Superstorm, Super Lucky, Super Response
It was a good summer. Mike D'altrui, the organizer for the Sea Girt 5k picked up another volunteer opportunity for Sea Girt Rec. Operation Beachhead, a charity event founded by Wall Township residents Dave and Doreen Bridgeman. The program got vets, active duty members, families, and anyone with disabilities out on the water. A day of surfing, paddleboarding and swimming was another way to give back.
The Sea Girt Community Appeal celebrated its 50th year, raising money for local charities, and the Holly Club planted its first flowers on the boardwalk. Judith Jones Ambrosini, Rosy Convay, Barbara Sands, and Jane Bufo were some of the members who planted, pruned, and watered throughout the summer.
The Parker House had some of its cocktail recipes printed in the Coast Star. The drinks reflected a return to prosperity. Shipwrecked, a mixture of flavored rums, Mermaid Juice, a mix of flavored vodkas, and the Bubbly Beach Bum, an orange champagne cooler. Economic recovery from the 2008 financial crisis was underway. The weather was mixed, but summer was fun.
A late October storm was tracked up the coast after raking the Caribbean. Many models predict landfall in New Jersey, but very few are a direct hit. Katrina in 2005, a Category-5 hurricane, which devastated New Orleans, was a disaster for local politicians. It was a lesson in preparedness and response.
Governor Christie, wanting to look strong, took center stage, declared an emergency in advance, evacuated barrier islands, and utilities warned customers to be prepared for multi-day blackouts.
Sea Girt was prepared. Police, Fire, OEM and Borough Administration were on alert. The eastward dunes had helped in Irene, and they were hoping they would hold through this storm. The colder October water slowed winds to 80 mph, but a trough off New England held it in place. The lowest pressures ever recorded in the Northeast kept the storm dumping 11 inches of wind-driven rain.
The Mantoloking Bridge washed away and the bay met the ocean. (NJDEP)
Sea Girt was luckier than many other places. Sections of the boardwalk not strapped down came down Baltimore and Philadelphia Blvd. The guard camp flooded as did homes south of Crescent Park. The ocean ran onto Morven. First Avenue was a river, as the outflow pipes, buried in the beach replenishment, could not handle the flow of water. But other areas of the state saw way more damage.
Tim Harmon and Beach Patrol members joined DPW crews to locate and preserve 99 of the 130 plaques from benches washed off the boardwalk. The new pavilion stood.
To the immediate north, Ocean Ave. in Spring Lake and commercial establishments in Belmar were a mess. The Bayshore saw some of the worst flooding and destruction at Union Beach. Mantoloking, south to Seaside Heights, had a tremendous loss of homes, and the Jet Star Coaster sat in the Ocean, having been knocked off the Casino pier. In some areas, the coast was luckier than immediately inland, where downed trees crashed into homes, and water was pushed inland. All along the back of Barnegat Bay, homes were flooded, and with no power, many could not return to their residences. 346,000 homes were damaged or destroyed.
The Jet Star at Casino Pier Seaside Heights (Wikipedia, Anthony Quintano)
Sea Girt had a super response. Beacon Blvd resident and former councilman Ray Bogan wrote in the Coast Star:
Thank you, Sea Girt Emergency Management Coordinator Tim Harmon, Borough Administrator Col. Al Bunting, the Sea Girt Volunteer Fire Department and Women's Auxiliary, the Borough Police Department, and Public Works for their tireless efforts to assist residents and protect our town before, during, and after Sandy. These men and women prepared for Sandy, worked constantly during it, and have continued to help residents since. Tim's coordination of Emergency Management and his beach patrol emergency responders, along with Col. Bunting's non-stop monitoring and coordination of all borough resources, was exceptional.
During and after the storm our Fire Department was, literally, constantly responding to calls under the direction of Chief Tom McNamara and department officers, despite the fact that some of its members' homes were damaged. It was extremely impressive to watch exhausted fire fighters and fire police repeatedly respond in such a selfless manner, even after the storm had passed. The police, under Chief Conway, maintained safety and security throughout the town during the storm, and have created a secure atmosphere since that time. Public Works employees, under Kevin Thompson and DPW supervisors, worked hard preparing for the storm, and have done great work cleaning up the town since the storm.
Mayor and Council with Governor Christie
The success of the dunes and quick reopening of the community made Sea Girt the poster child for preparedness. This had two immediate impacts. Politicians, looking for state and federal assistance, came to Sea Girt to discuss the need for dune building, as Sea Girt had the foresight to do. The governor came to shake hands and do a speech with Mayor Ken Farrell at his side.
The other impact was on Sea Girt real estate values. Struggling since the 2008 market meltdown, Sea Girt seemed like a safe beach town on a risky board. The Ocean County barrier islands would take over five years to recover, and builders and real estate agents were happy to accommodate the demand, and introduce people to the town which was Stronger than the Storm.