It’s never too early to worry about snow, Mayor Martin J. Walsh said Thursday, as he outlined the city’s preparations for yet another frigid Boston winter.
Standing in front of a huge pile of road salt, Walsh admitted Boston got off easily last winter, but nobody has forgotten about the record-breaking succession of brutal storms in 2015.
“It’s certainly no distant memory,’’ the mayor said. Walsh said Boston has 44 tons of road salt on hand — up from 40 tons last year. The city also has 140 pieces of public works equipment for snow and ice removal, and the capacity to add up to 700 more in dire times.
He asked residents to be careful on roads, to watch out for their neighbors, and to alert authorities if they know about elderly, homeless, or vulnerable people in danger.
Walsh urged residents to look into the Seniors Save program, which helps senior citizens replace aging heating equipment before it breaks down. Such jobs can help prevent dangerous situations when heating systems malfunction during particularly cold conditions.
“Bostonians are tough and resilient, and together we’re going to get through any winter weather that comes,’’ the mayor said.
He added that the city’s space-saver rule, allowing residents to reserve shoveled-out parking spots for 48 hours after the end of a snow emergency, remains in effect. The exception is the South End, where neighborhood officials have banned the practice.
Sheila A. Dillon, chief of neighborhood development, said the city is expanding its capacity to shelter homeless people at facilities including the Southampton Street Shelter and the Pine Street Inn. The city will have vans looking for people who are in need of shelter in harsh weather, she said.
City officials directed residents to the resources posted online at Boston.gov/snow. Citizens are safest when everybody is informed and looking out for one another, said Jerome Smith, Boston’s chief of civic engagement.
“We’d like for you to just go out and meet your neighbors and help out where you can,’’ he said.
Andy Rosen can be reached at andrew.rosen@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter at @andyrosen.
