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Sandy victims left in the dark

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    Suffolk county legislator Tom Cilmi weighs in

  • Duration 4:17
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I believe they were I'm prepared.

I believe the system is archaic.

And is obsolete.

In many ways.

So.

No I don't believe what they did was adequate I don't believe it was right.

I believe part of it is this system designed and part of it is just their performance.

That was -- governor Andrew Cuomo expressing his frustration.

With a Long Island power authority's response to super storm sandy so with tens of thousands of long islanders still without power.

Why our customers unable to get in touch of light -- for help they're still not getting all the answers that they mean.

Well joining us now is New York's Suffolk County legislate tore Tom -- Tom thanks command could be with you have power.

I do as of a couple of days ago yes what is the -- -- got a text and up PSE and G over in Jersey.

Out of almost three million people without power they're down about 12100 people without power -- of these two companies be so different.

Well different places obviously different systems of management.

And I think there was a and different.

In terms of how we got labors here -- to work -- there was.

Poor planning I think on the part of -- -- you know we're starting to see right now we have more workers than we ever had and yet.

We're down to fewer outages than we've ever had as -- it seems to me that it's there should have been more workers right from the start so that we got more more -- service restored quick.

It sure seems like it -- the people of said that we knew sandy was coming.

We knew sandy was coming for several days so why didn't the CEO of -- who by the way is named Michael Herbie he's the CEO of life but people want answers he's a person -- I -- it.

Why didn't -- move assets to wherever they have knew there were going to be need right.

Right well that's where the buck stops -- -- that stops at the top.

But you know this has been poor planning and poor decision making as you said we knew about the storm well in advance.

And for life but to not have protocol in place to deal with areas for example that had flooding in that may have had -- natural gas and in the area.

For them not to have a plan in place to do that and then not to implement plans.

Until a week literally a week week and a half later.

Is just.

But you hear that -- have enough hole it's you know stuff like that -- -- it but it it isn't the governor of the state isn't.

Even -- a private company collector is Long Island power authority is not under governors umbrella.

-- yes the -- the New York State government does have some oversight the Suffolk County legislature.

Implemented a year or so -- after -- -- a -- but oversight committee we don't have any direct authority over -- but what we've had hearings and we've made suggestions.

And it seems that some of those suggestions haven't really been not taken -- -- on the that in the problem is that this is a monopoly for all intents and purposes there's no competition so when people now are so frustrated.

Would like but they can't get an answer -- we can't get their calls returned -- -- it's an -- of the -- but yet they're stuck them like there's nobody else that they can go to to provide their power what's the answer.

Well I I think the governor is looking into that right now there's certainly needs to be change.

The whole the whole structure needs to be reviewed.

There was poor communication on -- part of life but especially with our constituents their customers.

Even the communication with elected officials wasn't so good you get earlier called mormons you -- -- get a call through to them.

I can get a call through it's getting answers that that is really want Army Corps of Engineers come in here.

You know I think that would help -- at this point though it's it may be a little too late.

Like -- is is that we have about 6000 outages still in the town of Islip.

Well given the number of customers that we have that's not so bad like -- tells us that -- 85%.

Restored in the town of -- as of yesterday.

They expect almost full restoration by Monday.

But now we're two weeks after the storm hit.

And it's still loved by some -- -- -- 200000 a 130000 to 200000.

It on Long Island outside of your town and excellent and they can talk about all of the numbers that have been restored as much as they want but the fact is for those folks who aren't restored.

Now now now that doesn't make too much -- here -- some of the numbers of -- staggering.

Councilman thanks so much for coming in my -- and let me give a quick shout out to all -- veterans out there as we celebrate this -- -- thank you all very very much for your service to our country god bless you thank you.

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