Global Green and National Grid Partner on Climate Disaster Preparedness for NYC
Originally posted on examiner.com
As downtown Manhattan prepares to be stormed by masked revelers in celebration of the 42nd anniversary of the New York City Village Halloween Parade, some New Yorkers recall this same weekend three years ago, when Superstorm Sandy battered the boroughs, leaving many homeless and the city with billions of dollars worth of damage. The storm was the second costliest in US history, causing $65 billion in damages, destroying 305,000 NYC housing units and leaving 117 dead. Residents lost entire homes, automobiles, businesses and possessions in the massive flooding that ensued when the storm made landfall on October 29, 2012. Downtown was a washout for weeks, with some subway stations closed for months, as water was removed and damage repaired. As the city heads into daylight savings this weekend, and the temperatures hover in perfect Indian Summer digits, it is strange to imagine those days when the winds battered windows and the rivers rose and overflowed the island.
While many in the city this weekend busy themselves putting finishing touches on elaborate costumes and floats for the parade tonight, some New Yorkers have not forgotten the epic destruction caused by Sandy three years ago, and are busy preparing for the next big hurricane to hit. According to a report published by the Zurich based reinsurance company, Swiss Re, in 2014, the next one that hits will be even more massive, with damage well north of the billions of dollars. Mexico is still breathing a collective sigh of relief that the danger posed from Hurricane Patricia last week was not as brutal as originally predicted. The lessons learned from Katrina and Sandy have taken hold, and more attention is being given to preparedness and fortifying infrastructure against future storms. To that end, Global Green and National Grid held an education event in Far Rockaway on Wednesday, October 21st, to announce their partnership to create climate resilient disaster preparedness hubs for New York area communities impacted by Superstorm Sandy.
