• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

  • Home
  • Advertise
    • Advertise in One or All of our Magazines
    • Advertising Payment Form
  • Digital Subscription
    • Subscribe
    • Subscriber Login
  • Print Subscription
  • Contact Us

Hurrican Sandy

Building Resilience for Future Storms

December 4, 2012 by The Inside Press

By Dr. Susan Rubin

“Anyone who says there is not a change in weather patterns is denying reality.” Andrew Cuomo.

Now that freak storms are becoming a Halloween tradition here in Westchester, it’s time to face up to the inconvenient truth. As our planet continues to heat up from the burning of fossil fuels and the continued destruction of trees, our weather is becoming more unstable. Trees are part of this equation because they act as the lungs of the earth: they convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. But sadly, trees are also part of the problem too because they can snap and uproot in high winds and heavy rains.

Last year’s Halloween canceling storm caused many New Castle residents to be without power for a week, some for close to two weeks and longer. This year’s Frankenstorm  easily doubled last year’s record power outages. Hotels in the region were booked solid two days before the storm even blew into town. Gas powered generators sprung up everywhere as it became obvious that the electric wouldn’t be back anytime soon.

And then the gas lines started. To me, that was the most disconcerting facet of the storm’s aftermath. Like it or not, here in suburbia we are heavily dependent upon gas. We were lucky this time around, the lines didn’t last for long and there was even some free gas pumped in Mt Kisco one day.

Supply chains and grids don’t always work the way they should. We’re learning more and more about Murphy’s Law with each passing storm. What if next year’s 100-year storm includes more extensive power outages? In other words, what if the gas doesn’t flow anywhere nearby?  How would we get by with no gas? What if the ConEd trucks and all the other power trucks that came this time from far away can’t get here for some reason?

We don’t have a problem on our hands; problems have solutions. We have a predicament. Predicaments don’t have easy solutions. Instead, we must generate intelligent responses. A smart response would be to cultivate a culture of self reliance and community resilience.

Meaningful Preparation

Climate change is here and it won’t be going away anytime soon. The time is now to make meaningful preparations for the next freak, 100-year storm or whatever else global weirding tosses our way.

A good place to start is your own street. Meet your neighbors, get their phone and email addresses, make a list for everyone. Find out who has pets, who has generators or extra firewood. Share a pot luck meal with those who live nearby and talk about what you did for this recent storm and what lessons you learned  that will help you prepare better for the next disruption.

Resilience is the lesson we can learn from storms like Sandy. Resilience is about withstanding and surviving unexpected shocks to a system. How do we deal with adversity in such a way that we come through it with minimal harm. Resilience means facing life’s difficulties with courage and patience.

Susan Rubin has lived through 25 years of storms in Chappaqua and is writing a booklet on storm preparation in suburbia that includes delicious recipes.

Filed Under: After Hurricane Sandy Tagged With: Hurrican Sandy

After Hurricane Sandy–How you can help..

November 5, 2012 by The Inside Press

Hurricane Sandy caused massive destruction …
many of our neighbors still have no power.

The Food Bank is requesting donations of funds — click here to donate. For every $1 we receive, we can acquire $4 worth of food to feed hungry people.

We are also asking for donations of food. Most-needed foods (please NO GLASS CONTAINERS):

Tuna, Shelf-stable Milk (32-oz. or 8-oz. box), Cereal, Granola bars, Peanut Butter and Jelly (squeeze bottle), Juice Boxes, Crackers, Meal-in-a-Can (Spaghetti O’s & Chef Boyardee), Applesauce or Mixed Fruit Cup, Cheese and/or Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers.

Also needed, if you can bring these to us same day of purchase: Bread, Cold Cuts, Bananas, Oranges, Apples.

Personal Hygiene Products needed: Toilet Paper, Hand-Sanitizer Wipes, Facial Tissues.

Volunteers packing emergency food bags in the Food Bank warehouse Saturday, November 3, 2012 after Hurricane Sandy.

THANK YOU

to everyone who has stepped up to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy

To our corporate partners who have volunteered time and resources, including Bosca, Dannon, Morgan Stanley, Pepsico, and Pernod Ricard…

THANK YOU!

To the folks from Patrick’s Pub, White Plains, and the sisters from Pi Iota Omega, the Greenburgh/White Plains chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha, for donating time in our warehouse Saturday, packing bags of emergency food…

THANK YOU!

To celebrity chef, author, and television personality Sandra Lee, for the sleeping bags and sandwich foods…

THANK YOU!

Filed Under: New Castle News Tagged With: Food donations, Hurrican Sandy

Primary Sidebar

Please Visit

William Raveis – Armonk
William Raveis – Chappaqua
White Plains Hospital
Houlihan Lawrence – Armonk
Houlihan Lawrence – Briarcliff
Houlihan Lawrence – Chappaqua
NYOMIS – Dr. Andrew Horowitz
Raveis: Lisa Koh and Allison Coviello
Purple Plains
Compass: Miller-Goldenberg Team
Korth & Shannahan
Douglas Elliman: Chappaqua
Wonder food hall
Kevin Roberts Painting & Design
Congregation B’nai Yisrael
Houlihan: Tara Siegel
Temple Beth El
King Street Creatives
Pinksky Studio
David Visconti Painting & Contracting

Follow our Social Media

The Inside Press

Our Latest Issues

For a full reading of our current edition, or to obtain a copy or subscription, please contact us.

Inside Armonk Inside Chappaqua and Millwood Inside Pleasantville and Briarcliff Manor

Join Our Mailing List


Search Inside Press

Links

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Subscription
  • Print Subscription

Publisher’s Note Regarding Our Valued Sponsors

Inside Press is not responsible for and does not necessarily endorse or not endorse any advertisers, products or resources referenced in either sponsor-driven stories or in advertisements appearing in this publication. The Inside Press shall not be liable to any party as a result of any information, services or resources made available through this publication.The Inside Press is published in good faith and cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in advertising or sponsor driven stories that appear in this publication. The views of advertisers and contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher’s.

Opinions and information presented in all Inside Press articles, such as in the arena of health and medicine, strictly reflect the experiences, expertise and/or views of those interviewed, and are not necessarily recommended or endorsed by the Inside Press. Please consult your own doctor for diagnosis and/or treatment.

Footer

Support The Inside Press

Advertising

Print Subscription

Digital Subscription

Categories

Archives

Subscribe

Did you know you can subscribe anytime to our print editions?

Voluntary subscriptions are most welcome, if you've moved outside the area, or a subscription is a great present idea for an elderly parent, for a neighbor who is moving or for your graduating high school student or any college student who may enjoy keeping up with hometown stories.

Subscribe Today

Copyright © 2025 The Inside Press, Inc. · Log in