The Advance Warning System (AWS) disseminates information to people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs through their service providers. Please share the important information below with your clients and other agencies or individuals to empower them to make informed decisions.
In support of the NY Knicks Game, streets will be closed from W 30th - W 35th Street between 6th-8th Avenue in Manhattan, at the discretion of the NYPD starting at 4:00 PM. Entry only for ticketed, credentialed, or authorized persons. Allow extra time and avoid the MSG area.
In addition, please review the information below regarding upcoming summer events.
WORLD CUP & SUMMER 2026: GUIDANCE FOR PROVIDERS SERVING PEOPLE WITH ACCESS AND FUNCTIONAL NEEDS
New York City is entering a high-activity period as it hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside a full calendar of summer events. Large crowds, heavier transit use, Midtown street closures, and the potential for extreme heat and flash flooding will all converge over the coming weeks. New York City Emergency Management has activated a unified coordination structure, including the City's Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and a Joint Information Center (JIC), to keep New Yorkers and visitors safe, informed, and moving. People with disabilities and others with access and functional needs (DAFN) face heightened risk during periods of crowding, transit disruption, and severe weather. NYCEM asks that AWS partners act now to protect continuity of services and the safety of their clients.
MATCH DAY TRAVEL AND TRANSIT IMPACTS
On World Cup match days, Midtown Manhattan will operate designated travel corridors centered on 42nd Street and portions of Fifth and Sixth Avenues, including adjacent cross streets. Access within these corridors will be limited primarily to stadium shuttles, MTA local buses, official tournament vehicles, and emergency response vehicles. Each match day will be designated a Gridlock Alert Day. The MTA will run expanded regional service, with additional frequency on the 1, C, F, and 7 subway lines and on commuter railroads, to move higher passenger volumes to fan zones and transit hubs.
Actions for Providers
- Map how clients, patients, and staff travel to your sites, and identify who will be affected by Midtown travel corridors, Gridlock Alert Days, or transit crowding on match days.
- Prioritize contingency planning for clients who rely on paratransit, ambulettes, or car services, and for clients with mobility, sensory, cognitive, or behavioral health conditions who may be affected by crowds, detours, or delays.
- Advise MTA Access-A-Ride (AAR) users to expect longer wait and ride times. Riders can call AAR at (877) 337-2017 for service updates, same-day trip issues, and to cancel trips.
- Build extra travel time into appointment and program schedules, and confirm appointment dates, times, and locations with clients before they travel.
CONTINUITY OF SERVICES
NYCEM, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, NYC Health + Hospitals, FDNY, DSNY, and other City partners have spent more than a year preparing for increased crowds, possible extreme heat, flash flooding, and higher medical call volumes. Health and social service partners have exercised surge plans, and coordinated on disease surveillance and special pathogen readiness so that essential services remain available to the New Yorkers who depend on them.
Actions for Providers
- Review and update your emergency operations and continuity plans for the World Cup operational period, with attention to staff scheduling, surge coverage, and after-hours and weekend coverage on match days.
- Protect continuity of critical services such as dialysis, infusion, behavioral health, case management, and personal care. Confirm that high-risk clients who require in-person monitoring, wound care, or medication administration know how to reach you if travel is disrupted.
- Where clinically appropriate, consider telehealth, virtual programming, or rescheduling non-urgent visits away from peak match windows, particularly for clients with significant mobility, respiratory, or behavioral health conditions.
- Remind clients to keep at least several days' supply of critical medications, durable medical equipment consumables, and battery or charging options on hand, especially during heat events or travel disruptions.
HEAT AND SEVERE WEATHER
Summer hazards will continue throughout the tournament. Extreme heat is NYC's deadliest weather hazard. Clients with chronic cardiovascular or respiratory disease, serious mental illness, or no home air conditioning are at greatest risk. (For comprehensive heat and hurricane guidance, see Summer Hazards AWS Alert).
Actions for Providers
- Identify heat-vulnerable clients now and set internal triggers for wellness checks, outreach calls, or in-person visits during heat events and severe weather.
- Help clients identify "Cool Options" such as cooling centers, libraries, museums, or a friend or relative's air-conditioned home. During heat emergencies, locate a center through the Cool Options Finder or by calling 311 (TTY: 212-504-4115). Confirm hours and accessibility in advance. Service animals are welcome.
- Assist clients who use life-sustaining electrical equipment in registering with their utility for priority notifications during outages. ConEd customers: 1-877-582-6633 or online via "MyAccount." PSEG customers: 1-800-490-0025.
AIR QUALITY
Monitor air quality alerts through Notify NYC or airnow.gov, and adjust or relocate outdoor programming when the Air Quality Index reaches unhealthy levels. Check which pollutant the alert names (PM2.5/smoke or ozone), since it determines the right protective action.
Advise vulnerable clients to limit outdoor activity and remain in filtered, air-conditioned environments with windows closed during alerts.
Distribute N95 or KN95 masks to clients who must go outside during particulate events such as wildfire smoke, if available. These masks filter fine particles (PM2.5) but do not protect against ozone; on high-ozone (smog) days, the protective action is limiting outdoor exertion and staying indoors.
Watch for worsening symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, or chest tightness in clients with respiratory or cardiac conditions, and have a plan to escalate care.
POWER DISRUPTION
Heavy demand during extreme heat, severe weather, and concentrated event activity can strain the electrical grid and lead to outages. Power disruptions are especially dangerous for clients who depend on electricity for life-sustaining equipment, refrigerated medications, mobility, or cooling.
Actions for Providers
- Confirm that clients who use electronic life-support equipment at home (respirators, oxygen concentrators, dialysis machines, apnea monitors) are registered with their utility for priority notification. ConEd customers: 1-877-582-6633 or "MyAccount" online. PSEG customers: 1-800-490-0025. Clients who use life-sustaining equipment and need immediate assistance during an outage should call 911.
- Help clients build an outage plan: backup batteries or charging options for medical and mobility equipment, a cooler and ice for refrigerated medications such as insulin, and a designated place to go if their building loses power or elevator service.
- Identify clients in upper-floor units or buildings without backup elevator power who may become isolated during an outage, and arrange check-ins.
- During an outage, advise clients to keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed to limit spoilage, never run generators or grills indoors, and report outages, downed power lines, and damaged electrical equipment to their utility provider. Call 911 if there is immediate danger.
STAY INFORMED
Encourage clients and staff to sign up for real-time alerts about emergencies, service changes, and major event impacts:
- Text SUMMER26 to 692-692 for alerts in English.
- Text SUMMER26ESP to 692-692 for alerts in Spanish.
- Text SUMMER26FRE to 692-692 for alerts in French.
- Follow the Notify NYC WhatsApp Channel at on.nyc.gov/NNYCWhatsApp.
- Clients can also sign up for Notify NYC at NYC.gov/notifynyc, by texting NOTIFYNYC to 692-692, or by calling 311 (TTY: 212-504-4115). Notify NYC is available in 14 languages, including American Sign Language.
ACCESS, FUNCTIONAL NEEDS, AND COMMUNICATION
Ensure all outbound communications are accessible to people with disabilities and people with limited English proficiency. Provide information in the languages commonly spoken by your client population and in formats compatible with screen readers and assistive technologies.
Use plain language and avoid jargon when communicating with clients, even when your internal guidance remains technical.
Use teach-back methods. Ask clients to repeat key instructions about travel, appointments, and heat safety in their own words to confirm understanding.
Anticipate increased stress and sensory overload for some clients due to crowds, noise, and schedule changes. Provide clear, predictable information about changes to routines, and incorporate de-escalation and coping strategies into routine contacts.
Sample Client Conversation
"I want to check in because the World Cup and summer events are going to make parts of the city very busy over the next few weeks, especially around Midtown. On match days, many streets will be closed to most traffic, and the trains and buses will be more crowded than usual. If you have an appointment or a program to get to, let's plan for extra travel time, and let's confirm the date and location before you head out. If you use Access-A-Ride or a car service, book earlier than usual and expect delays. It's also going to be hot, so let's talk about where you can go to cool down and who you can call if you start to feel sick. If the air quality is bad, try to stay indoors with the windows closed, and tell me right away if you have trouble breathing. If you use any equipment that needs electricity, let's make sure you're registered with your utility company and have a backup plan in case the power goes out. If you feel unwell from the heat or have trouble breathing, please call me before you travel, and call 911 in an emergency. Finally, let's sign you up for alerts so you get updates right away. You can text SUMMER26 to 692-692 for English, or I can help you set it up."
AWS partners are on the front lines of keeping the most vulnerable New Yorkers safe through a demanding summer. Take decisive action now: update your continuity plans, map travel and transit impacts for your clients and staff, confirm that heat-vulnerable clients have safe cooling options, verify backup plans for clients who depend on electricity, and make sure everyone you serve knows how to receive alerts and reach you during disruptions.
Thank you for all you do to keep your fellow New Yorkers safe.
The Advance Warning System (AWS) alerts organizations who work with people with disabilities and access and functional needs to various types of hazards and emergencies in New York City that may affect people's independence and daily lives. Participating organizations receive public preparedness and emergency information that they can relay to their clients and other similar agencies. If you work for an organization that serves people with disabilities or access and functional needs you can subscribe for AWS Alerts at the following link: https://www.advancewarningsystemnyc.org/aws
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