Frankenstorm
Sandy - Bunkered down, expecting the worst
By
Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency
New
York, NY --- October 31, 2012 ... Within a matter of hours, the
many vibrant red, yellow and green leaves of a New England autumn
were shredded from their trees in the worst winds and floods to
hit the US Northeast.
We were given
more than enough warning. The National Weather Service issued
statements more than a week ago that a Frankenstorm
monster would form out of Hurricane Sandy, which was slowly moving
up the East Coast. That Sandy, which had created much destruction
in the Caribbean, would integrate with a winter storm moving east
across the US and was to be joined by a blast of frigid arctic
air coming from the north.
New Yorkers and Israelis have much in common. We are aggressive
and pushy and fear almost nothing. And so it went with the forecast
of what was predicted to be the worst storm to slam the US.
But as weather
forecasts and maps born from computer software became more and
more accurate with every passing hour, many of us started to take
heed.
Having been
a victim of last years October ice storm, which crippled
the American Northeast with early snow and ice, I began to prepare
a checklist as if I were getting ready for IDF reserve duty.
First and
foremost, to make sure all communications would be operative.
I reactivated a second mobile phone with Verizon, the only company
that got many of us through last years storms. For Internet,
I reactivated a hot-spot mobile router so that once the electricity
dropped, I could continue harassing my friends on social media
Websites Facebook
and Twitter.
From digital
to brick and mortars I left my computer screens for long
lines at gas stations to fill several red canisters with gas for
the electric generator, which would feed our lights, refrigerator,
oil burner and computers.
After living
in Israel for over 25 years, preparing for emergencies becomes
second nature.
After all,
if we were not prepared, we simply would not survive.
As Sandy slowly
crept up toward the New York and New Jersey coast, we made sure
that our refrigerator and food closets were well stocked. Local
news reporters were telling us that most would lose electricity
for a few days to a few weeks. Then the governors of Connecticut
and New York warned that we would be facing the most catastrophic
storm to ever hit the US.
How does one
respond to that?
Were we talking
about high winds of more than 100 miles per hour, rainfall of
over 8 inches, over 2 feet of snow, sea levels of more than 14
feet above normal, and talking to Dorothy and Toto in the midst
of swirling tornadoes?
As a journalist,
I know how to find fact. To read between the lines. And in this
case, it became clear that all of the weather forecasters were
basing their knowledge on projected weather models that were proving
to be very real. But it was where they sincerely stated, just
a few times, that they could not fully predict where and how much
damage this massive, historic storm would inflict upon us that
provoked the most anxiety.
We were told
to prepare. No different than getting ready for Katusha rockets
and Scud missiles, I taped up all of the windows.
Trimmed branches
that were hanging over nearby power lines. Purchased the last
hand-cranked Red Cross weather radio from Radio Shack. Made sure
that the dog and cats had both food and toys. Flashlight in my
pocket.
Most important
was the emergency food deliveries that friends and I make twice
a week to homeless shelters in the Greater Hartford, Connecticut
area. On Sunday night, we picked up six boxes and plastic bags
of freshly made bread, bagels and pastries from a Panera store.
We made our
rounds just hours before Frankenstorm started to rain on us. We
distributed to police stations, fire departments, the National
Guard (which had been called up for the storm) and three homeless
shelters.
With our eyes
glued to the TV and me scanning every local news site on the Net,
we bunkered down, expecting the worst.
High winds
began to shake all around us, howling outside as we drank coffee
late into the night and assured our friends that we would be okay.
Being about
100 miles north of New York and the center of the storm provided
very little comfort.
The weather
people were telling us that the path of the storm was not relevant
that what was once a hurricane was now a winter storm which
would only increase in power over a massive area from Boston to
Washington.
If New York
had problems, Philadelphia, Washington, Boston and Baltimore could
not provide backup, as we were all in this together.
Whatever logistical
support we did receive came from electric companies that had sent
their crews from the Midwest.
Watching the
hurricane batter New York and Long Island was a heartbreaking
experience. The devastation that took place there reminded me
of covering 9/11 at Ground Zero. One-third of Manhattan was and
is now without electricity. Lower Manhattan the financial
district is completely flooded, with water pouring mercilessly
down into the subway stations.
A construction
crane standing high over the city on 57th Street snapped, threatening
10 nearby buildings. NYU Hospital, whose back-up electric generators
had given way, was being evacuated, with dozens of ambulances
racing to and from. And Breezy Point, Queens, where a fire driven
by 100 mph winds destroyed over 80 homes.
Perhaps my
good friend Gary Vanderwalde, who lives out on Long Island summed
up the entire experience from his home in an SMS message: Joel,
sorry, cant call you. No electricity. Saving battery. More
than 5 feet of water in my basement. But we survived."
Lenny Shapiro,
another childhood friend who lives in Woodstock, New York said:
"No power, no Internet, no phones. Only thousands of trees
blocking roads, blocking my driveway. But we are New Yorkers.
We will be OK.
The writer,
a native of New York who lives in Raanana, Israel is an
international journalist and a senior media and social media adviser
who is a consultant for the IDF and the Foreign Ministry.
Israel:
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With Iran
Joel Leyden,
journalist, media consultant, social media and SEO pioneer
working with both the Israel Defense Forces and the US Army in
Haiti.
Joel Leyden,
journalist, Digital PR and SEO consultant
taking food to the needy. Please do the same where you live!
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