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Legal View with Ashleigh Banfield

Details of the Storm in the Northeast So Far; NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio Speaks to Press about Storm Preps; Air Traffic Snarled Due to Storm Cancellations

Aired January 26, 2015 - 12:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right, let me do this. Eeny, meeny, miny moe, Alexander Field, we're going to start with you. Tell me about the roads and tell me you're going to get off pretty soon, too.

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Ashleigh. We're in a rolling coverage vehicle right now. We've got this rigged up so that you can take a look at what we're seeing in real time. And if you look at our windows right now, you'll see that there are (inaudible). The roads are still pretty clear but we are already seeing a lot of road signs that say, "Blizzard expected Monday through Wednesday." And the signs instruct people to plan ahead.

In fact, the governor of Massachusetts Charlie Baker has just gone a step further. He put out in a tweet that the state has declared a state of emergency, and that there will be a statewide travel ban beginning at midnight. That is, of course, because we're expecting the storm to really start coming in full force later tonight, and in into tomorrow. So he wants, of course, off the road at midnight for everyone's protection.

State local officials, they have been at the state's emergency management bunker in Framingham, Massachusetts. They're trying to get the word out there and let people know what is to come.

This is interesting here in Boston, because so far they haven't had a whole lot of snow this winter. Just about 10 inches of snow fall, which is pretty well below average if this storm comes through where it's predicted to, they could be well above average in the next day or two. Of course this is something that people in Boston to deal with (inaudible) in 2013 when they have that really epic snow storm in the city.

At that time, another statewide travel ban went into affect. A lot of people followed these orders. It was really important and it was key to keeping accidents and injuries down, so that's what the governor is calling for here. Once again, the other concern in Massachusetts beyond the roads, the coastal areas, that's where you can see flooding, high winds, and waves, all things that we could see in the next 24-48 hours, Ash.

BANFIELD: All right. Alexander Field, doing a warm dry drive right now. But make no mistake, governor after governors is warning everyone just stay off the roads for your safety and also for the efforts of those who have to get through all of these miles and miles of roads that need to cleared and for the emergency vehicle that need to get to people who need help. So don't make the job anymore difficult than it already is.

Jennifer Gray is standing by. I'm just going to wave to my children, because they're home Jennifer. School is canceled early. They were sent home and, you know, every single place I have been speaking to is expecting there'll be no school tomorrow. I don't about Boston. But are the things look like on the ground where you are?

JENNIFER GRAY, CNN CORRESPONDENTL: Well, kids went to school today in Boston, Ashleigh. And people went to work today. It was business as usual this morning. We saw people getting off of the ferry but we are slowly starting to see people get back on it, and folks we're talking to on the city say they are looking forward to calling it an early day and hopefully people will get out of the city early.

You know, the mayor is going to speak at (inaudible) we'll know a lot more then. We have very, very light snowflakes now that's nothing compared with what we're going to see later today.

Now, blizzard warning goes into a fact at 7:00 o'clock tonight. That's when we do expect this to turn really ugly. We're going to see snowfall amounts to 2 to 4 inches per hour and so we could see snow up to my waist by tomorrow midday, of course, that with the wind of 50-60 even 70 miles per hour. It is going to nasty here for quite sometime, Ashleigh.

BANFIELD: Yeah, I don't think anyone needs anymore warning than that. You're not going to get a car to drift that that up to your waist of snow and drifting up over our heads. This is dangerous stuff and it's paralyzing stuff as well.

Thank you for that, Jennifer. I wanted to go to Rene Marsh, my colleague, who's doing the duty at LaGuardia Airport. My guess is that you're probably not seeing a lot about people, because I'm sure, Rene, a lot of people knew not to bother even going to airport with a thousands of flights that are canceled.

RENE MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely right, Ashleigh, although, I was able to find one very frustrated passenger. We'll get to that in just a second. But you're right, lots of these flights were canceled ahead of time so people knew ahead of time not to bother to show up at the airport. And this why. I mean, take a look at the boards. Look for yourself, you see all that red. That means those are all cancelations. And as hours go by, we're seeing those just stack up at this point between today and tomorrow. We're talking about 5,600 cancelations.

We talked about that frustrated passenger, or she hopes to be a passenger, so not on the plane just yet. Kathy Wick (ph) is just one of them. Kathy, you said, you've gone through within a (inaudible) this morning. How many cancelations?

KATHY WICK, PASSENGER: Three.

MARSH: So you've been put on three different flights and canceled three times?

WICK: Right.

MARSH: And where were you trying to go?

WICK: Detroit.

MARSH: Three cancelations hoping for the best on its fourth one?

WICK: Fourth one. And that's Wednesday at 2:00 o'clock. We're hoping.

MARSH: Oh, so you don't leave today?

WICK: No. No. We have to get back into the city today so we can get back on Wednesday. No, we're sort of stuck here.

MARSH: All right. So three cancelations. You can't leave until Wednesday. In a word, how are you feeling today?

WICK: I'm feeling like I'm going to enjoy a couple more days in New York.

MARSH: That's a good attitude to have. That's the attitude you want to have when we're talking about thousands and thousands of cancelations, a little bit of positivity for you. Back to you, Ashleigh.

BANFIELD: So Rene, before I let you go, just talk to me a little bit, if you could about the ripple effect into tomorrow and the next day, because I'm hearing that all of those airlines that have canceled the flights have said to their passengers, "Look, we're going to waive all the fees, but go ahead and reschedule." But there's only so many flights you can reschedule on to as well.

MARSH: Yeah, you're right. Not only is this going to be a problem for domestic flyers, it's a problem for international flyers, too, simply because we're seeing major airlines like American United, they're suspending flights at all of the major hubs here in New York and the major international airport like (inaudible) no flights going in and out for United Airlines. So you have all that disruption going on.

BANFIELD: Wow.

MARSH: It's going to take a few days before they can get back into the grind as far as getting people on planes. But you know what? One last point, you know, people are frustrated when you have cancelations but they actually helped them to get the cycle going faster once this moves out, Ashleigh.

BANFIELD: Understandable. Rene Marsh, live for us, thank you, at LaGuardia. We're going to fit in a quick break because New York City mayor Bill De Blasio is going to tell a live news conference so we don't want to miss a minute of what he has to say. He'll give us the changes and tell us what about to become to this incredible monster storm.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BANFIELD: Welcome to New York City. And this is the beginning of what a blizzard looks like. It might not look much to you at home right now. But 23 degrees right now feels like about 9. The wind is starting to blow and it could gush (ph) up to 75 miles an hour. And that's what you have when the makings are a blizzard warning.

And there are millions and millions of people in a blizzard warning, 20 million in fact the Eastern seaboard in a blizzard warning just a few fact about New York City and what it's hankering down and gearing up to do right now. There're 1,800 snowplows (ph) getting ready to clear 6,000 miles of roadway.

And it's probably going to do it a few times not just once because that snow is going to fall at two to three feet per hour or two to three inches per hour if you can believe it. Try to keep up with that. Not only that, there are 2,400 workers, that just for shift A. A 12-hour shift turns into 2,400 other workers on shift B. That's the next 12 hours. That's how they're going to rotate the workers in the sanitation department. They're expecting six to seven foot drifts, not just in the city but elsewhere along this Eastern seaboard.

So, because of all of that, the mayor of New York City has been giving regular update. He's been on television live several times telling everyone what they need to know, what they need do. And we're actually watching the clock right now because he's expected to take a live mic at any moment and we're going to get you that just as soon he does.

One thing he said yesterday that really stuck out to me and I think a lot of people heard it loud and clear, he said this could be the worst storm this city has even seen. The city has ever seen. That's a lot. And if you're wondering just how bad it's been in New York City, have a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BANFIELD: The blizzard of 1888 took the city by surprise after two warm days in mid March. Two storms, one from the north, one from the south, met right over the city with winds gusting nearly 75 miles an hour, 21 inches of snow fell. The drifts were nearly 30 feet high.

More than a half century later, the second biggest snow storm in city history. The blizzard of 1947 dumped 26.4 inches in Central Park on December 26th and 27th. In that case, 77 people died.

Fast forward to February 1978, almost 18 inches pilled up in mid Manhattan even more on Long Island and coastal New England. Then came the storm of the century in 1993, more than 10 inches of snow in Central Park on March 13th. Blizzard conditions from the northeast all the way down to Atlanta.

Three years later, January 7th and 8th 1996, more than 20 inches of snow in Central Park and 50 mile an hour wind, widespread death and damage from Boston to D.C.

February 17th 2003, known as the Presidents' Day Storm, nearly two feet covered New York City area. Nationwide, 42 people died. The biggest snow storm in city history, though, February 11th and 12th 2006. 26.9 inches fell in Central Park along with 20 to 30 mile an hour winds blowing through the city. And the city got wall up again in 2010 with more than 20 inches on December 26th, the drift up to 4 feet.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANFIELD: And the possibility is that we will get even more, making it a number one storm. We're watching forward and we're actually waiting on the mayor who is going to update us into the latest model and the plans for this city and its millions upon millions of people, how they can stay safe in what's being called a thundersnow storm, a thundersnow storm. We'll back right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BANFIELD: Welcome back everyone to New York City, where about eight million people are trying to figure out just how they're going to navigate this remarkable city now that a monster snow storm is burying down on it. Eight million of about 60 million of your fellow Americans who are in the path of this storm and I did say 60. It is simply remarkable that about a fifth of the country is going to be hit with either watches warnings or an all-out blizzard in the next 24 hours.

It's for that reason that the mayor of this city has been on this toes. He's been taking to the live airway making sure that all New Yorkers know exactly what the score is. There's a state of emergency that's already been declared for the state. But, you know, that this city relies on public transportation and walking and that can be a deadly prospect. Already yesterday, he warned that nobody should be in the Central Park.

That that's beautiful sun behind me, no one should be in the Central Park because of fear of all that snow accumulation and then those incredible winds that are going to come screaming through this city that could break branches and kill people. It has happened before he does not want it to happen again.

We're watching the live microphones at the Office of Emergency Management here in New York City where Mayor de Blasio is expected to speak any moment. I'm also watching as buses go by, because the number of buses in this city dwarfs (ph) most other cities if not all of them in this country. And just about every single one of them is going to be out in the city with chains or special snow tires by the end of today.

Alison Kosik is standing by live at the Office of Emergency Management. It's really remarkable what has been to prepare in advance of this monster snow storm, Alison.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh yeah, with the National Weather Service characterizing the storm as life threatening and historically we are seeing New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio kind of taking a page out of that play book thing this could be one of the biggest snow storms to hit New York City. And to that point, as you said, he has been coming out with regular update, letting everybody know how the city is preparing.

He is putting thousands of people out there to treat the roads. 2,400 workers for 12 hours shift already salt spreaders have already been laying down salt treating the road in wait of this storm hitting expected to really the branch of it hitting late today. Speaking of which we have learned and you've been talking about New York City's major transportation system, we have learned a couple of things. The subway system will run regularly until 7:00 or 8:00 this evening and then run on a limited basis also.

A couple of the commuter rails here in New York City will have suspended service by 11:00 p.m. tonight, Ashleigh. That is a huge deal because if you think about it, the only way most of us get in and out of this city is by using public transportation. So in many ways, you're seeing these transportation systems simply just suspending service shutting down as the storm hits also as a great deterrent to keep people off the street, Ashleigh.

BANFIELD: So Alison, some of what you said, I could not hear at all because there was a very loud siren behind you which is also in the case of New York City but I want to bring at up only because there is such a critical need for movement into the city for emergency vehicle to especially when a dangerous storm like this is burying down in it.

For that reason, several years ago, the city implemented something called the Snow Emergency. And if a snow emergency is declared, it affectively means get off the street. You cannot drive, it is illegal. They need those streets open and they need no one to be abandoning their stuck vehicles in the middle of streets because that cost lives. And it happens before.

Do you have any idea at this point, Alison whether a snow emergency, an official snow emergency will be declared?

KOSIK: We haven't heard that yet. Now we did -- as you said, there is a state of emergency that's been declared. Now, we are getting here in a few minutes, Mayor de Blasio is going to step before the microphones behind me and we may hear that.

But it is why he's putting thousands of sanitation workers out there to try to clear the street as the snow comes down. You know, he's come under a lot of fire in the past around this time last year. There are a couple of back to back snowstorms and he just didn't get out in front of it. So now, I think what you're seeing is him do just the opposite, Ashleigh.

BANFIELD: All right, Alison, thank you for that. We're watching the snowstorm minute to minute because changes are actually fast and furious. The mayor has probably been watching that as well. So he's probably watching all of those models before he goes live. Quick break back, hopefully live with the mayor in just few moments.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BANFIELD: Welcome back live in New York City. I'm Ashleigh Banfield. We're watching the live microphones for the New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio, who's about to give us an update on just what this city is prepared to do and what he's expecting out of this monstrous snowstorm that we're just, you know, hours away from realizing an earnest.

We get a fairly light snow fall right now and 23 degrees feels like about 9 because the winds are starting to really whip around but it's going to get a heck of a lot worse before its get any better for the eight million plus people in this city. Who knows how many people came to the city today. But many were warned don't come into the city as commuter if you don't have to because you may not make it back.

They're cancelling a lot of the light rail, they're cancelling some of the service in the subways later after tonight, and there just won't be any way to get out in and out of the city after 11:00 tonight.

So there are couple things that we're watching in particular not only for the mayor, but we're also watching to see exactly what happens with those who are out and about. They're saying don't be on the street. Don't be out, it is dangerous. It's downright dangerous to be out on the street. And if you ever wonder what a 126,000 tons of salts looks like, just look around you because that's what New York City is about to spread on a 6,000 miles of roadways.

They've already been spreading a lot of it. They've already fixed over a thousand (inaudible) in advance of the snow. There is a lot of preparedness. And again, as I mentioned, we're watching for Mayor Bill de Blasio as he gets ready to take the microphone live. But there you can see on your screen the actual map. The mess that is about to bear down on 250 miles of coastlines.

Let me take you live now to the officer emergency management where the mayor's about to speak.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL DE BLASIO, NEW YORK CITY MAYOR: OK. We're going to give you an update on the approaching storm and the preparation city of New York is taking to prepare to handle this again. This will most likely be one of the largest blizzards in the history of New York City.

I'm asking everyone to understand that and to prepare accordingly. This is not going to be like other snow storms. It is going to be, by all indications, worst and people have to be ready. We are today issuing a weather -- winter weather state of emergency, and we will be taking additional actions this afternoon to secure our roads and our city to make our people will be safe.

The priority right now is anything related to the safety of our people. And I want to emphasize throughout everything you're going to hear from us that we want to put safety first in all we do, and that comes down to the decisions of everyday New Yorkers. People have to make smart decisions from this point on, careful decisions, recognize this as an emergency. It is not business as usual. And my fellow New Yorkers, join me in doing a smart and safety thing we're all going to get through this. OK, we have great first responders, great agencies ready to do what they do to keep us safe. But it's up to all of us to do the smart thing, get off the roads, get off the street as -- get off the sidewalks as this emergency deepens.

Since 7:00 p.m. on Friday, the sanitation department has been working on 12-hour shifts round the clock coverage 2,400 sanitation workers per shift. We have nearly 500 salts spreaders that were out before the snow hit all equipped with plows.

We have 255,000 tons of salts on hand so we're ready to deal with this and whatever comes after. As we accumulate two inches of snow on any given street, the snow plows swinging to action. Over 1,800 snow plows have been deployed, that's up from the projection of 1,500 yesterday we have in grand total of all vehicles with plowing capacity over 2,300. And we'll be bringing in on top of that 250 pieces of additional equipment from other city agencies.

Our colleagues, the Department of Transportation, got ahead of the snow and are continuing to do work literally as we speak filling pot holes in advance to the storm over 1,000 filled already, plan to fill 800 more today to minimize the impact of a storm.

In addition, in terms of protecting our citizen, we're adding 40 percent more ambulances this afternoon and evening and FDNY will be adding an additional 500 staff, 500 FDNY members will be on duty in addition to our normal compliment.

All of the city agencies have been working very, very, very hard over these last days to prepare. I want to thank them all for their conscientious work. I remind you particularly for sanitation which has a responsibility for clearing our roads, our Department of Transportation which has responsibility recording everything about the upkeep of our roads. They have 6,000 miles of streets to cover. The equivalent of going from here to Los Angeles and back.