DAMON DAHLEN FOR HUFFINGTON POST
‘UNTHINKABLE’
DEVASTATION
made the decision that the homes
should shelter in place on the Friday night before the storm, “at
which time the most up to date
information indicated that the
storm was weakening and would
be less severe than Irene.”
“The City worked hard in advance to make sure those staying
in place were safe by making personal visits to check that centers
had extra staff,” Levine said. “We
remained in contact before, dur-
HUFFINGTON
12.02.12
ing and after the storm so we
could respond as soon as possible
to any problems.” Russell, the rest
home administrator, said the decision not to evacuate his and other
facilities was a mistake, and may
have lulled some in vulnerable
areas into believing they could
safely ride out the storm.
“It’s incongruous to tell all residents they are under a mandat ory order to leave but then the
nursing homes stay,” he said. “We
should have left.”
Meteorologists also said they
saw no sign of an abating threat
A gas line
stretches on
in Union City,
N.J.