1. Purpose and Scope
This Emergency Operations Plan establishes comprehensive protocols for responding to severe winter weather events, including snowstorms, ice accumulation, and extreme cold, in New York City Public Schools. The primary goals are to ensure the safety of students and staff, maintain operational continuity of critical facilities and transportation, and facilitate a potential pivot to remote learning when necessary.
The plan covers all phases of winter weather response, from advance preparation and storm readiness to immediate response, recovery, and instructional continuity. It integrates with existing emergency protocols while providing specific guidance for snow removal, facility hardening, transportation adjustments, and cold-weather safety.
2. Key Objectives
The plan prioritizes core objectives during winter weather emergencies:
• Safety & Security: Maintaining safe school environments, clear egress routes, and secure facilities. Ensuring student safety during outdoor activities and transportation.
• Facility Integrity: Preserving building functionality by preventing heat loss, pipe freezing, and structural damage from snow and ice.
• Transportation Continuity: Ensuring the reliable and safe operation of school buses through pre-treatment, mechanical readiness, and driver safety protocols.
• Instructional Continuity: Enabling a seamless transition to remote learning when in-person attendance is not possible or safe.
• Communication: Establishing reliable, tiered communication channels to coordinate with staff, inform families, and direct operational teams.
3. Roles and Responsibilities
• Decision-Making Authority: The Chancellor or designee will determine systemwide operations, including closures, delayed openings, early dismissals, or transitions to remote learning.
Incident Command Structure:
• Incident Commander: Oversees overall response and EOC activation.
• Operations Team: Manages facility assessments, custodial response, snow removal coordination, and transportation adjustments.
• Logistics Team: Secures and deploys supplies (ice melt, fuel), supports device distribution for remote learning, and manages resource tracking.
• Public Information Officer (PIO): Coordinates all external communications and weather-related advisories to families and the public.
School-Based Roles: Principals ensure Building Response Team (BRT) rosters are current, conduct facility checks, and execute site-specific plans. Custodian Engineers direct snow/ice removal and critical facility maintenance.
4. Response Procedures
• Pre-Storm Preparedness (Advisory/Watch Phase):
• EOC issues preliminary alerts to all stakeholders.
• Custodian Engineers verify snow removal equipment, ice melt stocks, and confirm staff availability.
• Facilities teams inspect boilers, HVAC systems, roof drains, and emergency generators.
• School leaders verify family contact information and the functionality of their communication tools.
• Active Storm Response (Warning Phase):
• EOC operates 24/7; schools report issues (heat loss, flooding, damage) to eoc@schools.nyc.gov
• Custodial teams execute snow/ice removal guidelines, maintaining minimum 5-foot clear pathways and safe access points.
• Transportation providers pre-position buses, ensure emergency equipment is on board, and instruct drivers on safe operation and VIA app use.
• A decision on the instructional mode (in-person, remote, closure) is communicated by 12:00 PM the prior day, when possible.
• Post-Storm Recovery:
• Continued monitoring for ice accumulation, falling hazards, and system functionality.
• Damage assessments coordinated through BSD/DSF and reported to EOC.
• Custodians report additional snow removal labor using code 202S-SR.
5. Communication Plan
A tiered notification system ensures coordinated communication:
• Internal Coordination: Early morning weather calls with key contacts (Superintendent and/or designee, Principal, Custodian, DSF, BSD). Direct email alerts to schools for preparation and confirmation.
• Family/Public Notification: DOE emergency alert system (robocalls, NYCSA emails/texts), official website/social media updates, and 311 coordination.
• Operational Directives: Specific guidance cascaded to Custodian Engineers via Facilities leadership and to transportation vendors via the Office of Pupil Transportation.
6. Pivot to Remote Learning & Continuity of Operations
• Readiness Verification: Schools must complete the Pivot to Remote Checklist, ensuring all students have an assigned device in Device Hub and distribution plans for loaner devices, including signed Student Device Loan Agreements.
• Device Management: Schools distribute devices proactively; the central team monitors Device Hub assignment compliance.
• Service Continuity: Cold meal service plans are activated if needed. Plans are in place to maintain critical student support services, special education accommodations, and health services during remote periods.
7. Training and Preparedness
Preparedness activities should include:
• Annual winter weather tabletop exercises for EOC and district leadership.
• Pre-season training for Custodian Engineers, and their teams, on snow removal protocols and equipment safety.
• Biannual testing of emergency generators and heating systems by the Division of School Facilities.
• Annual review and drill of school-level remote learning transition plans.
• Mandatory seasonal safety briefings for transportation vendor drivers.
8. After-Action Review
Following any significant winter weather incident:
• The Office of Emergency Planning and Response should convene a debrief session.
• The review examines communication efficacy, facility system performance, transportation delays, remote learning implementation, and decision-making timelines.
• Findings should inform annual updates to this plan, conducted in collaboration with the Division of Operations, Division of School Facilities, and Office of Pupil Transportation, ensuring continuous improvement.