By Alana Mauger

This weekend marks the 10-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy – when the center of the 900-mile-wide storm made landfall northeast of Atlantic City, New Jersey and caused massive destruction and devastating losses, especially in New York and New Jersey. The storm damage left 8.5 million people without power across 11 states and sparked a massive fire in Queens, New York, that leveled more than 100 homes. Read 10-year retrospective stories from New Jersey and New York.

Red Cross Response

The American Red Cross was part of the massive response, working with government and community-based partners to give a helping hand to those affected by the storm. More than 17,000 Red Cross volunteers and staff mobilized to bring relief, opening shelters and feeding sites that ultimately provided more than 74,000 overnight stays for people forced from their homes and served over 17.5 million meals and snacks. More than 300 emergency response vehicles navigated blocked roads, closed bridges and tunnels, and gas shortages as they worked to bring relief throughout the region, providing food, blankets, health care, emotional support and over 7 million sorely needed relief supplies like cleanup and comfort kits.

Southeastern Pennsylvania

While Southeastern Pennsylvania did not incur the worst of Sandy’s wrath, the region was not unscathed. The storm dumped 20 inches of rain and left over 1.2 million people without power in SEPA. It snapped trees and downed powerlines across the region and caused hundreds of road closures, including the major arteries (Interstates 95, 676, 76 and 476) inside Philadelphia.

Dave Schrader, who served as the communications director for the Red Cross of Eastern Pennsylvania at the time of Superstorm Sandy, wrote the following on our blog:

Here at the American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania, we spent days preparing for a calamity. We dedicated enormous time and resources trying to educate the public about how to prepare and what to do. We positioned volunteers, supplies, etc. across the region. We sheltered more than 600 people before, during, and after Sandy hit in our area alone. Several shelters were open for a week for people who lost power.  We also provided shelter for pets, thanks to a partnership with the area’s County Animal Rescue Teams. This prevented people from having to make the awful choice between staying behind and potentially be in danger or leaving their pets behind. We even set up, in a matter of hours, a mega shelter with the potential to hold 1,300 evacuees from New York, New Jersey and West Virginia.  We provided supplies to help the hardest hit areas of our region clean up and rebuild.

Once SEPA was on the rebound, our local Red Cross volunteers deployed to help our neighbors in New York and New Jersey. Disaster Mental Health volunteer Danelle Stoppel, who blogged daily during her deployment, was one of them. She shared:

Today, I partnered with an international agency called Heart to Heart and delivered mental health services to their clients. Many did not speak English and I interpreted for them. This part of Queens is home to many nationalities and cultures. Many families from Guatemala, Mexico and Puerto Rico sought medical advice due to lack of electricity which destroyed their daily supply of insulin. I heard a very comment that no one could believe this could happen in New York. Many people stayed in their homes until the water reached their porch. Perhaps the most distressing aspect is the impact of Sandy on senior citizens here and in New Jersey. Losing their homes and all their belongings has impacted them physically, economically and emotionally.

Danelle is one of 30 CURRENT Red Cross volunteers who were also active during Superstorm Sandy. Another is Mindy Pinkus, who was eager to share her Sandy experiences for this 10-year anniversary article when asked. Mindy deployed to her own region as the Damage Assessment manager, sleeping on a cot in the Philadelphia Chapter building on Chestnut Street and at the Red Cross House on Powell Avenue in West Philly. She also blogged about her experiences at the time.

“This was my local chapter and dear to my heart. It was a huge responsibility and honor to serve as DA Manager for my Region, she shared in an email. “After long days of responsibilities, I had the privilege of staying at the Red Cross House! This was a wonderful opportunity and a great experience. We stayed true to our mission and served our community well!”

Ned Bloom, who is now a Red Cross staff member, was a volunteer 10 years ago during Sandy. He shared the once-in-a-lifetime experience of driving shelter supplies from Center City to Pottstown via the deserted Schuylkill Expressway as his memory.

“The Schuylkill Expressway was closed because of the storm to all but authorized vehicles. There was a police car at the foot of the entrance ramp blocking egress that politely pulled out of the way as I approached in my Red Cross vehicle. The cop even waved me on.  Lo and behold, as I got to the top off the ramp, I was shocked to see I had the ENTIRE expressway to myself, all four lanes!” he wrote in an email.  “There was not another vehicle anywhere, and by then most of the rain had passed. You could have landed a plane on the road that day. It was that open!”

Looking Ahead

Ten years after Superstorm Sandy, large disasters like hurricanes, floods, wildfires and extreme heat are regularly impacting communities across the country, resulting in more people displaced, vulnerable and in need of support.

As communities across the country continue to experience more extreme weather events, the Red Cross is providing critical support on a near-constant basis to help families struggling to cope.

Millions of U.S. households are at risk of being forced from their homes with many facing the threat of poverty due to the dramatic increase in billion-dollar disasters, which have nearly doubled in the last five years compared to the previous five years.

We invite you to help prepare yourself and your community for any emergency by taking three simple steps: 1) Get a kit. 2) Make a plan. 3) Be informed. Individuals can download the free Red Cross Emergency app or text GETEMERGENCY to 90999 to get lifesaving preparedness information and weather alerts in the palm of their hand. Visit www.redcross.org/prepare for more tips and information.