Staten Island Struggles to Dig Out After Blizzard

Sanitation crews face challenges on narrow streets, leading to low school attendance

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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New York City was hit hard by a recent winter blizzard, with the borough of Staten Island being the hardest-hit area, seeing up to 29 inches of snow in some parts. Sanitation crews have faced difficulties accessing the narrow, hilly streets on the island, leading to slow progress in snow removal. This has resulted in low school attendance, with only about 16% of students making it to class on the first day back after the storm. Elected officials and parents have criticized the city's response, saying it was unprepared and unsafe for students and families.

Why it matters

The slow snow removal process on Staten Island has had a significant impact on the daily lives of residents, with many streets remaining impassable and schools struggling to operate. This highlights the challenges faced by local governments in responding to major winter storms, especially in areas with unique geographic features like Staten Island's narrow, hilly streets. The low school attendance also raises concerns about the city's ability to provide essential services and support for students and families during disruptive weather events.

The details

Sanitation crews have faced difficulties accessing the narrow, hilly streets on Staten Island, with some streets remaining completely blocked. In one instance, a plow truck got stuck on a street in West Brighton, and it took 17 hours of sanding and shoveling to finally clear the road. The city has acknowledged the challenges and has brought in additional personnel, equipment, and private contractors to assist with the snow removal efforts. However, the impact on schools has been significant, with only about 16% of students making it to class on the first day back after the storm. Elected officials and parents have criticized the city's response, saying it was unprepared and unsafe for students and families.

  • The winter blizzard hit New York City on February 23, 2026.
  • On February 24, 2026, only about 16% of students made it to class at Tottenville High School on Staten Island.

The players

Javier Lojan

Department of Sanitation Acting Commissioner

Vito Fossella

Staten Island Borough President

Zohran Mamdani

Mayor of New York City

Michael Mulgrew

President of the United Federation of Teachers (UFT)

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What they’re saying

“The past two snowstorms, nothing. On occasion with a snowstorm you get one plow, once.”

— Barbara Lindsay, New Brighton resident

“This is one way. So, if you can't get in from Cortelyou, there's no place else for us to go. We're stuck here.”

— Shaun Winter, New Brighton resident

“So, as we went plowing yesterday morning, we were finding a lot of those challenges became more apparent, and that's when we immediately made adjustments to bring extra personnel and equipment to the island.”

— Javier Lojan, Department of Sanitation Acting Commissioner

“Was just very, very unsafe, but unwise or ill advised and it's showing the parents of Staten Island exercise very good judgment in my opinion.”

— Vito Fossella, Staten Island Borough President

“This was not a decision we agreed with, but we understood, I understood their point of view. You know there are a lot of families. This is their only access to daycare for childcare, but teachers get upset when they hear these things cause we're not a babysitting service. We're an educational institution.”

— Michael Mulgrew, President of the United Federation of Teachers (UFT)

What’s next

The city has acknowledged the challenges and has brought in additional personnel, equipment, and private contractors to assist with the snow removal efforts on Staten Island. The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This blizzard has exposed the unique challenges faced by New York City's sanitation crews and school system in responding to major winter storms, especially in geographically challenging areas like Staten Island. The slow progress in snow removal and the resulting impact on school attendance highlight the need for better emergency preparedness and coordination between city agencies to ensure the safety and well-being of all residents during disruptive weather events.