Paul Smith Jr. is mayor of Union Beach, New Jersey, a place he has called home since 1956. This town of just over 6,000 residents experienced some of the worst destruction from Hurricane Sandy. In a span of just 45 minutes, floodwater from the bay washed away 52 homes entirely, 100 made another 100 inhabitable due to being washed off their foundations, and severely damaged another 400 by inundating them with over six feet of water. In his narrative, Paul speaks to the preparations taken before the storm, the damage the town has faced, and the progress that has been made in rebuilding. Continue Reading
By Location
You become resilient
Dr. Alan Blumberg is a resident of Hoboken, New Jersey, and is professor of Ocean Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology. In his job, he studies hurricanes, storm surges, and climate change. He looks at how these affect people who live on coastlines, and he also studies methods of building resilience for future storms. Dr. Blumberg is the Director of the Davidson Laboratory at Stevens, and he is also the founder of NYHOPS, a system designed to alert the public about upcoming storm surges. In his narrative, he discusses his research as it relates to Hurricane Sandy and the development of weathering technologies. Continue Reading
One of the best things that's happened to me
Tyrone Green, born in London, England, has lived in Hoboken, New Jersey with his wife since 2002. Prior to Hurricane Sandy, he worked in finance for a bank in New York City. As a result of the hurricane and the devastation it inflicted on Hoboken, Tyrone became inspired to leave the financial world and go into business for himself. ‘Dark Side of the Moo,’ his food truck business that features wild game meat, now travels the streets of Hoboken and Jersey City looking for lunch customers. In Green’s narrative, he discusses his experiences during the storm, his change in careers, and the lingering effects the storm on his community. Continue Reading
We weren't going to do well
Louis Amoruso is the Director of Public Works and the Assistant Business Administrator for Toms River Township, New Jersey. As a child, he spent his summers in Ortley Beach at his family’s beach house, and in 1976 they moved down full-time. Since 1989, he has lived across the bay in Toms River. Amaruso’s job placed him at the center of the action during Hurricane Sandy. In preparation for the storm, his crews worked to build up the sand dunes in Ortley Beach and other communities on the barrier islands. During the storm, he organized the rescues of nearly 500 people stranded in homes. In the days after, he helped to orchestrate the removal of debris from Ortley and other heavily affected areas. In his narrative, Amaruso speaks to his experiences, emphasizes the importance of dunes and storm water management, and praises how people came together in a time of need. Continue Reading
Somewhere between depressed and desperate
Al Spangler resides in Seaside Park, New Jersey, where he is Pastor of the Union Church of Seaside Park. During Hurricane Sandy, he remained in his church and watched as the storm brought its fury to the Shore. In the aftermath, he has helped members of his community to find strength in a time of emotional turmoil. In his narrative, he speaks of his experiences during the storm as well as thoughts about the recovery, and he notes that his pastoral responsibilities were both a burden and a blessing during this difficult time. Continue Reading
The Ocean County Long Term Recovery Group
Bridget Holmes is the Assistant Executive Director of the Ocean County Long Term Recovery Group (OCLTRG), which she has worked with since July of 2013. At the time of Hurricane Sandy, she was working as a youth group leader for a parish in Point Pleasant. In the aftermath of the storm, she become involved in recovery efforts, and in July 2013 joined the newly created OCLTRG. As part of that organization, she has been able to utilize her master’s degree and certification in counselling to help over 500 families recover from Hurricane Sandy. In her narrative, she discusses the role of the OCLTRG in the community and the many contributions it has made to people struggling to rebuild their lives. Continue Reading
My kids grew up here
Gina Carey-Smith is a college professor who lives in Florence, New Jersey. For seventeen years, she has owned a small, 400 square foot bungalow in Seaside Park, two blocks from the ocean and four blocks from the bay. Hurricane Sandy wiped out the little beach home, causing so much damage that it needed to be leveled and rebuilt. However, since it was considered a ‘second home,’ and since Gina owned the house but not the land on which it sat, she was both unable to have flood insurance and could not get help from FEMA. Unable to afford reconstruction, she was forced to sell for a fraction of its value. In this narrative, Gina talks about how has dealt with losing a summer home that held 14 years of childhood memories for her kids. Continue Reading
Where does a family of surfers go?
Krista Sperber is a graphic designer who lives with her family in Belmar, New Jersey. As a result of Hurricane Sandy, her home was submerged in salt water for seven days. Unfortunately that was just the start of their difficulties. For the past two years, Krista and her family have been struggling to receive any sort of compensation from insurance. Fortunately for them, the community has responded with generous support, and with the help of the Home for Summer program and the Saint Bernard project they are rebuilding their home. She is now working with the New Jersey Organizing Project, a network of people working to ensure that Sandy victims have a full and fair recovery. Continue Reading
Finally had a hot cooked meal
William Johnson lives in Ocean Port, New Jersey, and is owner of Scala’s Pizzeria in Long Branch. At the time of Hurricane Sandy, he was a Councilman in Ocean Port. Though his home and business were spared much of the destruction that others have faced, his neighbors and mother-in-law were not as fortunate. In his narrative, William speaks of his experiences during the storm as well as the process of recovery. He is pleased to see how people in the community have pulled together to get through the storm. Continue Reading
Something that brings us together, as a community, in a weird way
Megan Miller is a special education teacher who works in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. She and her husband (at the time fiancé) own a home in the Township of Brick. During Hurricane Sandy they acted as First Responders, assisting people and aiding in evacuations throughout Point Pleasant. The following day, they discovered that the storm had caused severe damage to their home. In her narrative, Meghan speaks of their actions during the storm, and the challenges they have faced in rebuilding their home. She also mentions her visit to the Ellen DeGeneres Show, in which she discovered that Ellen had generously agreed to help rebuild their home. Continue Reading