Aftermath of Hurricane Sandy

Through all of the destruction and aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, it seems as if the damage in Island Park has gone unnoticed, up until recent recognition.  Island Park is a small town that is about a mile long and a mile wide, with a population of an estimated 5,000 people.  Growing up there it was always a familiar joke when people said you can miss it in the blink of an eye, but when the residents needed help the most this humoring joke became a startling reality.  


Still struggling without power and dropping temperatures the community is striving together to help each other out.  I witnessed the aftermath less than a week after the super storm.  The only way I can seem to describe it, is it looked like a war zone.  Chaos, fear, and panic infected the once, happy warm community.  It was devastating.  Aside from the devastation people began looting.  Stealing from people that had already lost everything.  Everything was going wrong and these poor victims did not even have the help that other people did.  Most residents abandoned their homes until help arrived because their children can not live in the conditions that they were given.

Roughly a week after the storm is when help started to arrive  both National Gard and Red Cross came to the needs of Island Park.  One National Gard officer said "This is worse than, Long Beach it resembles Hurricane Katrina.  I am sorry we took so long."  And it was then we realized that we would finally be helped in the way that we deserve. 

Although it took longer than it should have help was finally on its way, and the residents of Island Park could breathe easier with a few burdens lifted.  Corporations like Tide came to show their support yesterday by bringing their "wash truck"  to the disheveled town of Island Park.  This truck is equipped with 32 washers and dryers, and allowing 1 load per family residents can drop off their clothes to be washed, dried, and folded since there is still no power for them.