Volunteer Candice Osborne is able to quickly respond to the needs of Superstorm Sandy victims with the help of social media.

cnn.com- by Katie Walmsley - November 30, 2012

(CNN) -- It has been in operation only since October 30, but the Facebook page for "Giving back to those affected by Sandy" has a longer timeline than most Facebook members.

The page, started by the group "BK girls give back," began as a way to help people stranded in areas with no cell service or way to communicate after the superstorm. Soon, it took on a life of its own. Shelters in need of supplies, residents in need of a ride, organizations needing volunteers and even people who lost and found pets all posted on the timeline.

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Photo by Fred R. Conrad/ The New York Times

nytimes.com - Peter Applebome - February 22,2013

HIGHLANDS, N.J. — If not for the most deadly natural disaster in American history, in Texas, and an innovative response to it, more than a century ago, one might briskly consign the proposal to save this oft-flooded borough at the northern end of the Jersey Shore to the realm of pigs with wings.

But four months after Hurricane Sandy almost obliterated downtown Highlands, an unlikely idea with one enormous historical antecedent seems to be taking hold here: Don’t just raise the buildings. Raise the town.

submitted by Henry Rodriguez

claimsjournal.com - February 19, 2013

The 15 insurers participating in the National Flood Insurance Program that are handling at least 1,000 claims related to Sandy, the progress they have made in closing claims, and the money they have paid out to date:

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submitted by Henry Rodriguez

propertyinsurancecoveragelaw.com - by Chip Merlin - February 20, 2013

Flood insurance claims under the National Flood Program are unique. As implied in yesterday's post, Appraisal in Flood Claims, those closely involved with controversies regarding appraisals under the National Flood Program should not only read cases construing the flood policy, they should also read briefs filed by the attorneys for National Flood to anticipate future arguments and issues. This is very important to properly representing Hurricane Sandy insurance claimants.

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Andy Wandilak, owner of Two Boots Pizza

CNN - by Jessi Hempel - November 23, 2013

Thanks to social networks, grassroots relief efforts scaled quickly and efficiently in Sandy's aftermath, giving them a bigger presence in many places than even the established aid agencies.

On the day Hurricane Sandy decimated entire neighborhoods of New York, Andy Wandilak offered to feed and shelter the family of a musician who plays at his restaurant. The guy's descriptions of the storm's aftermath were tragic. So Andy started cooking. He used Facebook and Twitter to ask the restaurant's patrons for support.

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submitted by Albert Gomez

urbangreencouncil.org - February 2013

The greatest obstacle to a responsible approach to climate change mitigation is a sense that the problem is insoluble. Urban Green Council’s latest research report, 90 By 50, demonstrates that the emission reductions required are in fact possible using technologies that are known and in almost all cases currently available, and that the cost is manageable from a citywide perspective.

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Document - 90 by 50 - NYC Can Reduce Its Carbon Footprint 90% By 2050
http://issuu.com/urbangreen/docs/90by50?mode=window

Study: 90 by 50 - NYC Can Reduce Its Carbon Footprint 90% By 2050 (56 page .PDF file)
http://www.urbangreencouncil.org/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=015U0000000nD3r

submitted by Albert Gomez

This Feb. 5, 2013, photo,shows a home in the middle of Barnegat Bay, that was washed into the Bay from Mantoloking N.J. during Superstorm Sandy. States hit hard by Sandy are gearing up to remove tons of debris from waterways, including houses, vehicles, sunken boats, furniture, pieces of piers, decks and bulkheads _ all of which must be removed before the summer swimming and boating season. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)

Hidden damage from Sandy lurks underwater as areas dependent on tourism brace for cleanup

Associated Press - by Wayne Parry - February 17, 2013

MANTOLOKING, N.J. (AP) -- On the surface, things look calm and placid. Just beneath the waterline, however, it's a different story.

Cars and sunken boats. Patio furniture. Pieces of docks. Entire houses. A grandfather clock, deposited in a marsh a mile from solid land. Hot tubs. Tons of sand. All displaced by Superstorm Sandy.

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ready.gov

An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness

Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness (IS-22) is FEMA’s most comprehensive source on individual, family and community preparedness.  The guide has been revised, updated and enhanced in August 2004 to provide the public with the most current and up-to-date disaster preparedness information available.

Hurricane Sandy - NOAA Water Level and Meteorological Data Report (62 page .PDF report)

tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov - January 24, 2013

Overview

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) maintains a network of oceanographic and meteorological stations along the United States coastlines and Great Lakes to monitor water levels, winds (speed, direction and gusts), barometric pressure, and air/water temperature. This report documents the elevated water levels, high winds and reduced barometric pressures recorded at stations along the East Coast of the U.S. from Florida to Maine during Hurricane Sandy.

Dear Members/Partners:

As you may have heard, FEMA has released its Advisory Base Flood Elevation (ABFE) information to help communities plan for and reduce the risk from future flooding. FEMA Region II (covering NY, NJ, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands) has initiated a coastal flood study to update Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMS) for parts of NY and NJ.  The websitewww.region2coastal.com, which hosts a wide array of information, will be updated as the Region II coastal flood study continues.

This information is crucial to those who need to rebuild after Sandy so they can build stronger and safer. It is important for property and business owners to work with their local officials to fully understand any requirements for using ABFEs and/or determining mandatory elevations in rebuilding.  On the Sandy ABFE page www.region2coastal.com/sandy/abfe, you can view interactive ABFE maps, watch video tutorials, and access guides and toolkits.  Here is a sample of some of the information available. 

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY - (CLICK HERE FOR UPDATES)

Press Release from the United States Environmental Protection Agency - February 4, 2013

Improving housing quality can dramatically affect the health of residents

WASHINGTON – Several federal agencies today unveiled Advancing Healthy Housing – A Strategy for Action. White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Chair Nancy Sutley, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Shaun Donovan, Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, M.D., and Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman discussed the new plan during an event at the National Building Museum this morning.

The initiative represents a bold new vision for addressing the nation’s health and economic burdens caused by preventable hazards associated with the home. The Strategy for Action encourages federal agencies to take preemptive actions that will help reduce the number of American homes with health and safety hazards.

CLICK HERE to watch LIVE coverage as The Weather Channel tracks winter storm Nemo.