NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document
NYC Recommendations for Motorists in th...cted by the World Trade Center Disaster hnpy/www.nyc.gov/html/doh/hml/alerts/wtcTJn
New York City Department of Health
Response to the World Trade Center Disaster
Recommendations for Motorists in the Area Affected by the World Trade Center
Disaster.
This Useful Information was Provided to the New York City Department of Health by the
American Automobile Association
Motorists living near foe World Trade Center disaster site will face some challenges getting their cars
going after being subjected to foe extreme levels of dust, dirt and soot in foe area. The following tips are
suggested:
• Before starting foe vehicle try to clean it as thoroughly as possible. Using a hose or repeated uses
of a bucket, douse foe vehicle with water to remove as much standing dirt as possible. Do not use
a rag, brush or any scrubbing action. These will grind foe abrasive dirt into foe paint, ruining it.
Only foe physical action of foe moving water should be used to remove heavy dirt. Then use very
soapy water to wash foe car. When clean, swirling patterns may be noticed in foe finish if foe
vehicle was subjected to very heavy exposure. A professional compound job available at most
auto shops should restore foe luster.
• Inspect the vehicle’s interior for heavy dust and dirt. If it was badly exposed, before starting the
vehicle, vacuum the interior thoroughly, paying extra attention to foe dashboard and vents,
particularly if foe vehicle is a ’98 or newer model. New cars have lots of computer and electronic
devices for controlling various functions located behind foe dash that could be damaged by heavy
dust. (For this reason owners of newer vehicles should not smoke in their cars.)
• Inspect foe engine compartment under foe hood of foe vehicle. If it is very dusty, vacuum this area
as well, paying close attention to foe air intake, which can usually be identified as a bellows type
of hose. If possible, disconnect foe hose and vacuum it
• If the vehicle received extremely heavy exposure, after vacuuming you should change the air filter
taking care not to dislodge any remaining dirt so that the engine might be contaminated. Inspect
hoses, belts and pulleys for dirt and tty to clean them as much as possible.
• Check the oil and coolant level before starting the engine. Also make sure die battery’s terminals
are clean. Dirty terminals create extra resistance, putting more strain on the battery, which could
be low since the vehicle has not run for some time.
• Check tire pressure and add air if necessary, according to foe vehicle manufacturer’s
specifications.
• When starting the vehicle, do not race the engine. Let it idle about five minutes. Observe the
lof2 10/1/2001 12:10 PM
NYC-WTC_000148887
OCR can misread numbers and units. Confirm readings against the page image before using them.