Blackout
4:30 p.m.
Minutes after the city was engulfed in blackness, the American Red Cross in
Greater New York mobilized the full strength of our disaster response resources
to help the people of New York. With thousands stranded in the sweltering heat,
the Red Cross sent crews with water, ice and information on heat and power
outages to major transportation centers like Penn Station and Grand Central
Terminal. Red Cross mental health volunteers also were on hand to help people
work through their anxieties.
8 p.m.
With lines at stores several
dozen people long and basic supplies difficult to get, the Red Cross helped keep
people hydrated and energized by providing bottles of water, snacks and meals.
We made it easier for people to navigate in the dark by distributing light
sticks, batteries and flashlights.
9 p.m.
The Red Cross
received a call from President Bush through the Department of Homeland
Security. The President wanted to see how New Yorkers were responding to the
blackout. We consulted with our mental health experts and replied that New
Yorkers were responding with their usual resiliency.
Midnight
As the night wore on and New York’s
impressive night skyline remained nothing more than a series of fuzzy shadows in
the stark blackness, dozens of fires sparked in buildings throughout the city.
In a five-hour period, the Red Cross responded to an astounding 43 fires – more
than five times the average daily number. Our volunteers and employees
worked tirelessly throughout the night and following weekend to ensure that the
Red Cross was there for every person and family that needed us.
7 a.m. on August 15
The
Red Cross has a strong relationship with the New York City Office of Emergency
Management and we were proud to respond to their request to staff city "comfort
centers" in each borough on the morning following the blackout. New Yorkers
flocked to the centers to get water, refreshments, emotional support, and power
outage tips as they waited for transportation routes and power to be restored.
Visitors to the comfort centers were grateful for a cool place to enjoy
complimentary water and food when their own homes were still without power, and
in some cases, without water. One resident had climbed down 29 floors from her
dark, hot apartment and continually thanked Red Cross volunteers at the comfort
center for being there when she needed us.
Our response during the blackout touched thousands of New
Yorkers who weren't aware of the extent of our disaster response services. One
man we helped told us that although he knew we helped people affected by
hurricanes and tornadoes, he was pleasantly surprised to see firsthand how we
provided food, water and information on what to do following a power outage.
Working with the New York City Office of Emergency
Management, we also responded to many special requests like helping homebound
residents with no water and people waiting for deliveries of Meals on Wheels.
My 30 Hours During the Blackout
By Red Cross Public Affairs Volunteer Robert McGrath
When the computer screen flickered off followed quickly by the lights and air
conditioning on August 14, I knew it was something that even my firm’s ace IT
guys couldn’t fix. A quick call to the Red Cross confirmed that this blackout
was more than the wrong cable being dug up in midtown. After making sure that
all was okay with my family in New Jersey, I started walking northwest to the
Red Cross on Amsterdam Ave.
It
was pretty much a reflex action — you’re trained in your specialty, and now’s
the time to put it to use. When I arrived, it was clear that I wasn’t alone in
that reaction. Dozens of volunteers were checking in, getting their assignments,
and going off to help New Yorkers cope with the blackout of 2003.
In my case as a public affairs volunteer, that meant talking– both in person
and on the phone with television, radio and newspaper reporters desperate for
up-to-date information. We had auxiliary power at the cramped communications
center, which meant some lights, phones and ham radios. Working in partnership
with the media, our public affairs crew spent the next 30 hours ensuring that
New Yorkers were able to find out how, where and when they could get help from
us.
I finally headed home late Friday night, looking forward to a hot shower and
a good night’s sleep. My recent diet of candy bars and diet soda needed
supplementing, too. Still, I was honored to be a small part of the great
Red Cross team that once again was there when New York needed us.
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