BRIARCLIFF MANOR, N.Y. – After seeing Hurricane Sandy and a nor’easter sweep through Briarcliff Manor in the last two weeks, Village Manager Philip Zegarelli said he’s bracing for what’s next.
“I’m waiting for the locusts,” Zegarelli said Wednesday while two inches of snow fell outside of Briarcliff Manor’s Village Hall. “I have been a village manager here going on four years, and I’ve been a mayor for 18 years. I’ve seen flood, fire and famine. The series of events here has been of biblical proportions.”
Roughly 67 percent – 2,000 out of 2,964 – of all Con Edison customers in Briarcliff Manor were without power during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy last week, according to Con Edison reports. That number steadily fell to 276 customers without power Thursday afternoon as Con Edison crews worked to repair the damage. In between, hundreds of Briarcliff Manor residents were without power for more than a week, Zegarelli said.
“The destruction of the infrastructure, especially with our power lines, has been devastating,” Zegarelli said. “I don’t think we’ve had enough attention here. We’ve gone to great lengths to get people here, but it hasn’t happened as quickly as we wanted.”
The Briarcliff Manor Fire Department responded to 10 calls Wednesday night during the nor’easter. Authorities said there were no major injuries or accidents, but several cars were disabled during the snowstorm. On Oct. 30, as Hurricane Sandy blew through the area, the all-volunteer Fire Department responded to more than 50 calls from 6 p.m. to midnight, said Fire Chief Mike King.
“We had eight trees fall on houses and dozens more fall on power lines. At one point it was more active than I’ve ever seen it, but our department did great through it all,” King said. “There were no deaths or major injuries to our people or residents, luckily.”
The department responded to more than 150 calls within the last 10 days, King said.
“These storms have come in quite a bit now, so we’re pretty skilled with these storms now,” he said. “This week we were expecting those locusts and fire and brimstone, but I can’t imagine what’s going to happen next week.”
Anyone with supplies is asked to stop by Club Fit in Briarcliff Manor from 7 to 9 a.m. Saturday for a Hurricane Sandy Relief Drive. Essential supplies needed include non-perishable food, water, blankets, flashlights, batteries, diapers, trash bags and winter wear. General clothing supplies are not needed, organizers said. Those looking to get involved are asked to contact Christina Deems at cadeems@aol.com.
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