In addition to the challenges of communicating, village employees have, like everyone else, felt the effects of the shortage of gasoline. The fuel pumps in the DPW yard were being run by a generator, but supply was the concern. Healey said that the gas and diesel terminals where the village normally gets its fuel — in New Jersey, Staten Island, Oceanside and Inwood — all flooded during the storm and were not operational.

The DPW, Healey explained, was transferring fuel from nonessential to essential vehicles. It isn’t easy to ration fuel, Neve said, because “you need the trucks to clear the trees, and you need the police cars to patrol the streets.”

“If any lessons are learned for government and our elected officials,” Healey said, “the weakest link in our survival on Long Island is fuel, and that’s what they have to key on.”

Lynbrook’s Office of Emergency Management was in full operational mode during the storm, handling all of the village’s emergency calls and dispatching the Fire Department when needed.

Ed Murphy, deputy commander of the OEM and an honorary captain of the Fire Department for his 51 years of service, said that there were six volunteers working during the storm. They handled 43 calls on the night of Oct. 29 and the following day, and calls were still trickling in throughout the week.

Fire Chief Anthony DeCarlo said that the department responded to 110 calls in less than a week.

Village schools were open again on Wednesday, and athletic teams that are in the playoffs began practicing on Tuesday.

Mayor Bill Hendrick announced that the village’s overnight parking restrictions have been suspended for 30 days, stemming from the Nov. 5 regular board meeting.

 

Titans/Little League help

When they Titan wrestling team and the Lynbrook Little League came to the Rec department in Greis Park for registration sign up last weekend, little did they know that it would turn into a huge fundraising event. After a social media blast announcing that supplies were needed for victims of Hurrican Sandy, residents showed up with food, clothing, flashlights and toiletries. The groups ended up taking 30 truck loads of goods to Long Beach, Island Park and other communities. The Rec Dept. in Greis Park is still collecting winter clothing and blankets. “This is a true example of neighbor helping neighbor, a real community effort,” said Village Trustee and Titan coach Hilary Becker.