SELECT FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS (TO SEE REPORT FOR FULL SET OF FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, VISIT WWW.LESREADY.ORG)

• The lack of damage from Hurricane Irene, the RECOMMENDATIONS FINDING 1. previous year, lulled residents into a false sense “We heard it [Hurricane Sandy] was The majority of LES residents of security. coming and we were asked to FOR NEW YORK CITY did not evacuate before • Of those that did evacuate, most did not utilize evacuate but didn’t because City shelters. the news made Sandy look GOVERNMENT: Hurricane Sandy hit and o Only 15% went to a public shelter/ just like Irene in terms of severity levels.” – Focus many decided to “shelter in evacuation center in NYC; group participant • Should make sure people are prepared to evacuate and that place.” o 71% went to friend or family’s house in NYC. buildings have information with regard to where people can evacuate. • Should provide transportation so people can evacuate. • Should assure the public that shelters are safe and properly NYCHA RESIDENTS staffed and put protocols in place that provide people with safety and security. FINDING 2. ZONE A RESIDENTS • Must ensure that information at shelters and about the Residents of the Lower East availability of shelters is available in at least Mandarin, Side were severely impacted *These percentages refer Cantonese, Spanish and Russian languages. by Hurricane Sandy. to the total number of residents surveyed. • Should make all notices, flyers and announcements available in, at minimum, Spanish, Chinese and Russian, the most LES Ready, also known as the Lower East Side Long Term 98% of survey respondents report common languages of Lower East Side residents in addition Recovery Group, is a coalition of community groups and to English as well as any other languages that are prevalent that they were affected by Hurricane institutions that will cooperatively coordinate our response, in a given community. These should be posted prominently in Sandy. (99% of NYCHA residents, resources, preparedness planning and training in response buildings and public spaces in the community. 100% of Zone A residents). to Hurricane Sandy and in the event of future disasters. 96% 93% 89% 86% 85% 81% 18% 20% 13% 19% 14% 17% 14% 19% 10% 26% 9% 13% • Should utilize charging stations that are solar powered Our work will focus on Manhattan’s Community Board 3 and can work when electricity is out. Cooper Union students area and the immediately adjacent neighborhoods that our 94% lost 85% did 81% did 20% had 16% lost 13% lost 11% had/ 11% had 8% had and faculty are currently commissioned by the Two Bridges power* not have not have to take personal wages have their home their groups may serve. The goal of this newsletter is to keep you hot water heat extended property mold flood home Neighborhood Council to create a prototype for solar time off in their damaged powered charging station under an agreement called the informed about our efforts and connected to our work. work home Cooper Lumen Design Challenge. To learn more visit: • Must improve communication with residents before, during, and after a natural disaster and pay special attention to WWW.LESREADY.ORG ensuring that seniors, people with disabilities and people with limited English proficiency get the information that they need. Follow us at: This jumps to 35% for FINDING 3. people who have difficulty • Need to improve communications with local organizations understanding or speaking and work to ensure relief efforts are coordinated and disaster www.facebook.com/LESReadyNYC English. 45% of people who have Poor communication from preparedness plans are complimenting one another. 27% of survey difficulty speaking the City and a lack of respondents reported English that they did not have @LESReadyNYC information hampered the access to information during and immediately 29% of recovery effort. after the storm. English RECOMMENDATIONS 40% 38% 28% speakers of of of 29% 45% FOR LES READY: Community- Cantonese Mandarin Spanish speakers speakers speakers based research 27% 35% • Provide ongoing education and awareness campaigns; project of: “During Hurricane including showing people the flood maps and other relevant Information access during Did not have access to information Did not have their information. Photos courtesy of LES Ready, University Settlement Project Hope and Sixth Street Community Center. Sandy, that was the first and immediately after the in their primary language needs met time I ever experienced storm • Provide training for residents on how to shelter in place: something like that, from what supplies are needed and/or what actions should be having no power, heat, taken if residents are without power, water, heat, etc. Hurricane Sandy, which hit New York City on October 29th, or hot water to the food The most useful • Make sure people are prepared to evacuate, that buildings have information with regard to where people can evacuate devastated many neighborhoods throughout the City. The Lower going bad. My family and sources of East Side—which was located in New York City’s Emergency and that families have a plan. I decided to leave the day information EVERYDAY STEPS YOU Evacuation Zone A when Sandy hit (now referred to as Zone 1) after Sandy because we were radio and • Provide training for volunteers that are doing outreach: have TIPS FOR DISASTER CAN TAKE TO PREPARE was one of those communities that was particularly hard hit. couldn’t stand to stay social networks. LES Ready certification course for before disaster and YOURSELF TO BETTER FACE Tunnels, train stations, and homes were inaccessible and most another night…” then also provide abbreviated (30 minutes or less) training for AN EMERGENCY grocery stores, pharmacies, and other businesses were closed for – Survey comment volunteers during emergency. PREPAREDNESS several days. 45% of respondents got 40% from a friend, 28% from • Have clear communication plan between the City and LES information from a radio family, or neighbor television Ready to access and get supplies for distribution (See LES The Lower East Side is home to one of the highest concentrations Ready Disaster plan for detailed communications plan). of public housing in the country. These residents were hit especially hard by Sandy, some going without heat, hot water, or MAKE A PLAN IF YOU DECIDE TO use of elevators for weeks. Overall, government response in the SENIORS immediate aftermath of the storm was slow and inadequate given • TALK TO EACH OTHER! Make and SHELTER IN PLACE • If you receive home-based care (e.g., the immense needs of the Lower East Side. To fill the gap where • 62 % of survey respondents did NOT receive any relief from the government or other LES READY MEMBER practice evacuation plans and home care attendant, home health the government fell short, community organizations had to take FINDING 4. “official” sources. choose a meeting place to regroup if • Assume you’ll be without electricity aide, visiting nurse service), include matters into their own hands. you are separated. Discuss the possible and running water for at least 3 days. Despite the hardships faced • And for those that did receive “official” assistance, 53 % had to wait four days or more. caregivers in developing your plan and ORGANIZATIONS emergencies and how you would cope Fill your bathtub and keep clean water familiarize yourself with your homecare The Lower East Side has a long history of coming together as a by residents, relief was slow • 57 % of our survey respondents received assistance from at least one of these with them. Write your plan down, along (at least 3 gallons per person per day, agency’s emergency plan. community and building social bonds and networks. Today the community sources. 9BC Tompkins Square Block Association with all important contact information for 3 days or more.) and inadequate from the city • If you rely on home-delivered meals, LES has numerous community-based organizations (CBOs) that o 28% from a family member, friend or neighbor All the Way East 4th Street Block Association and meeting place addresses. Make American Red Cross • Keep cash on hand; EBT & ATM Cards \ always stock nonperishable food serve the needs of residents. This robust community infrastructure and federal government. This o 27% from community organizations copies for each member of your family. Asian Americans for Equality may not be working. at home in case meal deliveries are played a critical role in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Hours o 10% from a tenant/resident/block association Think about places where you could created a gap that community Association of Latino Business Owners and Residents • Keep enough food and supplies in your suspended during an emergency. after the storm ended, and well before government agencies or o 9% from religious organizations (ALBOR) stay if asked to evacuate for some time. large non-profits such as the Red Cross arrived, these community groups partially filled. home to survive on your own, for • If you receive dialysis or other medical Catholic Charities • Make sure children know their last at least three days (ex: water, non- groups had already started assessing the needs of residents and Charles B. Wang Community Health Center treatments, find out your provider’s name, phone number, address. perishable and canned foods, batteries, distributing lifesaving supplies. Chinese-American Planning Council emergency plan, including where your • Make copies of your prescriptions, flashlights, candles, hand cranked Chinese Progressive Association back-up site is located. Although CBOs were the most effective in meeting the needs of Commission on the Public Health System health insurance cards, copies of your radios, first aid kit, hygiene items such important documents in a clear plastic. as toilet paper). Lower East Side residents quickly and efficiently in the wake of are Community Board 3 4% (ex: insurance cards, lease, photo ID, Sandy, they encountered several difficulties in providing relief. members of Cooper Square Committee • If you have pets, make sure you plan HAVE A PLAN WITH YOUR FINDING 5. proof of address) CBOs did not have adequate resources or proper training to the community Disaster Distress Helpline for their needs. East Side Tabernacle DOCTOR TO GET EMERGENCY be relief organizations; they were also not included in the city’s The inadequate government board • If Emergency officials call for an Eighth Street Block Association evacuation, DO IT! Do not wait to emergency management plan and had difficulty communicating relief highlighted the FEGS Health and Human Services PRESCRIPTION REFILLS with emergency managers and the city relief operations. 9% are involved Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES) become trapped on high floors with no importance of strong power to the elevators. • Make a list of ALL your medications. in other ways Grand Street Settlement Learning from these experiences, community organizations in the community bonds and Green Map System • Each individual in your household FOR MORE Make sure you include how much and how often you take each medication. Lower East Side formed a Long Term Recovery Group (LTRG), robust community-based 28% are 19% are 23% are members Hamilton-Madison House should have his or her own Go Bag. Go Henry Street Settlement INFORMATION VISIT: now called “LES Ready,” that would cooperatively coordinate organizational infrastructure members of members of of a tenant, Bags should include: • Always have enough medication to last our response, resources, preparedness planning, and training in Loisada United Neighborhood Gardens (LUNGS) for at least seven days. If you have less a community a religious resident or block o Flashlights, crank or battery response to Hurricane Sandy and in the event of future disasters. in the Lower East Side. organization institution association Lower East Side Coalition Housing Development than seven days, contact your Lower East Side People’s Mutual Housing Association operated (and/or battery WWW.LESREADY.ORG Today, LES Ready is a coalition of 40 community groups and pharmacy to get a refill. (LESPMHA) operated lantern type lights); WWW.OEM.COM institutions. 57% of survey respondents are Lower East Side Power Partnership Radios, crank or battery • Take your medications with you, if you involved in their community. People Survey respondents also provided assistance to Nazareth Housing operated; Extra batteries; First evacuate. Whenever possible, bring As part of LES Ready’s mission to coordinate preparedness who are involved in their community others despite difficulties they were facing. New York Disaster Interfaith Services (NYDIS) aid kits; Cash your medications in the original, planning, the group is developing a community-based disaster Occupy Sandy are more likely to report that they o Extra car and house keys labeled bottle with your name printed response plan. To support this plan, Good Old Lower East Side Operation Hope know a neighbor they can call on on it. This will help you get refills if you Primitive Christian Church o Contact lists (GOLES), Hester Street Collaborative (HSC), the Community immediately if they need help. need them. Development Project at the Urban Justice Center (CDP), and Ryan-NENA Community Health Center o Medication Information Sara D. Roosevelt Park Community Coalition • Make copies of your prescriptions, LES Ready member organizations conducted community-based Sixth Street Community Center o Copies of important documents: health insurance cards and research focusing on what worked well in the recovery effort The Salvation Army ID, passport, lease, insurance prescription cards. Keep these in your following Sandy, what could be improved, and documenting the Two Bridges Neighborhood Council (TBNC) policies/cards, birth certificates, wallet and Go Bag. Keep pictures of resources CBOs in the Lower East Side had in place during Sandy University Settlement driver’s license, foreign citizenship prescriptions or prescription bottle as well as what they currently have in place to respond to future Urban Justice Center – Community Development Project papers, foreign education labels stored in your phone. Keep disasters. Village East Towers documents. copies of your important documents in WiFi-NY/Peoples Emergency Network a clear plastic. 49% helped neighbors, 12% donated supplies like 5% volunteered with World Cares Center See the back page for more information about what we learned, friends or family food and money cleanup and/or rebuilding and the inside pages for a map of community organizations you efforts can turn to in the event of another emergency or disaster. LOWER EAST SIDE THIS MAP IS COMMUNITY RESOURCES: ACCURATE AS OF LONG TERM N FEBRUARY 2015. RECOVERY GROUP Food Additional online resource available at: 4TH AVE E 14TH ST Critical supplies (i.e. water, www.lesready.org batteries, flashlights) 3RD AVE E 13TH ST RESOURCES IN A During an emergency, residents and E 12TH ST volunteers can refer to this online and Mental health support mobile phone resource for the most DISASTER EMERGENCY E 11TH ST STUYVESANT accurate map of local service and Translation/interpretation resource centers. The online map will be E 10TH ST This map shows community organizations that residents can go to updated by LES Ready with information for resources during a disaster emergency. The numbers correspond on emergency community resources as Clothing E 9TH ST to the list of organizations below, and the icons represent the 2ND AVE they become available. services and resources available at each location. E 8TH ST

Medical support COOPER SQUARE E 7TH ST 1ST AVE 4. 1. Alfred E. Smith Resident Association Spiritual care E 6TH ST 12. 15 St. James Place

10. 23. AVE A TOMPKINS 2. Asian Americans for Equality E 5TH ST SQUARE 141 Norfolk Street, 212-299-0499 Volunteer coordination PARK AVE C 3. CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities E 4TH ST 55 Hester Street, 212-473-6485 AVE B AVE D Shelter 4. Campos Plaza Resident Association E 3RD ST 18. Rear of 205 Avenue C, 646-247-9717 5. Catholic Charities Medical supplies E 2ND ST 13. 213 Stanton Street, 888-744-7900 6. Charles B. Wang Community Health Center E 1ST ST 22. Information/referrals BOWERY 24. 268 Canal Street, 917-662-3960 27. 7. Chinese Progressive Association Legal services HOUSTON 230 Grand Street, Suite 504, 212-274-1891 8. Clemente Soto Velez Cultural and Educational Center, Inc. 20. 107 Suffolk Street, 212-260-4080 9. Commission on the Public’s Health System (CPHS) Evacuation Center 26. 45 Clinton Street, 212-246-0803 STANTON 11 . 10. Cooper Square Committee 61 East 4th Street, 212-228-8210 Community Board 3 SARA D. ROOSEVELT PARK 29. 11 . East Side Tabernacle boundaries 254 E. 2nd Street, 646-421-3192 RIVINGTON 2. HAMILTON BOWERY FISH 12. Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES)

CHRYSTIE PARK 169 Ave B, 212-358-1231 9. HOUSTON FORSYTH 5. 13. Graffiti Church ALLEN DELANCEY 8. 205 E. 7th Street, 212-473-0044 14. Grand Street Settlement 7. BROOME 6. 14. 80 Pitt Street, 212-674-1740 ELDRIDGE 15. Henry Street Settlement ATTORNEY RIDGE ORCHARD 265 Henry Street, 212-766-9200 PITT GRAND LUDLOW ESSEX 16. Hester Street Collaborative NORFOLK 113 Hester Street, 917-265-8591 16. SUFFOLK COLUMBIA CLINTON 17. Lands End One Tenant Association B EAST RIVER PARK HESTER WILLIAMSBURG BRIDGE 257 Clinton Street LUTHER MULBERRY MOTT GULICK FDR DRIVE 18. LES Coalition Housing Development BAYARD 3. ELIZABETH 717 E. 9th Street, 646-779-3929 CANAL SEWARD BROOKLYN 19. Lower East Side Ecology Center PARK

PARK East River Esplanade at Grand Street, 212-477-4022 BOWERY PITT

COLUMBUS 20. Lower East Side People’s Mutual Housing Association Inc. 25. 227 East 3rd Street, 212-473-5940 WORTH DIVISION E. BROADWAY 15. 21. 21. Lower East Side Power Partnership (LESPP) WILLIAMSBURG BRIDGE St. Augustine’s Church, 290 Henry Street, 212-204-0668

GOUVERNEUR HENRY MONTGOMERY 30. 22. Lower East Side Rehab (Group 5) / LES 5 MANHATTAN BRIDGE 19. 87 Avenue C Apt 1A CLINTON

RUTGERSSLIP JACKSON MADISON 23. Manhattan Community Board 3 CHERRY 59 E. 4th Street, 212-533-6015

PIKE ST. JAMES PL CORLEARS HOOK 24. Nazareth Housing COLEMAN PARK 206 E. 4th Street, 410-340-6239 1. SQUARE CHERRY WATER 17. 25. Primitive Christian Church CATHERINE 28. 207-209 East Broadway, 212-673-7868 26. Ryan-NENA Community Health Center 279 East 3rd street, 212-477-8868 PIER 42 FDR DRIVE * This map was created using data 27. Sixth Street Community Center gathered through a survey of Lower East Side organizations. Researchers 638 East 6th Street, 212-677-1863 BROOKLYN BRIDGE MANHATTAN BRIDGE Evacuation Centers: collected 30 surveys from community- 28. Two Bridges Neighborhood Council based organizations, tenant associations, Seward Park High School and religious institutions about their 80 Rutgers Slip, 212-566-2729 350 Grand Street short- and long-term recovery efforts 29. University Settlement around Hurricane Sandy, as well as their 184 Eldridge street, 212-330-6871 EAST RIVER interest and capacity for providing relief Baruch College* in the event of a future disaster. 30. Vladeck Tenant’s Association 155 E. 24th St 356 Madison Street *Not shown on map