Preparing for Sandy
This Halloween is shaping up to be a lot spookier for those on the East Coast. If you’re following the latest NOAA hurricane trackers, Hurricane Sandy is indeed turning inland and will affect several states along the Eastern seaboard, including Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Several large cities, including Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Boston and even New York City are bracing for the impact and even evacuating low laying that are expected to experience strong storm surges.
What makes this storm so unique is the timing. A Nor’easter, also known as a low pressure system, is coming through the Northeast and is expected to collide with Hurricane Sandy to create a “Frankenstorm”. A perfect storm blend that will lead to an enormous amount of rain, swells, flooding, high winds, and much more.
The National Weather Service is advising for those residing in the targeted areas to take precautions. It is important to stock up on food, water, batteries and other supplies, however it is also important to arm yourself with the appropriate tools to report damage and debris caused by the storm. Preparing yourself ahead of time will allow you to recover that much more quickly from a natural disaster. To connect to your city immediately and aid in cleanup efforts following the hurricane, follow our simple steps.
1) Download the PublicStuff app on your iPhone, Android or Blackberry device. You can also access PublicStuff to report service requests easily online or submit issues via SMS text at 617-500-3111 and toll free number at 888-491-3119.
2) When you spot non-emergency service requests like down trees, flipped cars or overflowing storm drains, submit the service request through PublicStuff. Submitting the service request through PublicStuff will ensure that your request is heard and that the issue is on its way to being addressed.
3) Take pictures of your requests in order to further document the damage and allow staff to more quickly identify the problem you’re reporting.
4) Share the issues you’re reporting with family, friends and neighbors on Facebook, Twitter, email and more.
It’s that simple. Stay updated on the issues you’re reporting by registering for a free PublicStuff account. When you register for an account, you’ll receive automatic updates regarding the requests you’re reporting and the issues in your neighborhood you care about the most. You can also comment on other service request issues to provide more details or information on the request and to answer questions that your friends, family and neighbors may have. As an added benefit, access the weather alert widget through the PublicStuff app to stay informed on important updates regarding the storm as they’re happening.
We wish you the very best as you prepare for this upcoming storm and hope you stay safe and out of harms way. Continue to use PublicStuff to report issues resulting from the storm and to get your community up and running as quickly as it can be. Feel free to also share your service requests and photos with us on our Facebook page and via Twitter. If you need additional help or would like learn about other best practices when preparing for a storm, feel free to contact the PublicStuff team at team@publicstuff.com.
