Or this story either, from the
comments at HotAir:
"I’m in Belmar, NJ and we were absolutely devastated by the storm. I cannot say with certainty, but I would guess that at least 80% of the homes sustained major damage, most due to flooding, and a fair number of them will have to be demolished.
That said, I have never been prouder of my town and its people. A veritable army of volunteers have been working non-stop from Day-1, organized by our mayor and council. Volunteers evacuated over 200 homes, most by kayak, and then brought those same people back a day or so later to get important papers, pictures, etc.
Every day, we get a telephone briefing from the mayor via cell phone, and for those without service, volunteers go door to door (every day!) with a flyer containing the same information: status reports, how to get help, etc. We have set up a relief center at borough hall where you can get food, clothing, blankets, cleaning supplies, baby items, pet items, etc. They drive around with a truck full of ice for those without generators who are keeping food in coolers. Basements are emptied of debris (we have mountains of it) and pumped out for free by volunteers. Hot meals are available at borough hall from 9-5 each day, and four restaurants in town have been providing free food all day, every day. The two drugstores in town are providing prescription refills without charge for now (pay later when things settle down.) If you have no way to get to borough hall, the volunteers will bring you there and back. During the first week, neighbors shared power from generators, gasoline, and meals (meat intensive the first few days!)
There were a few looters the first day, so the mayor quickly set a curfew from 6pm to 6am, and set up barricades around the town…no admittance except to residents. If someone was coming to see you or to work for you, they were escorted to your home. Day-2 we had the National Guard, NJ State Police and by Day-3 the Georgia State Police arrived along with an army of utility workers from Tennessee and South Carolina! (God bless all of them.) We had 18 giant pumps (some of which were used for Katrina) emptying water from the town into the ocean, and by the end of the first week, all our roads were cleared of sand and debris, the damaged boardwalk (what was left of it) had been removed, as well as all the structures (pavilions, bathrooms, restaurants, etc.) that once stood there. The progress has been breathtaking. Our curfew was lifted today, and the mayor’s final briefing also informed us that Ocean Avenue will be closed to all traffic for the next few months so that the new boardwalk can be completed before spring. I have no doubt it will be done.
Our mayor, Matt Doherty, is a Regan-type democrat. We’re in Monmouth County which, along with Ocean County to our south, has voted Republican in at least the last three presidentials.
IrishEi on November 13, 2012 at 6:28 PM"
This is how it gets done.