evacuation of nyc... how do u think it would play out?

[Rob]

A cat 4 hurrican heads right at nyc (not impossible) and there are 36 hours to get out of dodge. Any guesses on how it would play out?

It might swing left to northern new jersey or right to nassau county.

Assume its not a work day or everything is closed so its residents and tourists for the most part.

I didn't want to put it in the what if section cause only those familar with nyc are qualified to speculate.

[jor-el]

I'd have to review the contingency plans, but my personal speculation would be evacuating mostly the southern shores of Brooklyn, Staten Island and South Queens.
That would leave the refugees in shelters elsewhere in the city. Everyone else would have to hunker down in place.

I can't see a good end to this as there was no serious plan to evacuate LI or the city if Shoreham Nuclear plant ever went online and went kaplooey. I suppose in the end I would have to bitch slap the hurricane and grab a nap later.

[ais4122]

There will be no evacuation of NYC or LI, you WILL FIGHT AND DIE IN PLACE, that is all.

[charlie505]

I live in a high rise in manhattan, located in a non-flooding area.
I would bug out to my stairwell and wait out the storm there. Due to my job I may be called out - if they can get thru to me on the phone. My family comes first.
We recently had the windows replace in the building - the manufacturer states that they can take winds to 120MPH. I am high enough that I don't need to worry about debris - but the wind will be higher because of my elevation.
My mom is in Brooklyn - in a brick house. My kid - 48 years old - brother lives with her - he should be able to take care of any issues there.

If i had to bug out - I would head to a hotel in either Dutchess county - near my stash or head to Pa.
I would not head toward Long Island

A few years ago my CERT team volunteered to be "Evacuees" during a OEM mock drill in Brooklyn - the scenario was a cat 3 hurricane hitting NYC. The OEM powers that be moved us closer to the East River into a school basement!! The river was a few blocks away - I checked the NYC OEM map - we were in the basement in a FLOOD zone!! At least the bodies would be nice and clean and in one location!! I don't think I would rely on OEM right away!!

[thelight]

As was previously stated: it would pan out poorly. The bridges and tunnels just aren't capable of handling the traffic that would ensue. Given three days... Maybe. But how many folks would evacuate at the last minute?
I'm staying put in my area of Queens. If I have to, I'll bug out to my mother's place on 57th Street. If both of those are bad choices, then I'll bug out directly via the Throgs Neck or Whitestone Bridges to the BOL in the northern Catskills. If the floods make it up that mountain range, we're all screwed and I quit!
On a serious note, my plan has always been to try to ride out whatever happens in my home. Shelter in place is the best option for many reasons, imho.

[charlie505]

My area should not flood - well maybe the under ground garage - but I have weathered a lot of storms by bugging in.

Will do same this time.

[HHaase]

Yeah, evacuating this place just ain't gonna happen. The best you can hope for is to empty out the lowlands in places such as Jamaica Bay and the south shore, get to higher ground. (IIRC I'm 5ft above sea level at my current location).

But evacuating just NYC is a near impossibility, just too many people and not enough routes to the west. Hell, just getting INTO the city on a Sunday night coming back from PA/NJ can be a nightmare from the weekend travelers. Throw the population of LI into the mix, and it's just a case of being doomed. Too many people, too small an area to funnel them through, and not enough routes. All it takes is a couple minor fender benders to choke up the right spot, and everything will come to a screeching halt.

-Hans

[laditek]

Agreed on bugging out in place. At least you are sure to have the food/supplies you would need and not risk injury on the road from an accident. Were it to be a workday I would rather walk back to Queens at that point, you would probably get there sooner than those that drive or take the public transit. People get way too unpredictable when there is something on the horizon like that.

[Rob]

walking home is underrated. both on 9/11 and especially during the most recent black out a lot of people walked home and found out it only added about twice the travel time surprisingly enough. Both times i was trying to into the city as a National Guardsman and the crowds walking across the roadway of the Brooklyn bridge were amazing. A lot of people had roller blades so if you can stand up on those things unlike me perhaps keeping a pair under your desk is a good idea.

[laditek]

Yea, I keep a Get Home Bag at the office that is good for 72 hours if I need to bug in at the office for awhile. Good walking shoes are also a must.

[jor-el]

Several areas such as Springfield Gardens historically flood even in a heavy thunderstorm. Anyone who's owned their home for five years or more should know if they live in an area prone to flooding. Getting the high ground was a factor in selecting my current home.

I agree the Jamaica Bay area, the Rockaways and Coney Island and surrounding land facing south are at the highest risk of getting hit by the storm surge.

Evacuating those areas would be high priority.

So long as you actually can, walking does as good a job as any in getting around. Vehicular traffic time is eaten up with stop lights, pedestrians as obstacles and the 30mph general rule. Have you walked twenty miles lately?

[charlie505]

walking home is underrated. both on 9/11 and especially during the most recent black out a lot of people walked home and found out it only added about twice the travel time surprisingly enough. Both times i was trying to into the city as a National Guardsman and the crowds walking across the roadway of the Brooklyn bridge were amazing. A lot of people had roller blades so if you can stand up on those things unlike me perhaps keeping a pair under your desk is a good idea.

Most of those people did it in dress shoes.
My friends that have office jobs started keeping a pair of walking shoes and some emergency stuff in their desks

[Rob]

Most of those people did it in dress shoes.
My friends that have office jobs started keeping a pair of walking shoes and some emergency stuff in their desks

wish more people would but it seems that only people who had bad things happen to them feel that bad things can happen to them. those who have never been through anything feel that it can't possibly happen. In their minds that sort of stuff is only on the news.

[thelight]

Ha! This just in from the onion... http://www.theonion.com/articles/84-mil ... k-c,18003/
Talk about timing.

[Rob]

"This place sucks," Manhattan resident Woody Allen, 74, told reporters. "It just fucking sucks."

ha the age matches: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woody_Allen

hahahahaha: "This is no place to raise a kid, that's for sure," said 32-year-old Brandon Rushing, a lifelong New Yorker. "I grew up here and I turned into a giant asshole. Why would I want that for my son?"

and: "You know what the greatest city in the world is?" Bloomberg asked reporters. "Scottsdale, Arizona."

[charlie505]

and: "You know what the greatest city in the world is?" Bloomberg asked reporters. "Scottsdale, Arizona."

Bloomie said that because he was mad

A personal employee of Mayor Michael Bloomberg was beaten by thieves who then carjacked the billionaire's car Wednesday morning in New Jersey, authorities said.

The employee was driving the 2001 Lexus in Hackensack, N.J., on an errand for the mayor shortly before 9 a.m. when he was approached by a woman who came to the window to ask for money, police said. As he declined and began to roll up the window, a man got into the passenger seat and punched him in the face.

"They force him out and take off," said Hackensack police Capt. Frank Lomia.

http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_291132634.html