This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/15/obama-sandy-victims-staten-island
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Obama reassures Sandy victims in tour of Staten Island devastation | Obama reassures Sandy victims in tour of Staten Island devastation |
| (5 months later) | |
| Barack Obama visited Sandy-ravaged parts of New York City on Thursday to survey the damage and promise that his administration would "stay here as long as people need help". | Barack Obama visited Sandy-ravaged parts of New York City on Thursday to survey the damage and promise that his administration would "stay here as long as people need help". |
| The president was given a helicopter tour of the worst-affected parts of the city, flying over the Rockaway penninsula in Queens before landing on Staten Island to meet those impacted by the storm. | The president was given a helicopter tour of the worst-affected parts of the city, flying over the Rockaway penninsula in Queens before landing on Staten Island to meet those impacted by the storm. |
| "I'm very proud of you, New York. You're tough," Obama said in a brief address in the New Dorp area on Staten Island. | "I'm very proud of you, New York. You're tough," Obama said in a brief address in the New Dorp area on Staten Island. |
| Some 43 people died in New York City as a result of hurricane Sandy, half of those on Staten Island. Many are still without power in the borough. Obama visited New Jersey on 31 October, meeting with governor Chris Christie to view the damage. | Some 43 people died in New York City as a result of hurricane Sandy, half of those on Staten Island. Many are still without power in the borough. Obama visited New Jersey on 31 October, meeting with governor Chris Christie to view the damage. |
| "We Americans are going to stand with each other in our hour of need," Obama said. | "We Americans are going to stand with each other in our hour of need," Obama said. |
| "People still need emergency help, they still need heat, they still need food. We're going to make sure we stay here as long as people need help." | "People still need emergency help, they still need heat, they still need food. We're going to make sure we stay here as long as people need help." |
| It is more than two weeks since hurricane Sandy hit the north-east coast of America, but many residents in Staten Island are still unable to return to their homes. | It is more than two weeks since hurricane Sandy hit the north-east coast of America, but many residents in Staten Island are still unable to return to their homes. |
| Anna Maglione-Buono, 46, cowered with her family on the second floor of their small Staten Island home as the storm struck. The family home is located on a small street in Staten Island's South Beach, about 100m from the shore. Water reached up to 7ft high inside the house, leaving a trail of damage and filth. | Anna Maglione-Buono, 46, cowered with her family on the second floor of their small Staten Island home as the storm struck. The family home is located on a small street in Staten Island's South Beach, about 100m from the shore. Water reached up to 7ft high inside the house, leaving a trail of damage and filth. |
| "We will not be in this house for a very long time," Maglione-Buono told the Guardian on Thursday. "We ripped out the house and there was mold growing everywhere. We have no heat, no hot water, no electricity yet." | "We will not be in this house for a very long time," Maglione-Buono told the Guardian on Thursday. "We ripped out the house and there was mold growing everywhere. We have no heat, no hot water, no electricity yet." |
| Maglione-Buono had flood insurance – it was a stipulation of her bank providing a mortgage – but the contents of her home were not insured. | Maglione-Buono had flood insurance – it was a stipulation of her bank providing a mortgage – but the contents of her home were not insured. |
| "Fema denied us. They denied our claim," she said of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Maglione-Buono said a Fema agent had come to survey the damage, but she received an email two days ago saying she was ineligible for funding because her home was insured against flooding. "It makes me feel like they're turning their back on us. They're part of the federal government, and they turn their back on us. It's very disheartening." | "Fema denied us. They denied our claim," she said of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Maglione-Buono said a Fema agent had come to survey the damage, but she received an email two days ago saying she was ineligible for funding because her home was insured against flooding. "It makes me feel like they're turning their back on us. They're part of the federal government, and they turn their back on us. It's very disheartening." |
| Maglione-Buono said despite this, she was pleased to see Obama visit the area. "I believe in Mr Obama. I voted for him the last time, unfortunately I couldn't get there this time to vote for him because of the disaster, but he would have had my vote. I believe him because he's a family man and the values he has towards families and the middle class. | Maglione-Buono said despite this, she was pleased to see Obama visit the area. "I believe in Mr Obama. I voted for him the last time, unfortunately I couldn't get there this time to vote for him because of the disaster, but he would have had my vote. I believe him because he's a family man and the values he has towards families and the middle class. |
| "I hope and pray that he realises what happens to us. This is a community of working people. We work together. Most of us have one or two jobs, husband and wife, we're not rich. Yes we're middle-class, but we're lower middle-class and to leave us dry like this is very sad." | "I hope and pray that he realises what happens to us. This is a community of working people. We work together. Most of us have one or two jobs, husband and wife, we're not rich. Yes we're middle-class, but we're lower middle-class and to leave us dry like this is very sad." |
| The president praised Michael Bloomberg, the mayor of New York City, and New York governor Andrew Cuomo for their efforts following Sandy. Both accompanied him on the tour. Cuomo said earlier this week that he would request $30bn in federal aid to help rebuilding efforts. | The president praised Michael Bloomberg, the mayor of New York City, and New York governor Andrew Cuomo for their efforts following Sandy. Both accompanied him on the tour. Cuomo said earlier this week that he would request $30bn in federal aid to help rebuilding efforts. |
| Obama said he had spoken to Damian and Glenda Moore, the parents of two young boys who were killed in the storm. | Obama said he had spoken to Damian and Glenda Moore, the parents of two young boys who were killed in the storm. |
| "I had the opportunity to give some hugs and community's thoughts and prayers to the Moore family," Obama said. Two-year-old Brandon and 4-year-old Connor Moore were swept out of their mother's arms as she tried to escape the storm in her SUV. Their bodies were found in a marsh three days after Sandy hit. | "I had the opportunity to give some hugs and community's thoughts and prayers to the Moore family," Obama said. Two-year-old Brandon and 4-year-old Connor Moore were swept out of their mother's arms as she tried to escape the storm in her SUV. Their bodies were found in a marsh three days after Sandy hit. |
| "I expressed to them as a father, as a parent, my heartbreak over what they went through," the president said. | "I expressed to them as a father, as a parent, my heartbreak over what they went through," the president said. |
| "They're obviously still a little shell-shocked. But they they came here in part because they wanted to say thank you to all the people who have been supportive of them." | "They're obviously still a little shell-shocked. But they they came here in part because they wanted to say thank you to all the people who have been supportive of them." |
| Obama said "long-term" building would be required to reconstruct large parts of Staten Island, and said he had committed to working with local politicians and figures to "try to come up with a game plan for how we're going to resource the rebuilding process". | Obama said "long-term" building would be required to reconstruct large parts of Staten Island, and said he had committed to working with local politicians and figures to "try to come up with a game plan for how we're going to resource the rebuilding process". |
| He said travelling around Staten Island he could see that it was "still in the process of recovery". | He said travelling around Staten Island he could see that it was "still in the process of recovery". |
| "There is still a lot of clean-up to do. People still need emergency help, they still need heat, they still need power, they still need food, they still need shelter," he said. | "There is still a lot of clean-up to do. People still need emergency help, they still need heat, they still need power, they still need food, they still need shelter," he said. |
| guardian.co.uk today is our daily snapshot of the top news stories, sent to your inbox at 8am |