Community Corner
Northeast Queens Prepares for Hurricane Irene
Elected officials, community groups and city agencies will help residents in need of assistance.
City agencies and Queens elected officials will be on-hand this weekend to assist residents with issues stemming from the arrival of Hurricane Irene.
Councilman Dan Halloran, R-Whitestone, said his office will offer extended hours on Sunday to help northeast Queens denizens battling the storm.
The councilman’s office will open 10 a.m. Sunday morning and offer assistance as long as needed. On Friday and Monday, his office will hold its usual hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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“As this storm approaches, we will have all hands on deck,” Halloran said.
Residents who lose power or suffer property damage can call his office at 718-631-6703 for assistance.
Find out what's happening in Bayside-Douglastonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The Little Neck Douglaston Ambulance Corps will have two crews covering northeast Queens this weekend. They can be reached at 718-229-0400.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the city’s Department of Environmental Protection is cleaning out catch basins to help prevent flooding. The city’s Command Center at the Office of Emergency Management has also been activated, while the Parks Department is scheduling crews and contractors to be available Monday to handle “emergency tree conditions.”
He said the city is prepared to evacuate residents living in low-lying areas in the five boroughs if necessary.
The city’s Department of Buildings will issue violations and stop work orders to construction sites if they are not properly secured for the storm.
It will be required at sites for loose debris to be tied down and electrical equipment to be covered.
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