It’s been nearly a decade since Superstorm Sandy hit our community. The damages leftover resulted in huge outages that would lead to more gas shortages throughout causing a real break in the ecosystem our sleepy little town relied on. However, the community is fierce here and since then has upgraded the service stations tremendously. They are now able to connect to backup power as well as a fuel supply system that can protect versus likely petroleum erruptions.
Furthermore, the resilient nature of the backup system could again only be disturbed by the forces of natural disaster alone.
Plenty of Climate Experts believe that natural disasters are rising with severity and even one more cataclysmic event is going to test the gasoline industry and their ability to see if fuel can be available at the pump.
In that event, safeguards are being implemented, such as the installation of transfer switches throughout 454 gas stations around on Long Island that will allow for backup power hookup. However, 127 of those stations use permanent or portable generators, while 185 of them are contracted with a generator supplier. And the 142 don’t have the generator or a contract with someone who can give them one, in spite of still having transfer switches.
Sandy hit Long Island long ago, on October 29th, 2012. In one fell swoop, Superstorm Sandy broke the distribution link, closed refineries, and even one of the largest pipelines on the Island, because of flooding or power outages. Such a blackout had lasted beyond two weeks, while only about 942 of the service stations had shuttered for days or even faced distribution hurdles.
Marine barges that held oil were stopped because both the Ports of New York and New Jersey had been closed. Tankers also were in hot debates with distribution.
Even when power had been restored, the chaos only ensued more. Angry customers would complain about whoever had been first on limitless gas lines. And even after nine days post Sandy, AAA believes around 60 to 65% of Long Island stations had been distributing fuel. Odd-rationing had been instituted, all because of license plate numbers. Odd-numbered license plates got gas on odd-numbered days. And if that wasn’t the strangest thing you’ve heard of, I don’t know what could be?!
It’s just great now that the gas stations have better safety protocol installed so that way less outages occur during the event of a major natural disaster.
