As the storm surged Monday night, the water flooded the streets, causing catastrophic damage to many homes and cars still on the street.
The Barrier Island was left powerless and crippled in terms of communication.
The sewage and water treatment plant lost power and the generators were eventually covered in six feet of water. Tap water became unsafe for consumption and residents lacked basic services like toilets or showers.
Despite extensive preparations by the city, specifically the Public Works Department, to build sand berms and build up the dunes, Sandy wrecked havoc on anything in its way.
Shelters
Due to the health and safety concerns, shelters have been set at Nassau Community College and Levittown Memorial Education Center, along with a pet friendly shelter at Mitchell Field. City, county and private buses will be evacuating residents to the shelters.
“You can get out of town, get a hot meal, and take a shower. There, you can get in contact with loved ones, and maybe hunker down somewhere else,” said City Councilman Michael Fagen.
Fire Department
On Monday the Long Beach Fire Department responded and successfully put out
fires at 10 homes in the East End of the city, but with the city being underwater, a lot of its equipment and trucks was severely damaged.
Safety and Protection
The resources of the city, Nassau County, New York State and the federal
government are pulling together to assist Long Beach in its recovery effort. The
National Guard and the state police are on the ground to protect citizens and their
property.
FEMA
FEMA is in the process of setting up a mobile communications center in order to
assist residents to fill out and file their insurance claims.
Basic Needs
Over 500 porta-potties will be set up in intersections throughout the city and will
remain for the duration of the sewage outage. Ready-to-eat meals and bottled water are available at City Hall.
Cell Phone Service
After the storm, cellphone service was largely unavailable in Long Beach, as well on a good portion of the south shore of Long Island. On Tuesday afternoon the city was waiting for a mobile cell tower to be set up by Sprint Network.
RELATED
- PHOTOS: Hurricane Sandy - The Aftermath
- City Manager: Long Beach Under 'Extreme Flooding'
- Health Commissioner Orders Water-Consumption Ban in Long Beach
- Long Beach Water, Sewer Systems Out
- City Officials Focus on Getting Residents to Safety
This story was written by Joley Welkowitz
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