Irene was Here

Hurricane Irene made her way to the east coast states from North Carolina, Virginia, Washington DC, Maryland, Delaware,New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts wreaking havoc and taking lives.

As a New Yorker and one who loves and adores the city, I was concerned about the impact of Hurricane Irene. I thought about the damage that could occur and wondered how the billboards and enormous screens would handle the pounding that was on it's way. I thought of the homeless and prayed that they would find a place to stay. I thought of those who live in high rise buildings and prayed that they would not suffer from the wind and pounding rain. I thought of the stray animals and hoped that they too would make it through. All this worrying was even more intense as we watched CNN from our hotel suite in Indianapolis and kept in touch with our family - it was a nail biting experience.

Mayor Bloomberg made the necessary steps to ensure that the residents and businesses would be safe. Hospitals and Nursing home facilities moved their patients to other facilities where they would be away from what could be considered the danger zone. Area airports cancelled flights and closed the terminals. The entire transit system was out of service until further notice - now what more can I say?



Businesses took heed to the warnings and prepared accordingly - even Bloomingdales boarded up and alerted their customers that they would be closed via FaceBook & Twitter.

Hurricane Irene came to New York and although the city took a beating, it was not as severe as anticipated. However, in other areas of New York, Irene proved to have left quite an impression on her visit.

Watching Mayors and Governors from different states issue warnings and mandatory evacuations made it quite clear that this was serious. Unfortunately, there are those who defied the warnings and chose to stay to protect their homes, while others waited anxiously and excitedly to watch the storm. These people may have made it through Irene but their actions prove to be rather selfish and inconsiderate. While none of us can predict the severity of a hurricane or a storm, once a warning is issued, it would make sense to follow the orders. Not only are you endangering your life but you are now endangering the lives of the first responders (Emergency On Call Staff).

So while many may have thought that the efforts were overrated, there are those right here in New York who have felt the wrath of Irene.



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