On Oct. 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy – a Category 1 storm – slammed into the New Jersey shore and made landfall. Winds ranged from 70 to 90 mph for many areas.
The storm surge coincided with a high tide and a full moon and caused flooding across several states. Thousands of residents in many states who decided to stay in their homes near the Atlantic Ocean and other waterways needed to be rescued after the storm surge became historic.
Numerous fire apparatus, equipment and stations were damaged or destroyed. Electricity was knocked out for more people than from previous storms. Crews from power companies across the country were dispatched to the East Coast before the storm hit. Some customers were still without electricity 17 days after the hurricane. Bridges and tunnels in the New York metropolitan area were closed and many tunnels were flooded. Damage to infrastructure and flooding to buildings was substantial.
The damage caused by Hurricane Sandy is estimated to cost much more than Hurricane Katrina, which struck New Orleans, LA, in 2005. Additional coverage will be published in upcoming issues.
Harvey Eisner | Editor Emeritus
HARVEY EISNER was named Editor Emeritus of Firehouse® after serving 15 years as Firehouse's Editor-in-Chief. He joined the Tenafly, NJ, Fire Department in 1975 and served as chief of department for 12 years. He was a firefighter in the Stillwater, OK, Fire Department for three years while attending Oklahoma State University. Eisner was an honorary assistant chief of the FDNY and program director for the Firehouse Expo, Firehouse World and Firehouse Central conferences. He covered many major fires and disasters and interviewed numerous fire service leaders for Firehouse®
