Saturday, November 3, 2012

Hurricane Sandy Aftermath - Roosevelt Island Octagon Building Power Just Got Power Restored

Image Of Powerless Octagon Building During Hurricane Sandy From Olivia Rios

As reported previously, Hurricane Sandy knocked out power at Roosevelt Island's Octagon Building last Monday and residents have been without electricity since then. Earlier this morning, I went over to the Octagon and saw Con Ed workers attempting


to re-establish electricity service for the building.


I just received word from an Octagon resident that Con Ed has restored power and they now have electricity.

Before the power was restored, Jonathan Hoo of the Riverwalk Bar & Grill together with Roosevelt Island Historical Society (RIHS) President Judy Berdy

Image Of Jonathan Hoo and Judy Berdy Delivering Food To Octagon Residents

delivered donated food today to the Octagon residents


The days after Hurricane Sandy have bee difficult and frustrating for our neighbors at the Octagon. One resident reports today:
PLEASE SEND PACIFIERS AND FORMULA TO THE OCTAGON

In our city, where remarkable compassion is bubbling up to a boil, there is a very loud, small, sometimes cackling with laughter group of self centered, whiners sitting in the octagon lobby holding court, giving obnoxious audience to every minor complaint that walks by.

It is impossible to concentrate at the emergency computer station set up to serve the building. They want a personal note from the building owner- the building manager working practically around the clock, in contact with the owner, is not enough for them. They want a technical explanation of what the problem with the electricity is. What part of WE DON'T KNOW YET is impossible for these entitled whiners to understand? They want a technical explanation of the problem in the middle of the crisis, as if their personal understanding of a fuel cell, ConEd's massive electric feed to this building, photovoltaic panels, their connections and relationships is going to help anything except their egocentric outlook. Previously, they spread a rumor that the fuel cell was hooked up wrong, as if they have the knowledge to approach knowing this. They can't be bothered to check their email for the status reports issued from the building "it is too much trouble" one said. If the bldg owner wrote them each a personal note, they wouldn't get it anyway. I'm sitting at the computer station now with room to spare, and others who must have far superior computer skills than they, who prefer to constantly complain instead of, at the very least, ask to read the updates from one of the 'geniuses' who didn't find it difficult to get their email.

Instead of sitting on their asses complaining, they could be helping to clean up one of our devastated neighborhoods, helping with door to door searches for people with no food, working at a shelter...but their self professed ignorance of the need in this city escapes them. "I can only see what is around me and everyone else looks fine and has electricity." one stated.

My eyes have not seen the devastation either, but what type of person hasn't heard? What type of person, day after day, sits around with blinders on, in the middle of a crisis, demanding personal notes, that a valuable expert use their precious time to explain technical problems to make them feel better? Maybe I need to have compassion for these people who seem so incredibly selfish. Cancel the formula. But do send pacifiers. The power is now on but the residents here will have to endure their drivel for months if they have nothing in their mouths.
Here's what the East River looked like by the Octagon on October 29 just before Hurricane Sandy arrived.