Two weeks after the snowstorm that slammed the tri-state area, and in the wake of 18 deaths, city officials admitted on Tuesday that the initial blast of frigid weather took many by surprise.
Under oath at City Hall, Social Services Commissioner Molly Park — who’s resigning in the weeks ahead — acknowledged there will be lessons learned from this winter’s cold weather deaths.
“If any of us gets to the point where we cannot learn from experience, we are not doing our job as public servants,” Park said.
At an emergency City Council hearing on Tuesday, new data revealed that of the 18 deaths across the city over the bout with the extreme cold conditions, 15 are believed to be hypothermia-related, while eight of those deaths have been confirmed hypothermia.
City Council Speaker Julie Menin is questioning the city’s policy of letting homeless New Yorkers deemed mentally fit decide for themselves to stay outside.
“These New Yorkers should be alive today,” Menin said in her opening remarks at City Hall. “I think it is very concerning if someone is experiencing homelessness and they’re asked if they want to come inside and they refuse that — to leave them on the street, I think, is not humane.”
According to more data shared during Tuesday’s hearing, the New York City Police Department offered shelter to 1,500 New Yorkers during the cold snap. Only about 540 accepted that offer, and 33 of those were removed involuntarily.
Meanwhile, council members questioned why the pace of deaths has now slowed. And whether the Mamdani administration adjusted homeless outreach after the storm.
“The temperature dropped really sharply, really fast,” Park said. “And it happened on a Friday night, It caught people by surprise.”
City lawmakers did praise the use of warming vans, which were more widely available this past weekend. But they want better messaging to help homeless New Yorkers find them.
“These people do need medical treatment if nothing else,” councilmember Joanne Ariola said. “Which is why the warming buses are good. At least they get the treatment they need.”
