|
|
| Reach out to Staten Island, Belle Harbor, and other places of New York City. Above, a business (before Sandy, 2012 hurricane) on Targee Avenue, Staten Island, NY (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Commentary
I have been alarmed as you probably have been too to learn of the continuing, growing, and urgent health, economic, environmental, and basic survival needs of thousands of survivors of post-Hurricane-Sandy in Staten Island, Belle Harbor, Breezy Point, and other worst-affected NYC coastal communities. The continuing failures of quick-response planning and action in New York City should wake all of us up to disaster response holes that just might exist in our own local, state, and federal plans, as well.
On Staten Island and in Belle Harbor, NYC, for example: neighbors, outside people and businesses, and organizations, such as Christian missionaries from the U.S. State of
Tennessee, and volunteer doctors and nurses have responded with real help by real, and usually regular, people doing the dirty work alongside those who suffer so much loss. It did sadden me today to see on television a father and, I suppose, his son, piece by piece clearing out the debris of their home leveled by the storm.
What if all NYC government buildings had been hit by Sandy? What responses would be there now, on the ground, almost around the clock? Yet, still, loss of electricity keeps many NYC residents in the dark. Would government people be helped with hotel rooms if their homes had been destroyed, even the mayor's home, by fire or storm? Think about this, Mr. Mayor of New York City! Is this the way to treat your city, where lack of electricity remains as a trial to thousands of suffering NYC citizens… more than two weeks later? I think your lights would have been on much faster...and probably were. [We lost power at home in Maryland, during the hurricane storm, for only three days and I can remember how it began to grate on us after 48 hours!] Why in the world isn't New York City's mayor paying attention until someone working with him rises to the ability to think creatively enough to solve this problem by any means, no matter how "out there"? There are many, albeit unusual and legal, possibilities for those "in power." If they possess any ingenuity at all, why are they not using it and their power for good, ongoing?
At the beginning, local, state, and
federal officials were on site in the worst-hit locations or nearby. Their
words and hugs gave temporary hope. Recently, however, real answers and help remain in silent Emergency Response Brake-On mode; swift and significant help appears to be on hold. This is the response of those in government, many being politically-connected executives with enormous power, many often boasting of what government can do and how it cares. Part of the problem is that "it" is not a person; I suspect
that many career people employed by relevant local, state, and federal agencies groan at having
their hands tied to give the same on the ground help that others try, with
little help, to give. These best of public servants sadly recognize the distance
that remains between giving assurances and following through until the dirty jobs are done and rebuilding can begin.
In light
of health, economic, environmental, and basic survival (warm shelter, food), Urgent Post-Hurricane-Sandy Needs should be addressed. Right away.
- Where are the local, state, and
federal health and human services departments?
- Where are the financial
resources being applied to real help on the ground?
- Where are EPA and FEMA at local and state levels?
- Where are the national health plan brains needed to
figure out how to help the affected localities become proactive regarding
looming risks of health due to oil or gas leaks, standing water and disease-prone foul air, soil and water after flooding and fires of this
hurricane?
It was said that Katrina-failures would
never happen again, but they have!
Where is Mayor Bloomberg?
Where are U. S. senators Schumer and Gillibrand?
Where are all NY City's public servants, and what are they doing?
Streets of New York cry out!
The Link for people who want to help and will help...leads here.
Another Opinari New York City article [9/11]
Copyright (c) 2012 Opinari Writers.
If you like this blog, you can do one or all of these things, with my appreciation:
- Join this blog (here, page upper right).
- Subscribe via an e-mail address (also here, on the right).
- Tweet @opinaripeople.
- Tweet (at bottom of a favorite article).
- Like Opinari Writers blog on Facebook (this option also at bottom of every article).
- Recommend it in your favorite ways.
