Sandy - Days later: No Food, No Power, No Gas, No Toilets, In many areas No Help...

[lds2]

This is much bigger and just as sad as Katrina...

Before and After Pictures of just a few of the areas devastated by this calamity...

Before and after Sandy: Photos show contrast between lovely shore and wreckage | NJ.com

Before-and-after views of Sandy destruction*Pictures - CBS News

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Edited November 2, 2012 by lds2

[lds2]

"The residents of Staten Island are pleading for help from elected officials, begging for gasoline, food and clothing three days after Sandy slammed the New York City borough.

"We're going to die! We're going to freeze! We got 90-year-old people!" Donna Solli told visiting officials. "You don't understand. You gotta get your trucks down here on the corner now. It's been three days!""

'We Need Food, We Need Clothing': Staten Island Residents Plead for Help 3 Days After Sandy

Edited November 2, 2012 by lds2

[lds2]

At a 12-unit apartment building at West 23rd near Mermaid Avenue in Coney Island, several tenants are huddled together in one room where human waste is spilling out of the toilet. They need help, and are at a loss explaining why assistance is getting to them faster.

"We have no food or water. Why isn't anyone helping us," asked tenant Aeising Cancel.

"We are scavenging for food like animals," said another tenant Jeffery Francis. "We are in a crisis and no one will help us. Look at us. We are misery. Everyone cares about Manhattan. No one is looking out for us. Nothing. We are Katrina."

Despair sets in for some Coney Island residents as living conditions deteriorate rapidly in Sandy’s wake - NY Daily News

[BadWolf]

There's some really great series of articles here

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-20127398

That do a good job at outline the whole series of issues at play: food, fuel, flooding, freezing, and a lot of other things

I wish the marathoners would step up and help out instead of running. Granted, I'm sure the city needs the money, and that some will.. But on a gut level, the marathon sits wrong.

[Wingnut]

I wish the marathoners would step up and help out instead of running. Granted, I'm sure the city needs the money, and that some will.. But on a gut level, the marathon sits wrong.

I disagree. On one level, it represents "the world will go on." It's something relatively normal in the midst of the tragedy and chaos. Some people need that to hold onto.

[Vort]

I disagree. On one level, it represents "the world will go on." It's something relatively normal in the midst of the tragedy and chaos. Some people need that to hold onto.

If we cancel the marathon, the terrorists win.

[lds2]

One of the biggest problems is that the storage tanks that gather the fuel coming in from other areas were damaged as many of these are near the coast, some are leaking and the employees are desperately trying to contain the oil, etc. MANY storage tanks are contaminated with mud and sea water. Oil and gas for refineries and fuel stations must be brought in and that is a lot of gas needed by millions of people.

Bus systems are running out of fuel...taxis are running out...food trucks don't have access to stations, etc.

Some headlines...

Hundreds of people in need of petrol have queued up in hopes of buying as many gallons as possible.

Fuel supplies into the tri-state area were being choked off in several ways.

Two refineries that make up a quarter of the region's refining capacity were still idle due to power outages or flooding.

[Guest]

Fuel supplies into the tri-state area were being choked off in several ways.

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I have a feeling Dr. Doofenschmirtz and one of his -inators are behind this.

[Wingnut]

I have a feeling Dr. Doofenschmirtz and one of his -inators are behind this.

Totally have that on the TV right now.

The HURRICANATOR!!!

[Just_A_Guy]

I disagree. On one level, it represents "the world will go on." It's something relatively normal in the midst of the tragedy and chaos. Some people need that to hold onto.

Glenn Beck today painted a very effective hypothetical involving marathon runners dousing themselves with bottled water on the streets below while seniors with no utilities and no functional elevators allowing them to come down from their high-rise apartments, are literally dying of thirst right above them. Meanwhile, refugees are allegedly being asked to leave hotels so that the hotels can handle the expected influx of marathon participants/spectators.

NYC can go forward with the marathon if they want; but I think sooner or later some heads are going to roll if these reports turn out to be true.

Edited November 2, 2012 by Just_A_Guy

[slamjet]

I truly hope that only 5 people show up for the marathon, and they and all the sponsors get asked and badgered why they're there using up resources that could and should have been re-routed to the disaster victims.

Having been through and helped during a couple of disasters myself (Northridge quake, L.A. riots, mudslides, fires) I really would be absolutely livid if the powers that be force the L.A. marathon to keep going.

I'll never forget the tent cities and absolute need in the aftermath of the Northridge earthquake. There were people getting water from busted water mains. I'll never forget the feet and feet of mud that destroyed peoples homes. The desperation of people forced out of their homes left to wonder if the fires destroyed everything they worked for in an effort to make their family comfortable.

And then to have a party? First it's banning triglyceride fats, then soda sizes, now a marathon during the aftermath of a natural disaster. What is the matter with the powers over there?

[Backroads]

From what I've been hearing, the marathon might not be all that popular with... anyone. I can definitely get behind "keeping life going" but not at the expense of those who are suffering.

[mirkwood]

I have a feeling Dr. Doofenschmirtz and one of his -inators are behind this.

Who?

[Wingnut]

Glenn Beck today painted a very effective hypothetical involving marathon runners dousing themselves with bottled water on the streets below while seniors with no utilities and no functional elevators allowing them to come down from their high-rise apartments, are literally dying of thirst right above them. Meanwhile, refugees are allegedly being asked to leave hotels so that the hotels can handle the expected influx of marathon participants/spectators.

NYC can go forward with the marathon if they want; but I think sooner or later some heads are going to roll if these reports turn out to be true.

I hadn't thought of any of these implications. This makes sense.

[slamjet]

Well, I guess enough sponsors said "heck no!" and enough hotels said "screw your reservation, we have hurricane victims in here."

The marathon was just canceled.

[Vort]

Well, I guess enough sponsors said "heck no!" and enough hotels said "screw your reservation, we have hurricane victims in here."

The marathon was just canceled.

The terrorists have won.

Darn terrorists.

[Echo2002]

I'm glad they cancelled it, I think it would have beenin poor taste to hold the marathon.

[classylady]

Who?

Dr Doofenshmirtz is a character from the cartoon "Phineas and Ferb".

[lds2]

Those with no food stores at home are suffering as they can not use their ATM, Credit or government assistance cards where the power is still out. I am so grateful for the wisdom of a loving Heavenly Father that tells us to "prepare every needful thing" before calamity strikes. Those saints who have stored their three month supply and water and a little money on hand in those areas without power right now don't have to go out to find such things.

"Many of the low-income residents receive cash and supplemental nutritional assistance from the state electronically through what the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance calls Electronic Benefit Cards (EBT.) Recipients buying eligible foods are suppose to swipe their EBT cards like any other credit card for their purchases but since Hurricane Sandy hit, most Lower East Side stores don’t have electricity to run credit card transactions and are only accepting cash. Leaving many people on EBT with empty wallets, empty refrigerators and no access to food.

“The supermarkets don’t even really want to sell anything. They’re open but if you don’t have cash, you messed up. And everybody in these projects, they take EBT…food stamps,” a La Guardia Houses resident told WNYC’s Marianne McCune."

Without Electricity, New Yorkers on Food Stamps Can’t Pay for Food - COLORLINES

Edited November 4, 2012 by lds2

[pam]

Then I blame those merchants that should have a procedure in place to do manual transactions.

I work with EBT cards as one of the contracts we have. When systems go down or power goes out, they can do manual transactions. They then mail those vouchers in so that they can get paid. We give authorizations all the time to merchants for manual vouchers.

[lds2]

I understand a lot of phones aren't working also. A good number of the cell phone towers went down as well. There is a lot of food relief going to these areas, it's just that the numbers of those in need are vast...

Edited November 4, 2012 by lds2

[NeuroTypical]

Dear humans - sometimes stuff happens that disrupsts distribution networks for food and water and fuel and cell phones and medicine and warmth. No really - the mormons are right - self-reliance isn't something you can just wish away by living in a city. People naturally just band together to recover from bad events, and other people try to take advantage of the situation. But help will always take as long as it takes. Your job, as humans, is to come to grips with these facts and act accordingly. No really - we'll do the best we can, and get to you as soon as we can. Hopefully your stories thirst and hunger and cold and looting and all will help motivate you and others to get a little prepared for the next time.

p.s. If you're not affected by Sandy, here are some things you can do.

* Tithing slip - Humanitarian aid line - they'll put it to good use. Your work might offer matching funds for contributions - another great way to give.

* Don't fall for scams.

* Look to your own family - what will you do to make sure that they don't end up on some news story suffering because other people haven't been able to come to their rescue yet.

[Leah]

Well, I guess enough sponsors said "heck no!" and enough hotels said "screw your reservation, we have hurricane victims in here."

The marathon was just canceled.

From what I have heard, the hotels don't give a hoot about the victims, raising rates from $200 a night to over $900.

[lds2]

Some of the concerns are that usually there is a buffer of sand and dunes that protect the shore and they were taken out by Sandy and so relatively small storms can do much more damage.

Trees root systems have been weakened and so snow and ice on branches could more easily take them over.

This winter storm could bring snow, ice and wind gusts somewhere between 40-60 mph.

It could cause new power outages as well as will disrupt services including emergency relief services to the needy.