Scarsdale, Bronxville and Eastchester residents can weigh in on how Westchester County prepares for floods and extreme weather at a virtual public meeting Thursday, Oct. 8.

The meeting, scheduled from 7 to 8 p.m. on Microsoft Teams, is part of the county's effort to update its Hazard Mitigation Plan. The Village of Scarsdale posted the notice on its website, a sign the plan carries direct relevance for local households.

The county was already seeking input before the storm hit.

On Sept. 22, Westchester County Government posted on X asking residents, local officials and community leaders to review and comment on the updated plan. Matthew Kavaler, director of the Emergency Management Division in the county's Department of Emergency Services, described the plan on the county's "This Week in Westchester" podcast on Sept. 21.

He said the plan identifies risks from natural disasters and outlines ways to protect people, property and infrastructure during emergencies.

Then the nor'easter arrived. The storm battered Westchester the weekend of Sept. 26-27, toppling trees in Hastings-on-Hudson, flooding the Dobbs Ferry waterfront and knocking out power to more than 1,100 county customers, News 12 reported. Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for Westchester, Long Island and New York City on Sept. 25 ahead of the storm.

The county had warned residents to prepare. In a Sept. 24 press release, County Executive Ken Jenkins said Sound Shore communities should be particularly prepared for coastal flooding. Two days later, speaking on News 12 as the storm hit, Jenkins said, "It is a real challenge for everyone to make sure they're not being lulled into a false sense of security."

Flood preparedness is not new ground for the county. The Board of Legislators on Aug. 3 approved flood mitigation bond acts and intermunicipal agreements for projects on Cushman Road in Scarsdale and a combined effort covering Scarsdale, Mamaroneck and Hastings-on-Hudson.

Residents can review the draft plan at westchester.hazardmitigation.ny.gov before the Oct. 8 meeting. The county has not announced a deadline for public comments.

To join the meeting, residents can use the Microsoft Teams link posted on the Scarsdale village website. The meeting ID is 236 244 275 766 904 and the passcode is gy9Xv9TM.