update on Long Beach, New York

[jordanjacob]

most of the town has electricity

many traffic lights not working but it does make driving a lot more entertaining

in front of 90% of the homes are hundreds of pounds of flood or sewer damaged belongings each

most cars were destroyed

little food in town except what they give away

no supermarkets open

National Guard giving away cases of MRE's, self heating meals, delicious fox hole treats

many homes and businesses were destroyed including our beloved boardwalk but no storm no matter how devastating can crush the spirit of the people still left here

I wish they had a bike race on what's left of the boardwalk with a $20,000 first place prize for the person who finishes the race without any broken bones

it is one hell of an obstacle course, beach benches facing in every direction, 6 foot drops, 8 foot hills and wood in each direction with holes in places least expected
   
the toughest aspect here is getting insurance adjusters to review the damage so we can hope to find contractors available who are all swamped with waiting customers 

[LVGaryD]

Damn JJ, that sucks! 

[CyberChamp]

Sorry to hear that, JJ.  Wishing you only the best.

[careless hal]

Hopefully the worst of it is over.  I know there is a long road ahead to get back to normal.  Are your cars OK?  Big article in the Chicago Trib today about how used and new car prices are going up due to the demand.  Also, a warning about used cars that may have been water damaged.  Toyota said they lost up to 4,000 new Toyotas, Scions and Lexus cars that were in storage lots in NJ and NY.  Hope everything works out.  You and your family have suffered enough.

[jordanjacob]

thanks for the kind words everyone

cars are fine, one was in the garage safe, the other on the higher lawn, too bad, I don't like my wife's car and it was my chance to ditch it

all cars on the street were dead and can't be saved

Art, heard you made it into Rich Gutnick's Winner's Circle photo at Balmoral this past weekend

hope you join him again this weekend at Maywood

[Dolfan]

JJ, heard that every home in Belle Harbor has water damage either in their basement or in their living rooms.  I imagine some homes in Long Beach are okay as I remember many of them having stairs to front doors.

Funny how they did a story (60 Minutes, I believe) on Belle Harbor in the Irish section & I can only remember the Jewish section where the homes seemed so much bigger.

I assume that you know all about the Public Adjusters.  I wouldn't agree to a settlement amount without one, if I were you, which unfortunately I have been before.  At least your business is not affected - all you need is your brains & a computer of some sort.

Stay safe - best to you always.

[tonyb147]

Hang in there JJ - prayers and well-wishes go out to you and your family.

I recall in an earlier post you stated your son "manned-up". I love to hear that - it means you're doing a good job raising him and should be proud.

[NIATROSS]

Hang in there JJ - prayers and well-wishes go out to you and your family.

I recall in an earlier post you stated your son "manned-up". I love to hear that - it means you're doing a good job raising him and should be proud.

 

[jordanjacob]

Dolfan,

I'll have all my necessary estimates in writing tomorrow so I'll know completely the insurance amount needed to get whole or close, but am aware insurance companies may try to exclude lots of items in basements and mine suffered huge damage. We got lucky in one respect, we used Benjamin Moore paints and never threw out the cans. We lifted all the new leather furniture on top of the cans and all of it was saved. Insurance adjusters in this case are very picky as they are swamped due to the immense volume and damage.

Tony, my son has been absolutely huge, the whole family has been. To leave every morning for hours in the cold and coming back with as much wood (tree limbs and branches) as possible then cut it 0and break it up. We all lived in the living room, no heat, water, bathrooms, electricity, mail or any services whatsoever. We survived on the remaining food in the house, burned what we could, and stayed as long as we could until the intolerable conditions became too much that we couldn't stay any longer.

My son and I had limited gas and decided to go to Harrisburg as there was no hope here, and we left on Saturday morning last week with the hope our gas supply could get us into deep New Jersey or Pennsylvania where there was gas, and we would've been in huge trouble if we ran out. The lines here were over a mile long.

We left at 3:00am with the promise that if we ran out, one of my friends from Pennsylvania would bring us a filled gas can and get us where ever we ran out.

It's not many people that would promise to run out in the cold with a gas can at 5:00am on a weekend but I've surrounded myself with awesome friends, and that friend also owns Chapter Severn and Market Share, Rich Gutnick.

The hotel gave us early check in at 7:30am as we were temporarily homeless and one of the first things my son said at the Sheraton in Harrisburg when we walked into the room and he flipped on the switch "holy shit Dad, they have light". Yes, I am proud of him, and after being outbid on about 15 horses he took over the bidding duties (there were some amazing looks by the auctioneer when he saw a 14 year old raising his hand) and won several horses. He also smiled for the camera as they took pictures of all the winning bidders and my son also filled out all the paperwork with my USTA number. It was only fitting as he inspected all the horses prior with my trainer and I.

We're getting there and there are plenty of people in worse shape than I am. I am also grateful for another delicious fox hole treat dinner tonight, those fabulous self heating, scrumptious military meals. One day there will be food in this town again, hopefully soon.         

[pezz97]

Hang in there JJ - prayers and well-wishes go out to you and your family.

I recall in an earlier post you stated your son "manned-up". I love to hear that - it means you're doing a good job raising him and should be proud.

[The Skipper]

Sounds like you and yours are making the best of a terrible situation. Our thoughts and prayers go out to

 you, keep your chin up and lets prays things get back to normal asap.

[Dolfan]

This is taking much longer than it should.  Disgraceful that we have this thing called FEMA, where things get all backed up, disgraceful that some of the power companies have turned away help from other states because they are not unionized, disgraceful that Long Island Power now figures out that their President or CEO blows...

Just pisses me off, knowing that anyone in Long Beach (also a high tax region) or the Rockaways or anywhere else is still without power.  Mayors & Governors should be strung up!

[Just Saying]

Spot on, Dolfan! 700 electricians with boom trucks drove all the way from Alabama to try to help and were told to go back home because the electrician's union in the area didn't want to give up any of the work. Meanwhile people are cold, hungry, drinking govt water, eating MRE's, and PISSED OFF. I don't blame them. It's been long enough to put up with this incompetence.

[jordanjacob]

streets littered with garbage, people complaining about those cute furry looking things hanging out around the trash eating their munchies

can't find garbagemen anywhere

biggest complaint I have is I would love to put my home back together but cannot until FEMA (flood insurance) and Allstate adjustors show up to inspect the damage

it's a slow process

if anyone wants some delicious MRE's, those yummy self heating meals my son calls fox hole treats, I have extras and I'm always willing to share

[Jeremy]

Spot on, Dolfan! 700 electricians with boom trucks drove all the way from Alabama to try to help and were told to go back home because the electrician's union in the area didn't want to give up any of the work. Meanwhile people are cold, hungry, drinking govt water, eating MRE's, and PISSED OFF. I don't blame them. It's been long enough to put up with this incompetence.

What is the source of the 700 electricians?  I have been looking all over for that story.