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Frustrations growing as victims of Sandy wait for help

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    Staten Island Councilman Vincent Ignizio speaks out

  • Duration 5:29
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This transcript is automatically generated

We'll have what -- it's more fun.

An electric system.

And you know we have to get Warner to go to the bathroom thrown from somewhere else and and flush their toilets that's the problem.

And I haven't an Electric's.

I can't even call and not try and eighteen you're saying I did he didn't let me.

Every hole.

We put everybody inside so they can get out of the cold and were -- -- all the systems to see if we can considerably in the school tomorrow anything back.

-- Definitely.

The growing frustrations for victims of super -- sandy.

Still don't have power and some of the hardest hit areas are left look at with your own eyes like a war zone.

On Staten Island people saying the help they've gotten has mostly banned from neighbors.

They say they have not seen anyone on the federal or state level there to help them out and Wednesday's nor'easter was too much for FEMA.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency Staten Island office closed down during the storm only adding to the anger the people who are so desperately in need of -- -- help.

Staten Island councilman this Vincent.

It Vizio is on the phone now it is sir thank you so much for your time and and I know even our connection is difficult because phone lines -- connections are difficult out there is well.

Can you tell us what you've seen and what you need at this point.

Well -- thank you mean Europe highlighting.

That -- clearly our resolve is being tested a couple of the community has been unreal.

-- it's been not from.

-- to -- to -- which is my district we've.

Moms and Graham bombs.

Could include for the volunteers in the field and that everybody really pitching in -- advocacy community effort and it.

It's killing as well as it can go under the circumstances we have to deal with.

Blood I don't know where we would be without the -- -- community effort we've seen.

And right now we're trying to put people together contractors -- adorning it time to build the eight decreased its -- they're cleaned out and it's been an enormous community -- -- -- very proud.

Yet we see the volunteers and people showing up in private businesses and people pitching in it it is still heartwarming to hear the stories.

But for a lot of people the help they need from you know major government intervention.

You know they seem very discouraged the fact that the -- get through -- phone lines no one has shown up to their streets.

It is cold they don't have power they don't have food they don't have water they have only water in their basements.

On the what's the frustration level been like out there.

Well Russia and obviously people are somewhat moving only the deconstruction -- -- -- the desire for reconstruction aid they -- -- put their lives back together.

And and they help there's not there's.

Forthcoming as possible I think some of the biggest disappointment at least debate has been through content.

I have 101000 people indeed beach front communities com that -- hit the hardest.

They had a hundred inspectors going door to door.

I mean what do what is that going to be done and like actually lost it let it yesterday.

That I just can't believe that this is acceptable.

On behalf of anybody the company and I called Mayor Bloomberg and governor almost opposite Bolten responded.

And agreed and it actually we have.

More people over 225 on the ground today with more coming tomorrow but.

Why did it take me to freak out and speak in -- minority get what this community needs were in the dark now eleven day.

Not 23 or.

Yeah and -- just for one example of some of the -- of the people are going through as you mentioned they want to move onto reconstruction.

You -- I said -- that he was offered basically 191000 dollars for house that it is a market value would be close to 300000 dollars how in the world.

Are people gonna recover when that's the deal they're being -- essentially.

Yeah -- that the that the problem is you know.

-- -- limits on what they -- -- they're just somewhere in the 30000 dollar mark.

It is very little fuel they are -- ordered it.

You can do with 30000 -- when you're tired -- destroyed two electrical towers destroyed.

-- -- once again what do we do once again we turn to be community returned to local.

Well contractors who willing to work for.

Very -- where you can free.

To help our neighbors and and -- they were doing that there's some silver lining to this story that that it that's going well with.

Community pulling together and with -- that coming back and it's just gonna.

Continue to grow -- you know if people on higher levels of government you know don't want to that would help with this community going to be forced take care -- itself I will say though it one thing.

That's FEMA has been out there they have been in the field and have been willing to help I just don't know that people appreciate or stay in the role this scheme to take they don't come in and make everything go away.

-- deeply supportive role to the local.

It's -- officials.

-- anything should be a reminder that we -- have to be self reliant and and resilient we do have to rely on neighbors it is fantastic to hear about volunteers coming really from all over the country and people cooking meals and and helping out and maybe it's a good reminder to the rest of us -- that's how we should be operating our lives on a daily basis.

Even when it's not in a tragedy of this measure.

-- there.

The government should and it's always the people that don't and so.

Absolutely and that we just wish -- the absolute best we know there's a long difficult recovery and and and people who were just heartbroken at this point so.

-- -- Wii -- yet we thank you for advocating on their behalf.

It.

-- spent two tours an --

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