OFFICIAL HURRICANE SANDY THREAD!!! (Merged)

[gunnails]

Originally Posted by FF2®

Police and Fire here collected a truckload of stuff yesterday, on its way today. Nonperisable food, water, clothes, toiletries.

Probably just a drop in the bucket but hopefully it gets to the people that need it.

EVERY supermarket and clothing store SHOULD have a sign on the way in asking people to donate a few items and have a collection area on the way out. Imagine if everyone just gave an item or two.

Won't happen though because people suck.

=============================================

People don't suck, just some do.

Lots of stories of heroism, generosity, and selflessness over the last week that should not be overshadowed by the suck people.

Your story included is testament that people are not the suck.

Also the last week illustrates that when SHTF, you have only yourselves and your community to rely on for immediate needs. All those preper shows don't seem so stupid now.

[FF2®]

Originally Posted by gunnails

=============================================

People don't suck, just some do.

Lots of stories of heroism, generosity, and selflessness over the last week that should not be overshadowed by the suck people.

Your story included is testament that people are not the suck.

Also the last week illustrates that when SHTF, you have only yourselves and your community to rely on for immediate needs. All those preper shows don't seem so stupid now.

yeah, true.

But I can't help but think...if every person gave a little...it's would be a massive relief effort. As it is..."out of sight, out of mind". As soon as people here had power, everything else is forgotten.

[rangers1]

FEMA should set up campers
That's what they did here after Wilma to provide shelter
They also gave out vouchers for hotels
Donated to red cross already
Wish there was more I could do

[brady's a catcher]

Originally Posted by BushyTheBeaver

That's insane. These stories of looting, price gouging, union workers preventing non-union volunteers from helping out...wtf happened to "We're all Americans" and helping your neighbor in a time of need? If what's happening is a true picture of who we are as a people it's not a pretty sight.

In all these posts I haven't heard anything to suggest a significant response from the federal government. Can anyone speak to whether the National Guard is deployed and helping out on the scene? Katrina they were screaming about the lack of federal response while the storm was still going on. Here it's five days after Sandy and I haven't heard ****.

Other than a brief period after 9/11, this has been a pretty solidly, "looking out for me, screw" you society for decades, and trending even further in that direction. Not saying there are not millions of good people who want to help in times like this, of course.

[Borgoguy]

Originally Posted by brady's a catcher

Other than a brief period after 9/11, this has been a pretty solidly, "looking out for me, screw" you society for decades, and trending even further in that direction. Not saying there are not millions of good people who want to help in times like this, of course.

So true. Just look at all the gas hoarding. The other day, before gas rationing and restrictions were implemented, some moron in a massive Hummer (What's that get, six miles to the gallon?) was holding up the small gas line because not only was she filling her "tank", but--no exaggeration--five, 10 gallon gas cans. F**k you, lady.

[gunnails]

Originally Posted by Borgoguy

So true. Just look at all the gas hoarding. The other day, before gas rationing and restrictions were implemented, some moron in a massive Hummer (What's that get, six miles to the gallon?) was holding up the small gas line because not only was she filling her "tank", but--no exaggeration--five, 10 gallon gas cans. F**k you, lady.

=================================================

You never know, maybe she was taking the gas to a orphanage.

[Borgoguy]

Originally Posted by gunnails

=================================================

You never know, maybe she was taking the gas to a orphanage.

LOL. Yeah, right? This was the Saturday before the storm hit.

[Brooklyn Jet]

Originally Posted by FF2®

yeah, true.

But I can't help but think...if every person gave a little...it's would be a massive relief effort. As it is..."out of sight, out of mind". As soon as people here had power, everything else is forgotten.

If everyone gave $10 and some gently used clothing or supplies, it would truly add up.

Sadly, power comes back, and people are concerned about watching football this weekend.

[21st Amendment]

Devastation is shocking.
http://m.theatlantic.com/infocus/201...ermath/100397/

[32green]

Originally Posted by FF2®

Won't happen though because people suck.

The local Little league and Soccer clubs sent out emails the last few days requesting donations to the local rec. center.

Yesterday we filled and sent out two large trucks packed with clothes/food water. Prolly about 50 of us at least at the local Rec. Centre.doing the sandbag line into the trucks....adults and kids (many of whom without electricity themselves)....which then went out to Long Beach (right down the road from me) and Breezy point... Went home...came back this morning with my sopne and the whole auditorium was filled again with supplies/clothes..with more getting dropped off.

The large truck didnt turn up yet, so people started driving up their SUV's and shouting locations they would drive to...so we filled up about 10 loads and sent them off to different locations. Most of these people thought they were on a 10 minute drive to drop off clothes and water..and they ended up heading into the hell that awaits them down Long Beach Road...with gastanks that have no guarantee they will be re-filled any time soon.

The large truck finally showed up, and we packed that to the brim and sent it off to Oceanside and Lindenhurst.

Some people suck, but not all people suck.

Fyi, for those of you too far to donate directly, Americares does a pretty good job and its money well spent.


https://secure.americares.org/site/D...pxn8h3.app213a


-

[32green]

One of my former commands;







In a job full of oh sh*t moments, this one has to be top ten.

















The 9/11 poster over the desk makes this one eerier for me.

-

[Fishooked]

Originally Posted by 21st Amendment

Devastation is shocking.
http://m.theatlantic.com/infocus/201...ermath/100397/

Thanks for posting that link, there are truly some jaw-dropping photos in there.

Also found on the same site additiona photo compilations as well.

Hurricane Sandy in photos:
http://m.theatlantic.com/infocus/201...photos/100395/

After landfall:
http://m.theatlantic.com/infocus/201...ndfall/100396/

[Jetworks]

Originally Posted by BushyTheBeaver

That's insane. These stories of looting, price gouging, union workers preventing non-union volunteers from helping out...wtf happened to "We're all Americans" and helping your neighbor in a time of need? If what's happening is a true picture of who we are as a people it's not a pretty sight.

In all these posts I haven't heard anything to suggest a significant response from the federal government. Can anyone speak to whether the National Guard is deployed and helping out on the scene? Katrina they were screaming about the lack of federal response while the storm was still going on. Here it's five days after Sandy and I haven't heard ****.

NG is boots on the ground here, and then some. None of them are armed. The FEMA response has been mostly "meh" from what I've seen, so hopefully that will change going forward. The local response has been outstanding. NYPD, FDNY, DSNY and DOT are on their respective games. DSNY and DOT are working in concert to clear away debris, having made a makeshift landfill in the Midland Beach parking lot.

Originally Posted by DDNYjets

Yikes.

Unfortunately things are not going to be fast at all. Once we start rebuilding there will be a shortage of building materials and contractors or at least good ones. That is when the there will be even more headaches. But the important thing right now is getting these people out of the cold weather and getting them food and clothes and some shelter.

I was wondering what they plan on doing for all the people up here. They should set up a trailer park type thing for people to live in. They did some of that in New Orleans. It is going to be years before most people get houses. The ones that can live with their families are lucky.

The building materials thing is definitely cause for concern, but as far as contractors SI is in pretty good hands. I saw quite a few families who already had contractors beginning demolition, so they are already moving forward.

I'm sure many families are going to get screwed as far as reimbursement/coverage. Don't be surprised if there are lawsuits going forward about flood coverage. Many I have spoken with are saying that this wasn't a flood as floods aren't "surges", that's what tsunamis and the like are. They may be right.

Originally Posted by FF2®

Police and Fire here collected a truckload of stuff yesterday, on its way today. Nonperisable food, water, clothes, toiletries.

Probably just a drop in the bucket but hopefully it gets to the people that need it.

EVERY supermarket and clothing store SHOULD have a sign on the way in asking people to donate a few items and have a collection area on the way out. Imagine if everyone just gave an item or two.

Won't happen though because people suck.

Locally, you'd be hard-pressed to criticize the response. I showed up the first day with 3 boxes of Joe and 3 dozen donuts without even thinking about it (actually 30 cups of coffee as every DD was out of boxes). Most people have done the same or much, much more. Today some guy strolled down the block with at least 20 bags of McDonald's. The donations are so plentiful at the moment that most distribution points are asking that you hold off on sending clothing. Many local restaurants are opening for extended periods of time, gratis. It's just the way the borough is. That's what made the official response from the City so infuriating. We were already taking care of our own before they even mentioned us.

People suck, but when sh!t goes sideways, you'd be hard-pressed to find a finer group of people overall than NYers, particularly Staten Islanders.

[2milehighJet]

Originally Posted by Jetworks

Locally, you'd be hard-pressed to criticize the response. I showed up the first day with 3 boxes of Joe and 3 dozen donuts without even thinking about it (actually 30 cups of coffee as every DD was out of boxes). Most people have done the same or much, much more. Today some guy strolled down the block with at least 20 bags of McDonald's. The donations are so plentiful at the moment that most distribution points are asking that you hold off on sending clothing. Many local restaurants are opening for extended periods of time, gratis. It's just the way the borough is. That's what made the official response from the City so infuriating. We were already taking care of our own before they even mentioned us.

People suck, but when sh!t goes sideways, you'd be hard-pressed to find a finer group of people overall than NYers, particularly Staten Islanders.

Glad to hear this. As always NYers taking care of their own when it does hit the fan makes me proud to be from the area, I'm glad folks that can help locally are, but being so far away, all I can do is donate and hope you, or your families see this in form of food, shelter, medicine, etc. Thoughts and prayers ares still with you and all others that were affected.

[Jetworks]

Originally Posted by 32green

One of my former commands;







In a job full of oh sh*t moments, this one has to be top ten.

















The 9/11 poster over the desk makes this one eerier for me.

-

Wow.




Just.




WOW!

Originally Posted by 2milehighJet

Glad to hear this. As always NYers taking care of their own when it does hit the fan makes me proud to be from the area, I'm glad folks that can help locally are, but being so far away, all I can do is donate and hope you, or your families see this in form of food, shelter, medicine, etc. Thoughts and prayers ares still with you and all others that were affected.

It's a pretty good feeling to know total strangers can come together and help out one another.

[DDNYjets]

Originally Posted by Jetworks

Locally, you'd be hard-pressed to criticize the response. I showed up the first day with 3 boxes of Joe and 3 dozen donuts without even thinking about it (actually 30 cups of coffee as every DD was out of boxes). Most people have done the same or much, much more. Today some guy strolled down the block with at least 20 bags of McDonald's. The donations are so plentiful at the moment that most distribution points are asking that you hold off on sending clothing. Many local restaurants are opening for extended periods of time, gratis. It's just the way the borough is. That's what made the official response from the City so infuriating. We were already taking care of our own before they even mentioned us.

People suck, but when sh!t goes sideways, you'd be hard-pressed to find a finer group of people overall than NYers, particularly Staten Islanders.

Glad to hear you guys are coping. SI is a closely knit community and I am sure most businesses that are donating their food will make their money back ten-fold. They are investing in the well-being of their community and the people will remember that. Not that they are doing it for the money, just saying.

Just for some perspective, here in Nassau we have local businesses charging people $2 for a cup of hot water. Safe to say, I will no longer be going there for food. But on the flip side there was a local pizzeria giving away free pizza and water.

Some people get it, some people don't.

[Jetworks]

Originally Posted by DDNYjets

Glad to hear you guys are coping. SI is a closely knit community and I am sure most businesses that are donating their food will make their money back ten-fold. They are investing in the well-being of their community and the people will remember that. Not that they are doing it for the money, just saying.

Just for some perspective, here in Nassau we have local businesses charging people $2 for a cup of hot water. Safe to say, I will no longer be going there for food. But on the flip side there was a local pizzeria giving away free pizza and water.

Some people get it, some people don't.

That's it in a nutshell. Those that don't I refer to as schmucks.

[southparkcpa]

Originally Posted by Jetworks

That's it in a nutshell. Those that don't I refer to as schmucks.

Good luck to you guys...... Unbelievable pics you all are posting.

have been thinking about you all.

[FF2®]

Originally Posted by DDNYjets

Glad to hear you guys are coping. SI is a closely knit community and I am sure most businesses that are donating their food will make their money back ten-fold. They are investing in the well-being of their community and the people will remember that. Not that they are doing it for the money, just saying.

Just for some perspective, here in Nassau we have local businesses charging people $2 for a cup of hot water. Safe to say, I will no longer be going there for food. But on the flip side there was a local pizzeria giving away free pizza and water.

Some people get it, some people don't.

that's basically it.

one person can see a story on the news about a family losing everything and not give it a second thought, as if its a tv show. and look how easy it's is to help, text on your phone and it's done.

[crossfire]

Took a trip to Rockaway Beach today. Man, what s f*cking nightmare down there. The streets are lines everywhere with the contents of people's homes or stores. Cars on top of cars, roads filled with debris. Lots of sand very far from the beach.

It's tough to see people hsve their worlds torn apart. Especially when it's family. My cousin didn't want me to come because it was so bad down there. But I told her I didn't ask for permission and I was coming anyway.

So I went shopping and bought everything from milk to whole chickens to ice to TP. I loaded the car and headed out. (I still have no power so I had nothing better to do.) Its a maze of closed roads and debris but I got there.

I swear, it looks like Afghanistan. Sand everywhere and junk all over. It looks like a total disaster area.

My cousin is holding up ok but breaks down in tears quite a bit too. Its overwhelming. As if it isn't bad enough, their are looters and muggers.

But I also saw many acts of kindness. Saw the Red Cross, young volunteers, restaurants giving free meals, doctors without borders and many places taking donations of goods and giving them to the needy.

I took a bunch of pics but cell internet is slow at home. But here is a short video I took. Sorry i can't imbed it at the moment. This is video shot on Beach 105 St.

http://youtu.be/a1GUNDvLYjM