At 6AM I reported for work at the county Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Even though things were just gearing up and the storm's major impact was hours away, the adrenaline was pumping through my veins for hours after my arrival. I was assigned the duty of coordinated any post disaster response with our CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) of volunteers and taking situation reports, via email, from our municipalities in the county. Once my work assignment was established, I unloaded some gear from my car including my 72 hour MRE kit (Meals Ready to Eat) but not including my sleeping bag (the lack of unloading my sleeping bag will come back to bite me later.)
As you might expect things started out slowly as the superstorm churned its way closer and closer to New Jersey. Eventually it made landfall around 6PM-7PM. At some point in the early afternoon the EOC was switched off the grid power and went to its emergency generator. This was before any major power disruptions hit our area.
When going through my MREs (Meals Ready to Eat), to pick dinner, the first item I randomly selected was Chili with BEANS. Thinking about spending another day in the EOC war room with all the other staff, I wisely decided on a less gas producing MRE.
NOTE TO SELF: In a disaster situation, laying down an aromatic gas cloud in the main work area may not endear yourself to your fellow co-workers.
The following are emails that I sent out to various friends,family and team members during the event that day:
Sandy 0, 1236 (12:36PM)
I am working at the county Emergency Operation Center in the war room. Lines are going down and so are trees. Wind and rain picking up. Brunt of storm is not here yet. Power is up in most places.
Sandy 0, 1715 (5:15PM)
House lost power. In county we have trees, wires, light poles down. Random fires. Other counties report random looting. Curfew being imposed in Hoboken. Landfall in two hours.
Sandy 0, 2042 (8:42PM)
Power our in many places. Stuff down many places. Not going home tonight. Cable service down at EOC. EOC Losing phones and internet on and off. Transformers exploding in various neighborhoods around the county. Storm made landfall. News reports winds for 500 miles out.
Sandy 0, 2130 (9:30PM)
Sandy 0, 2250 (10:40PM)
Rescue ops ceased. Unsafe outside. One fire dept is trapped by trees and cannot leave firehouse. Madness....
Sany 0, 2341 (11:41PM) - The Goose
is cooked.
We're done.
The road department is still trying to fathom how to put the pieces back together again.
They'll need to cut their way to their garage then cut their way to each area needing clearing.
Sandy 0, 2353 (11:53PM)
Damn. I'm working the sitrep desk at the county EOC.
Lines down, fires from lines down, trees down on roads, houses, cars, winds still going.
PD, FD and rescue standing down due to winds.
Power out in most places in county.
It's going to take weeks to months to recover from this.
Damn.
As you might expect things started out slowly as the superstorm churned its way closer and closer to New Jersey. Eventually it made landfall around 6PM-7PM. At some point in the early afternoon the EOC was switched off the grid power and went to its emergency generator. This was before any major power disruptions hit our area.
When going through my MREs (Meals Ready to Eat), to pick dinner, the first item I randomly selected was Chili with BEANS. Thinking about spending another day in the EOC war room with all the other staff, I wisely decided on a less gas producing MRE.
NOTE TO SELF: In a disaster situation, laying down an aromatic gas cloud in the main work area may not endear yourself to your fellow co-workers.
The following are emails that I sent out to various friends,family and team members during the event that day:
Sandy 0, 1236 (12:36PM)
I am working at the county Emergency Operation Center in the war room. Lines are going down and so are trees. Wind and rain picking up. Brunt of storm is not here yet. Power is up in most places.
Sandy 0, 1715 (5:15PM)
House lost power. In county we have trees, wires, light poles down. Random fires. Other counties report random looting. Curfew being imposed in Hoboken. Landfall in two hours.
Sandy 0, 2042 (8:42PM)
Power our in many places. Stuff down many places. Not going home tonight. Cable service down at EOC. EOC Losing phones and internet on and off. Transformers exploding in various neighborhoods around the county. Storm made landfall. News reports winds for 500 miles out.
Sandy 0, 2130 (9:30PM)
Conditions outside
are extremely hazardous.
In places there are trees, lines or signals down. Some reports of transformers exploding have come in. Fires have been started by falling lines. Power outages are increasing. Various areas have 50% of customers without power.
In places there are trees, lines or signals down. Some reports of transformers exploding have come in. Fires have been started by falling lines. Power outages are increasing. Various areas have 50% of customers without power.
Sandy 0, 2250 (10:40PM)
Rescue ops ceased. Unsafe outside. One fire dept is trapped by trees and cannot leave firehouse. Madness....
Sany 0, 2341 (11:41PM) - The Goose
is cooked.
We're done.
The road department is still trying to fathom how to put the pieces back together again.
They'll need to cut their way to their garage then cut their way to each area needing clearing.
Sandy 0, 2353 (11:53PM)
Damn. I'm working the sitrep desk at the county EOC.
Lines down, fires from lines down, trees down on roads, houses, cars, winds still going.
PD, FD and rescue standing down due to winds.
Power out in most places in county.
It's going to take weeks to months to recover from this.
Damn.
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