From Today's N.Y.Daily News...

FDNY members survey the damage from a boat after two beach houses in Broad Channel, Queens, collapsed into Jamaica Bay after Hurricane Irene struck the community in August 2011.

Storm-hardened residents of Broad Channel and Rockaway gear up for another round with nature

Local residents prep for dual threat of full moon high tide and Hurricane Sandy, which could rip down power lines and send water surging

By Lisa L. Colangelo / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Monday, October 29, 2012, 6:00 AM

High tides from the full moon and Hurricane Sandy are proving to be a worrisome duo for people who live in flood-prone Broad Channel and sections of Rockaway.
Local residents spent the weekend tracking the storm’s path while plotting out their own emergency plans.

“We’re looking at a possible 15-foot tide coming in,” said Peter Mahon of the West 12th Road Block Association in Broad Channel. “We’re finding out who will be here and who is leaving and sending out emails and starting the phone chain.”

Long-time Broad Channel homeowners have seen more than their share of floods and storms. When Hurricane Irene hit last year, two beach houses collapsed into Jamaica Bay.

In Rockaway, the waves ripped through the boardwalk and spilled onto Shore Front Parkway. Over a year later, the city is still trying to fix the boardwalk and replace lost sand.
“The waves are crazy. We are going to lose a lot of beach,” said Jonathan Gaska, district manager of Community Board 14. “A big concern is the storm surge for all our communities along Jamaica Bay.”

The peninsula’s overhead power lines are especially vulnerable during storms with high winds, he noted.

“Anyone hoping to get a generator now is probably out of luck,” Mahon said.
Rockaway and Broad Channel are located in coastal zone areas that could be subject to mandatory evacuation.

“As to the homebound who are living in these communities: If you have homebound relatives or acquaintances in these low-lying areas, consider taking steps now to move them to a safer location, in your own home, or in the home of a relative or friend,” Mayor Bloomberg said on Friday.

Bloomberg told residents to closely monitor the storm and stock up on supplies such as water, a first-aid kit and flashlights.

Mahon said many of his neighbors will embark on a caravan together to move their cars to the parking lot of the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, the highest point in Broad Channel.

“We are planning for the worst and hoping we get lucky,” Gaska said.

To get information about the storm and emergency planning, visit www.nyc.gov or call 311.
lcolangelo@nydailynews.com