How To Survive An Evacuation In Little Neck

In light of the recent Tornado scare in Little Neck, Patch wanted to find out what should residents of North East Queens do in case a natural disaster forced us all to evacuate?

It could be coming, window shattering winds, a 40-foot storm surge that threatens to submerge Northern Blvd and inundate lands as far south as the Grand Central Parkway. And when it does, more than twenty thousand Queens residents –the population of a small city- could be forced to evacuate Long Island.

What will you do? 

The geographic features of Long Island put Little Neck at risk for serious storms. Nestled in a bend between the New Jersey and Long Island coastlines, Queens is at the top of a right angle that can turn even moderate incoming storms into a potential nightmare.

The risk is serious. The government, both FEMA and OEM have released flood maps for the entire metropolitan area. 

Every section of Little Neck is inside Hurricane Evacuation Zones B and C, according to the NYC Office of Emergency Management, which completed it's flood inundation mapping in 2010.

Which zone are you in?

Residents in Zone B have the second to highest risk of a storm surge; they are vulnerable to flooding within a 15 block walking distance from any part of the Sound. Residents that are farther inland, south of Little Neck Station are in Zone A; still vulnerable to flooding, but only if a major hurricane hits the south shore. Click here to see the map.

How is the community preparing to handle such disasters?

Frank Masterson, a resident of Little Neck was appalled with the crippled government response to the microburst damage that ripped through Little Neck last fall."In these situations, you have to count on your neighbor," he quipped.

The NYC CERT Team has evolved to fit into that role. U.S Coat Guard Aux. Flotilla Commander Susan Macinick, Team Chief for the CB11 CERT Team, trains local citizens in emergency and disaster preparedness for CERT.

“In recent years, the community has been urged to be ready, be informed and be prepared for what could happen tomorrow,” according to Macinick. “The best time for the community to start thinking about preparing for an emergency is when there is no emergency,” she added.

Having a detailed evacuation plan and a well organized Go Bag is your best bet if you want to have an edge in any survival scenario. The use of public transportation is advised, or just go on foot, as the roads will likely be too congested for travel.

Here is the list of evacuation centers in Little Neck and information on starting your own Go Bag:

• Planning your route can make the difference in an emergency situation. Discuss with your family the directions to a Hurricane Evacuation Center within a 10-mile radius. These locations are: Bayside High School, Queensboro Community College, Belmont racetrack, JHS 185, Hillcrest High School, and York College.
• Grab your Go Bag. A Go Bag a special kit to take with you in case of a disaster. Suggested items include: 1 gallon of water, flashlight, radio, important documents, multi-tool, medicine, first-aid kit, provisions, portable phone, and bleach tablets for water purification.

For more information on disaster preparedness please visit the READY NY website.  Readers interested in joining the CERT team can contact Commander Macinick at suemac3212@aol.com.