Locals Walk the Trenches After Sandy | theloop

Locals Walk the Trenches After Sandy | theloop:

Let me explain, this was not your typical day of providing home health aid. The project buildings are still without electricity! The hallways are completely dark and there is stagnant sea water still in the buildings. It is COLD! The elevators don’t work and you must climb cold, dark stairwells with only a small flashlight. The smell of gas is overpowering as remaining residents use stove top flames to try to get warm. The wonderful people I met had simple requests for hot food and more water. They asked over and over “when would help be coming, why had they been forgotten”. I monitored blood pressures and assessed blood sugars – but felt helpless when I couldn’t offer refills of medications or insulin. Most of residents were elderly or disabled – some immobile or wheelchair bound. There were infant babies wrapped in blankets with coughs and no way to get warm. I spent most of the day lugging buckets and cases of water up numerous dark stairwells. I gave hugs and listened to stories from lonely, disenfranchised individuals who just want to be heard.

I write this not to place blame but merely to bear witness to those we seem to have forgotten – AGAIN! What these residents need URGENTLY is electricity! I know the challenges are numerous and complicated, but where are the massive generators which might power a building? Why do we allow this to happen to our fellow man?? I will return again tomorrow and probably the day after that……