Space savers allowed for 48 hours after heavy snow, Wu says

It's the first snowstorm of the season, and schools around the state canceled classes yesterday, but there's no snow emergency in Boston as of Friday morning. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu joined host Sean Corcoran on Morning Edition to talk about how Boston is prepared for winter weather. This interview has been edited lightly for clarity and length.

Sean Corcoran: Mayor Wu, happy snow day.

Wu: Good morning! Happy snow day.

Corcoran: So, Boston is expected to get hit pretty hard, harder than we thought. They're now saying up to 12 inches being predicted. You've not declared a snow emergency in the city, which means cars can still park on the roads. Is that an issue as you try to clear the snow?

Wu: It has been a little heavier than anticipated, but this is pretty light, fluffy snow, so we're feeling good about our coverage and we have over 700 pieces of snow plows and other equipment clearing our roads, pretreated with salt. So we're in good shape and looking to make sure that anyone who is able, please check on your neighbors, please stay inside, stay warm and just be safe.

Corcoran: Yeah, absolutely. Back to the snow emergency for a moment. Does that create some problems? I know we had that whole space saver system in the city after a storm where you can mark your spot that you dig out for up to 48 hours after the end of that emergency. How do you expect things will work now?

Wu: We continue with the perennial debate about space savers in Boston, but are continuing the policy of allowing for 48 hours of space savers when there is a heavy snowfall. In this case, we believe the roads will be clear by mid-day. And so we are in good shape there and looking just to make sure that the morning commute is cleared as quickly as possible.

Corcoran: What are you seeing in terms of shelters for people who don't have a place to go right now? Are things opening up? Is there outreach going on?

Wu: Yes, we've been planning every little detail over the last couple of days and the crisis around homelessness, mental health and substance use has been an early priority of my administration. So, in preparation for the snowstorm, outreach and direct connection to many of our low threshold shelter beds has been ramped up even more. And we are asking anyone in the general public, if you see someone who is unsheltered out in the cold needs help, please call 911. Our EMS teams will be out to do a wellness check and connect anyone to the shelter that's available.

Corcoran: Mayor Wu, I'm wondering, you listed all the different apparatus, the numbers of apparatus you have out there working on the streets, a lot of communities across the state and I'm sure across the country are having staffing problems because of COVID. How are you doing in terms of staff?

Wu: We've certainly seen the impact as well, the positivity rate out in our communities means that staffing across all departments has been a little bit of a challenge. But in terms of the contractors that we've been able to partner with for the winter season [we are] very, very grateful that so many have stepped up and Boston has had the staffing levels that we need for today.

Corcoran: These types of days can be really fun for the kids, let's take maybe a lighthearted finish to this interview. You're a mother of two young children. What's your preferred sledding spot here in Boston? Maybe Pete's Hill? Fallon Field?

Wu: We go to Fallon. Yesterday we checked the snow pants. So I think just stretching another season there. And I'm excited today. I get to be part of the Boston Police Department's new recruits graduation and then after that, later in the afternoon, hopefully we'll get some time enjoying a snow day with the kids.

Corcoran: Mayor Wu, thank you for joining us this morning. Good luck today.

Wu: Thanks for having me.