HOBOKEN—The City of Hoboken commemorated the second anniversary of Superstorm Sandy’s landfall in New Jersey with a special flag-raising ceremony Wednesday in front of City Hall. Mayor Dawn Zimmer was joined by local first responders, elected officials, and NOAA Administrator Dr. Kathryn Sullivan.
Zimmer took the opportunity to detail some of the resiliency efforts her administration has pursued in the aftermath of Sandy, including a new wet weather sewer pump that was recently approved, new generators, and plans to purchase land in northwest Hoboken to build water-retaining parks.
Zimmer made special mention of the $230 million Hoboken won earlier this year along with Weehawken and Jersey City in the federally sponsored Rebuild By Design competition.
The event also showcased a city-owned 2.5-ton M35 cargo truck specially designed for high water situations, which will be used to rescue residents in flood conditions. The truck will be painted by Jersey City firefighter Eli Ramos based on resiliency-related designs from Hoboken schoolchildren.
Sullivan joined Fire Chief Richard Blohm, Police Chief Edelmiro Garcia and Hoboken OEM Coordinator and incoming Police Chief Ken Ferrante in praising the Zimmer administration for playing a leadership role in the response to Sandy, both in the immediate aftermath and with respect to mitigating future disasters. Sullivan called Hoboken a “national model” for flood response and prevention.
The flag of honor came to Hoboken by way of Afghanistan, where it was flown aboard a B2 Bomber on November 5, 2012 in honor of the city and all it endured in the wake of Sandy. On Wednesday, the flag was raised by United States Air Force Reserve Lieutenant Colonel Joel Branosky.
Branosky lives in Hoboken but was serving in Afghanistan when Sandy took place. He recalled opening Stars and Stripes on the morning of Oct. 29, 2012 to see his hometown and its water-logged PATH station on the cover. Branosky’s pregnant wife was evacuated from their home by the National Guard, which the Air Force officer said was “the happiest I’ve ever been to see the Army.”
Hudson County Freeholder Anthony Romano and state assemblymen Raj Mukherji and Carmelo Garcia (D-33) were also on hand. Garcia is the former Executive Director of the Hoboken Housing Authority, which was hard hit by Sandy and continues to recover. On Wednesday, he praised the “sense of oneness” in Hoboken with respect to Sandy resiliency efforts, and thanked the city for recognizing deficiencies in its preparedness and giving the Authority the tools it needed to survive another Sandy.
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