GOLES’ Getting LES Ready

April 8, 2016

Created in response to Hurricane Sandy’s devastating impact on NYC, GOLES and The Lower East Side Long Term Recovery Group released this three-part community disaster plan. Part 1 addressed the hurt experienced by impacted residents and small businesses; Part 2 outlined a preparedness and recovery plan for future storms; and Part 3 community-based solutions to mitigate the effects of future disasters. The Getting LES Ready report operates on the knowledge that city services and agencies such as NYCHA were slow to respond to residents’ needs – instead, CBOs and tenant associations led the way. The report’s recommendation therefore delineated between those responsibilities that City Hall should address and the responsibilities that The Lower East Side Long Term Recovery Group will do themselves. These included recommendations for educating residents on how/when to evacuate or shelter in place; providing direct aid to residents in the aftermath of a disaster; developing contingency plans to ensure supplies, medicines, and other life essentials remain available/are provided to residents; developing communication networks for the quick dissemination of info to affected communities; and the development of informal personal networks through community events so people know each other.

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