11/12/2012
From my co-worker Jon Antis:
A friend of mine, Kevin Boyle, is a writer and a resident of the Belle Harbor neighborhood of Rockaway. He posted this on his page this weekend as a plea--not for supplies and food--but for INFORMATION about restoration of of utilities and general safety & support from various agencies...INFORMATION which seems to be sorely lacking. Please read and consider copying & pasting on your various pages and groups. Thanks!
From Kevin Boyle 11/10/12:
"Not sure of Facebook etiquette but I'm reposting. I don't know how posts spread on Facebook but if you're so inclined please LIKE or forward or whatever -- thanks!
Rockaway is full of resilient people. There are plenty of cops, firemen, plumbers and luckily, an abundance of people ready to pitch in. What we don't have is information. Here's a simple plan that can and should be implemented.
The buildings department went around doing exterior inspections of homes. If your home was deemed unsafe you got a RED notice (an 8x11 piece of paper) , if you had an issue like a broken railing you got a YELLOW, and if things seemed ok you got a GREEN. It was taped to the front door or window.
The same process could be used for INFORMATION. We are now being forced to rely on a very unreliable grapevine.
An 8 x 11 piece of paper can be posted on every home. Such a list could include these concerns:
1- Police will patrol the neighborhood from dark until dawn
2- Sanitation will do block by block pick up overnight starting on street __
3. FEMA is set up in the Waldbaum’s parking lot and at Fort Tilden.
4. If you need internet, there is a hotspot at the St. Francis Schoolyard.
5. LIPA is setting December 1 as the earliest day they can restore power (or whenever – people can then plan accordingly).
6. LIPA will not turn on power until a house by house inspection is done (and if a professional electrician is needed to inspect the electric panel residents should be told so).
7. Food, clothing, and cleaning supplies are available at the following locations:
8. Gas is available in the following locations:
9. Red Cross is hiding so forget looking for them
10. Ok, forget Number 9 -- but how about a list with basic info? Just:
ONE SHEET, that's it.
Now, of course, there should be someone to gather this information (which shouldn’t be too hard) and then have someone else distribute it. Seems to me a very simple solution to one of the greatest needs in Rockaway.
Like maybe The PUBLIC ADVOCATE could gather info and distribute?
Anyway...I don't know how posts spread on Facebook but if you're so inclined please like or forward or whatever -- thanks!
