On behalf of the Forest Hills Civic Association, thank you to all who participated in assisting our neighborhood after the storm: Community Board 6’s Community Emergency Response Team, the city Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services, the city Parks Department, the NYPD, the FHVAC and especially our neighbors.
CERT immediately directed traffic in various impassable locations; neighbors assisted in yellow caution, taped-off sections that were hazardous; because of people trapped in a vehicle, residents cleared a path for emergency vehicles to access the site; Ladder 151/Engine 305 responded to dangerous emergency locations; and general chaos was controlled. Numerous homes from 70th Avenue to 68th Avenue on Olcott, Nansen, Manse, Loubet, Kessel, Juno and Ingram streets received substantial fallen tree damage as well as homes in the northern Van Court area, The Gardens, Rego Park and the apartment buildings near Yellowstone Boulevard.
Naturally, cable and telephone service was disrupted with downed wires that still lie about, but service is slowly being restored in those areas that are safe to work in. We were without normal bus service from Thursday night until Wednesday because the bus streets were only partially accessible. Throughout all of this, complaints were not excessive, but damage reports were staggering.
Sanitation managed to make scheduled collections, schools were open, folks pitched in to clear locations over the weekend, the 112th Precinct provided security from Friday night sundown till Saturday night sundown for the holy day while maintaining response levels for all other areas requiring assistance or crime deterrence, Parks has been clearing streets and removing trees from houses, Con Ed and Verizon are restoring service and hopefully within a period of 10 days or so since the storm life will return to near normal.
New Yorkers respond well to major disasters whether they are first responders or a neighbor or a local business, and they demonstrated that at this time. So thank you to all who rolled up their sleeves and came to the aid of our community.
Barbara Stuchinski
President
Forest Hills Community & Civic Association
Forest Hills
