We lost power for about 20 hours. During Irene, it was about 28 hours. It’s nice to be on Groton Utilities instead of CL&P… 
The news this morning was was reporting that Staten Islanders feel like they’re being largely ignored, despite being probably the worst-hit borough. It wouldn’t surprise me if they’re right. Staten Island has always been the red-headed stepchild of NYC.
My trip to Manhattan yesterday was amazingly easy…the trains actually seemed to be running on a close to normal schedule and the buses weren’t nearly as bad as I thought they would be…not only could I get on them without long waits I even got a seat both ways. There were a lot more obviously displaced people on the trains than I expected…it seemed like every other person had a suitcase or large pack and many were even carrying pillows and blankets.
I was really suprised at the extent of the power outages…I guess I expected to see a block here and there with power but it there was nothing below about 28th Street. And NOTHING was open and I didn’t see many other people or cars on the streets either once I got below 14th Street.
And I guess the office could’ve been worse, my shelving didn’t tip over, that was a rumor…what happened was some very large stacks of cardboard boxes sitting in front of the shelves fell over and blocked the door to the room. Still very destructive and a lot of equipment was destroyed. I am going back today…I really need to SAVE my stuff from the warehouse guys that are helping with the clean-up, they want to shovel everything into garbage bags and toss it…I am photograghing, cataloging, and, most importantly----opening everything up and stripping off connectors, fuse holders, faceplates and other salvagable parts before tossing the destroyed items away.
It would be easier if we had power…although I am impressed at the efforts, they are running generators and have temp lights in the main areas.
Thats the update although we are running a pool on when power will actually be restored, most bets are running towards the middle of next week.
There are actually a few pieces that survived total submersion…items that were packed in foam clamshells then sealed in plastic seemed to survive.
I was watching NY1 last night and they showed both of New York’s Senators touring Staten Island among other things. I hope that’s evidence the borough isn’t being ignored.
No power back for us. Still livin’ the hotel life. On Saturday we are going to have to make a decision about what to do next. We may have to go back home regardless of the situation there. It will be cold.
I’m starting to feel a little better. This storm is far from the only problem I’m dealing with right now, but I think I’m getting closer to accepting our current circumstances.
Here’s an interesting story: Reports are surfacing that recovery crews from other states are being turned away because they aren’t unionized.
I wish I could say I’m surprised, but I’m not.
Consider the source.
The NJ hurricane news Facebook page that I linked to upthread has been repeatedly attempting to debunk this rumor all morning.
I mean, look at this paragraph from the story:
:rolleyes:
First responders have had their hands full with search and rescue/recovery since so many people did not heed the mandatory evacuation order.
Yeah, bite me …
Honestly, the only reason we are still in CT is we have a mortgage. We decided to buy a house since we were here for 15 years of mrAru’s Navy career and owning is better than housing.
More like, recovery crew decides not to help because they don’t want to be affiliated with a union.
Associated thread, with evidence that it is total garbage and Republican bubble-vapor.
Anyway, we heard from my brother-in-law in NYC a day ago; he was all right and unflooded, but without cell phone and electricity. No word yet from my dad’s cousin, but there’s a mapof the damaged areas, and their house looks relatively unscathed. Reports are that since there is no water, electricity and now gas has been shut off to the island, they’re evacuating everybody. I’ve heard of no deaths in the island so far.
Oh please, let’s politicize this tragedy like we do every other one. Why should we work together to rebuild communities when we can be divisive and hateful and completely useless? I’m not singling you out. I am hearing this snarky political shit from all sides and it’s getting on my nerves. Maybe it’s unrealistic to expect everyone to just chill days before a Presidential election, but seriously, this is helping no one.
I will never understand the ‘‘man’’ vs. ‘‘nature’’ mentality some people get. Nature always wins. My friends during the hurricane were walking around outside. I was the only drunk one and even I knew that was idiotic.
Mayor Bloomberg has announced that the Marathon will not go on as scheduled after all.
I was downtown again today dealing with a messy clean-up-------the worst was stuff that was packed in boxes filled with styrofoam “peanuts” when it is soaked it turns into this sticky foamy gunk.
And everyone is making it in to deal with the clean-up and it’s not an easy trip for anyone. There are 6 people that live outside of New York City ( Long Island, NJ, Rockland County) and not one of them has any power at home…I was feeling rather lucky that I got to go home to electricity and TV and stuff.
I don’t really think that most people outside of the immediate area really realize just how widespread the destruction is and how many people are affected…it’s not dozens of communities, it’s hundreds. At the worst point during Katrina, a million customers were without power…and as of last night 3 million customers were still dark because of Sandy.
It’s funny (and not a knock on anybody, that’s not how I mean this) but I was thinking of all the people who ARE affected by this who might not really realize how widespread this is - because they don’t have TV or internet, and are extremely busy just trying to get through the day in a home with no heat or water or electricity, they aren’t seeing the pictures and reading the stories - and are wondering why the government hasn’t come to help yet, when there are several million people who are as bad off as they are.
This is true. We had friends over to charge things and shower a couple days ago and they had little idea about what’s happened. Only vaguely herd about Brooklyn burning, or Long Beach’s devastation. No clue.
Or the rest of the country either. I was watching the local news today and it was one awful story after another. They sent news crews everywhere from Coney Island to Lindenhurst LI to Midland Beach Staten Island to Old Saybrook NJ and it was miles of mess in all directions.
But it is true that people have no idea what’s going on from place to another even when they live right there. Crews were in Essex Fells which is just a few minute’s walk from my house. They said much of the town was without power. I suspected it but I did not know that. It’s hard to even determine the damage. Many of the little side streets are blocked off. The major artery is also blocked off. There are ways around it but then you have to go down streets without functional traffic lights.
I’m not sure anyone really knows exactly how bad it is at this point.
I agree. We’re in this bubble, and it wasn’t until I tried to drop my daughter at a friends did I realize how bad my little 5000 person town had it. My block was fine. Around us, not so much.
Thanks… I heard from someone who had actually stayed with my friends because he had been flooded out of his own area. Then one of my friends updated Facebook on the fly. They are out of power, but no significant damage. They are campers and outdoorsy people and are about as well-prepared as a family can be to be out of power in that situation. 
I’m having to ration my exposure to news about the storm aftermath. I started to watch the telethon thing on NBC this evening and my Katrina PTSD was ‘officially’ triggered. (I’d been dancing around the trigger point for a few days.) I just can’t see those signs pleading for help and people getting rescued off roofs without going back to 2005.