by David Cruz 

The snow has stopped, so let the great big dig out begin!  The borough, now blanketed with icy snow, is now digging itself out following Winter  Storm Hercules.  The National Weather Service’s Winter Storm Warning remains in effect in the Bronx until 1pm Friday, January 3rd.  The mountains of snow, however, will still be around for days and Mayor Bill de Blasio, in what many are dubbing his first test as the leader of this city, is still urging everyone to take caution when heading outside.

“This has been and remains a dangerous storm. It is going to be bitter cold today, and New Yorkers need to be extremely careful going outdoors,” said de Blasio.  “The best things people can do are to stay off the roads so we can clear them as fast as possible.”

For now, the de Blasio camp cobbled a resource guide for Bronxites wondering what’s opened and what’s closed:

Schools

All New York City public schools are closed today.

Student after-school programs and PSAL games are cancelled.

CUNY

All classes at the City University of New York are cancelled.

Snow Removal

Nearly 2,500 DSNY, DOT, DEP and Parks plows are on the streets as of early this morning. The top accumulations so far are 6.5 inches. High winds will continue to blow plowed snow back into the streets, requiring additional passes.

The PlowNYC feature is activated at NYC.gov, posting real-time updates of snow clearance.

The Sanitation Department will be calling in pre-registered snow laborers to clear crosswalks, bus stop shelters and other locales.

Residents and business owners are urged not to shovel snow into the street when shoveling sidewalks and cars, which will delay snow clearance.

Garbage Collection

There will be no trash and recycling pickups until snow clearing efforts are complete.

Parking

Alternate Side Parking Regulations are suspended citywide Friday, January 03, 2014, to facilitate snow removal after consultation with DSNY.

Parking meters remain in effect throughout the city.

Emergency Services

All city hospitals and emergency rooms remain open.

911 call volumes remain average. Additional ambulances are being added to supplement service while difficult travel conditions persist.

Homeless Outreach

The Department of Homeless Services continues to use its Cold Weather Emergency Procedure, Code Blue, to protect unsheltered individuals. Community members that identify someone on the street they believe needs assistance should call 311 and ask for the Mobile Outreach Response Team; in any emergency community members should call 911. The Department of Homeless Services will send an outreach team to the location to assess the individual’s condition and take appropriate action.

During a Code Blue, homeless adults can access any shelter location for single individuals. Beds are available system-wide to accommodate anyone brought in by outreach teams or walk-ins.

Senior Services

Senior Centers remain closed today.

Home delivered meals clients received double meals on Thursday, and have shelf-stable meals that will last through Monday.