Community Corner

Hurricane Facebook Page Helps Put Long Beach Back Together

Social media efforts keeping residents informed through disaster.

Story by Nicole Murphy.

As Hurricane Sandy ripped through the city of Long Beach, destroying homes, businesses and town landmarks along the way, many residents were left without a solid source of information.

Long Beach High School alumni Patrick Quinn and Mandy Hession, now residents of California and Vermont, saw their hometown in ruins and wanted to do something to help. The two joined forces to create the Long Beach NY, Hurricane Information page on Facebook, where people from Long Island and beyond could stay informed.

When current Long Beach resident Chris Musto saw the efforts put forth through social media, he knew he could bring the site's capability to the next level being here in New York.

"I felt so guilty when I saw it," said Musto, a Port Jefferson native who evacuated Long Beach early last week. "I didn't lose power once at my parent's in Port Jefferson and all my friends were getting crushed. I started updating on the page regularly trying to keep people without power informed."

Kerri Tortorella, a friend and fellow member of the Long Beach community, teamed up with Musto to bring the online efforts to life. Within days, the two set up a donation center at 157 E. Sunrise Highway in Freeport where clothing, food, home goods and supplies were transported to Long Beach, Howard Beach, the Rockaways and other devastated towns across Long Island.

"I've only experienced such devastation through the television," said Tortorella, whose second floor apartment in Long Beach was fortunate to sustain only minimal damage from the storm. "It's hard to realize that we're living this. It's effected so many people across the east coast; it's tremendous."

"Every day since the storm, we've seen support grow and grow," she added. "We wouldn't have been able to do any of this without the thousands of people who drove in to us to donate, using their last bits of gas to bring car loads of supplies. Our efforts went viral and took on a life of their own. It's been overwhelming."

Musto said donations have varied from money, clothing, blankets, hot meals and non-perishable goods. Right now, he said, Long Beach is in need of everyday items that are a bit more difficult to spare, such as brooms, first-aid kits, mouth wash, batteries and plastic bins.

In addition to collecting for those in need, the Facebook page also serves as a place for people across the country to keep track of their loved ones.

"We've done everything from search and rescue, to reuniting families," Musto said. "We have a lot of valued information and it really goes to show how powerful social media is. We're happy to be at the forefront, showing how good people are in the worst of times. To be a part of it all makes me so thankful."

Both the Freeport donation center and the Long Beach Ice Arena are still looking for volunteers to sort and distribute donations as they come in. For more information, check in with the Long Beach, NY Hurricane Information page.


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