New York entered a state of emergency as Hurricane Irene neared, but was in a state of relief after the storm passed.
By the time the storm arrived in the Metropolitan area, it was downgraded to a Category 1, but still covered an area of almost 700 miles and lashed the city with winds upwards of 80 mph. However, long before the storm made landfall, the city and the state had already taken steps to minimize damage and lives lost.
Tracking the storm:
? The city’s and the state’s Offices of Emergency Management (OEM) command centers were activated on Wednesday, August 24 in order to monitor Irene in conjunction with the National Weather Service to gauge the storm’s strength and trajectory.
? On Thursday, August 25, Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency in New York in preparation for Irene’s arrival. The same day, Mayor Michael Bloomberg held a press conference in Laurelton, one of the borough’s most flood-prone areas. Bloomberg also mentioned that evacuations might be necessary.
? On Friday, August 26, Bloomberg announced mandatory evacuations for all low-lying areas in the city – including all of the Rockaways. Also on August 26, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced that all services will shut down by noon on Saturday, August 27 in anticipation of the storm.
? The effects of Hurricane Irene are felt during the early morning hours of Sunday, August 28.
? Bloomberg lifted the evacuation order as of 3 p.m. on Sunday, August 28 and also announced that most MTA services would be up and running by Monday morning.
In the days following the storm, residents and business owners looking to qualify for disaster relief assistance are urged to visit www.nyc.gov, as the city must estimate the storm’s total effect on city residents and employees.
Residents are also urged to call 3-1-1 for all non-emergencies
Con Edison announced that approximately 109,000 of the 187,800 customers impacted by the storm have been restored to service as of Monday, August 29. The power company also said that most city customers are expected to be restored by late Tuesday. Con Edison also distributed 80,000 pounds of dry ice in the last 24 hours.
Customers can report power interruptions or service problems on the web at www.conEd.com or by calling 1-800-75-CONED.
The mayor also reminded city residents that the New York Blood Center (NYBC) took a major hit during the storm and need help now more than ever. New Yorkers are being urged to contact the NYBC at 1-800-933-2566 or at www.nybloodcenter.org.
“We’re here to talk about somebody that gave us a weekend to remember – and that was Irene,” said Bloomberg from Engine 166/Ladder 86 Fire Company on Staten Island. “It was a storm that obviously could have turned out far worse.
“There is something that New Yorkers can do, however, to help get us through this and keep our city safe now, and that is donate blood,” he said. “Irene disrupted blood collection throughout the metropolitan area. And with another three-day holiday weekend coming up, the supply will get even lower.”
While in Staten Island, the mayor lauded the fire department for numerous water rescues throughout the city. Without them, he added, the hurricane’s toll could have been a lot worse.
“The FDNY made similar waterborne rescues in other parts of our city, including Broad Channel, Howard Beach, and the Rockaways,” he said. “We don’t have a full count, but I think it’s safe to say that firefighters rescued more than 100 people in our city in this way, and also rescued motorists stranded in flooded autos.”
