County Executive Latimer Holds Weather Briefing on Tropical Storm Henri, Declares State of Emergency for Westchester

residents along the Sound Shore of Westchester are preparing for high tides from Tropical Storm Henri

County Executive George Latimer declared a state of emergency for Westchester County NY effective at 8am on august 22, 2021.

All Westchester Parks, including Playland, the 4 county pools and 3 county beaches, are closed today, Sunday Aug. 22.

Bicycle Sunday is also cancelled and the vaccination center at the Westchester County center is also closed for the day.

The County Bee Line Buses will operate on a reduced schedule, and that the Westchester County Airport also plans to stay open, but check with your airline for cancellations before heading to the airport.

At the briefing, held by Latimer and his County Commissioners and Emergency Response Team, the County Executive said that Westchester County has prepared to deal with expected storm surges along the Sound Shore and for expected flooding on county highways. Westchester County Police will be patrolling the roadways for stranded drivers.

“We have taken preemptive measures, but we do all of this in coordination with our local governments and power companies, and we will get through this together,” said Latimer. “This is nothing new for Westchester County. We functioned during Hurricane Sandy in 2021 before my service in county government. The key response is from our professionals in emergency service. We rely on those professionals to get us through this and you should have the same confidence. Follow their instructions for your own safety and the safety of your family.

Initial preparations have been made with some local governments on emergency shelters, but more information will be coming if some communities lose power and if flooding results in a call to evacuate.