Staten Island nightmare

[LiberalEsto]

This morning I received an astonishing email from a friend who lives on Staten Island, N.Y. Her 32-year-old daughter, who lives closer to the water on Staten Island, barely survived a night of terror during the storm Monday night.

This is my friend's story:

She wrote that her daughter phoned her around 6 p.m. Monday, "screaming that there was a foot of water in the house and it was in the middle of the ocean. She said, "Mom, whatever happens, I love you." I responded that nothing was allowed to happen, that she had to climb to the highest place she could, tie herself down and hang on. I called 911 to no avail, and the 122 precinct, finally reaching a female officer who told me that I should tell them (my daughter and her friend) to hang tight, that water rescues were taking place, and to look for lights. Shortly before midnight, after hours of agony, I received a call from my daughter sobbing that the house had collapsed and everything was gone, but she and her friend had made it to safety. They had felt the house sway on its pilings and climbed through a window onto the roof where they lashed themselves down with extension cords and huddled underneath the crumpled blue tarp that appears in the photos below. There they clung as the house floated, and they were battered by brutal winds. (The daughter) said that finally as the water started to recede it calmed enough for them to make their way to the second floor of the next house where they found relative safety. She told me that as she clung there on the roof she had wanted to give up, and let the sea and the wind take her. She cannot speak about it without being overcome by tears. We are so very grateful she is alive."


This story of my friend's daughter's ordeal struck me hard, because my own daughters are a few years younger than hers, and I cannot bear to imagine losing them. We in central Maryland got through the storm with no problems, and we are grateful.

As we know from news reports, too many people on Staten Island did not make it through Sandy. They are still pulling bodies out of the water and from wreckage.

Take a moment, if you will, to say some words, think some thoughts, or offer a prayer for all the victims, the survivors and those whose lives were lost in this storm.

[HooptieWagon]

1. OK. Daughter lives near the water...

I assume that was in the evacuation zone. Mother lives inland. Why didn't daughter go to mothers house before storm? Not only should she be thankful her stupidity didn't kill her, but she owes responders an apology for her stupidity putting their lives at risk.

Is daughter now one of the Staten Islanders complaining to media that FEMA isn't making hot meal deliveries door-to-door?

What part of "hurricane" and "disaster area" don't these people get? They elected a teabagger to Congress, the stupid must run pretty deep....

[A HERETIC I AM]

2. Nice

Last edited Sat Nov 3, 2012, 11:38 AM - Edit history (1)

Here's hoping you never have to go through anything more terrifying than stubbing your toe

[Sadiedog]

3. What part of you need to evacuate

did she not understand?

[HockeyMom]

5. My daughter lives in Lindenhurst near the water

They evacuated her area, as they did during Irene. She isn't DIRECTLY on the water, but they were still ordered to go. Monday morning she went to stay with her fiance in West Babylon (inland) and dropped her cat off here at the sister's house in Levittown (inland).

While they lost power, there was no danger of drowning, or house being washed away, being nowhere near the water.

When officials tell people to evacuate, LISTEN to them. They can go to a shelter, OR, if they have friends and relatives farther away from the shore go there.

[IllinoisBirdWatcher]

4. Sorry to disagree, but people need to take responsibility...

First, I feel for anyone's loss and pray for families who have lost loved ones.

But this story seems a tad tainted with over-reaction.

First, it makes a 32-year-old adult sound like a 12-year-old child from the mother's view.

Second, nearly half of Staten Island is in a ZONE A evacuation area - a far larger zone than Manhattan for example. Mandatory evacuation of all A zones was ordered Sunday morning. The "child" calls her mother at 6 pm on Monday evening. DUH, what happened to the previous 36 hours? Mother calls 911. Obvious busy. Mother then calls 122nd Precinct. DUH, the 122nd Precinct is smack-dab-in-the-middle of one of the largest mandatory evacuation A zones in the entire city of New York. Credit the NYPD for still even answering the phone there at 6 pm on Monday.

The final clue is the description that they "felt the house sway on its pilings..." If a house is up on pilings rather than on a basement or solid foundation, then there is a good clue it might be in a flood evacuation area.

[LiberalEsto]

6. I wasn't looking for agreement or disagreement - just posting a story about someone's experiences

I have no idea why my friend's daughter did not evacuate.
I am not going to ask her until they have had some time to recover.

I certainly would have left that house under those circumstances. I've never met the daughter.
Maybe something was going on that we know nothing about. Until I know differently, I am not willing to cast blame or make judgements.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. From experience, as an emergency worker,

You might not be able to ask ever.

Glad "the kid made it." A 32 year old is not a kid.

Chances are they did not evacuate because the last time NYC was hit hard was Donna. Mom might remember, but it is well before the daughter was conceived.

I will make a prediction, when San Diego is hit by a Hurricane, my coastal denizens will also refus to. The last one to hit was in my lifetime, but most San Diegans have no clue.

Hubby and I have looked at flood maps, we are not going to wait for the official order.

[MineralMan]

8. There are always people who refuse to evacuate when told to.

I never understood this, really. If you stay and get stranded, or worse, some first responder is going to have to risk his or her life to rescue you. You're not only risking your own life, but the lives of others. If you get an official notice to evacuate, take some stuff, get in your car, and leave.

I grew up in a family of first responders. I've watched two generations take risks to save people who should have left when the evacuation order went out. Just freaking go, when you are told to!

Sorry, but I'm not even sure the story in the OP is true or not. Lots of bogus stuff circulating out there.

[progressivebydesign]

11. Agreed. They are a total danger to 1st responders, and hurt others who followed the rules.

that's what is so frustrating. It's very selfish on their part. Then, as the story is written, the mother is screaming on the phone for people to save her daughter.. who should have never been there in the first place. She's angry at others, but she made the decision that cannot be taken back.

The story is written like one of those fake chain emails that come from lobbyists....

[LiberalEsto]

17. To the best of my knowledge it is true

I worked as a newspaper journalist for more than 25 years. I value the truth and I am not in the habit of purposely posting stuff that isn't true.

My friend, who is in her 60s, like me, is not an attention-seeker or a headline-grabber. She is a quiet woman who also happens to be a Lutheran pastor. I don't see why she would fabricate a story like this in a personal e-mail to me.

I emailed her and other family and friends in the NY-NJ area to ask if they were okay or needed anything. She did not contact me first.

[MineralMan]

18. OK. The person's daughter still should have evacuated.

In my opinion, it is irresponsible to stay in an evacuation zone and potentially put first responders at risk. I will never alter that opinion. I've seen my father come back from trying to rescue someone too many times, and too many times the reason for the rescue was stupidity on the part of the person who was rescued. People need to follow evacuation orders. Period.

[me b zola]

9. When a person has been in a struggle for life and death

and particularly when that struggle lasts for more than a min or two, really should seek counseling. PTSD is best treated sooner rather than later and can cripple your life if not treated.

Best of luck to your friend's daughter, I will send prayers and positive vibes.

[Mojorabbit]

14. +1000 nt

[progressivebydesign]

10. My Mother would have insisted I evacuate before the order was given, and I'm 50.

No way in hell my family would let me stay in my house if something like that is approaching. Of course, there's no way in hell I would stay in my house if it was approaching. I'd gather my pets, some important items and head for safer grounds.

Sorry for people having a hard time, but it's not brain surgery. There is a hurricane of epic proportions WITH sea swells and flooding predicted well in advance. YOu leave.. you get your stuff and you leave. Period. How could a group of adults not get that??

[cali]

12. this story is going around the web

I've already seen it here this morning from someone else who says it was a friend's daughter.

I'm not saying it's not true, but it's strange.

[LiberalEsto]

13. I mentioned it in a response to another post earlier

Maybe that's what you saw?

Then I thought people on DU might want to read about it in more detail, and put it up as an OP

[RagAss]

15. Oh

[warrprayer]

16. try to understand

most people in the affected areas have never been through anything like this. Irene probably had a lot of them thinking the PTB were crying wolf. They will probably never think that again. I was a Red Cross Volunteer (ham radio operator) in better times. I live in Northwestern Pa and was shitting giant bricks over this, had more than a 3 days supply of goods. Hopefully now easterners will get better educated and prepared.