Hurricane Sandy

East Rockaway, Bay Park, Lynbrook residents get ready for storm's impact

Many staying, but making preparations; both school districts announce Monday closings

Posted

Updated 7:30 p.m. Oct. 29

According to LIPA's power outage map, more than 4,200 customers in East Rockaway are without power, as are nearly 3,800 homes in Lynbrook. LIPA has stopped responding to outages because of the strong storm conditions and workers are not expected to be deployed until the conditions are safe once again on Tuesday morning.

Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano issued a mandatory evacuation for all Nassau County residents south of Merrick Road from Rockville Centre to the Suffolk County Line.

"We are in the observation and reaction phase of the storm," said Lynbrook DPW Supervisor Phil Healey on Monday morning. "We are testing all the building generators and removing any items from the street side that could present any issues with high winds. Right now we have a couple of minor tree issues with limbs blocking the roads but our tree crews and inspectors are responding.

The streets are quite and we are still maintaining some of our routine services such as trash collection. The wind is picking up and we are keeping our fingers crossed for minimal rain intensity."

Lynbrook Mayor Bill Hendrick said all of the village's emergency and department of public works crews were out in full force on Monday morning. He made some stops around the village and advised residents to remain indoors throughout the storm. Hendrick added that all the instructions for emergency management preparedness are currently strolling across the LYN-TV channel.

Some residents were leaving to stay with relatives further north, but many were out getting gas, visiting ATMs for cash, stocking up on supplies, or just battening down the hatches.

"I see no reason to leave," said Lynbrook resident Denise S., whose home lie just south of Sunrise Highway on the East Rockaway border. "But I'm tying down anything that moves!"

Bay Parker Gene Madden and some of his neighbors were able to move their cars to higher ground on a 10-foot elevation of grass in at the entrance of Bay Park.

"The last time, the water came up 8 feet, so this should do it," he said. "The water doesn't come from the canal, but down the street from Bay Park, like a river. It was unbelievable."

Madden lives on Marjorie Lane.

Both Lynbrook and East Rockaway school districts are closed on Monday.

Village Hall is closed to the public Mon. and Tues, garbage pickup and parking regulations halted until further notice, according to the village website.

The Long Beach Bridge is also now closed to southbound traffic.