Rockaway Residents Take Wait-And-See Approach
To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.
Then come back here and refresh the page.
Residents living in the Rockaways say it's still too early to determine how bad Hurricane Sandy's threat could pose to the area which was hit hard just over a year ago by Irene. NY1's Roger Clark filed the following report.The view from Star Reed's deck on Jamaica Bay was not so gorgeous last year when Hurricane Irene came through.
"It was very difficult, we had a lot of damage here. I had a swimming pool in my basement, literally," recalled Reed.
Reed is obviously not thrilled with the prospect of going through that again with Hurricane Sandy.
"I thought I had enough before, I thought I had enough, I thought I could get a break so I'm hoping it passes us," Reed said.
Reed's next door neighbor Selma Erey's home was also damaged by Irene. She has a wait-and-see attitude about Sandy.
"As we get closer, I will have a better idea of whether the forecast is genuine and I should take precautions, or whether I should risk not taking precautions," Erey said.
Across the street on Bayfield Avenue, the DelValle family was also on alert Friday, and ready to evacuate if need be.
"We got to hear the news on whatever they tell us, we've got to be prepared for that," said Nelson DelValle.
"I heard about the storm but I don't worry too much. We're going to prepare if we have to, and if we have to leave we go, we leave," said Juana DelValle.
On the ocean side in Rockaway Beach, residents were hoping there won't be a repeat of Irene when the water came rushing through the boardwalk and caused damage to the boards and the beach.
"If there is a storm it will cause a lot more damage and of course it's very expensive to replace that and this is a spring-summer hangout so we are hoping that is not going to be the case," said Cary Waldmen of Rockaway Beach.
If the mayor calls for an evacuation of the peninsula like during Irene, some residents say they likely will not be going anywhere.
"I'm concerned yes, I mean probably, but I'm going to stay," Theresa Bennett of Rockaway Beach.
"I never left during a hurricane, I just stay here, I was born here, I ain't going anywhere," Bill Smith of Rockaway Beach.
Resident Kat Raynor said she is undecided, but is expecting the worst.
"The storm is coming," said Raynor. "Yeah, I can tell. When I went to the bay last night I saw that purple sky and it was like, 'Oh no.' Yeah, I think it's going to be bad."