Now that we have all survived, in one fashion or another, the challenges presented by Hurricane Irene, I wanted to take a moment and contemplate some of the more striking aspects of this crisis.
First, I am very grateful that many of you found your way to call my office. Because many district residents called to report outages in particular areas, I, along with other elected officials, was able to advocate on behalf of those areas known to be without power and to continue to exert pressure on LIPA to address the problems in those areas. While oftentimes individual citizens were not able to speak to a real human being at LIPA, I was able to get some information from LIPA government liaisons (who were eager to help) that I could then share with constituents who had called me.
Second, while I am grateful that I was able to help my constituents to some degree, it would have been so much more helpful if LIPA had been able to disseminate the information that was so necessary in this crisis, such as estimates of how long power would be out and what the nature of the outage was, so that people could make plans, or even relocate if they needed to. We all were frustrated at the lack of information and the lack of communication by LIPA, particularly because there were no crews seen in our community and thus no concrete evidence of work being done.
Third, I am dismayed at the length of time it took for many residents to have their power restored. As late as Sunday, I was receiving calls from residents who were still without power and still seeking information. I heard the same thing from residents time and again – what if this had been an actual hurricane instead of a tropical storm? I am asking that same question, and hope that at some point soon we are given some answers. Clearly, LIPA was overwhelmed by this crisis. We need assurances that LIPA has a plan in place to communicate effectively with customers and restore power more swiftly in the future.
Finally, I want to acknowledge the care and concern voiced by so many residents for their neighbors and friends. Often, people were calling me not about their own issues but on behalf of others in their community. Our local police and fire departments did all they could to respond to residents and provide assistance. It is gratifying to know that we all are watching out for each other in tough times and difficult circumstances.
As always, please do not hesitate to call my office with any concerns with which you think we may be able to assist you. My number is 516-571-6210 and my email is jbosworth@nassaucountyny.gov.
