:26:20
Thank you, chair.
0:26:23
The chair asks pretty much a lot and just share the same sentiments, and I just wanna work in collaboration.
0:26:29
I represent the Northeast Bronx, which is adjacent to council member Mamarata, which the chair is asking questions about her district as well.
0:26:37
We're built around lakes, rivers, and ponds.
0:26:41
Usually, when I got elected in 2021, there were, a lot of rainfall, waterfalls that were happening, and I had people that reside in homes, that were flooded out.
0:26:52
And the response, that they received, they didn't really get a lot of assistance because they were in a specific catchment area, that the city focuses on.
0:27:02
So I would just ask, you know, moving forward, that we could kind of focus on different areas and work in collaboration, to kinda get the, message out there to apply for programs like Notify NYC.
0:27:15
We have a great CBO in my district called Bronx Neighborhood Housing Services.
0:27:19
I'm pretty sure that should be, like, an avenue that you guys could collaborate with.
0:27:24
Anytime homeowners are going through any, kind of traumatic situations, they usually go to, neighborhood housing services within the district.
0:27:32
So that would be a great avenue to partner with, collaborating with our office so we could collaborate with neighbors to let them know about these programs.
0:27:39
The issue within our city is that we have great we have a lot of good programs.
0:27:43
It's just that a lot of people in the city just don't know about it.
0:27:46
They're not cognizant about it.
0:27:48
So I guess, the question I have is, what other forms of outreach has, the city done with other CBOs, within New York City to make sure that they are getting the message out there about Notify NYC?
Heather Roiter
0:28:03
Yeah.
0:28:03
So, we do and, we would love to work with you and, work your community and, work on how we can help bring our message to increase enrollment, awareness, and, emergency planning for all your constituents.
0:28:15
In terms of working with CBOs, we have a suite of different programs.
0:28:19
So, we have our, strengthening communities, I'd say, is our our flagship one where we've been working with selected community groups to help build community based plans, and then we can use that group in emergencies, to help amplify messaging and outreach.
Kevin C. Riley
0:28:35
Do you do any partnership with HPD to do placement, of anyone who's being displaced because of flooding?
Heather Roiter
0:28:44
We work with HPD on an ongoing base basis whenever there's displacement and emergency need.
0:28:49
So, we will work with all the agencies, to come up to work on those, the response operations.
Kevin C. Riley
0:28:56
Thank you.
0:28:56
And just wanna stay on the record.
0:28:57
I think as a city, we do need to do a better job with emergency, responses.
0:29:03
I know it's not, speaking about fires here today, but I had a a ridiculous fire in the Wallace Avenue in my district, when we have tons of residents who were displaced.
0:29:13
They went into a hotel, system, and then they were told that they had to leave the hotel after a certain while.
0:29:19
We have been doing, you know, great partnership with city agencies, but a lot of them feel like they've been forgotten about.
0:29:25
They're taxpaying citizens, and they feel like, you know, telling them to leave a hotel when we provide so much shelter for other people, is something that's not really, you know, adequate for them.
0:29:35
So I just feel like moving forward, we need to have a more of an adequate plan for our everyday New Yorkers who are going through emergency responses.
0:29:43
Right?
0:29:43
Thank you so much, chair, for this opportunity.