New York State Senator Joseph Addabbo, Jr., today released the following statement on the effects of Hurricane Irene on his district:
Before Irene hit our area, my staff and I drove around the district and we were pleased to see how prepared people were in bracing for the hurricane. I believe this was a direct result of the media and governmental leaders like Governor Cuomo and Mayor Bloomberg repeatedly stressing the severity of the storm.
During the storm, I monitored the constituent calls received by my 24-hour live operator service and most inquiries were regarding possible evacuation procedures, trees, and electrical service issues.
On Sunday afternoon, I went throughout the district assessing the damage left by Irene. As I spoke to residents, many felt the damage could have been worse. I identified and reported specific roads with downed trees and wires. Areas suffering loss of utility services were also reported to the appropriate agency. Everyone in my district was impacted in some way by Hurricane Irene.
While some northern communities in my district like Middle Village experienced black-outs, the mid-district areas of Forest Park, Kew Gardens and Woodhaven had several fallen trees and downed utility poles, in addition to severe flooding that occurred in the southern communities of Howard Beach, especially Hamilton Beach, along with some power outages in Ozone Park.
Now the work begins. My staff and I will assist constituents as they recover from the storm; many of my residents are still without electrical power and utility services. Efforts must be made to ensure that FEMA rightfully compensates residents for the damage done to their property.
I intend to work with the offices of the mayor, the governor, FEMA and others to expedite surveys and reimbursements. This week I will also examine the issue of flood zoning classifications within my district for certain areas, such as Hamilton Beach, and seek changes--only if such changes would benefit my constituents.
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