Hurricane Irene Battles New York

Hurricane Irene has battered the eastern seaboard into submission from Florida to Maine. She leaves death and destruction in her wake. New York has survived a hurricane and an earthquake in the same week. In 50 years I have never been in the center of a hurricane and it was frightening to witness the destruction and devastation that could be caused in such a brief period of time. With all of the warnings given in the days preceding the landing of the storm did everyone prepare and do everything necessary to remain safe. While watching the storm reports on the news we saw people on the beaches swimming, surfing and gawking at what could have been the last things they ever saw.

Hurricane Irene has caused an estimated 7 billion dollars in damages across the east. It landed on Coney Island as a tropical storm having lost some of it's original bluster. In NYC over 400,000 people were ordered to evacuate their homes. As of 4pm on Sunday 4 million New Yorkers are without power. New York, New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut are in a State of Emergency.

We should not be waiting until a storm comes to have our homes and lives prepared for a storm. A hurricane is an extreme example but milder storms hit and other disasters can occur. Your car should always have an emergency kit in it, food supplies (water, a canned meal & protein snacks) a blanket, an emergency sign and the proper tools to handle minor roadside emergencies. Men and women need to know where their jacks, spare tire, flares, emergency kits and supplies are located. When you have your oil changed make sure they check your spare and keep it properly inflated. In the summer the heat can cause the pressure in your tire to change just as extreme cold can also. Keep a blanket in your vehicle when the weather is extreme and a change of socks helps if your feet get wet. During the weather in the northeast it pays to also have a spare pair of boots available in your car.

In your home do you have extra water for drinking and for flushing? Keep a few empty gallon containers for water. Place a teaspoon of bleach in them to keep them from getting bacteria in them. This water can be used to flush and for bathing. Change the water at least once a year. Check your flashlight batteries every 6 months. We change the batteries in our smoke detectors in January and June. That is a good time to also check your flashlight batteries. We have a camping waterproof pack of matches and candles on every floor. Not just good smelling scented candles but unscented tapered candles that can be used to light your way around the house in a storm.

We keep a small supply of canned goods and a manual can opener. The microwave will not be working if the power goes out. Since we were given plenty of notice we purchased a few bags of ice and placed them in a cooler. In it we could keep cold cuts and other items we would need in a power failure. It was suggested to turn the freezer and refrigerator up to a higher setting. So if the power went out it would remain colder longer. Don't open your refrigerator or freezer unless you have to. The food in them can stay fresh for over a day without power.

One of the most important things during an emergency after being prepared is to listen to the emergency channels and the weather reports. A battery operated old fashioned radio is important. Currently in Upstate NY Interstate 87 is closed from exit 12 to exit 17. That means the people who are working have to find a way around the storm. I work for a trucking company that delivers food to the local supermarkets and the drivers will have to find alternate routes to make their deliveries. So if you do not have to be on the road, stay inside. Rte 9W in Newburgh NY is closed and a section of I 84 is also closed at this point. Those 3 roads move the major traffic in this area. Last night the bridges across the Hudson river were shut down.

A friend called about traveling from Upstate NY to Long Island. The Throgs Neck bridge shuts down on a windy day when there isn't a storm. After convincing her not to travel we heard a report that the bridge had been shut down. It would have been so much worse if she had gotten stuck on one of the side roads or waiting to get on the bridge.

New York City's Mayor shut down the transit system to protect passengers from getting stuck and away from dangerous situations. Metro North, LIRR, NJ Transit and the Path Trains are suspended. The Transit will begin powering up at 4am on Monday. They are stating that it may take until late Monday morning to get the subways running efficiently again. Over 400 miles of track have to be inspected before the system can go online. The parking lot of the Harriman Station is completely under water. The system hasn't been shut down so completely since the last transit strike and so many New Yorkers were feeling stranded last night. As of 4:30pm today, Sunday, there is limited bus service in NYC.

The quick response by the leaders of NY, CT and NJ contributed to the low numbers of incidents and fatalities here due to the storm. The death toll was reported at 19. None have been reported in NY at this time. One death was reported in New Jersey and one in Connecticut. Update at 6pm,one death in Rockland county. In attempting to rescue a 6 year old a man was tangled in the lines under the water and electrocuted. Prayers go out to his family and friends.

Bridges and tunnels in NY are open except for the Northbound Tappan Zee Bridge. One million people in the tri-state area are without powers. All of the CUNY campuses and office are closed. The Bronx Zoo, Botanical Gardens, Central Park and the Aquarium are closed until Tuesday.

Over 10,000 flights were cancelled between NC and Boston. JFK, LaGuardia, Stewart, MacArthur and Newark airports are closed. Flooding is still a serious concern and it will be days before certain areas will be clear of that danger. The winds are still loud outside my window and frightening. It isn't wise to travel unnecessarily because power lines can still come down. Any wires down are to to be considered live and to be avoided. If it is obviously a hotspot call 311 or 911 in NYC and 911 in outlying areas. Try not to use the emergency service lines if it is not a true emergency.

We don't have all the numbers in yet as to the loss of revenue to the State. Due to proper emergency planning, early warnings and our leaders and locals taking this seriously a more serious disaster was averted. Shelters were available to individuals whose homes were in low lying areas that were at risk. New Yorkers are a resilient bunch and working together we did battle with a hurricane and survived. (I will be updating this information over the next few days as new reports come in.)

Update Monday 8/29 4pm

My area in the Hudson Valley has been one of the he hardest hit by the storm in New York. New Paltz is partially under water. The Wappingers River has overrun it's banks and Wappingers Falls is also partially under water. We were unable to get through Fishkill to Beacon because the traffic came to a standstill and remained that way for over an hour. We are surrounded by the creeks that run off of the rivers and the water is over running everywhere. Looking at the news I saw a bridge come down in New Windsor where my home is and to see it was frightening.

My basement and those of most of my neighbors have flooded. We live in townhouses so even though we aren't in a low lying area our basements are at street level. So much damage in such a brief period of time. The death toll in NY has risen to 5, to 4 in NJ and 2 in CT. So many people are unable to get into their homes due to the deep waters.

In NYC the trains are almost running at full capacity. The airports are all open. CUNY opened and students could come in today. SUNY New Paltz up here was supposed to be open to students today but it was impossible due to the amount of water covering most of the town. Metro North has restored some service on the southern tier of the Northeast corridor. But the Upper areas here in the Hudson Valley still have severe water issues. Towns that the tracks run through are under water or have overflowing banks. The Long Island Railroad has partially restored service. They are battling the removal of debris off of the tracks and water in certain areas.

We still feel blessed because this could have been so much worse. But it will be days before we can truly call this over. Gov. Cuomo had a press conference this afternoon and reassured us that FEMA will be available to many of us for the repairs that will enable us to get back on our feet. So many of the farms up here suffered the complete loss of crops. So we can expect the price of vegetables and other basics to increase. Hoping you stay safe where ever you are. We are trying to do the same here.