While many residents have struggled amid the outages and others have experienced damage to their homes from Hurricane Sandy, officials in several local towns by and large said there was more extensive infrastructure damage during last year’s Tropical Storm Irene. Some feel they dodged a bullet with Sandy.
According to the East Brunswick website, Bicentennial Park has been closed until further notice because of an extensive number of downed trees.
In addition, a Federal Emergency Management Agency Disaster Recovery Center opened Thursday, Nov. 8. The center, located at the maintenance facility of the township’s Division of Recreation, 334 Dunhams Corner Road, will be open daily, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., until further notice.
Residents are encouraged to register prior to going to the center by calling tollfree at 1-800-462-7585 or applying online at www.disasterassistance.gov.
Helmetta Mayor Nancy Martin said her town was fortunate, as opposed to last year when portions of the borough experienced significant flooding.
Martin noted that a tree fell on at least one residence as well as on the municipal building, but the community remained largely unscathed, though she did lament the extended power outage experienced throughout the area.
“The power station was under water and the power is being rerouted,” she told Greater Media Newspapers, noting that she had hoped power would be restored by Nov. 4 or 5.
According to JCP&L’s website, all of its customers in the borough are without power.
In neighboring Spotswood, borough officials were grateful that the floods generated by Irene did not return with Sandy.
Mayor Thomas Barlow said his primary concern in the aftermath of the storm was restoring power in the community.
While progress is being made slowly, a problem in neighboring East Brunswick may present an obstacle because a substation that serves the borough was damaged during the storm.
“Even if all the lines in Spotswood were fine, the substation that provides the power suffered significant damage,” he said.
Though Barlow lauded the utility crews, which came from as far as Michigan, he said he would like to have received more specific information from JCP&L.
In addition, while he recognized the inconvenience and frustration brought by the extended outages, it represents a lesser evil compared to floodwaters.
“Last year, people lost their houses, lost possessions, and frankly dealing with the water is a lot more difficult,” he said. “People didn’t have power then, they don’t have power now. The damage was much more massive and widespread [last year.]
“I would rather deal with no power than a flooded basement, and I think most people would agree with that,” he added.
Barlow also wanted to reassure residents that Spotswood’s water is safe to drink and that the borough will be waiving construction permit fees for those seeking to repair damage on their homes experienced during the storm.
Gerald Tamburro, president of the Monroe Township Council, said the most pressing matter continued to be the impact of the extended power outage, particularly on senior residents.
“The important thing also is that it became a neighbor-to-neighbor kind of thing,” Tamburro said, particularly of Greenbriar, a senior community where he resides. “Specifically [for] those neighbors who were single people, widows or widowers … the night was extremely long and extremely cold.”
Tamburro told Greater Media Newspapers that much of the township, including the municipal complex, is back online, though there are lingering portions still without power.
Despite the impact of the power outage, he defended JCP&L.
“Quite frankly, JCP&L has put out huge manpower on the roads and in the field,” he said. “They’ve been working diligently to bring up the things. But as it happens, the longer this goes on, people obviously [get] angry.”
In Jamesburg, Mayor Marlene Lowande similarly reported significant power outages caused by downed trees.
In addition, Lowande said it has been difficult keeping residents informed despite the creation of a Facebook group specifically to update borough citizens.
While saying she was hopeful power would soon be restored to all residents, she also took the opportunity to laud emergency personnel and local businesses for their support.
“Everyone as far as the emergency management, the fire department, the police, the EMS have really — 24 hours a day — been on this,” she said. “We’ve had no crime, no looting. We can be very proud of the job they’re doing.”
She also acknowledged Mendokers’ bakery for donating food to the borough shelter.
In addition, several families have donated goods for other residents more severely impacted by the storm.
“It really touched my heart,” she said. “You just don’t realize how good people really are. They are willing to give.”
Residents responded to the storm differently, some painting a bleak picture, while others said it could have been worse.
Jamesburg residents Salvatore and Ann Sabatino were watching television the evening of the storm when a tree crashed into their home of 47 years.
“My whole life has changed,” Ann told Greater Media Newspapers, noting she’s residing with her son, who at the time had no electric and experienced trouble finding a hotel with vacancies.
“There’s no place to go. I don’t know. Our son is concerned for our safety in his house. It’s crazy. I’m just overwhelmed,” she said, adding she was grateful she and her husband weren’t harmed.
“I realize I have a lot to be thankful for. I’m thankful we’re alive. I can’t believe how you work your whole life to pay for a house,” she said, her expression finishing her thought for her.
Salvatore, who was watching the news when the tree fell, said the whole incident happened in a flash.
“I was sitting in a chair in the room,” he said. “[The tree] just missed me. I was covered by sheets of plasterboard. Neighbors had to come over and get me out of the chair.”
Surveying the damage around his home, he also pointed out another tree, planted for his son over 40 years ago, which also fell, but caused no additional damage.
Natalie Kupersmith and Ann Guididas, of the Concordia Adult Community, Monroe, as they were waiting for power to be restored, were concerned about food and heat.
“I’m getting myself all stressed. It’s horrible. I’m alone,” Guididas said. “I can’t even cook, everything is electric.
“I feel sorry for people who lost their house completely,” she added, referring particularly to Jersey Shore residents. “But this is living hell here.”
Kupersmith shared similar sentiments, saying she believed that Sandy was worse than Tropical Storm Irene, due to the extended power outages.
Dawn McCann, on the other hand, said she and her family were OK despite being without power.
“We’re surviving,” McCann said, noting that her family was getting by, listening to the radio and cooking on their gas stovetop. “The one that’s most affected seems to be my dog.
“We’re coping. We’re very lucky. We have no water, no damage, just the power [outage],” she said.