Cold Nights Become The Norm For Many Sandy Victims Along The Shore
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Superstorm Sandy blasted through the New York metro area nearly a month ago, but some shoreline residents remain without heat.
As CBS 2's Dick Brennan reported, 8-year-old Miracle Brunette was all bundled up, but she was still cold Monday night.
The Brunette family was still struggling to keep warm almost four weeks after the storm tore a hole in many lives. Space heaters were barely doing the job, and Miracle's mother, Sharon Decoute, made the most of things by heating water on the stove for food and showers -- of sorts.
"I boil the water in the pot, put it in a bucket, and wash them down with it," Decoute said.
The Brunettes live on Beach 88th Street in Rockaway Beach, where cleanup was still underway Monday night.
But while many homes have their power back, the furnaces need replacing, so the kids do their homework and feel the chill.
"I'm cold, and when I'm trying to write, my hands are freezing, so I can't grip the pencil right," Miracle said.
Meanwhile in Long Beach on Long Island, it was to be a cold night for some families, including many who just got their electricity back Sunday night.
"It's too cold. It's just bitter cold. And your hands get cold, because things are still wet," said resident Monica Sardo, who added that the space heater in her home was insufficient.
It was a similar problem for Andrea Capone, who in this case only had a Jets curtain on the wall to keep the cold air out.
"The Jets are hanging here, because the air is rushing through," she said.
Families in the devastated shore towns can get their heat back, in some cases, as fast as they can replace their boilers. But it's not always that simple.
Decoute said she would rather just start with a new house from scratch.
"I want my home back for Christmas," she said. "Got a home in line? I'll take it."
The Brunette family said because of the extensive water damage to their home, it could be weeks before they replace the boiler.
Please leave your comments below...
