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Arson attacks paralyze French high-speed rail network hours before start of Olympics, the Obamas endorse Harris for President; A NY county creates facial recognition, privacy protections; Art breathes new life into pollution-ravaged MI community; 34 Years of the ADA.

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Harris meets with Israeli PM Netanyahu and calls for a ceasefire. MI Rep. Rashida Tlaib faces backlash for a protest during Netanyahu's speech. And VA Sen. Mark Warner advocates for student debt relief.

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There's a gap between how rural and urban folks feel about the economy, Colorado's 'Rural is Rad' aims to connect outdoor businesses, more than a dozen of Maine's infrastructure sites face repeated flooding, and chocolate chip cookies rock August.

NY disability advocates provide winter weather tips

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Monday, December 11, 2023   

As winter approaches, New Yorkers with disabilities are preparing to tackle a tough time of the year.

One of the biggest challenges is getting around when snow and ice hasn't been removed. And on slick roads, paratransit services might be unreliable.

But, disability-rights advocates find there are numerous programs in place to help disabled people get through this time of year.

One tip Jeff Peters - director of communications for the Center for Independence of the Disabled New York - offered is to stock up on necessities before a snow or ice storm hits.

"Make sure that you have medication that you may need," said Peters. "I've heard situations in the past where people were on the verge of not being able to have their medication because they were not able to go out. There was nobody available to bring it to them because of a snowstorm or ice or extreme cold."

New York City offers programs for snow removal and winter preparedness.

Utility companies like National Grid and Con Edison provide a form for customers to register life-saving devices. This lets utility companies know how to keep respirators or sleep apnea machines going if a brownout should occur.

Those forms can be found on the companies' respective websites.

While New York state has put several programs forward, more can be done. Peters said he feels snowplows need to be more mindful about piling snow in front of curb cuts.

Although he said he's grateful for the state programs to help disabled people in winter, he said they need to be a top priority - not an afterthought.

"Make sure that people with disabilities and older adults are not an 'also and' - that they are a first thought," said Peters. "They are a population. We are a population. We are a community. We are New Yorkers."

He added that elected officials should be held accountable for ensuring people with disabilities can get around properly during harsh winter conditions.

As extreme weather becomes more common, a National Council on Disability report finds municipalities are woefully unprepared to accommodate disabled people during extreme weather events.



Disclosure: Center for Independence of the Disabled New York contributes to our fund for reporting on Disabilities. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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