Sat in local high school getting warm, they have charging stations and wifi, showers also available here, free coffee and snacks too. Lots and lots of damage from falling trees and poles but people took notice of warnings and stayed inside so only one death reported locally. Wegmans is aboutnthe only place open but is absolutely packed with people buying warm food and getting free wifi and charging. The few gas stations open have long lines. One is open exclusively for people filling cans for generators.

The Red Cross has been re-organized to better respond. For a while they got bogged down by their own red tape.

Then there's the Salvation Army.

Okay, I found this

In lieu of going yourself to help out, you can donate money through the American Red Cross. That way there's only one organization (instead of dozens) working the logistics of getting goods in to everyone in the areas affected. You can imagine the difficulty in organize deliveries for dozens of organizations. By giving money, the Red Cross can simply buy what's necessary, instead of organizing hundreds of shipments from other tiny organizations (i.e. churches, schools, etc)

My heart goes out to you. One of the worst things, I found, was not being able to wash my hair! We had to sleep in our coats and shoes, due to lack of heating.
On the plus side, there is little chance of this re-occuring in the near future, so hopefully you'll be back on your feet in no time.

The flooding of the NY subway was forecast in a peer reviewed paper. The response of the anti-science brigade, to an earlier blog is interesting.

Read about it here.

I wonder about the impact on the development of the subway on 2nd Av- that was an eyesore before Sandy.

I think it's events like this that really highlight how unprepared and poorly maintained much of the core infrastructure of this country is.

Glad you are in one piece JG. Hope the roof damage isn't so bad it is letting the elements damage what's inside the house.

Passed the same gas station on our way home. Must be more than a 100 vehicles waiting and tempers seem to be wearing thin. People out of their cars shouting at each other because people are trying to jump the queue etc.

Makes one wonder what would happen if something more catestrophic happened.

The anti-science brigade are going to be a big problem here.

Glad to know you're safe, JG.

Yes that's the most important thing.

A builder came out yesterday to cover it. He couldn't do more today because no where is open for supplies. Hope that makes sense...typing on phone which isn't easy.

Reminds me a bit of the ice storm of 1998, when the entire electricity infrastructure over a very wide area was destroyed. Fortunately it wasn't too cold (mostly in the 25 - 35 degree range) and we had a wood stove, candles and a wind-up radio. But we had no electricity or water for twelve days. For the first week or more we were not permitted to drive so couldn't get into town to get a meal and warm up at the shelter in the Catholic Church. Eventually we were allowed to drive (we had gas already in both cars, fortunately..) so we went to the shelter, went to the college where I work where they had one dorm with generator power so we were able to get a hot shower; after ten days! Then the rumor got about, the roads had been cleared of debris, trees and power lines sufficiently that the National Guard and the line crews could get in! We went down to the nearby US Route and saw the first National Guard convoys driving in. I have to admit we were choking up and waving and cheering as they drove through. Then the line crews, from all over the US and Canada, started coming through and rebuilding the lines (in our area they had to replace almost every pole and all the equipment.) The crews that put us back on the grid were from California, I believe there were even crews from Hawaii up here too. We were lucky, we had no damage to the house and no burst pipes, but many of our neighbors did. People around here talked for years about how it built up a sense of community and neighborliness.

http://sakurafront.org.uk/tsunami

Even disasters have a positive angle. I hope everyone without heating manages to find somewhere warm to sleep tonight.

I think just about everywhere in the country is unprepared. Although California has upgraded over 50,000 bridges since Loma Prieta, has banned unreinforced brick buildings and require older brick buildings to be reinforced, and closed all hospitals, schools, and emergency services when it is discovered to be near an earthquake fault, when the big one happens, there will be extreme damage.

I doubt there is any area along the gulf coast or south eastern seaboard that can withstand a Category 5 hurricane without extreme damage.

And the midwest will always be hit with tornados that will cause extensive damage.

Japan was supposed to be the most prepared earthquake and tsunami country in the world but faired very poorly in the Kobe and 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

Tame Europe (except for the earthquakes in Italy) will be very unprepared if hurrincane winds ravage the continent.

Power has been restored to our little subdivision. A hurricane is not a good thing when suffering from an unexpected bout of homesickness.