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David McCue stands near the roof of his beach house, which was completely demolished by Superstorm Sandy, in Ortley Beach, New Jersey, on Sunday, November 25.

cnn.com - by Matt Smith - January 28, 2013

(CNN) -- The Senate approved more than $50 billion in aid to states battered by Superstorm Sandy on Monday, four weeks after a delay that sparked bipartisan fury from Northeastern lawmakers.

The money includes grant funding for owners of homes and businesses, as well as funding for public improvement projects on the electrical grid, hospitals and transit systems to prevent damage from future storms. In a statement from the White House, President Barack Obama said he would sign the measure "as soon as it hits my desk."

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Video: David Lee Miller reports from Staten Island

Submitted by Samuel Bendett

news.yahoo.com - January 25th, 2013 - Perry Chiaramonte

The brutal cold snap affecting much of the country is taking a devastating toll on victims of superstorm Sandy, many of whom are camped out in tent cities or living in homes without power, heat or running water.

Those unable to get proper lodging have hunkered down in their homes without the basic necessities of heat, electricity, or running water.

“Many families in Union Beach are using space heaters to warm upstairs,” said Jeanette Van Houten, a resident from the small New Jersey town that was among the hardest-hit communities. “There’s people with no heat, no electric, but they are staying in the house because it’s better than having to deal with FEMA and having to leave hotels every two weeks.

submitted by Melissa Berman

cbsnews.com - by Mark Strassmann - November 9, 2012

The FEMA shelter camp in Oceanport, New Jersey looks like a mini-city. The 40 acres of emergency housing is located in the parking lot of a race track. It's part of the agency's response, along with mobile homes on the way now to areas devastated by Sandy.

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Damage in the Rockaway neighborhood in Queens, N.Y., where the historic boardwalk was washed away during Hurricane Sandy on Oct. 31, 2012. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

propublica.org - by Theodoric Meyer - January 18, 2013

When Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, Congress passed two relief bills almost unanimously. But when it comes to Hurricane Sandy, some in Congress seem to have had a change of heart.

In total, 58 representatives voted against bills this month similar to ones that they had supported after Katrina.

Here's a breakdown of how each of them voted on the two Katrina bills and the two Sandy ones:

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FILE - In this Oct. 30, 2012, file photo, a man walks with his dog to a National Guard vehicle after leaving his flooded home at the Metropolitan Trailer Park in Moonachie, N.J., in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. The storm drove New York and New Jersey residents from their homes, destroyed belongings and forced them to find shelter for themselves - and for their pets, said owners, who recounted tales of a dog swimming through flooded streets and extra food left behind for a tarantula no one was willing to take in. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle, File)

(Also see related information - Vote on Sandy Disaster Aid and Amendments, and other articles below)

CNN - by Deirdre Walsh and Kevin Liptak - January 15, 2013

Washington (CNN) - Lawmakers in the House of Representatives approved measures Tuesday to send more than $50 billion in aid to the Northeastern states ravaged by Superstorm Sandy last fall, though some conservatives in the House were pushing for spending cuts that would offset the cost of the recovery package.

The final bill passed 241-180, with 49 Republicans voting against it. The package now heads to the Senate.

nj.gov - January 14, 2013

Asbury Park Press - by Kristi Funderburk - January 7, 2013

TRENTON — Residents looking to weigh their area’s flooding risks in the wake of superstorm Sandy can find answers online with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s new advisory base flood elevation maps.

The advisory maps, available online for 10 New Jersey counties, including Ocean and Monmouth, show how high structures need to be raised to minimize damage from future flooding, agency spokesman Chris McKniff said in a news release.

The maps reveal parts of some communities are in new flood zones, a factor that could impact insurance rates and building practices, he said. To view flood elevations by address, visit www.region2coastal.com/sandy/table

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Oyster Creek is the nation's oldest nuclear plant.  Stan Honda/Agence France-Presse - Getty Images

nytimes.com - by Michael Powell - January 7, 2013

LACEY, N.J. — Some years ago, Janet Tauro moved to the pine barrens and salt-flecked flats of the Jersey Shore, where she would raise her children. Then she found that Oyster Creek, the nation’s oldest nuclear plant, sat on her doorstep.

She became a nuclear activist, one of dozens who bird-dog the Oyster Creek plant, and helped persuade Gov. Chris Christie to shutter the place by 2019. But not even the closing notice set her mind at ease.

Then Hurricane Sandy blew through, spinning houses off foundations, blowing holes in barrier islands and wrecking lives.

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nj.gov
State of New Jersey - Department of Human Services
Division of Mental Health Services

Super storm known as Sandy has devastated many New Jersey communities and wreaked havoc in people’s lives all along the East Coast.  More than 50 million Americans are coping with the aftermath of the storm.  The damage and destruction from coastal surges, power outages, and high winds has resulted in disruptions to school and work schedules, property destruction, and serious financial consequences.

No one who lives through a disaster is untouched by the experience.  Like other disasters, severe storms and flooding can result in emotional distress, as well as property damage.  Disasters can threaten our sense of control and safety, and can affect many aspects of our lives.  The emotional trauma caused by the storm and anxiety about what will happen next can complicate and impede recovery.  While protecting people and restoring safety, power, and property, is a priority in the wake of natural disasters, emotional coping also matters.

submitted by John Cocozza

I am sure that everyone has seen so much of the devastation from Hurricane Sandy as it slammed into cities like Atlantic City, Seaside Heights, Manhattan, and others.  Sometimes the images on TV might be larger than life but the media leaves us only a small view of the shear range of the devastation.   There were a couple hundred small towns and small communities along the coast from Ocean City, Maryland through the Jersey Shore and reach past Montauk, NY out on Long Island.  These small towns I can tell you from first hand knowledge are our Main Street, USA's.

See the attached document for the full text.

pbs.org - November 9th, 2012 - Rick Karr

The homes of some New Jersey residents have been without power or heat more than 10 days after superstorm Sandy struck. And even with support from out-of-state utility workers untangling downed lines, erecting polls, and repairing the grid, many may remain in the dark for days to come. Special correspondent Rick Karr reports.

(VIEW TRANSCRIPT OR LISTEN TO REPORT)

tools.niehs.nih.gov

On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy, one of the largest and fiercest storms to threaten the East Coast, made landfall in New Jersey. The devastating storm caused extensive damage throughout the East Coast as it released torrential rains, ferocious winds, and widespread flooding.

This webpage provides documents and resources that address emergency preparedness in hurricane and flood situations.  Documents found on this page primarily address issues in government preparedness and public preparedness.  Some information has been taken from the Floods and Hurricane Katrina Emergency Preparedness Pages located on the National Clearinghouse Website.

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