Register with Utilities Companies

All NYCHA residents can register with utilities companies for updates on power outages.

For People with Disabilities and/or Access and Functional Needs

If you rely on electric-powered medical equipment at home (e.g., respirators, dialysis machines, apnea monitors, etc.), you may register with your utility provider so they can contact you in the event of a power outage. While registering with your utility provider is an important preparedness step, it is important to have a back-up source of power, such as a battery, that does not rely on electricity.

How to Register

Con Edison (serving all of NYC except the Rockaways)
If you live in Con Edison’s service area (all of New York City except the Rockaways), register by contacting:

1-800-752-6633
TTY: 1-800-642-2308

Con Edison Online

PSEG Long Island (serving the Rockaways)
If you live in PSEG Long Island’s service area in the Rockaways, register by contacting:

1-800-490-0025
TTY: 1-631-755-6660

PSEG Long Island Online

National Grid NYC (gas) (serving Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island)
If you live in National Grid’s NYC territory (Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island), you may register by contacting:

718-403-4050
National Grid NYC Online

National Grid Long Island (gas) (serving the Rockaways)
If you live in National Grid’s service area in the Rockaways, you may register by contacting:

1-800-930-5003
National Grid Long Island Online

Build Support

Create support teams for home, work, school, and wherever else you spend your time. Be sure your support people are aware of your specific needs in case of an emergency. This increases your chances of having help if you need it. Allow for additional time or assistance for evacuation if any of the following circumstances or resources apply to you.

Motorized Wheelchair Users

Motorized wheelchairs may weigh over 100 pounds unoccupied and may be longer than manual wheelchairs. Ensure you have plenty of time to use elevators when planning your evacuation, because elevators will be secured and turned off for resident and staff safety and to minimize potential disaster-related damage.

Service Animals

Service animals are always allowed in evacuation centers and emergency shelters. If you are going to an evacuation center, be sure to bring the necessary supplies for the animal’s care, including food, leashes, a carrier, and medication.

Homebound Residents

If it is a life safety situation (such as a fire or immediate medical emergency), individuals should call 911.

In the event there is a coastal storm and an evacuation order has been issued, individuals can contact NYC 311 for evacuation assistance if they have no other option to evacuate safely.

When the Mayor has issued an evacuation order due to a coastal storm or hurricane, people with disabilities or other access or functional needs, who have no other options to evacuate safely, can request transportation assistance.

Depending on your need, you will either be taken to:
  • An accessible evacuation center in an accessible vehicle, OR
  • A hospital outside of the evacuation zone via ambulance.
You may not be able to request transportation to a specific address. Please visit NYC Emergency Management for more information regarding evacuation options for people with disabilities, access and functional needs.

Access-A-Ride

MTA New York City Transit administers Access-A-Ride, New York City’s paratransit service. Paratransit is a special transportation service for eligible individuals with disabilities who are unable to use accessible mass transit. You must apply in advance using the Access-A-Ride application form.

To contact Access-A-Ride:
  • Call 877-337-2017 toll-free from area codes 212, 718, 347, 516, 631, 646, 845, 914, and 929.
  • From other area codes, dial 718-393-4999. 
  • Customers who are deaf/hard of hearing can use their preferred relay service or the free 711 service relay.
  • Visit the MTA Online for more information on Access-A-Ride.

Wheelchair-Accessible Yellow Taxis

The MTA and the Taxi & Limousine Commission worked together to make wheelchair-accessible yellow taxis available for select Access-A-Ride trips. To find out if you can use taxis for your Access-A-Ride trips, please call Access-A-Ride’s Yellow Taxi Hotline at (718) 393-4420.

If you are not part of the Access-A-Ride program, wheelchair-accessible yellow taxis will respond to trips originating in Manhattan and ending anywhere in the five boroughs. Passengers pay the normal metered taxi fare in NYC from the pick-up point to the destination. There are no extra costs to passengers.

There are five ways to request an NYC wheelchair-accessible taxi:
  1. Call 311
  2. Call the dispatch center directly: (646) 599-9999
  3. Text a request to: (646) 400-0789
  4. Use the mobile app “Wheels on Wheels” (WOW), available free through iTunes or Google Play
  5. Order online

Additional Resources