Good night Irene!

[KissMy]

The worst case scenario is that Irine will hit NY as a cat-#1, minimal hurricane. I once sat out a cat #2 on the outer banks in a pop up camper in my younger days. We had to close the camper and sit it out in the car and it wasn't bad. The weather channel seems desperate to hype this thing. Maybe that's what they get paid for.They even had the useless homeland security secretary involved.

Just don't go crying to nanny government to come save your ass because you were to stupid & macho to evacuate. Our lives should not have to revolve around bailing out idiots. People need to start taking some dam personal responsibility or suffer their own consequences without dragging the rest of us down into your stupid hole you keep digging.

Back when I got my drivers license my uncle sat me down & laid out the facts. Just because you bought a car & got a license that gives you the freedom to drive on your own does not give you the right to burden other people with it. Do not cause injury to others with careless driving. Keep the car in good repair so you don't have to be rescued. The rest of the family is not required to drop everything to come get you because you ran out of gas far away. Fill the tank every time you go to the gas station. Never drive further than a half of a tank away from home so you can always get back. Never buy a ticket unless it is a round trip & keep emergency cash on you at all times. Keep emergency equipment in the trunk.

There are far to many assholes who love to burden the rest of us with their right to be stupid & unprepared. These people need to step-up & help others instead of burdening us.

 

[skookerasbil]

Skipped over the entire post did ya?

Unfortunately, I read the whole load of bullshit. The FACT is that the local and state governments fucked up in Louisiana as they have a looooong history of doing. The federal response could have been better if the several offers to declare an emergency and start prepositioning goods and forces had been accepted. They were not. This is something of a tradition in the area.

Even more of a reason for the Federal government to be ready to respond.

Indeed......and maybe they can collectively huff and puff hard enough and blow the storm away.

What a bunch of flakes the k00ks are........they are such big government guys that they think ALL problems can be solved by government. If a 100 mile wide astroid were heading towards earth, the k00ks wuld be talking only about how effective the response can be..........

But I love these people.......my life would be boring as hell without their level of nut bringing a good deal of laugh into my world!!!

 

[wirebender]

There's a difference in mindset between liberals and conservatives.

Conservatives will see a guy drown..point to his buddies and laugh at him. "His hard luck, fuck him for being so stupid", the Conservative will say.

It is hard to believe that someone could have such a totally skewed and just plain wrong world view until you consider the fact that you are a liberal and then it makes perfect sense that you would be dead wrong.

The fact is that most real assistance where one individual helps another and the situation of the one being helped is done by conservatives. Consider the fact that most volunteer fireman, national guardsmen etc, who are expected to roll up thier sleeves and go out and help people have a conservative mindset.

Liberals, on the other hand will look at that drowning guy and tell him not to worry because some government agency will be along soon to help.

A Liberal in the same situation will marshal his friends to form a human chain to save the guy.

Friends meaning an ineffective and poorly run government program? You acknowledge yourself that you personally wouldn't help the guy. You would go and get others while he drouns. By the time you finished "marshalling", the guy is dead. Typical liberal think.

 

[wirebender]

1800 people died in Louisiana during a Republican administration where the appointment to the head of FEMA was a horse trainer.

You are really out of your minds.

Each and every one of you.

They died because the liberal govenor failed to evacuate in the face of a tremendous storm and turned down an offer to preplace fema supplies near where the damage was going to be worse. That was the biggest decision of your liberal govenor's life and he blew it and nearly 2000 people died as a result.

 

[IanC]

The small city I live in has a small vulnerability to flooding. Every time conditions make that a possibility there is a city plan that goes into action, machinery and equipment put into place, communication systems activated and tested. Obviously New Orleans ignored its disaster planning and was left with few viable options after the predicted (National Geographic) disaster hit. The mayor didnt even have internet services or satellite phones after the levees breached! Where did the disaster preparedness monies go? They certainly didnt go into being prepared.

 

[Warrior102]

Sorry if I am behind the power curve this morning - someone please save me going through this entire thread.

Has Bush been blamed for the hurricane yet ?

 

[IanC]

Sorry if I am behind the power curve this morning - someone please save me going through this entire thread.

Has Bush been blamed for the hurricane yet ?

endlessly

 

[Intense]

The Federal Government's job was never specified in the Constitution as to step in and assist after natural disasters. The first such occurrence was in the 1920's when Herbert Hoover stepped up and organized the relief work assisting the people after the Great Mississippi Flood of that decade. He did such a spectacular job that the people elected him their next President.
The President is restricted and prevented by the Constitution from sending Federal troops into a state. The first ever violation was Eisenhower's sending the 101st Airborne into Little Rock. {Achtung! Libs! Eisenhower(R) Little Rock, Orville Faubus (D) to help black kids attend school} He needs permission from civil authorities on the local level to do so. Catherine Blanco, Governor of Louisianna during Katrina was so distraught, spent so much time crying, she couldn't sign the necessary papers allowing Federal troops and help into NOLA for three days.

This storm is just so much hype its sickening.
Its losing intensity so rapidly its liable to be a category 1 storm by the time it makes its North Carolina landfall and be just a tropical depression or just a collection of rain showers by the time it gets to NYC, a far cry from the 1938 storm. The anemometer at the Boston Weather Bureau office recorded a wind gust of 186 mph before it blew away then. My father got caught out in that one with a four to five mile walk to get home. A set of railroad tracks paralleled the main road he was on and at times the wind was so strong he had to lie between the rails hanging on to the ties to keep from getting blown away. But that one wasn't nearly as bad as the 1930's Labor day Hurricane in the Florida keys when Washington sent a train to rescue the WWI vets working on Flagler's Florida Intercoastal railway. The train got blown off the tracks before it could effect the rescue. Some of the victims who were killed had their skin sandblasted off their bodies by the wind.
The storm from the Weather Channel grows in intensity proportional to the size of viewing audience they can draw.

Bush refused to send in help unless Blanco turned over control of her state and her guard to the Federal government. Then two or three days later Bush relented.

You're just another asshole that supports states rights except when you don't.

It was more complicated than that Ravi. Most of the New Orleans PD went AWOL, communications were cut, gun shots were being fired, Rescue workers were under threat, Federal Law limited Bush's response, The Governor was not cooperative, the Mayor of NO and the Governor were contradicting each other, the State Controlled Liaison to FEMA was not held accountable for it's part.

 

[Intense]

Sorry if I am behind the power curve this morning - someone please save me going through this entire thread.

Has Bush been blamed for the hurricane yet ?

I think it was that Bush Fault line that runs from Texas to DC that caused the Earth Quake that effected the path of the Hurricane. Your intuition is right on track.

 

[Liability]

I'm a little curious about what specific grant of authority permits the Mayor of NYC to purportedly issue an "order" to evacuate the City or parts of the City.

I'm not saying there is no such authority or that there shouldn't be. There might be such a grant of power in some law(s). It might even be prudent to give the Mayor such authority under proper circumstances.

But I can't find the text of the mayor's "order." And therefore I don't know what his alleged legal basis for issuing it might be.

 

[Intense]

I'm a little curious about what specific grant of authority permits the Mayor of NYC to purportedly issue an "order" to evacuate the City or parts of the City.

I'm not saying there is no such authority or that there shouldn't be. There might be such a grant of power in some law(s). It might even be prudent to give the Mayor such authority under proper circumstances.

But I can't find the text of the mayor's "order." And therefore I don't know what his alleged legal basis for issuing it might be.

Considering the broad powers and authority given both State and Local Government in New York, I doubt there is any question to the Legitimacy of the Order. I think personally, that this is a very valuable exercise for the City, it's a wake up call. Should the storm divert, we will still have learned priceless lessons in preparedness and the saving of Human Life. Roll with it man. Study the model for both strengths and weaknesses, so that we can make the best of it. So much of what is happening is unprecedented.

 

[Ravi]

I'm a little curious about what specific grant of authority permits the Mayor of NYC to purportedly issue an "order" to evacuate the City or parts of the City.

I'm not saying there is no such authority or that there shouldn't be. There might be such a grant of power in some law(s). It might even be prudent to give the Mayor such authority under proper circumstances.

But I can't find the text of the mayor's "order." And therefore I don't know what his alleged legal basis for issuing it might be.

I doubt there is anything. Mandatory evacuations are nothing more than a strong suggestion. One step up from Voluntary. I suppose if you could make a case to arrest someone because they posed a public hazard then an arrest would be warranted. Or if they were on city owned property they could be forced to leave.

Bloomberg did say, however, that there would be no arrests.

 

[Liability]

I'm still fascinated by the fact that I can find not trace of the Mayor's "order" to evacuate.

I saw the video of his press conference. I know the official position.

But still, I'd like to read the text.

And I'd still like to know the specific legal authority by which he is entitled to issue such an order. Does it stem from just one particular law or is it an interpretation of a reading of a variety of laws that gives him such authority?

 

[Valerie]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 308-11
August 26, 2011

MAYOR BLOOMBERG UPDATES NEW YORKERS ON PREPARATIONS FOR HURRICANE IRENE

Mayor Issues Mandatory Evacuation Order for All People in Zone A Coastal Areas and All Parts of the Rockaways in Queens; Discusses Safety Precautions All New Yorkers Should Take Before and During the Storm

Visit NYC.gov or Call 311 for Information about Evacuation Zones and Steps to Take to Prepare for the Hurricane





The following are Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's remarks as delivered this afternoon at City Hall:


FULL TEXT:

"Well good afternoon. The sun is shining, but don't be misled. There is a very dangerous storm headed in our direction, and it could go slightly to the east or slightly to the west. It could speed up, it could close down, it could grow or diminish in intensity, but there is no question that we are going to get hit with some wind and high water that is very dangerous. And it's hard to believe when you look outside and see the sun, but it is in some sense the calm before the storm. And you only have to look at the weather maps to understand just how big this storm is, and how unique it is. And it's heading basically directly for us.

"We're here to bring you up to date on the City's ongoing preparations concerning Hurricane Irene, and let me start by saying we are opening, as of 4:00 PM today, 91 emergency facilities. They're a combination of evacuation centers and emergency shelters. They're being staffed by City employees, some on a volunteer basis.

"As you know, we think New Yorkers have the greatest workforce of any city in the nation, and I just wanted to start out by thanking them and their colleagues across the city for stepping up now and giving their time and effort to help New Yorkers who need shelter from the coming storm.

"The evacuation plan that we announced yesterday, I'm happy to say, is working smoothly. I'll discuss it in detail in a minute. And because Irene is now bearing down on us at a faster speed than it was yesterday, we are changing a few things. We are today issuing a mandatory - I repeat the word mandatory - evacuation order for all New Yorkers who live in the low-lying Zone A coastal areas in all five boroughs that are at greatest risk of damage relating to Irene, and we're adding to that the rest of the Rockaways, some of which are not Zone A, but are Zone B.

"Health Commissioner Tom Farley will be working with seniors homes and nursing homes and the two hospitals that are in the Zone B part of the Rockaways to try to find alternative sites for their residents. People who live in private homes, we want you to leave the Rockaways, and this is all due to the exposure to the ocean of the Rockaways, and the potential that emergency services may not be provided due to the closing of bridges.

"Bridges aren't going to fall down, but there is a point when the winds get so strong that they close because cars and trucks could be blown off them. What we're concerned about in the Rockaways, unlike other parts of the city that may be in low-lying areas, or even slightly higher, if something were to happen and you needed emergency services in the Rockaways, we're not sure that in the worst case we'd be able to get those services to you. So that is something that is different than yesterday.

"We're also moving up the time that we want everybody out, and that is by 5:00 PM tomorrow, Saturday. In a storm with wind and very high tides, there are risks that endanger public safety. I can't stress it enough. Please, nature is a force more powerful than any of us, and it really is better to be safe than sorry.

"The low-lying coastal areas that will be endangered most by storm surge include Coney Island and Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn, Far Rockaway and Broad Channel in Queens, South Beach, Midland Beach, and other low-lying areas on Staten Island, Battery Park City in Manhattan, and some small sections of the Bronx. As I said before, we are also adding a full evacuation of all people living in private homes are apartments in the Rockaways.

"In addition, you should know that MTA service, including subways, buses and railroads, will begin to shut down tomorrow at noon, and Jay Walder will describe that and other measures in a moment. Depending on the effect of the storm, let me just caution you also in regards to the MTA that service may or may not be restored in time for rush hour Monday morning, so I would urge employees to check with their employers regarding business openings on Monday.

"Now, we have never done a mandatory evacuation before - and we wouldn't be doing this now if we didn't think the storm had the potential to be very serious. The best outcome would be if the storm veers off to the east and doesn't hit us, or doesn't hit us hard, but we can't depend on mother nature being so kind. We have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. And just because this is the first time we've had a mandatory evacuation of any part of the city, I just once again want to repeat this is very serious. Do not be fooled by the sun outside. That is the calm before the storm. And you can't wait until there are gale force winds and driving rains arrive, it will be too late then. You have to start your preparations to leave right now.

"Keep in mind, afternoon tomorrow you're not going to have the advantage of mass transit to help you do that. So if you were to leave today, that would be very helpful. And tomorrow, if you call Access-a-Ride, Jay Walder will talk about it, but they just don't have the capacity to take large numbers of people in any one day in a short span of time. So in spite of the good weather, if you want to be safe, now's the time to start moving.

"We expect that most New Yorkers affected by this evacuation order will find places to stay with relatives or friends who live in safer areas. However, as I said at the beginning of this, evacuation centers and shelters for those who need it will be open by 4:00 PM this afternoon, and they are staffed and equipped to accommodate the people we expect. But if the capacity were to be much greater than we have planned for, we certainly have the capacity to expand very quickly.

"We'll say more in a few minutes about how this system will work - a system that we put a lot of thought and effort into developing in order to avoid the kinds of problems that occurred during Hurricane Katrina. But let me first try to bring you up to date about the information about the strength and the path, and where this hurricane is likely to arrive in our area.

"The National Weather Service at the moment, and I keep reminding you this could change anytime, the National Service has put the entire New York metropolitan area under a hurricane watch, which means that sustained winds of 74 miles per hour or more are forecast - for Saturday evening through Sunday. At the moment, the strongest winds are expected to arrive early evening tomorrow, and to continue into late afternoon on Sunday.

"The current forecast is that Irene will reach the New York metropolitan area as a Category 1 storm. The ground speed of the storm has accelerated; gale forces winds of 40 miles an hour are the beginning of the storm, and they will grow significantly. We don't what they will grow to, but the full brunt of the storm if you're in its way, it's a lot more powerful than any of us. Certainly the best case scenario is very high winds and a lot of rain, and very, very high tides. Those are the things you're going to see, and we want to give you some ideas as to how to stay safe.

"As I stressed yesterday, our first obligation is to protect the most vulnerable New Yorkers in Zone A's low lying coastal areas. And I just wanted to bring you up to date on what we did yesterday. Hospital patients, those in nursing homes, homes for the aged and other New Yorkers who are in these homes yesterday were directed to leave by eight o'clock last night- or eight o'clock today. That has been done, everybody has been moved, there were no exceptions made by Tom Farley - and in all fairness, nobody even asked for exceptions.

"In the rest of the area, Coney Island Hospital, both campuses of Staten Island University Hospital, the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Manhattan, and NYU Medical Center on Manhattan's Upper East Side are evacuating their patients to other hospitals.

"Yesterday's Executive Order also covered eight nursing homes, one psychiatric facility, and eight adult care centers. All of those, as I said, have been or are in the process of evacuating. Most facilities are completing this process themselves. A lot of these facilities have contracted with people to help them, but in some cases City ambulance crews have been called in to help, and we're glad to provide that service.

"Another vulnerable population we are concentrating on is the homeless. We have four homeless shelters for families and four shelters for single adults in Zone A. The clients of these shelters will be relocated to our Bedford Atlantic shelter in Brooklyn and the El Camino shelter in Jamaica, Queens. We are also moving clients out of our intake center at 30th Street and 1st Avenue in Manhattan. At the same time, outreach teams are stepping up their activity to bring homeless clients who are living on the streets indoors.

"We are also taking steps to help those who, because of age, illness, or disability, are homebound. Home care providers are activating their emergency plans. On a case-by-case basis, we will authorize 'sleep-in services' to help clients that have complex needs and no other supports in the community. There are also 15 foster care residential shelters, you should know, in Zone A. Our Administration for Children's Services is working closely with the agencies operating those programs to ensure that each facility has a safety plan in place for all children at those facilities.

"Our other organizations are taking steps to keep their communities safe. For instance, many of the city's universities - including Fordham, NYU, St. John's and Columbia - are postponing the move-in date for incoming freshman from Sunday to Monday. So it's fun to move into college, it's an exciting time, but doing it in the middle of a hurricane probably would not be the best experience and way to start your college education. So I'm glad that they've seemed to move that.

"For some people, their port in the storm will be an emergency City shelter. We, as I said before, developed our Coast Storm Plan back in 2006 to prevent the kinds of problems we saw during Katrina when some centers and shelters were overloaded while others were strikingly empty. We put a lot of effort into designing a more efficient system so that when we need it - such as now - all we have to do is implement a plan, not develop it from scratch. That's why we work so hard when the weather is good to make sure that when something goes wrong we're ready.

"The centers and shelters are organized on what we call a solar system model. Five to 10 shelters are organized around each evacuation center, where the initial intake process would take place. The system is designed for efficiency in supplying and supporting the shelters, and to eliminate any bottlenecks that may develop, and to ensure that each location has sufficient quantities of food, water, blankets and other essential supplies. The shelters and centers will be staffed by City employees from non-first responder agencies. The first responders have plenty of other things to do.

"Employees who have been designated by their agencies to staff emergency shelters should be reporting to the assignment locations today. These sites will also be staffed by school safety agents and supplied with food from the Department of Education's Office of School Foods, and security will, of course, be provided by the NYPD.

"NYC.gov, as you know, just got so overloaded that unfortunately the system crashed a few times. It is currently experiencing three times its average volume of traffic, which has made access to the site problematic for some. Yesterday, NYC.gov had 4.3 million hits - shattering the previous high of 2.2 million on January 26th. To alleviate this pressure, we began adding additional servers yesterday and are also off-loading some traffic to external commercial servers.

"NYC.gov is back up and running, but if you are unable to access the site at any time over the weekend, you can receive updates via Twitter from @nycmayorsoffice and @notifynyc. But even if that doesn't work, you certainly can call 311, and it may take a few minutes, but we have additional staff in the offices keeping up pretty much with the demand.

"As Irene arrives, safety is going to become increasingly important, and we want all New Yorkers to keep a few things in mind. From 9:00 PM tomorrow evening until 9:00 PM Sunday, for those 24 hours, New Yorkers really should take the following precautions. First, stay indoors. It's fun being out, but this is dangerous. There is flying glass, there's tree limbs, there's who knows what - a basket, a piece of patio furniture that was left out unprotected. It's just very dangerous when the winds get this high and when the rains are so heavy that you can't see where you're going.

"Second, avoid being near glass windows. There's always a risk of flying debris shattering windows, and that risk increases if you're in a high-rise, on the 10th floor or higher. For your own safety, stay in rooms with no or few windows, and close the doors to rooms where there are more windows. Don't stand or congregate in a glassed in lobby or atrium, it's exactly the same problem.

"Third, many apartment buildings also have basement or rooftop mechanical equipment, such as water towers, pumps, water heaters, and the mechanics for elevators. They may be damaged by flooding, so a good precaution is to fill a bathtub or sink with potable water. High-rise residents should also be aware that flooding or wind damage may cause power outages that will prevent elevators from operating. If you can, take the stairs, particularly if it's only a few stories. It just reduces the number of people that may get trapped. Keep in mind, one of the things we're worried about is the safety of the public, but also the safety of our first responders who put their lives in danger to protect the public and to save the public. If the public took care at the beginning to not run some risks, it would be better for them and it would also be better for our first responders, and let our first responders focus on those who got themselves into trouble.

"The Buildings Department, you should know, did issue a stop work order that will suspend all construction in the five boroughs from 2:00 PM. tomorrow until 7:00 AM on Monday. That includes renovations at City Hall, and also extends to the operation of tower cranes at the World Trade Center Site.

"Currently, 13 of the 24 tower cranes active in are city are located at the World Trade Center site. For those that want to know, this work stoppage will not have any effect on the scheduled opening of the 9/11 Memorial in time for the 10th anniversary of that tragic day. Since Wednesday, inspectors have been inspecting construction sites across the city to ensure equipment is properly secured. Working with other City agencies, they will continue conducting inspections over the weekend to make sure the stop-work order is being followed.

"The Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Transportation are inspecting dozens of flood-prone locations to do everything they can to keep catch basins clear and able to handle the extra rain water. Having said that, the forecast for eight to 12 inches of rain is something that the system just is not going to be able to handle in every single case. So you know, when you go under a bridge and it's a catchment area, be very careful. Even if the grates were cleaned today, leaves and other stuff get washed in and then all of a sudden you have a flood where you didn't have one a few minutes earlier.

"As Irene approaches, keeping City streets free for buses and emergency vehicles - that is crucial. And for that reason, we're suspending alternate side parking and meter rules on Sunday and Monday. And as I said yesterday, if you live in a Zone A, don't park your car outside the door in a low lying area. Drive it to some place that's higher, even if it takes a little while to walk there and pick it up on Monday. You'll save your car. To ease travel around the City, starting at 9 pm Saturday we will implement a 'zone-fare' plan that will make most rides less expensive in taxies and will encourage group rides and permit livery drivers to make street pick-ups.

"It's the same plan we used during the transit strike of 2005. And every little bit helps. And when and if driving conditions become too hazardous, the Taxi & Limousine Commission does have the ability to send text messages to all drivers advising them of that.

"If sustained wind speeds reach 46 miles an hour and navigation becomes difficult, the Staten Island Ferry service may be suspended. Safety is the most important thing. I know it's inconvenient, but these boats are big, and it's very difficult to land them at the dock when the winds are blowing anything at that speed or higher. Commuter ferry services operated by the Economic Development Corporation will stop after this evening's rush hour. Once wind speeds reach 50 miles per hour, we'll take a hard look at closing the City bridges. Now keep in mind, some bridges are City bridges, some a TBTA bridges which Jay can talk about, some are Port Authority Bridges - so there's three different agencies involved, and the City bridges tend to be smaller and closer to the ground than something like the Verrazano, which is a TBTA bridge, or the George Washington, which is a Port Authority bridge. Each agency will look at each of their own bridges and make their own decisions.

"To clear City streets, we're also right now revoking City permits for street fairs, block parties, and similar events on Sunday, and in Zone A - low-lying areas - on Saturday as well. The rain forecast for tomorrow is such that I don't think very many people would go to these events anyway, but we just don't need any more traffic on the streets or things blowing around than is absolutely necessary. As to any such activities in other parts of the city scheduled for Saturday, we've amended their permits to require that they stop serving the public by 2:00 PM tomorrow.

"City beaches will be closed Saturday and Sunday and remain closed until they can be operated safely. Please, please, please, don't go in the water. The tides will be much stronger than people can cope with, and it's just a tragedy waiting to happen.

"We've placed similar restrictions on outdoor TV and film permits. Marinas run by the Parks Department will be closed starting 6:00 PM Saturday, and all customers will be required to leave. The Dave Matthews concert on Governors Island that was scheduled for tonight will go ahead, but the concert scheduled for Saturday and Sunday nights are cancelled.

"The Mets games for Saturday and Sunday have been cancelled. I talked to the Wilpons today pointing out that there would not be any mass transit to get people to and from Citi Field, and since over a third of their customers come via mass transit it obviously would be very difficult to get them there. Also, the forecast is, in any case, for rains that would prevent baseball from being played.

"Fans going to the Jets-Giants game Saturday over in New Jersey should know that MTA service will likely not be available to them, so after the game they can get back if the can to New York City, but they won't be able to get around - the buses and subways will not be running.

"And let me repeat one more time before I turn things over to Speaker Quinn, because of the danger of falling limbs or trees and blowing glass and furniture and who knows what, please stay out of the parks on Sunday. And if you can possibly do it, stay inside on Sunday. It's a good time to catch up or sleep late or anything, but it would be great if we could wake up Monday morning and say that there were no tragedies. Unfortunately with a storm this size, the likelihood, the dangers, is great, and the likelihood of tragedies exists. And we do everything we can to keep that from happening."



Press Release

NYC Starts MANDATORY EVACUATION Of All New Yorkers In Zone A: Gothamist

 

[Valerie]

I'm still fascinated by the fact that I can find not trace of the Mayor's "order" to evacuate.

I saw the video of his press conference. I know the official position.

But still, I'd like to read the text.

And I'd still like to know the specific legal authority by which he is entitled to issue such an order. Does it stem from just one particular law or is it an interpretation of a reading of a variety of laws that gives him such authority?

Mayor Bloomberg said the city would start a mandatory evacuation of residents in Zone A areas—this includes Brooklyn's Coney Island and Manhattan Beach, Far Rockaway and Broad Channel in Queens, South Beach, Midland Beach, and other low-lying areas on Staten Island, and Manhattan's Battery Park City. He admitted, "We've never done a mandatory evacuation before. But this is a serious storm. We need to prepare for the worst and hope for the best," and warned, "This is very serious. Do not be fooled by the sun outside."

Bloomberg said all residents need to be out by 5 p.m. tomorrow (8/27)—"If you can leave today, that would be helpful...At the moment the strongest winds are expected to arrive in the early evening tomorrow. It is expected to be a category 1 storm. The full brunt of the storm—if you are in its way—is a lot more powerful than any of us."

Technically, not heeding the mandatory evacuation order would be a violation of the law that could get you fined and sent to jail. But Bloomberg assured New Yorkers today that "nobody is going to get fined and nobody is going to go to jail, but if they don't evacuate they could die." You can see where your local evacuation centers are on this map from the city.

NYC Starts MANDATORY EVACUATION Of All New Yorkers In Zone A: Gothamist

As Hurricane Irene spins toward New York and New Jersey, more than 1 million tri-staters in vulnerable coastal areas are under evacuation orders -- and many say they won't leave.
Hurricane Evacuation Orders Ignored | NBC New York

 

[Valerie]

The call was based on worse case scenario of 85-100mph winds by the time it reaches NY.


Chad Myers explaining what MIGHT happen to Lower Manhattan by Sunday Aug 28th, 2011, a scary possible scenario. A direct hit or any very large storm surge from the Atlantic Ocean, into the lower Manhattan bay up the East and Hudson River could be unthinkable.
CNN – Manhattan’s possible Storm Surge scenario – Severe flooding from Hurricane Irene | BrokenFlask.com

 

[BDBoop]

Already four dead (three, because I figure heart attack man was just due any minute now, anyway).

Major developments:
Paramedics in North Carolina say a man was killed outside his home by a tree limb blown down by Hurricane Irene. A second man died after suffering a heart attack while putting plywood over the windows of his Onslow County, N.C. home, according to the News & Observer. A falling tree limb killed a third man in Nash County, N.C. An 11-year-old boy died in Newport News, Va., after a tree fell on an apartment complex, reports CBS affiliate WTKR.

Wind and rain have knocked out power to more than 497,446 customers in North Carolina and Virginia.

More than 2 million people have been told to evacuate to safer places, and New York City ordered the nation's biggest subway system shut down for the first time because of a natural disaster.

According to Red Cross spokesperson Kate Meier, more than 13,000 people stayed in nearly 150 Red Cross shelters across six states Friday night. More shelters are opening today.

CBS News' Carter Yang reports that airlines have canceled 8,337 flights through Monday, and that number is expected to rise. N.Y.C. airports are shutting down for arrivals at noon Saturday, with last departures expected this evening at 10 p.m. Philadelphia's airport is shutting down tonight at 6 p.m. Circumstances at each airport will determine when flights will resume.

 

[Intense]

I'm still fascinated by the fact that I can find not trace of the Mayor's "order" to evacuate.

I saw the video of his press conference. I know the official position.

But still, I'd like to read the text.

And I'd still like to know the specific legal authority by which he is entitled to issue such an order. Does it stem from just one particular law or is it an interpretation of a reading of a variety of laws that gives him such authority?

I think I found what you are looking for.

NYC Hazards: Hurricane Evacuation


Under New York State law, the Mayor has the power to declare a local state of emergency. This might include issuing evacuation instructions for one or more hurricane evacuation zones if it were determined that clear and present danger to the public exists.

Deciding to issue evacuation instructions requires in-depth analysis of storm forecasts and local conditions, which is coordinated by the Mayor, OEM, State and Federal agencies, the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center, and jurisdictions throughout New Jersey, Long Island and upstate New York.

Find out if you live in a hurricane evacuation zone

Evacuation Instructions

The Mayor can issue two different kinds of evacuation instructions:

EVACUATION RECOMMENDATION: The Mayor may recommend certain residents take steps to evacuate voluntarily. A recommendation might be issued to cover residents of certain zones, communities or building types. An evacuation recommendation could also be issued for the benefit of people with mobility challenges who need extra time to evacuate.

EVACUATION ORDER: The Mayor may order residents of specified zones or communities to leave their homes for the protection of their health and welfare in the event of an approaching storm.

How to Evacuate

Since flooding and high winds can occur many hours before a hurricane makes landfall, it is critical evacuees leave their homes immediately if instructed to do so by emergency officials. Evacuees are encouraged to seek shelter with friends or family or outside evacuation zones when possible.

To avoid being trapped by flooded roads, washed-out bridges or disruptions to mass transportation, evacuees should plan their mode of transportation with special care.

Plan to use mass transit as much as possible, as it offers the fastest way to reach your destination. Using mass transit reduces the volume of evacuees on the roadways, reducing the risk of dangerous and time-consuming traffic delays.
Listen carefully to your local news media, which will broadcast reports about weather and transportation conditions.
Evacuations from at-risk zones will be phased to encourage residents in coastal areas to leave their homes before inland residents and to help ensure an orderly evacuation process.
Leave early. Evacuations will need to be completed before winds and flooding become a threat, because wind and heavy rain could force the early closure of key transportation routes, like bridges and tunnels.

The City advises against car travel during an evacuation. The City will be working hard to keep roads clear, but traffic is unavoidable in any evacuation. Driving will increase your risk of becoming stranded on a roadway during an evacuation.
IF YOU MUST TAKE A CAR:

Be ready for a long, slow trip. Be aware the City will deploy public safety personnel along major transportation routes to help vehicular traffic flow as smoothly as possible. Have a full gas tank before you go.
Stay tuned to local media for information about road and bridge closures. New York State's 511 can help you monitor traffic on State roads.
Evacuation Centers are the ONLY places where people may park vehicles. Many evacuation centers do NOT have parking available. Tune in to local media for instructions.
Large vehicles may be prohibited in windy conditions. This could apply to trailers, trucks, boats and other vehicles with a higher wind profile than a car or SUV.
In any significant rainstorm, avoid driving through standing water if you cannot tell how deep it is.

If you must go to an evacuation center, it is important to carefully select what you take with you. Do not bring more than you can carry, but be sure to bring your Go Bag with you.


NYC Hazards: Hurricane Evacuation

 

[BDBoop]

Funny blog post by my local weatherman.

Everyone wants to err on the side of caution and keeping people safe. I get that. But some of the stuff I heard Friday night on the national media made me a little crazy. An 8-12 ft. storm surge at New York Harbor? Not even close. "Storm of the Century?" Nope. The result? "Weather "experts" are crying wolf!" Apathy sets in, which could be tragic the next time a (real) monster-storm churns up the East Coast.

And can we stop with the reporters on the beach, reminding us that it's windy? They urge viewers to evacuate, yet there they are, clinging to light poles, incoherent above the wailing winds.

Really?

Any hurricane is a big deal, but Irene hits Long Island today as a Category 1 storm, capable of a 2-4 foot storm surge in New York Harbor. Expect lowland flooding, but this will NOT be the "Big One".

A Hurricane of Hype | StarTribune.com

 

[Ravi]

Funny blog post by my local weatherman.

Everyone wants to err on the side of caution and keeping people safe. I get that. But some of the stuff I heard Friday night on the national media made me a little crazy. An 8-12 ft. storm surge at New York Harbor? Not even close. "Storm of the Century?" Nope. The result? "Weather "experts" are crying wolf!" Apathy sets in, which could be tragic the next time a (real) monster-storm churns up the East Coast.

And can we stop with the reporters on the beach, reminding us that it's windy? They urge viewers to evacuate, yet there they are, clinging to light poles, incoherent above the wailing winds.

Really?

Any hurricane is a big deal, but Irene hits Long Island today as a Category 1 storm, capable of a 2-4 foot storm surge in New York Harbor. Expect lowland flooding, but this will NOT be the "Big One".

A Hurricane of Hype | StarTribune.com

Yep, that's the problem. You really don't know how bad it will be until it is too late to evacuate. And next time, people won't. That's what happened with Katrina.