Tens of thousands homeless in NYC could freeze to death

I have been watching the other threads on this disaster but wanted to post about a specific thing.

New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg estimated that 30,000-40,000 homes in the city alone have been left unusable by the October 29 storm as the cold intensifies.

Link to news source

So the chances of people freezing to death in large numbers becomes a real threat

also

Considering a conservative estimate of 3 people per home. Thats at least 6 million people without power.

Almost two million homes are still without power and a new storm predicted to hit on Wednesday is bringing more heavy rain and winds.

Between 30,000 and 40,000 homes are left unusable

TENS of thousands of people whose homes were destroyed or damaged by superstorm Sandy are facing a new crisis in New York as temperatures plunge, raising the spectre of people freezing to death.

Working on the same average people per house thats over 100,000 homeless people.

Where the hell are these people going to be housed? Where are they now? Are the they still inside the damaged houses desperately screaming for help to be rescued or are they ignoring the relocation orders?

I think we will see a lot of people die from this, if they do not get shelter. It could end up being in the thousands.

That would be terrible because it could be avoided.

Where are all the people at this time. There must be people everywhere. Haven't actually seen many photos to show the people and what state they are in.

Surely this careless mis-management is not the result of intentional sabotage. I would like to think not.

edit to add

The US Energy Department says 2.5 million customers remain without power across seven states. Each "customer" however could be a home with several people living inside.

So 2.5 million x several? estimate at 10 million people without power.

reply to post by magma


FEMA camps? Does anyone here on ATS know anyone who has lost their home?
Are there any reports of FEMA camps accepting the homeless? Isn't that what they were built for?
Not that I would go.

reply to post by magma


I've been finding it wierd how I have had to search for current info on what is going on. ATS is the best resource right now.

I would hope and assume that most people at risk have already left the city or found warm/safe refuge with either friends/family/neighbors/hotels or shelters. I can't imagine that thousands of people would simply sit in their dark/cold homes and freeze to death. I am sure there will be some...namely the elderly or handicapped or others without the capacity to move on their own accord. But largely, I would think that those affected from the cold would leave or get help much as they did from the storm.

...I hope.

You title is sensationalizing the issue. Yes, many people are with out power and probably can't return home, however tens of thousands of people will not freeze to death, nor are they huddled in their homes screaming for help.

Give people a little credit in their ability to remain alive.

It's going to be uncomfortable yes, but we are not facing a catastrophic death toll as a result of the weather.

People freeze to death in New York every winter. It's only a tragedy because these people had cushy homes and lives and businesses.

Now it might make these people think twice the next time they ignore a homeless person who has been on the streets for years.

I have my sympathies for these people, but I can't help feeling that most people couldn't give a crap about homeless people usually.

reply to post by BaneOfQuo


Sensationalist just like the news reports leading up to the event. Yet after the fact reports have been downplayed and somewhat incomplete

Give people a little credit in their ability to remain alive.

I am not taking anything away from the people, I think people are resilient.

But cold is cold and death is death.

Why don't the New Yorkers pull together and offer one of the homeless a place to stay for a few weeks?.
Go be a decent human being and help them out

Originally posted by mr-lizard
People freeze to death in New York every winter. It's only a tragedy because these people had cushy homes and lives and businesses.

Now it might make these people think twice the next time they ignore a homeless person who has been on the streets for years.

I have my sympathies for these people, but I can't help feeling that most people couldn't give a crap about homeless people usually.

I don't think you can generalise to that extreme, it is a little unfair to put everyone in the same stereotype.

There is possibly some truth to your comment but it would not apply to everyone.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Agnes in 1972 thousands of small mobile homes were provided by the government to homeless victims. Not saying thats solution here as I see it getting power restored is prime goal. Of course being carted off to a FEMA tent city should be anethma to anybody here on ATS but one wonders why national guard engineering battalions cant set up shelter in smaller local areas such as parks with heated tents and such to temporarily house people from the elements. If tents just arent good enough then how about some of the larger hotels that do have power and have FEMA pay costs, I think they did that post Katrina.

reply to post by Phoenix


Do the authorities in this case not see this whole situation as being dire?

What are they thinking?

People are in their homes. Some are in shelters, friends or family, and from what I heard, people are at random places like the ferry just because they have nowhere else to go.

From what Im seeing, the ones that choose to be home come out during the day to try and get food, water, help, answers, but they go back home. Some of the shelters are just disgusting, but im only seeing that in the local news, and I dont blame some poeple for not wanting to go but this is life or death. Do you really think they wouldve been able to handle every last person affected by sandy?

Yes, the sad truth is people ARE huddled in their homes Right now in Coney, Staten Island, Breezy, Rockaways and Jersey

Originally posted by boymonkey74
Why don't the New Yorkers pull together and offer one of the homeless a place to stay for a few weeks?.
Go be a decent human being and help them out

You're kidding right?
Can you imagine!

reply to post by westcoast


I agree, we got faster updates from blossom goodchild or w/e her name was. The only news you get is instantly replied to with how its not that bad and over hyped.

I think there is a very bad situation and we aren't getting details, this is going to get worse and be a bigger impact then we are hearing about.

This is why its worse than the Caribbean getting hit with just another hurricane. A major metropolitan city has the danger of greater loss of life. Lets not even factor in the economic loss which really,who cares at this point.

Too many people will die in a NY winter without heat. They can't just break furniture and burn it in their stoves. What will thay eat? Sewer rats and pigeons? No supermarkets no stores. Nothing. No pharmacies some places without hospitals near by.

I don't get the prepper solution to everything. People who live Lin a major city can't store food and supplies like that. No room. Even so, what do they do for.heat? Blankets? Have you ever seen a bad NY winter? Snow up to your knees on a regular year. Worse sometimes. You need heat. No fire no heating nothing.

People will die.unless.something is done. Evacuate? And you don't think that they will have nothing to return to if whole blocks of NY are abandoned? The whole city will be in chaos if no one is around to protect it. This is NY we are talking about, not a town of a few thousand. I would be surprised if.it doesn't burn down in large sections once abandoned. Looters ect....

reply to post by westcoast

ATS is the best resource right now.

ATS is ALWAYS the best source.

I truly believe that people are going to band together and start taking in some of these people...not all but many.

At least I have to believe that.

Peace

This so silly. I live in NYC, all of the "NY is "put tragedies here" " threads need to stop.

The solution is pretty simple.

They are called feet.
You put one in front of the other until you find a suitably warm place to stay. Anyone without the basic survival instinct to do that, well Darwin has a place for them.

Originally posted by mr-lizard

I have my sympathies for these people, but I can't help feeling that most people couldn't give a crap about homeless people usually.

Yeah well, many homeless people deserve that treatment. I worked in the social services sector for a bit and many of those people got what they asked for. Not all of them mind you, but don't make the mistake of thinking that the majority of them fall into the category of "sometimes bad things happen to good people". That's not the reality of the situation.

Sorry, but I'm going to reserve my sympathies for those who deserve it. Like the one's affected by Sandy. They didn't ask for it.

reply to post by manykapao


It wasn't just another hurricane in the Caribbean, at least 60 people died I know that's not the point of this thread but be considerate of your fellow brother, brother.

reply to post by Allegorical


You got electricity, heat, stores.open around you? You know, being from NYC that many areas still don't. Do you know the average population of a single residential block? Imagine they don't have heat, electricity, ect.

You been to Brooklyn, the island? Lower east side? Yeah? People are chillin?

You probably are in upper Manhattan. Washington heights. Visit NJ yet? Please don't trivialize what many people are going through just because you are fine. I understand it is not the end of the world, but to some it might as well be. They are living like animals.