Devastation Around Brooklyn
Trees down here – this is nothing – compared to the devastation people are feeling in Brooklyn/Queens and Staten Island.
I live in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn just two blocks away from the water. When I heard the news about the winds we were expecting, I wondered if the 30 foot tree outside my house would survive the storm and if it didn’t, who would I call to remove it. Unlike other trees in the area, this tree is inside my gate and on my property, rather than the city’s property. And you know, worrying is contagious because after I worried about the tree falling, I worried about the tree falling and hurting someone’s car or worse, a person.
Thankfully the tree stayed in place and Hurricane Sandy left us unscathed.
Many people on television are seeing the police rescue Brooklynites from their flooded homes. Yes, people were told to evacuate, but after many years of the news hyping-up storm reports, no one took this news any more serious than the news reports of the last twenty years. For readers who don’t live in the area, hurricanes are just rainstorms here in Brooklyn. In Long Island, hurricanes are always like this storm, but Brooklyn has never been affected like this before.
Unfortunately the stormed harmed many people in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. I left my house yesterday because all of the cash machines in the area were empty. We drove around a bit and saw the devastation left by the storm. Of course there were branches all over, but I didn’t expect to see so many trees uprooted from the ground. The further I went from my home, the worse things got.
SeaGate, Brooklyn after Hurricane Sandy
We went to Breezy to see a friend because our phones are down (a Verizon tower in the area went down) and we weren’t able to call her and see if her family/home was okay. My friend was fine, but viewing the blocks where the fire happened was devastating. I cried for the people who lost their homes – their dreams. Many of them were in the area and I felt like I was witnessing a funeral because they were so crushed. But the real amazing thing about the fire in Breezy is that about 100 homes were destroyed and not one person died. So their lives aren’t over, but they will have a difficult year rebuilding. Above the devastation of the fire is life.
And of course one of the best things about Brooklyn is how people are pulling together to help those who were hit by the storm.
EDIT: Tonight I saw some pictures of my friends home in Staten Island……..her beautiful house was ruined. The water was over 6 feet high (as seen by the lines of their walls. The refrigerator and the contents and all the furniture was knocked over. And every room was covered in sand. The bathtub has six inches of sand in it. Heart-breaking…..I can’t imagine walking in and finding my home like that. I’m grateful that my friend and her family weren’t in their home and are safe….that’s all that matters. Things can be replaced – people can’t.
Hugs,
marlene
Topics: Uncategorized | 4 Comments »
November 1st, 2012 at 4:16 am
We are so glad to see your post because we were so worried about you, Lee and the family. Please call or e-mail me if you don’t have service.
November 1st, 2012 at 4:16 am
Glad to see that you guys are okay.We love you and want to hear from you.
November 1st, 2012 at 4:18 am
I knew you and your brick home would be okay but then the stories on the news and the pics online made me worry.We tried to call but the few times we got through we got the machine.Just wanted to let you know we were thinking of you.
November 1st, 2012 at 12:37 pm
I’m sorry to cause any worry. Our phones were out until late last night. We really are fine – I will call you today!!!