Commemorating the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Sandy

“We pause today to remember the loss, and to appreciate what was gained,” Long Beach City Councilwoman Anissa Moore told a small crowd on a rainy Sunday reminiscent of the historic weather event five years earlier.

More than 100 people gathered on the sixth floor of City Hall to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Sandy and honor the first responders who assisted residents after the storm.

City and state officials and residents alike reflected on Oct. 29, 2012, when Sandy hit Long Beach with a 9-foot storm surge and left the city reeling, causing about $200 million in damage across town, including houses, water and sewage treatment plants and the boardwalk.

Since Sandy, the city has received about $133.8 million in insurance payments and Federal Emergency Management Agency funds for debris removal, cleanup and the rebuilding of damaged infrastructure.

“Five years after the storm, we are strong as a community and more united than ever in fighting for what we need and deserve, including over 200 infrastructure projects,” City Manager Jack Schnirman said, adding that there was still work to do and that the recovery process was continuing.

“We’re smarter, having learned our harsh lessons and turning them into practical, forward-looking plans and resiliency strategies,” Schnirman continued, “and we’re safer, because we made tremendous progress together.”

Former Fire Chief Richard Corbett recalled the efforts of the Fire Department and mutual aid departments that aided storm victims in the days after the storm. “Our response has never dwindled, from the day before Sandy until today,” Corbett said. “It actually got a little bit better.”

He added that the Fire Department had updated its fleet, adding five new fire engines and two ambulances.

While much progress has been made since the storm, city officials said, many residents are still dealing with the challenges of rebuilding or repairing while being displaced from their homes.

City Councilman Scott Mandel noted the continuing effort to rebuild critical infrastructure, and to find ways to prevent flooding on the north side of the barrier island in the future. “Our recovery will never fully be complete until every Long Beach resident is back home,” Mandel said. “Looking ahead, we are planning for the long term while taking substantial action in the short term.”

On behalf of the City Council and Schnirman, Councilwoman Chumi Diamond issued a proclamation officially declaring Oct. 29 Long Beach Community Day in remembrance of Sandy, and to thank the first responders “who serve selflessly.”

Moore emphasized that the storm brought people together — strangers as well as neighbors — and strengthened the sense of family in the city. “As we reflect on Superstorm Sandy, we recognize that the storm could not wash away our memories,” she said. “The storm could not take away our sense of community. The storm could not overcome the strength of the human spirit that lies within our great city. The storm could not take away our Long Beach pride. The storm could not take away our hope, and our dreams to return home.”