Lack of Correct Sandy Classification Led to Lack of Preparedness

Julian Omidi discusses the National Hurricane Center’s inability to classify super storm Sandy as a hurricane before the event, thereby inadvertently causing residents of the North East to fail to recognize the severity of the storm. Julian Omidi looks at the consequences this miscategorization may have had for those on the East Coast.

Even though we refer to super storm Sandy as a Hurricane, by the time it made landfall on the East Coast it was, technically, a post-tropical cyclone, according to the forecasters at the National Hurricane Center. While this may not seem like a tremendous difference to those of us who are unacquainted with meteorological events, the agency and local officials were very concerned that the downgrade would cause residents to fail to take the dangers seriously, according to a recent report in the New York Times.[1]

The National Hurricane Center takes its forecasts extremely seriously; accuracy of the classifications of various storms supersedes even the desire to protect the population from underestimating potential hazards.  By inaccurately referring to the storm as a hurricane, NHC agents could have harmed the credibility of the center, possibly causing the public to disregard future warnings.  Nonetheless, emergency management centers virtually begged the NHC to continue to call Sandy a hurricane – even though it wouldn’t have been strictly accurate.

Once a storm has been downgraded from hurricane to post-tropical cyclone, the NHC no longer has the authority to issue advisories due to a long and convoluted series of rules and regulations.  Local emergency management officials were left largely on their own to warn the public of the catastrophe, which may have caused the public to take the storm less seriously than it might have had advisories been given by the NHC directly.

On October 27, two days before the storm hit, the NHC officially downgraded the hurricane to a post-tropical cyclone, and left local emergency management agencies to issue specific warnings about the dangers to life and property.  Although cyclones might not seem a terrifying as hurricanes, they are more than capable posing a significant threat to human life, and this certainly proved to be true in Sandy’s case, since a total of 147 lives were lost in the United States and the Caribbean, and billions of dollars worth of property was destroyed.  

The NHC is currently working to modify its storm advisory rules so that official advisories about any tropical storm that poses a threat to life and property can be issued.  Currently, the parent agency of the NHC, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has the authority to deliver advisories regarding tropical storms that are not officially classified as hurricanes, so long as these storms have the potential to cause momentous hazards.

Of the 147 deaths that occurred as a direct result of the super storm, 72 occurred in the North East region of the United States. More than 8 million residents were left without power for weeks afterword, and approximately 650,000 homes were either damaged or completely destroyed.

By Julian Omidi 

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[1] Santora, Marc: Hurricane Center Seeks Expanded Authority to Issue Warnings New York Times 2/12/2013 http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/13/nyregion/reducing-hurricane-sandy-to-a-tropical-storm-undercut-warnings.html

Local Assistance for Hurricane Sandy Needed as Thousands Still Displaced

Even though the federal government is certainly needed in order to alleviate some of the burden and destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy, federal officials and bureaus might not offer the best suggestions as to where the money should be spent. Some of the federal funding for the rebuilding of Hurricane Sandy ravaged areas should be allocated to local and municipal leaders for distribution, according to speakers during a meeting about Hurricane Sandy reconstruction financing. And since there are more than 3,500 peoplestill living in FEMA sponsored hotels without knowing whether or when their assistance will be cancelled, it is important that all levels of assistance are taken into account.

The goal of the discussion was to alert the financing officials of the need to begin the rebuilding process from the ground up—not the top down. The restoration efforts must come at a local level; the mayors and local officials have a better grasp of what the communities need than Beltway politicians, but all input is still needed.

Thousands of people are still displaced, without any clear idea of when they will their eligibility for hotel assistance will expire. Even though the rebuilding of boardwalks and other tourist-heavy locations are well underway, many people are still waiting for insurance assistance so that they can begin the long and arduous process of rebuilding their homes. 

FEMA assistance is withdrawn when it is determined that the claimants are eligible for rental assistance, have housing options or are able to return to their homes, but since every case is different, it is impossible to know how individual situations will be evaluated.  How will officials determine what is a viable housing option and what isn’t? What if the damaged and uninhabitable home is mortgaged and the assistance recipient must continue to make mortgage payments?  The hotel rooms do not have kitchens; the Sandy refugees must eat all of their meals out, which is quite expensive. The transportation to and from school and work isn’t free, either. Assistance recipients find that the money which was intended for rental security deposits is continually dwindling away on inescapable expenses.

The housing situation highlights the need for communication between federal and local offices.  While FEMA has issued 1,000 housing vouchers, it is up to local representatives to distribute them as fairly as possible.  Hopefully, the people who are still stranded in hotels without any idea of when they will be able to return to a home will finally get the assistance they need.

By Julian Omidi

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Solomon, Josh: Jersey Shore Leaders Continue to Press for Hurricane Sandy Funds Huffington Post 1/24/2013 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/josh-solomon/hurricane-sandy-jersey-shore_b_2542494.html

Barr, Meghan; Zezima, Katie: Displaced Hurricane Sandy Victims Get Temporary Shelter At Hotels Huffington Post 1/25/2013 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/25/sandy-victims-hotels_n_2551005.html

Slow Progress Being Made in Hurricane Sandy Recovery

Julian Omidi discusses the very slow progress being made in the efforts to rebuild after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. Julian Omidi looks at affected areas and how they are coping with the recovery.

Even though the reports about the efforts to rebuild the east coast after the “super storm” have slowed to a crawl, it is still important to keep track of the repair progress.  Unfortunately, three months after the wreckage of Hurricane Sandy, several districts are reporting the recovery efforts have stalled.

In Hoboken, New Jersey, there have been complaints regarding flood insurance claims, which have been slow to process. Flood insurance, which is mandatory for mortgaged homes in areas with a high flood risk, isn’t coming to many people with what are known as “garden-level units.” Insurance providers view them as basements, not homes or businesses, and therefore only replace boiler units.  The Mayor of Hoboken has challenged Congress to alter the flood insurance policies in order to provide equal coverage for basement homes.

Residents of public housing have seen the least progress. Electricity, heat and water services are spotty; the high waters brought infestation of water-loving insects like roaches and water bugs and residents still report that stalled elevators have left infirm and elderly residents stranded on the top floors. Because the New York City Housing Authority was so ill-prepared for this crisis, private charities took it upon themselves to bring food, blankets and medication to stranded public housing residents, many of whom didn’t have running water and who had to ration their prescription drug supply.  Today, many of the buildings in Coney Island, The Rockaways and Red Hook are still using mobile boiler units that must be operated via generators.

It is estimated that approximately 20 percent of the homes in Gerrittsen Beach, Brooklyn are described as unlivable.  Many of the older residents are still living in the cold, with only space heaters and blankets, and rely upon mobile units of medical staff from the Coney Island Hospital to help them cope with an especially harsh cold and flu season. Much of the debris has been cleared, however.  The water-logged furniture, carpeting, drywall and other damaged materials that littered the landscape has been cleared away, but the mold inside the homes is still a major problem.

It was reported that 40 percent of the population of Long Beach, New York has not yet returned since Hurricane Sandy made landfall. Buildings are still flooded and covered in mold and mildew. Small businesses are suffering horribly, and many of the local establishments have closed down, unable to earn enough revenue to make up for the thousands of dollars in damage repairs.  Many residents rely upon meal donation services, since their kitchens aren’t functional and restaurants too costly.

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Recovery Remains Spotty 3 Months After Hurricane New York Times 1/21/2013 http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/22/nyregion/recovery-remains-spotty-3-months-after-hurricane-sandy.html?pagewanted=all

Cars Damaged in Hurricane Sandy are Flooding the Market

Julian Omidi reports on thousands of flood damaged cars from Hurricane Sandy entering the automobile market and offers tips on how to avoid purchasing a vehicle that has undergone a “title washing.”

Once a car is totaled, burned, or irreparably damaged in a flood, after the tow truck hauls the vehicle away we often think that the car is ready for the junk heap.  However, a great many cars are gussied up and resold—and the new buyer is, more often than not, totally unaware of the damage that the car has suffered in its previous life.  After Hurricane Sandy, there might be a great many more cars headed out to unscrupulous dealerships and unsuspecting American (and even international) driveways—cars that might not be safe to drive.

This is not a new activity.  After Hurricane Katrina it was reported that many firms were buying up flood damaged cars and quietly re-titling them and reselling them without ever disclosing the extent of the original damage.  Many states have lax car title laws, allowing cars that have been previously branded as flood damaged or “junk” in other regions to have that distinction wiped from its record.  This practice, called “title washing,” allows vehicles that have been corroded with salt water, burned or wrecked to enter back into the population. It is slippery and unethical, but since the laws (or lack thereof) are just being circumvented, not broken, the scheme is widespread.

Cars that have been flooded with corrosive salt water are commonly believed to never be salvageable, since the electrical components are highly sensitive to salt.  People who knowingly sell salt water-flooded vehicles are deliberately turning an unsafe vehicle over to an unsuspecting buyer.
Because of the lack of uniformity in vehicle title branding, many companies that specialize in vehicle reports find it difficult to access the true history of a vehicle whose title has been washed.  Many uninsured flood vehicles are merely sold for scrap and then resold—without any reporting at all.  There is also a large market for used vehicles in other countries, and many of them do not have title requirements at all.   

Needless to say, be very careful when purchasing a used vehicle. Make sure you are buying from a reputable dealership that is certified for that particular car brand—you want to make sure that the dealer will take responsibility if some component in the vehicle should prove to be in some way damaged.  It might be tempting to purchase a car privately, but it is very easy for a seller to totally bypass all of the proper vehicle registration channels. It is unfortunate, but there could be tens of thousands of faulty vehicles circulating throughout the U.S., and until there is some kind of regulation that prevents this kind of fraud, it is something we may have to face after every natural disaster.

By Julian Omidi

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Nir, Sarah Maslin: Dried Out and Title-Scrubbed, Flooded Cars Lure the Unwary New York Times 1/12/2013 http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/13/nyregion/cars-flooded-by-hurricane-sandy-lure-unwitting-buyers.html

Homes Damaged by Hurricane Sandy Not Set to Be Demolished in New York

Hundreds of homes in Brooklyn, Staten Island and Queens that were deemed to be damaged beyond repair are set to be demolished by the city of New York. However, it is not yet entirely clear if the homeowners are required to pay the cost of demolition; a notice sent by the New York Department of Buildings stated that the city would withhold the charges incurred by the city for demolition services, but the notice didn’t specify whether or not it would be temporary or permanent. However, many homeowners whose homes were destroyed in Breezy Point, Queens were alarmed to receive a notice stating that they were to be held liable for failure to maintain their buildings properly, and might be prosecuted as a result.

According to the New York Department of Buildings, these notices were a formality, and property owners shouldn’t fear any legal action or fines. But homeowners do not necessarily feel comforted by this news, since the messages sent out by the department and different council members have been so oblique that it is impossible to know for certain what course of action will be taken. One thing is clear, however, 200 homes will be demolished by the city, and several hundred more will be evaluated to determine structural integrity.

80,000 Buildings Have Been Evaluated from Damage Caused by Sandy

The damage from Hurricane Sandy is still being assessed; roughly 80,000 buildings have been evaluated for structural integrity, and the soundness of the structures is disclosed using different colored tags: green for stable, yellow for restricted and red for unsound. As one might imagine, red signs are indicators that the home or building might need to be demolished, although a red notice isn’t necessarily a guarantee that either the city or the owner must raze the building.

Unsound structures are sometimes so fragile that they are a danger to surrounding properties. These have been pulled away from their foundations; sometimes having been lifted clean off of the ground and dropped several yards away. They list to one side and threaten to topple over at any time. Desperate homeowners are faced with the choice of demolishing the house outright, or hiring an engineer to design plans that might save them; pending approval from the city.

Many blocks of homes in neighborhoods in Queens, NY were thoroughly destroyed, not only by the force of the hurricane, but by the electrical fires that raged on the night of the storm. Many homes were reduced to piles of rubble that couldn’t even support the inspector’s signs, and it is difficult to determine what the home addresses even are amidst all of the rubble.

Julian Omidi is cofounder of the charitable organizations No More Poverty and Animal Support with his brother, Dr. Julian Omidi. In the following article, Julian Omidi discusses the extent of the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy, and the city of New York’s efforts to evaluate the individual structures.