Community Magazine September 2003

34 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE s xc W orking a double shift during the blackout, we responded to a call from a Senior Citizen’s home in Sheapshead Bay. Out of breath after carrying our equipment up five flights of stairs, we asserted our appreciation for electricity and considered how often we take it for granted. The woman we came to see had been on Oxygen but did not have backup power for her equipment. To make matters worse, she began to panic when the power went out increasing her air intake require- ments. We provided her with a portable oxygen supply and administered a treat- ment which would temporarily enable her to breathe more easily. We asked the woman if she would like to go to a hospi- tal where she would have a more reliable supply of oxygen until power was restored, but she refused. We continued to offer her options, each of which she also turned down. Finally I asked her point blank “Look lady, what do you want to do.” “I want to be able to breathe” she replied. It made me think, there are many more important things than electricity that we take for granted. “Daddy, put the lights back on – it’s not Shabbat.” Yehudah S. (3 years old) Thursday, August 14, 9:00 pm BLACKOUT ‘03 THEBRIGHTSIDE THEAIRLIFT B Y : M E I R E R A N I OUTOFBREATH BY: JUDAH MARCUS , EMS L I EUTENANT/PARAMED I C O ur adventure started soon after the lights went out as we left our Manhattan offices and headed towards the East side to take the ferry to New Jersey from 34th Street. Being old enough to remember the Blackouts of ’65 and ’77 (and the aftermath of the latter, which included rioting and violence) getting out of the city was of paramount concern. Our plan was to just get to anywhere in Jersey and figure out from there how to get to our families in Lakewood and Deal. Unfortunately, with the trains not running, about 50,000 other nervous commuters had the same idea. By the time we got to the ferry area it was swarming with peo- ple. Just finding the end of line seemed impossible. What next? Walk to the Brooklyn bridge? Hitch to Flatbush, then borrow a car? Try the Linclon tunnel? We consid- ered the options as we began to head south. As we walked past the trailers at the East Side Heliport, we saw a few of ‘the boys’ waiting for their scheduled helicop- ter ride to Deal. Idea! Maybe someone won’t show and we can take advantage of an empty seat. Unfortunately again, within a few minutes a few dozen other commu- nity members with same idea piled into the trailer as well. Now what? The extraordinary events that followed, while demonstrating resourcefulness and ingenuity, are primarily a reflection of the sincere concern our community members have for one another. Within minutes of these developments, Elliot S., one of the regulars on the route, got a couple of heli- copter companies on the phone and “sug- gested” that they add a few extra runs. It was not an easy feat considering that sun- down would soon plunge the city into total darkness—as it was, the Heliport was run- ning its operations on emergency power and the 110 degree heat in the crowded trailer was stretching the already taut nerves pretty thin. But calm prevailed as Ikey and Victor drew up a list of names and grouped them with a sense of fairness, con- cern, and sensitivity, (brothers together, fathers with sons, ladies first etc.) for the anticipated but unconfirmed extra flights. To our delight, the additional runs came through and in turn each of us 40 or so “Extras” were whisked away quickly while the “Regulars” who made the arrangements stayed behind taking the last flight out. Looking down at the throngs of strand- ed people made us all appreciate how lucky we were to be out and on our way home. And soon enough, we expressed our thanks properly, when we said Minha together as the sun began to set on the tar- mac at Allaire airport in New Jersey.