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Miranda Leitsinger / NBC News
Laz Benitez puts duct tape on the window of the 9th-floor lower Manhattan apartment he shares with his wife, Annie Chambliss, early Monday. The couple decided to stay despite Mayor Michael Bloomberg's mandatory evacuation order because they felt they were safe and would not pose a concern for rescue workers.
While large swathes of New York City were under mandatory evacuation orders Monday – a fact that police cars and vans with speakers loudly blared throughout the morning – many residents elected to defy the edict and hunker down in their homes.
Annie Chambliss and Laz Benitez took their dog, Kallon, on one last pre-storm walk at midmorning before taping up their windows and holing up inside their lower Manhattan apartment overlooking the Hudson River. A block away, parents Claire Wladis and Nicholas Rennie did the same with their 21-month-old daughter, Iliana, in their 15th-floor flat.
"We sort of decided it would probably be safer just to stay where we are," said Wladis, 34, a university math professor, noting that her relatives lived in other states that were expected to fare even worse during the storm. "We are not that high up and there's an internal hallway, so we figured if the winds got strong we'd just pull a mattress out there and camp out."
Despite an evacuation order issued Sunday by the city's Mayor Michael Bloomberg, which covered some 375,000 people living in low-lying areas, it was clear Monday that many residents decided to stay put and take their chances when Hurricane Sandy reached shore.
The neighborhood where the families NBC News interviewed live was quiet on Monday, but it wasn't a ghost town. Some people walked their dogs or jogged, while others stood at the waterfront watching the river rise. Some nearby businesses were boarded up, however, and many buildings had sandbags piled up around their entrances.
Miranda Leitsinger / NBC News
Claire Wladis, 34, holding her 21-month-old daughter Iliana, and her husband, Nicholas Rennie, 45, look across the Hudson River toward New Jersey early Monday, trying to assess how high the water had risen.
Only 3,000 people had sought refuge in city emergency shelters, Bloomberg said Monday at a late-morning briefing, though many others were likely staying at hotels or with friends or family.
Wladis and Rennie said having a young child figured into their decision-making.
The couple moved a small, cozy sleep tent for Iliana into a walk-in closet, away from the apartment windows facing the river, which was lapping over walkways amid a constant drizzle and powerful wind gusts during high tide.
"I actually feel safer being able to go into internal hallways ... than say being in a shelter where she's maybe not sleeping and I'm chasing her around," said Rennie, a 45-year old literature professor, as Iliana crawled and ran around an apartment building lobby.
Of Iliana's tent, he said: "She loved it. She didn't want to leave this morning."
Miranda Leitsinger / NBC News
Iliana Wladis lays in her sleep tent, which her parents placed inside a closet for protection in case of high windows or other weather trouble during the storm.
The couple figured they were well-prepared for what could be a lengthy stay inside: They stocked up on five days’ worth of nonperishable foods, bought a tarp, flashlights and candles, filled up the bathtub with water, moved computers and other valuable objects away from the windows, and charged their laptops and computer tablets. And, they had sleeping bags ready in case they lose power.
They also had wet pads and food for their 12-year-old black Pomeranian, Little Bit, and plenty of toys and books for Iliana. They said they planned on letting Iliana play ball with Little Bit in the hallway and turning to real-life books to occupy their time if they lose all electricity.
"I think if this was much worse, we would definitely have seriously considered going to a shelter or to somebody else's (place)," Wladis said, adding she felt the biggest risks were more likely to be "inconvenience, as long as you stay inside and don't go wandering off in the storm."
Flights and trains canceled, schools, offices and Wall Street closed as Sandy bears down on the coast. NBC's Brian Mooar reports.
Chambliss, 31, and Benitez, 41, made similar preparations for their 9th-floor apartment, but also bought thick foam and duct tape to cover their lone window. Though they had many offers to stay with friends in other parts of the city, cramming into a small apartment wasn’t an appealing prospect, especially with a dog.
"When we evacuated last time (for last year's Hurricane Irene), it actually was worse off where we evacuated to," said Chambliss, who works in web communications, as she walked Kallon along the riverfront. "We'll probably be stranded wherever we are for a long time. We figured we'd rather be stuck in our own home."
The couple did expect to lose power, and had fully charged all of their electronic gadgets. They also stocked up pans and pots in case of any water leaks, since they are on the top floor in their building.
"We're not being reckless. We're being very cautious," said Benitez, who works in public relations, who was continuously monitoring TV news for updates on the storm. "We feel much safer here actually."
Some politicians have taken a harsh tone in criticizing those who stayed behind. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Monday called residents who did not follow evacuation orders in his state “both stupid and selfish.” Bloomberg took a milder tack on Sunday, asking city dwellers to leave if ordered to do so as not to endanger rescue workers.
But Chambliss said blanket orders don’t take into account individual residents’ circumstances.
“We’re definitely very conscious of that,” Chambliss said of the criticism. “If we were on a lower floor and if we felt that we were like really in danger of flooding and that we were in a position where we were going to need to be rescued or calling rescue workers, we would have left.”
Her comments were echoed by Wladis.
“We don’t feel like we are doing anything particularly crazy," she said. "I respect why elected officials make those comments because they want to try to scare people in really dangerous places into getting out, but … I think there’s just more nuance than just saying everybody’s in an evacuation zone and everybody should get out.”
Authorities continued their efforts to get the holdouts to leave on Monday, with police vans and cars equipped with speakers driving through the evacuation zone broadcasting warnings. "Please leave," said one message, while another warned that those who stayed were committing a Class D misdemeanor.
A possible citation notwithstanding, Wladis and Rennie said they intended to make the most of the experience of riding out a hurricane.
"As long as it doesn't feel dangerous, it's kind of fun and festive," Wladis said as they headed back to their building after learning it would soon be locked down until the storm has abated. "Once the storm actually comes in, I'm sure we'll feel differently.”
More on Hurricane Sandy from NBCNews.com:
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Sort of decided it would make more sense to be stupid and put our families in danger than be smart and keep our families safe. You people are crazy. Hope you don't regret your actions. Stay safe.
They'll never regret their actions. If they made the wrong choice, they'll be DEAD.
My region doesn't deal with hurricanes, but we do deal with annual flooding and I can safely say these people are idiots. Do they think their walls can withstand a nuke? No? They're in trouble then because hurricanes release several times more power than our strongest man made weapons.
Seen this many times in movies. People refuse to leaves and then cry and beg government to help. Next thing you know, more human resources are used to help locate their families and such and then those people who help end up in harm way.
There is an old saying "People never care until flood comes at their feet, then they panic and try to do something".
Alex what are you smoking?
They live, baby gets injured or worse = regret.
Does it even matter if they all die,....NO? these idiots will just be a statistic.
Yes it matters! The baby and dog have no choice, do they?
The winds won't be that strong and they are several stories up. Bloomberg playing Super Nanny again, what a disgusting person. Boarding up the below ground stuff makes sense. Lots of below ground stuff though, going down several hundred feet in some places.
I say if they stay behind and end up having to be rescued then they should have to pay for the full cost of the rescue.
It's a very lonely and scary feeling when you realize you are trapped with no place to go (and no way to get help) as things take a turn for the worse. It is definitely not worth the feeling of exhilaration and bravado if you should survive.
I had an epiphany the day my first child was born. I could no longer take the risks and chances that guided my life up to that point. From that day forward, I had an awesome responsibility to that innocent and totally dependent new life. I'll keep their baby in my thoughts and prayers. For the baby's sake only, I'll do the same for her idiotic parents.
Rex the winds are stronger at higher elevations. I do not know where you get your information from but you are wrong. Sure they are not in immediate danger from flooding but what if the building were to crumble from the stress of the water on the ground and the foundation of the building failed.
It's not a freaking nuclear bomb people, relax, which I might add Alex, with blast speeds in excessive of 600 MPH IS more powerful than a level 1 hurricane.
The government screams EVACUATE to cover their own asses... that is all. Many people will stay behind and will be just fine... I imagine they are rational and capable for making these assessments on their own. You can let the gov determine for you if you need them to.
Guess they didn't see the post Katrina disaster. Days even weeks without power. In a high rise it's not about how high up you are it's about how many basements your building has and how much water is in them. I worked in downtown Chicago during the tunnel break flood of 91. The CBOT building has 5 sub floors, all were filled with water. It was months before the emergency power generators left. That was in a city where only the tunnels and basements flooded. Gov. Christe just announced "I told you to get out, you're on your own. No rescues until daylight tomorrow."
I worry more about the dogs, cats and pets than i do with the fuking idiots wanted to stay behind with their kids. We can only help those wanted help and the stupid idiots decided to stay.....well, they can go fuk themself.
had enough yet? makes a fine point, but I wonder if he's willing to agree that those who do stay in defiance of an evacuation order (it's order, not a suggestion) should go without extraordinary rescue releif?
And would he?
I believe that "old saying" is from Buddhism, and it applies to death, not floods. We hope they aren't one and the same in this instance.
Had enough yet. You are ignorant. Flying tree limbs, stop signs and other debri, yes even at 9 stories high, will penetrate a glass window regardless how much duct tape you put on it. Once the flooding subsides and the roving band of looters hits the streets looking for valuables of any kind, to include water, food, cash or women, they could regret their decision to stay. Were you born before Katrina? To all others reading. Don't mess with a hurricane. Leave when told to do so for your family's safety. The only thing these people didn't put in their prep kit was what they may need. A toe tag.
One of the reasons they ask people to leave is because the sewer system floods and stops draining. When the pipes are full where does the water go? It comes up out of the first floor tub, shower, toilet, and sink drains. If they get standing water there then everything these people flush will be coming up into their downstairs neighbors apartments.
I hope their 1st floor neighbors sue them for damages when they come back and find all their possessions covered in human waste and used clumps of toilet paper. Way to go you ever so very "special" people who don't feel that the rules apply to them. Idiots...
We rode out a hurricane in central Florida, several actually. One of them was a Category 4. The difference is, Florida homes don't rise very high and are built from cinderblock. This is an intentional effort to hurricane-proof them. Also, we were inland, the people on the shore had their houses flattened despite the sturdy construction. I just thought I would point some of this stuff out to people who might be thinking about staying behind. You might hears stories where it all worked out, but keep in mind that their situation was different than yours. Also, we were not ordered to evacuate, mostly because of the reasons above. Side note, our power was out for two weeks even with the extra repair crews.
@prejean - making my own assessment according to where I live and the preparations I have, I would stay put. Yes, those that defy are on their own, but that is their choice, correct?
@WCF - as I stated earlier, people that are prepared for this will be just fine. Duct taping windows for a hurricane isn't "prepared." As far as Katrina - no, I wouldn't stick around in an area below sea level... there's no preparing for that. And bands of looters get added to the casualty count at my house. I don't @!$%#ing play around with thieves.
It's appalling how many @!$%#s want to criticize people that stay, it's their choice. If nothing happens to them it'll all just go away. If they are injured or die, you @!$%#s will line up to verbally tear them apart again. GET A FREAKING LIFE!
Well it's good to see that stupid people live in the northeast also and not just a phenomenon of living on the gulf coast in the south. When I grew up on the west bank of New Orleans we evacuated for virtually every hurricane. There was almost always damage to our house after the storm.
I recall a couple of decades ago, there was a hurricane party held in either a multi-storied hotel or apartment building somewhere in FLA. that collapsed during the storm...Or was that a movie? Anybody?
People are welcome to do as they please. Hopefully the flood waters don't get too bad, and they are 'safe'.
I've been through a lot of hurricane's and I still remember hearing this woman on the phone with a local radio station, she was on the coast in North Carolina, and you could hear the panic in her voice, the water was up to the second floor, and she was running out of room. I don't know if she survived, there were a few who did pass...
it was a movie. I saw it, I just don't remember the name of it
Had Enough 75 mile an hour winds can put a 2X4 through a brick wall. Keep you AZZ down and your head up tuff guy it's gona get dark. I've been throug a tornado in a doctors office in Chicago one time, never again, no sir.
Plenty of loose 2x4's around there huh? I hear this storm is going to knock down a sky-scraper, gather the bricks and toss them indiscriminately at all the morons that stayed... I'll be waiting to hear of news reports of those killed in their home by flying debris... and of people gobbled up by sharks that come in on the tide... live in fear, people.
What a bunch of idiots. If they make it, they will never do that again. The duct tape is really smart, it will create broken flying glass with duct tape on it should something fly their way. Professors of ignorance.
Had_Enough_Yet?
It doesn't have to be a 2x4, A street, sign, traffic light, tree limb, assorted debris will all get the job done.
I feel sorry for the dog who will not be taken out to do his business until the storm passes.People are idiots plain and simple.If the stay behind folks need to be rescued then I hope that New York will bill them.
Really hard to poop and dog paddle in water over your head. Those buildings will be full of dog and people poop. No sewer treatment, no fresh water,and NO FLUSHING!!
dazed and confused-2122889,
That was Hurricane Camille at an apartment complex in 1969 in Mississippi. Why do I have to be Mr. History? :-). As for this storm, the last "Storm of the Century", and the Hurricane of '38; the '38 storm went right up the Connecticut River and hit the unprepared areas. There were also less gangs of looters waiting to take advantage of the crisis. If the storm went up the Connecticut this time, you would have Hartford, Conn and Springfield, MA turning out to get their free TVs yesterday.
It really is astounding to me.
The husband and wife in the story are professors. That usually means they have Ph.D.s. I know, having been to college, that a doctorate is not a license to carry brains. And this just bolsters that belief.
I don't suppose these book-smart but common-sense-stupid people considered what they would do if their child fell and sustained an injury independently from Hurricane Sandy (or perhaps as a direct result of it). Who would they call? How would they ever hope to get the child to emergency care with the streets flooded and the city deserted?
Stupidity comes in all forms. In this case, it masquerades as two "learned" people who should know better.
If adults want to risk their own lives that is their business; I do feel sorry for the child and dog, since they have no choice in the matter. What good do they think taping their windows will do? Why didn't they get some plywood to cover it? What are their plans if the building suffers structural damage and they have to evacuate? Do they think the government should put even more people at risk to rescue them from their own stupidity? The government needs to start charging for rescuing people like this and prosecuting them if their child or a rescuer is injured or dies.
As is with the case of all arguments on Newsvine - most posters only look at specific details and ignore the total problem. The Weather Channel is showing many power transformers exploding and resulting fires - this is just one of many factors that those who stayed behind never considered.
How many people pay attention to those public service messages they get - that Check List of items you should have in an emergency? I just got one in my Water/Sewer bill...emergencies don't always give you a 7 day warning.
People are staying because they're too short sighted to realize that there is more to their inconvenience than lack of electricity. Shelters have electricity, working plumbing, and many will have hot food. Now they have to deal with the possible lack of utilities, sewage floating down the street, etc.
A building has partially collapsed in Chelsea. It looks like a giant doll house. So far, the deaths that have occured are due to falling trees on a man's house, and on a car. These people decided it was more convenient to stay in their homes.
I like her statement that she did not want to go to a shelter, for fear the kid might not sleep. That I see. But she did not want to chase her son around the shelter. Okay let see, chasing a kid around in a shelter or being stupid to stay be hind.
Like the NFL had at one time "You make the Call"
Oh the trials and tribulations of Motherhood, OF COURSE YOU CHASE THE KID IN THE SHELTER, you protect that child, it's your job stupid.
I'm just curious if the people who stayed will demand to be rescued if it turns out badly for them? Are they going to blame the government for not doing enough? What do they plan to do if the power goes out, their drinking water stops running and they can't get to a store to buy food?
Sure it sucks but throw the rescue people a bone and don't make their jobs any harder than it has to be to save your sorry asses.
I guess if they make it through it they'll be able to respond in two weeks when their power is restored. I think that they forget that most of the east coast will have power outages. All the people that usually respond to emergencies will be dealing with their own personal emergencies. And I'm sure it will be pretty hard to even get into the areas effected by the hurricane.
Everyone that is comparing this to there own personal exp with floods and twisters have no clue what the hell they are talking about. This is gonna be different. the people that stayed will learn soon if they made the right choice or not. Yes there will be flood waters/high winds/flying debry/power outages/backed up pluming and much more. Now I feel if you stay after being told to go you are on your own. If you screwed up and made the wrong choice thats it, you pay the price.
they stockpiled food for 5 days.... 5 days. I guess they will want to be rescued after that. Or maybe in 2 days when there is still no running water and the apartment stinks and they stink. oh did they forget there will be no heat, in november, in new england. I guess they thought the elcetricity would just automatically come back on in a day or two after the storm. How high up are they? they will be lucky if they can get rescued.
Highest winds only happen very close to the center and diminish rapidly... hurricane force only hit from southern NJ to DC and even there was only 95 max... force doubles for every 10 mph so Sandy will cause a small fraction of the damage caused by Katrina / Wilma etc. which had much faster wind ...
in Manhattan, these people have zero chance of significant wind damage, even at altitude.... storm surge will drain off in hours and they'll be able to go outside... their biggest problem will be how long until electricity comes back, which will be pretty quick in the city....
the media and people who don't know what they are talking about squawk this up, but these people are taking zero chance.
I wonder whether the State will charge them the $30,000 or so that it will cost when a helicopter is needed to pluck them off the roof in the midst of the flood, or whether they'll just bill it to the taxpayers as usual?
People are going to do what people are going to do. That's fine if it only involves themselves. But when they put their children at risk, don't think about their family members feelings if they lose them then they are self-centered idiots!!!
Worse of all is when they get into trouble because of their stupid decisions and then put rescue workers who have children and family at risk.
Please listen to me...
IT IS NOT THE GOVERNMENTS JOB TO KEEP YOU AND YOUR FAMILY SAFE!!!
It is your own responsibility to do that!
If you make the choice to hunker down and ride it out, make sure you are prepaired! That is your choice as an American! We still have some form of freedom!
And all you people who are worried about the Dog and the young Kid... GIVE IT A BREAK! you can't sit here on a computer and make judgements about people hundreds of miles away when you don't know all the facts...They are probably more safe with a mom and dad who love them and have planned ahead that with 1000 people like you who just take orders from the government and do as you are told!
YOU PEOPLE ARE FREE! remember that!
All I know is that you are scared! and you look to uncle same to protect you...
GOOD LUCK WITH THAT!
I look to my God and I prepair to handle things myself!
Learn how to think for yourself and stop believing everything you hear from the "professionals"
Jonathan-1728701,
I agree that citizens shouldn't wait for the government to "save them". Personal responsibility is, thankfully, still required.
And that's why I believe these people were very, very foolish.
You don't "hunker down" in the face of a hybrid storm that moves the ocean itself inland and tears homes from their foundations. A person should be free to make that choice, of course...but I'm just as free to tell that person they're an idiot for doing so.
Also, if you make a poor decision like this, the likelihood is that you will need the government to save you. Government workers are people, too...with families. It's their job to save your sorry ass from the freedom you exercise in the name of very bad choices.
I believe--as you do--that we should be free to make those "very bad choices", with one caveat: no one else should have to pay for your mistakes.
A hurricane most certainly has the power of many nuclear weapons. But it is far less devastating because the energy is released over a much larger area and over a much longer period of time. A nuke blast releases all energy in just a minute or two, so the damage is much greater.
People this stupid do not deserve to be rescued. Natures natural selection at work. If someone in my family was a rescue worker I would not want them to risk their lives to save some stupid "college professor" b/c he thinks he is smarter then the ppl that specialize in this field. Don't these morons realize it isn't just the wind and rain that's a safety issue? What about looters, they going to tape them up with their weather proof tape?I understand you want the comfort of your home, and ppl in hell want ice water. You have to do not what's just best for you, but for your family and the ppl that will have too rescue your dumb-ass. That's why the governor said it was selfish to stay behind, it isn't about what you WANT, it's about what's the best solution for EVERYONE involved. And say their little 22 month baby gets appendicitis God forbid or some of life threatening illness? They gonna row down to the nearest ER? I would leave ESPECIALLY with that young of children involved. And they said their relatives lived in states getting it worse then them,. I thought NY was the state getting it the worse, I can't think of too many other places that are getting it much worse.Let's pray that God does take care of fools. I feel bad for the baby b/c she doesn't have a say so in the decision the other 2 can rot for all I care. Isn't it ironic when you hear about this level of stupidity it usually seems to be ppl that are supposedly highly educated. I guess there is book smart and common sense smart. My ex husband was very smart as far as academics but yet would cross the street without looking, it really is amazing to see some of these idiots at work.
I'm not about to pass judgment on anyone who decides to stay or go. The huge number of people on this thread condemning those choosing to stay really highlights what's wrong with the USA. Everybody is everybody else's nanny.
Newsflash: There are no guarantees of safety in any shelter, whether it's your home or some high school. It's certainly possible one's home IS the safer place to be. For those who go to a shelter as you insist, are you going to pay their food bills? Because they most certainly are not going to get evacuated with 5 days worth of food.
Looters: As the name implies, they look for abandoned homes and stores to loot. If you are in your home, they'll leave you and your possessions alone. Or if they don't, they are not looters, in which case exercising your 2nd amendment right to self preservation is in order.
These people choosing to stay are taking responsibility for themselves. That should be admired not condemned. Then again, I guess this is the new America we're talking about, not the old one. Is that it?
Level 1 Hurricane being is no risk to life in a quality home. Letterman made a show in these weather conditions.
In fact if you look at street footage it didn't look that bad. The flooding is a different question. I heard NY Subway was filled with water. They are planning to build a tunnel in Seattle, an earthquake prone area, right by the bay, under the sea level. Can you imagine what will happen to 15,000 cars in this tunnel when the flash flooding occurs during earquake?
***
Interesting bits in footage shown on some European channels. Major hub of electrical infrastructure going up in flames. Why weren’t those structures powered down? I mean they found time to tell people to evacuate but forgot to turn the lever on the switchboard and left megawatt fuses waiting for a short-circuit?
You don't just turn them off. They can be very difficult to turn back on.
My only guess is that they stay behind so they can blame Bush for their demise.That or they're incredibly stupid.
Blame Bush? I'm sure you meant blame Obama.
No,these types will blame Bush.
My father left me over 20k of debt 5 years ago and left the country. Should I stop hating my father now?
The damage is there for all to see, people still blame Clinton for lots of thing. You tell me we shouldn't blame Bush when there are plenty who are blaming Clinton.
Rudy Giuliani, he'll be asking why they didn't mention 9/11. Good luck New York, family and friends, everyone in harms way.
Well.....they can't blame anyone if they're all dead.
It's a very lonely and scary feeling when you realize you are trapped with no place to go (and no way to get help) as things take a turn for the worse. It is definitely not worth the feeling of exhilaration and bravado if you should survive.
I had an epiphany when my first child was born. I could no longer take the risks and chances that guided my life up to that point. From that day forward, I had an awesome responsibility to that innocent and totally dependent new life. I'll keep their baby in my thoughts and prayers. For the baby's sake only, I'll do the same for her idiotic parents.
Yeh, Bush and FEMA preformed so well during Katrina. Who could have seen appointing a guy to lead disaster relief with no experience would go wrong? Just sitting there doing nothing once is bad. Twice is criminal.
For those still blaming Bush, why don't you put the blame where it really goes, on the mayor of New Orleans, Nagin, and the governor of Louisiana at the time, Blanco. That is where it belongs. Under our system of government, the local and state officials are responsible for responding to and taking care of natural disasters in their respective state. The federal government is not responsible or charged with that task. The federal government provides assistance to the states when they request it via FEMA, but it is not their job to take the lead.
Liberals blame Bush because they don't want to take any responsibility for members of their party, the democrats, screwing it up. Kinda funny that Mississippi, which also got hit hard by Katrina, managed to take care control of the aftermath/cleanup, requesting assistance from FEMA when they needed it, but otherwise handling the initial response. But oh yeah, it was a republican governor. The democrat governor and mayor dropped the ball and you all just wanted to blame Bush, because he was a republican. Lets not let facts get in the way.
Before retiring, I was a sergeant in a large central Florida Sheriff's Office and handled the preparations and aftermath of numerous hurricanes, including 4 of them in 2004, the year before Katrina. Hurricane Charlie did extensive damage in Florida in 2004 and we were without power for weeks. As has always been the case, Search and Rescue was handled by the local Fire Departments and Law Enforcement. The federal government, through FEMA, provided whatever assistance we needed, but we were responsible for handling the situation once the hurricane/natural disaster had occurred.
@ troubled american - Bingo. LA told the feds they had it covered before the hurricane and then promptly passed the buck when it became obvious they screwed the pooch.
You are right about louisiana when Katrina hit. The Democrat politicians told the Feds that FEMA help was not needed. Probably because they did not want to have the News report how the "then" Republican run FEMA came in to help them. I have visited New Orleans several times, loved the food and Burbon Street. But I always thought you had to be a real moron to live in sections of a coastal city that had many areas that are BELOW normal sea level.
Crazy i would say, nothing is worth risking my life, i only pray they be safe!
I'd prefer safety over convenience. Even if your building is fine and no windows break, you may not be accessible to emergency services for hours or days. Preparation is all well and good, but what if someone gets injured, or a fire starts in your building?
One of those couples was on the top floor of their building. What if the wind shears off the roof?
They'll get wet. Next point please.
Getting wet will be the least of their concerns.
I'm praying for total destruction......At least we'll have something to talk about when It's all over.
What a bunch of doom and gloomers posting here! Why do you all automatically assume that these people are any worse off where they are than going to a shelter? Then to actually call people who defied evacuation orders "idiots" is just plain ignorant. The people in the article seem like intelligent, responsible adults, who are capable of making decisions for themselves and don't need a politician to tell them where to go or what to do to be safe.
I'm in Oregon, and these people sound like cheap idiots who won't spend the money to leave the city and stay in a decent motel west of the storm, and ingrates who have turned down well-meaning offers from friends and family to keep safe.
What politicians have to do with tree limbs flying through their apartment windows and their sewer lines being flooded (making their toilets unflushable, causing the septic waste to build up) is beyond me.
There are so many things that can go wrong. What do they do if their building catches fire and the first 2 floors are flooded? What happens when their windows blow out and the temperature dips to freezing (do they really have warm enough sleeping bags (even when wet?) What if the temperature goes below freezing and they are stuck there for days? What if nobody gets to them for over a week? It is not being a doom and gloomer to plan ahead and plan for the worst. It is just covering your bases and thinking through all of the possibilities.
It is the end of October. Stop thinking of the movie that has the entire northern half of the U.S. frozen over. (Though I did like the part where the ship slowly flaots up the street to be near the Main Public Library)
Sbilewolb not even Bush could control a hurricane and i'm not a fan of his but its call common sense dear!
Utter disregard for the child's safety.
My God is is going to be a Cat 1 if that. It isn't Katrina.
Love all the people who think their lives are crucial to world survival and can't take a chance on something that may or may not play out. My guess, may not.
Just a Cat 1? So that's you're entire logic?
Say that to Snowshoe VA.. On track for two feet of snow. How much fell during Katrina?
Say that to some residents in RI getting slammed with 120+ MPH winds.
Say that to the 1.5 million up to this point that have no power.
You have to go back to 1821 to find a storm surge to rival what is happening in Battery Park right now.
The back side of this storm is producing 100+ MPH winds. That is Cat 2 level winds.
I could go on and on about how your simple minded reasoning will get you killed one day.
You do know that a Nor'easter is also in play here, correct? On top of that, there is a cold front from Canada.
This isn't a matter of may or may not play out anymore. They have stated the wind speeds at the upper parts of the high rises are topping out at over 90 MPH.
This storm will park over the NE for several days.
940mb is a record for a storm to make landfall in the NE. I have no idea why Katrina has become a measuring stick for every other storm. A completely different set of events are happening with these storms merging and playing the Katrina card is pointless.
Whatever happens is Obama's fault, he should have ordered extra backup. And oh by the way the economy sucks, vote Romney.
How's that logic for ya?
I must have missed it. Could you post it again please?
Just saying, everything here seems to come back to something about Obama/Romney, repuglicans/libtards, etc. Completely illogical was my point. "These people must be white..." "... because white people are better than black people..." and so on. Christ, are people really so simpleminded?
Thank you for your clarification, and you are correct.
Obama is evidently in cahoots with Neptune as they conspire to derail Romney's plans to campaign along the eastern seaboard. Is there no low to which he won't stoop? The Roman gods, like George Soros, are democrats - take THAT you libtards who attack the Koch brothers!
So you are one of those people that has to have the government tell you everything you need to do? Go join the rest of the sheeple in your group, I am sure the government will tell ya when it's time to @!$%#.
As to the article? They are idiots....and sadly, that's not a crime. What bothers me is that they get in trouble and call EMS, thereby putting other peoples lives in danger because they were to stupid to listen.
Wait until they're knee deep in sewage, because they're so sure that they can ride it out. If they can ride it out. EMS has other things to do.
By the way, were the hospitals evacuated? And how are the people in assisted living facilities/nursing homes being taken care of?
WHAT????
They are damn fools and I bet they are white.
Could be. They usually are the brave ones that don't rely on government or others.
Ahh yes, don't rely on government and then when something happen, there are helicopters and all the expensive ways require to search for their families and such. Are they going to pay for all that? I guess not.
Lol at not relying on others. They had no problems letting "others" do all their work (raising their children making them food, getting them dressed, even brushing their hair!) not so long ago!
If you drive on roads, walk on the sidewalk, or ride the T, you rely on government.
No, the government relies on us, the taxpayers to pay for them and companies to build them with taxpayer dollars. LOL, you think the government magically builds these things? You are braindead not brainwashed.
Are all of you folks still buying into the politics of fear? The winds in this storm will not be strong enough to topple their buildings, and the flood waters will only flood the lower floors. Very doubtful the waters will damage the foundations, as they are sunk deep into the bedrock.
Worst that will happen is they will be stranded in their building for several days, and it sounds like they have already prepared for that contingency. Seems like most of you are the same ones who think the ridiculous security procedures imposed at airports are actually keeping us safe. Drink some ore of their koolaid and go back to grazing, sheeple.
I still laughed outloud every now and then about the folks decided not to evacuate when Mount St.Helen erupted.
It's a beautiful thing when Mother Nature decides to clean house on the stupid people.
Thanks for a great laugh Wolf! lmao
Yes, because only the government knows what is best for your and your family. Cramming a bunch of people into a run down, 35 year-old public school is clearly the safest place to be during a storm. Let's not ever try to use our own brains and think for ourselves once in a while.
A little independence and personal responsibility goes a long way. You should try it out sometime.
You're right, and I remember that event well, I was 12 years old and living 20 miles South of Olympia that day.... Was quite a show...
tothetop777
We have a government of the people, by the people, for the people. Taxes pay for the materials and labor, but you or anyone else would be hard-pressed to build and maintain an infrastructure on your own. To do it efficiently and effectively enough to support businesses, schools, communities, and families there needs to be government. In addition, we need government to build and maintain schools, public hospitals, public libraries, public universities, a military, etc. Government in this country is not Big Brother, government is a group of people chosen by us to manage that which is much too unwieldy to establish and maintain as individuals, not the least of which is a system of laws designed to keep order and provide a safe environment in which we can exercise our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We govern ourselves through our democracy based upon our constitution. We hire the members of our government to do this work so that we can go about our everyday lives.
You must have no inkling of the monumental effort it takes just to lay the groundwork for building these things, much less to actually build them. You are definitely not a contractor.
What do you suppose life would be like without any government?
Actually, tothetop77: Most of the people on welfare are white. And many are in southern RED states.
So your point???
Never used it myself, but then , I'm a liberal.
At least the government did not have to rescue the ones who stayed on the side of Mount Helens that blew out. I don't think they even needed to arrange for burials.
I think it's okay to hunker down in your own place. As they said, if they evacuate they could end up somewhere worse.
Indeed one of them has had that experience already.
For where they are it doesn't seem they are going to have much issue. Main thing is having enough food and water to ride this out. The building is not going to blow over and they are above flood water, that is going to be the main thing here. For them its just having what they need to get thru it for the next few days. But that is not the case for others. So here I don't say terrible idea but I will echo what some others have said, you stay behind, then don't expect rescue crews to put you on top of the list should it come time for it or your should get a bill for it if they do come get you.
It is time
Yeah, a home is so much better than a shelter that has been structurally assessed to be a designated shelter. Could it end up being a bad move to go to a shelter, sure, but I would rather take my chances with help, first responders and supplies on hand. The shelters will also be amongst the first places checked after the storm, and one of the first places aid and supplies will be brought to, specially with a small child. Hearing that freight train out there with no idea which way its going and not having sufficient shelter is a really scary feeling.
Just saw a report with video of an apartment building in Chelsea where a wall of the building collapsed, like I said every storm is different, this one is really powerful, specially when you take all the variables in this one into account. Good thing those people listened.
Anti - I think I know what you are talking about and I wonder about that building's integrity before Sandy came along. Eitherway what I was saying was depending on situation it may sometimes be better to stay but one needs to be smart and think it thru fully. As for them if you look in the picture you can see a building across from them out the window and my guess is their building is similar. Much larger not to mention different construction than the that little one that the wall collapsed on in the news.
There are a lot of old buildings in the NE and getting a really accurate assessment of a buildings integrity is expensive, specially the foundation. A 90 story office building will get much more scrutiny than a 7 story apartment building, and it is in a flood/evacuation zone. A 7 foot storm surge being pushed by a storm like this has incredible force and is likely to expose any weaknesses. Had the building that had the wall collapse received a head on onslaught of water for an extended period of time it could easily erode the foundation and collapse the building. There was a house near me that a friend of mine used to live in about 20 years ago. Wilma pancaked it, Unless you absolutely know the condition of a structure you leave. The power in these storms is incomprehensible until you experience it first hand. I used to manage my building and took it through Katrina and Wilma. Luckily Katrina did a fair amount of tree damage that had to be cleaned up otherwise Wilma may have been disastrous. We had a ficus tree that had a canopy covering probably 50 feet likely more and I don't think 30 tons would be exaggerating its weight, I wouldn't be surprised if it was actually more. Wilma lifted the whole thing, ground, grass, root systems a good 5 feet in the air and you could see straight through under it, nothing was attached to the ground, it happened time after time and all I could do was hope it wouldn't fall on the building. I didn't care if it landed on the cars, somehow it stayed upright and was probably lifted like that 10 times. You could feel the thud as it hit the ground every time. If there is any doubt leave, if you are in an evacuation zone leave.
Have they had any contact with these family's yet, are they trapped in the buildings, there are no phones or power at this time. The 1st floor of that building is likely flooded, sewage must be in that water, it is now stagnant and a bacterial breeding ground and any wind could permeate the building carrying bacteria all through it. Not good, specially with a young child that probably does not understand what has happened and is probably terrified. My cousins stayed in N O for Katrina and we were screaming at them to leave, they finally did and outran Katrina watching it in the rear view mirror. She has not been the same since and still is not completely back to normal. I believe she now suffers with some level of ptsd and they are in their early sixties, they have seen a lot before this but nothing has affected them like this has. I saw a mobile home after Andrew that the roof was rolled back like an open sardine can, these storms do strange things. Even if you are well versed in what to do and what may happen it is best to seek shelter if you are in an evacuation zone.
The only thing stranded in lower Manhattan are the cars in elevator parking garages.
Everyone, for the most part, is fine that stayed, they're not trapped, though they have to walk up to 34th st to get to power and food. It does suck to be there stuck in the dark, but it is not the end of the world, and my best to them in hanging tough while services and cleanup are underway.
I bet the next time a bigger storm comes these folks will be more likely to leave early, though.
Peace
I must add that anyone that stayed and lives above the amount of stairs they can relatively easily climb up and down were definitely foolish, knowing there would be no power for elevators...
Peace
So if something happens to their apartments and they lose everything, they will expect the government to bail them out.
That is true. That is the Libtard side of the USA
@ tothetop777
Except most money from bail out went to those who think "capitalist" are great and follow the "capitalist" way for profits, but not for losses.
Actually, these idiots. especially the ones with the tot, sound like Tea Partiers. Evacuate means get your butts out of there and evacuation orders mean just that. Get out.
And I've been on both sides, and wished I had evacuated. Luckily I had only myself to think about.
If they evacuated they could still "lose everything." People being safe is not connected to their material things staying safe.
Sorry Cuong, we have been bailing out 47% of Americans for decades. You know that ones that DO NOT pay taxes? Welfare recipients (most illegals that are nothing but baby makers beating the system), Food Stamp freebies and the list goes on. Capitalist? They exist on both sides kid!
tothetop.....reading your posts is more painful than a battlefield amputation at Gettysburg.
You are one ignorant, hyperbolic, fool.
The truth is always painful to Libtards.
tothetop the truth is sometimes painful, but we accept it, Tbaggers however are allergic and the Republicans spew forth nothing but lies and generalities.
Tothetop, you're a racist idiot.
Spellchecker, so are 95% of Blacks voting for Obama Racist?
Nope, just you.
Did I hit a nerve child? What I stated wasn't racist but I am guessing now you fit into the category I listed. The truth must hit home. Trailor trash welfare recipient? Pay no taxes? Food Stamps? I bet all apply to you Spell. Just tell us, its ok. Those entitlements will be gone soon. You will just have to get off your can and apply for work. Make sure you wash up before that job interview!
It's "trailER" trash, not "trailOR" trash, to you, my friend. I only let my communist buddies misspell their insults to me.
@ spellchecker2
You are the only person that I can see from this conversation who brought Racism to the table. Hmm I bet very much that I can guess not only who you are voting for if you actually voted and what your race is.
No, they sound like intelligent people who probably carry renters insurance and who don't expect the government to do everything for them.
Let me help you with that, The elderly who live on a fixed income from social security that they paid for out of EVERY PAYCHECK THEY EVER EARNED, and the elderly getting health care from Medicare Medicaid that they paid for out of EVERY PAYCHECK THEY EVER EARNED. Our soldiers that have BROKEN BODIES AND MINDS from a backdoor draft making them serve 3,4,5 tours back to back and are now disabled, why would we want to help them, haven't they paid enough? Many went in to get justice for 9/11 only to find out the war in Iraq was really only about oil, now you want to abandon them? What about the widowed mother with 2 kids, that needs after school care for her kids safety while she works 2 or 3 woefully underpaying jobs to provide food and shelter for them?
YOU CHILD have no class
Why does the stupidity of people putting immediate convenience over safety, supplies and first response teams have to be politicized and used for race baiting? Their belief that staying in their home will automatically maintain the status quo is due to a fallacy in their logic, not their color or political party.
@ Antistupidity
You forgot the children. You know those little midget who cry, laugh and run around playing all day. How dare they get to play and siphon on tax payers. They need to be put to work to pay back to society as fast as possible. China has it right, put them in sweatshop and teach them to earn their shares when they were small. No need for education, let's cut them all like Romney said, it's a waste of tax payers.
After all, children are in the 47% group that didn't pay any tax at all.
Thank you Cuong, I did forget them.
JCLedoux, hmm, let me get this right: I'm the one who brought racism to the table when you and tothetop have leapt to the assumption that I am a black welfare recipient who lives in a trailer park and voted for Obama (or just plain did not vote) based on +/- 20 words I wrote on the internet. That's some deep thinkin', there! With you around, there's no need for anyone else to bring racism to the table - you reek of it.
Sorry, you lost your bet on all accounts except for my support of Obama.
People don't realize that a hurricane doesn't "hit" it slowly encroaches into your life in waves of storms each a little stronger. By the time it builds in intensity to the point that you're in genuine fear for your life all access to you and all chances escape have been cut off and you are going to be to remaining in a place you really ought not be. It's not like they didn't tell you. Darwin award candidates?
Putting tape on windows is a complete waste of time, tape and Windex.
From the pictures they are several stories up, this will not be flood of biblical proportions.
BearZZZ,
Just wake up from your hibernation? That building can easily withstand a category 1 hurricane. I have been through a few, and I would be happy to stay where they are just for the photo opportunities.
I've been through fifteen, and have never regretted getting the hell out of the way or into a sturdier shelter. I lived in a low country cottage on Cape Fear, NC ( aptly named ) a thousand yards from the ocean and never once even considered remaining on site during a storm. Board up, bug out!
BearZZZ, the tape will colour the flying glass.
Bear - A cottage on the shores of NC is a whole different scenario than an apartment building in NYC. Their building is not going to blow over and the flood isn't going to reach several stories up to their apartment.
No not really that different, when something breaks an unprotected window and the kid gets sliced by flying glass and is bleeding badly, and needs emergency care. Now they have to wait for a 36 hour event to end, get in contact with rescue which could be a problem, broken or submerged phone lines, cell towers down, live power lines in the 1-1/12 story deep water, and rescue has to come out in a boat to retrieve the baby, if it has survived to that point. Different scenario than a beach front home, not really, just different circumstances, still being irresponsible.
And don't give me that cat1 crap, every storm is unique, every storm is different, you have to go through a few to really understand that. Everyone is focused on wind speed which is meaningless unless you take the barometric pressure into account and 940mb is damn scary. The difference is being hit by a paper cup hitting you at 75 mph or a sledge hammer hitting you at 75mph..
And you would do this with a 22 month old baby? If o then you really are ignorant. Say the baby gets a life threatening injury from running all over the place, say glass flies and hits her in the face?Or even just plain old appendicitis? Children do get life threatening illness, you can't predict when or where. And if this happens, and the first 2 floors are flooded, how are they going to get her to a hospital? It could be something as simple as eating something they bought she has never had before and has a severe allergic reaction. To me this is neglect and they have no business even having children. They sound like arrogant selfish ppl that are putting themselves and their comfort above all else. The guy said he has been in a shelter before and that his 22 month old would be running all over the shelter, My God you mean he might have to be a parent and watch his child??? This way she can run all over the place in an abandoned building with stairs and all kinds of fun new stuff to play with.
Hurricane parties are fun.........as long as you don't die.
Idiots like them should not procreate!
And these folks ladfies and gentlemen ar e the one that place the lives of emergency personnel in danger in times like these. They care so much for their own comfort that they dont recognise that when the going gets rough other human beings are placing themselves in danger to save them
It sounds safe to me. How many high rises topple over in cat 1 hurricanes? They've taken all the necessary precautions. I would be very leery of shelters. Look what happened to all the folks in the superdome after Katrina. I guess from years of being stuck at hospitals during storms, or travelling to work during storms when I was a nurse, they just don't scare me anymore.
Once couple mentioned that they only have 5 days worth of food. What happens if on day 6 they have run out of food but the bottom floor of their apartment building is still flooded and they can't get out to get more food? Even if they could get out where would they find food? It isn't like they can drive to, or take the bus or subway to the closest grocery store because you can't drive in flooded streets, the bus and subway systems have already been shut down and the grocery store, which will have been closed for over 6 days will already have been looted.
Did they even mention if they had water? You need a lot of good quality water to live on your own for 5 days without getting dehydrated or catching something nasty.
Staying is almost always a bad idea.
Then don't rescue them...
That should be made very clear from the onset. If you choose to stay, don't expect anyone to come to your rescue when it gets bad. And make sure you're id is near so your relatives can be notified, if need be.
Agreed 100%. I'll pray for their safety, but do not wish anyone else has to put their life in danger for them.
The Governors of NJ and NY have clearly stated that anyone that chose to stay behind, will not receive any help if they need it.
Gov. Christie said no help until the morning now. I missed the end of Gov. Cuomo's statement.
Good for them. Hunker down and hope for the best. Oh, and nevermind that defying a mandatory evacuation order also means that emergency responders can't catch a break. If everyone obeyed the order, then responders could very quickly and efficiently 'clear' the damaged area, and tend to those in need quicker and better. Since people are staying, responders have to spend more time checking, searching and rescuing people that could have, and should have, left on their own. What a 'me, me, me' society. Can't they see that obeying the order also helps the greater good.
Couldn't have said it better!!! Some people and their stupidity, cause more problems in the end and a greater chance of the first responders risking their own lives. Those who disregarded the mandatory evacuation, should be the LAST ones to get help! I think they should face and ever bigger fine from the local police for not only refusing the order, but for child endangerment as well.
Of course they will do that anyway.
How do you figure that them staying will prevent "emergency responders catching a break"? These individuals interviewed know the risks and ahve accepted them and are prepared to deal with them.
They may have lucked out already. The storm is now a sub-tropical cyclone.
Gene #17.3: Which is exactly why the 911 system is currently overloaded. When you have to be told that a collapsed building, a burning transformer or a tree trapping a person in their home or car is an emergency, but being unable to get out of their homes or a tree landing on their yard is not, then these people are not prepared to deal with the consequences of their decisions.
If it is your decision to stay, you should not expect first responders to put their lives in danger to try to save you when it becomes apparent that you made the wrong decision.
First responders don't judge. They save lives. Most times they save the lives of people who assessed their siruattion poorly and made bad choices. First responders, doctors, and nurses see value in every life.
that is true , they are risking the lives of many people besides themselves. First responders could be helping people who didn't deliberately put themselves in danger.
Here in Hawaii, there was a tsunami warning on Saturday. Shortly before the arrival of the first wave, they said on the news that all emergency personnel was pulled out of the inundation zone. So if you stayed in there and had an emergency, you were on your own.
That doesn't mean completely disrespect them either. They have family and friends too that they would like to see again.
This time though, the governors of NJ and NY are telling those that stayed behind to suck it up since no one is coming for them. They all had ample time and means to leave. I am sure other states governors are doing the same.
I've treated SO MANY people who have made MUCH poorer choices than this with NO preparation at all over the years. Should we not have rescued and treated the drunk kids who fell off of the boat miles offshore in bad weather? Should we not treat, every single year, the young people who sustain massive third degree burns because they attempted to jump over a 4th of July bonfire on the beach? Should our firefighters try to determine on scene whether the fire may have started from a smoldering cigarette or a space heater and, therefore, they should not risk their lives to rescue the kids from a burning building? Would you want your adult child rescued if they made a poor decision in a situation that may be dangerous for the first responders? That's why we have first responders and that's why they choose to be first responders. Btw, when doctors and nurses are deliberately assaulted by patients, with weapons, we still treat them.
PhD = Pretty happy Dummies.
@King
As far as the following college degrees go (Bachelor of Science, Master of Science & PhD)
BS=bullsh*t
MS=more sh*t
PhD=Piled high & Deep
Though I like your definition too.
Most people are not evacuating because our mayor is a @!$%#ing idiot. Hey make sure you guys aren't drinking any large sodas or you're REALLY going to be in trouble!
FYI, putting tape on your windows does absolutely NOTHING to protect the window or keep it from shattering.... Silly Yankees.
I think the idea is to prevent shards from flying into the apartment, not stop the window from breaking.
Yeah, that is the idea, but it doesn't work. Trust me, I live in south Louisiana and know what does and doesn't work.
Tape keeps the shattered glass in place instead of flying all over the place.
Opposite someone is already addressing this statement....
No MaliLigo it actually offers no resistance to wind forces that are strong enough to shatter the glass. It is a known fact that it is a placebo affect or "feal good" action to people who are forced or choose to stay in harms way.
Only fully tinting a window lesseens its shattering pattern and flying shards. Still not as good as hurricane rated shatteproof glass. But that, installing HG, is hard to do at the last minute.
Personally I think it is irresponsible not to evacuate if it is "mandatory" to do so.....especially with a child. I hope they'llcbe ok but these people shouldn't expect any help if they run into trouble because they were told to leave
The problem is what happens AFTER the storm. My sister had to be pretty much dragged out of her place in New Orleans by my parents because she insisted she'd be fine on the third floor. She only took enough with her for a few days. Well, her third floor apartment was just barely above the water line. It took weeks for the water to recede and the police to allow her back in to salvage what she could. What if the streets are flooded 10 feet deep? What if the power is out for weeks? What if the water is contaminated? Really stupid, especially with animals and/or children
... because they're idiots and they seek to join the ever-growing ranks of the Darwin-ites
... yep, you're not being wreckless- you're safer staying in a dangerous situation that could cost you your life. Real good thinking there!
Wow not like they told you to get out for no reason hahahaha hey ya gota love the over educated i mean hes a professor he probably thinks hes smarter than the people telling him to get out hey guess what professor your about to learn a lesson it doesnt take a degree to find out stupid hurts.
I hope and believe that they will be just fine. A category one hurricane shouldn't bother that high-rise much.
And, I saw that it took until the SECOND post before some idiot tried to make this political. Sigh.......
Bill you are correct. They will be fine. If it stays a cat 1 at all.
By the time they decide it's really really time to go, it will be too late. It also puts first responders in more danger than they already are......who thinks of the babies?