Why isn’t the Rikers Island jail being evacuated for Hurricane Irene?
A prison sentence should not be a death sentence. A pre-trial jail stay should not be a death sentence. But they both might be exactly that in New York City this weekend with Hurricane Irene.
Compare and contrast:
and
What’s the big deal? This is the location of Rikers Island, which is the city’s jail complex.
And of course ….
The New York Stock Exchange was preparing a backup power generator and bringing in extra fuel and food to avoid disruptions when trade resumes on Monday.
Have we learned ANYTHING since Hurricane Katrina?
During Hurricane Katrina, Orleans Parish Prison (“OPP”), one of Louisiana’s
largest penal institutions, was faced with having to protect and evacuate its prisoners during one of the worst natural disasters our nation has seen, and certainly the worst in New Orleans history. With inadequate or non-existent emergency plans, the prison was grossly unprepared to handle the storm and its aftermath. Prisoners were abandoned by guards and left stuck in locked cells while the levees broke and water began to flood the prison. Backup generators failed, leaving prisoners in darkness, some in flooded cells with water chest high. Prisoners were deprived of food, water, ventilation, and rescue. Prisoners were unable to protect themselves, and OPP and its officials failed to do it for them.
I really want to zoom this map out. It’s the coastal regions that are being evacuated due to the wall of water that’s going to hit the coast, and Riker’s Island is a long way away from that.
Welcome BRG. The unlabeled enlargeable map is here.
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Water rolls right up through New York Harbor and the East River with little problem, especially if it’s an incoming tide.
~
I’m so glad you posted this! I agree with you. really well said and very true.
And, so it goes. There’s no reason to not repeat history it seems. What are they thinking? That’s just wrong.
I really hope that Irene does little or no damage. There are 65 million people who might be effected by huge power outages. Be prepared.
[...] York City is surrounded by small islands and barrier beaches, and a glance at the city’s evacuation map reveals all of them to be in Zone A (already under a mandatory evacuation order) or Zone [...]
@Tina
My dad is in northern NJ and asked me if I really thought it would be a big deal. Oy!
OK I’ll be your NYC reporter for this one;
A) Mayor Mikey (Bloomberg) may be inflating the danger just a wee bit — after he and all his top brass were away on vacation during last winter’s “snowmageddon” — who’s in charge of the hen house? no one — he wants to show that he’s really, really on top of this potential disaster
B) NYC area has been hit with many hurricanes before (hello Gloria) which did a lot of damage to the coastline, as in Atlantic Ocean coastline, the inner harbors & river fronts… not so much (i.e.Rikers)
C) If I make no further comments & I’m found floating somewhere in the Atlantic, I retract A & B
I’m a GIS guy (looking) and private pilot (grounded by finances).
Here’s some information on the Rikers Island location.
It’s almost directly north of LaGuardia Airport whose 13/31 runway is TEN FEET above sea level. The prison housing looks to be TWENTY FEET above sea level. Still interesting how the airport is classified as Zone A and the prison is not considered as having residents. I’m going to try a link. You may need to open it with Google Earth.
Rikers Island, Bronx, NY 10474
The Mayor does not realize if something happens to those inmates how many lawsuits the City of NY will have for not protecting those inmates. He has to realize over 85% of the inmates have families who do worry about their safety hurricane or no hurricane…
@smoothmusic Good point! And welcome to MPS. Not sure I’ve seen you around here before.
there are NO D batteries to be found anywhere, i spent $50 on friggin water, there was no peanut butter, no tuna, no bread. i dont know why there was no milk because if the power goes out the milk goes out too.
this is going to be the biggest buildup to nothing since the election of ’08
How much water does $50 pay for?
[...] New York City is surrounded by small islands and barrier beaches, and a glance at the city’s evacuation map reveals all of them to be in Zone A (already under a mandatory evacuation order) or Zone [...]
I watched the NBC news this evening and the animated flooding was a riot. Apparently all of New York will flood. Only thing missing was a floating ark.
This thing will shear off in the Carolinas, hit Virginia, and that will quickly be the end of the hurricane. Then it will just be thunderstorms up the coast.
[...] can this be? In case you somehow missed it, Rikers Island is an island. Surrounded by water, as all islands are. All of the land around Rikers Island (on the other side of the water, that is) [...]
[...] York City is surrounded by small islands and barrier beaches, and a glance at the city’s evacuation map reveals all of them to be in Zone A (already under a mandatory evacuation order) or Zone B–all, [...]
I am sick to my stomach and feel terrible about this. I have an uncle that is finishing up a 6 month sentence. The city shuts down MTA, there is a possibility this could be worse then they ever expected. It really shows that inmates despite are worthless. It must be too expensive and they have no plan as to execute an emergency evacuation. I don’t even know what to say.
I WANT TO ADD TO MY POST ABOVE….MY UNCLE IS DISABLED, HE HAS CEREBRAL PALSY.
The map you’re using is not accurate, where did you find this because I don’t see it anywhere on the link you provided. It says that Roosevelt and Randall’s island are evacuation zones, Roosevelt island and Randall’s island are NOT evacuation zones. I totally agree with the point of this article, but don’t use false or inaccurate information to prove it!
Here is the map. http://content.ny1.com/downloads/RNY-Eng-Hurricane-Map-Side-PPP2rd.jpg As you can see the inner islands are in yellow, not orange.
Here it is again: http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/downloads/pdf/hurricane_map_english.pdf
THIS IS UNCONSCIONABLE
Dear Antonio,
I assure you that the only editing I did to the map was to add the names of the boroughs and to label Rikers. If there are any other inconsistencies, perhaps it is because the evacuation plans have changed in the time since I did the screen grab. When any of the authors on this blog use “false or inaccurate information” it is quite obviously in a snark post (labeled MOCK and SNARK in the heading), with photoshop use clearly in evidence, and generally with comments like “Mine!” he did not exclaim.
My own photoshop efforts (now GIMP efforts since I had to return my school district laptop) are so obvious that there are cartoon characters an drawings placed right into photos. We are not hiding anything here, and we certainly are not out to deceive anyone.
Please feel free to give us corrections or updates, but do not doubt our intention to pass on valid information, especially in a post like this one.
Betsy
Dear Liz,
Our best to your uncle, and to all those who can not evacuate or safely get through the hurricane.
The MPS team & all the Scissorheads
(Yes, I can speak for all of them. It is one of the benefits of having the key to the comment moderation interface.)
Generators CAN go out; imagine being in darkness, in a closed cell,all Hell breaking loose outside and possibly quite a few unstable minds and bodies quaking. My son is inside waiting to see if he’s guilty or not guilty. I pray for him and anyone else who wants it…
All of our best to your son Princess Peri Banu!
My brother is on rikers island and I’m very sad Nd upset that mayor bloomberg would not move those prisoners regardless the crime they are ppl and have families kids as well I am praying for my brothers as well as all the prisoners safety
@latoya Best wishes to your brother and all the other inmates and staff at Rikers.
[...] York City is surrounded by small islands and barrier beaches, and a glance at the city’s evacuation map reveals all of them to be in Zone A (already under a mandatory evacuation order) or Zone B–all, [...]
The generators COULD go out. Imagine being in a locked cell, in darkness w/ possibly quite a few unstable bodies and minds,feeling helpless,and all Hell breaking loose around you; knowing you’re surrounded by water and not being able to see what’s up; most of the people who could help you, if needed, are gone…To my son, who”s awaiting trial; hopefully he’ll be able to get his medicine;also,to anyone who needs it, I will be praying for you. Peace…
[...] York City is surrounded by small islands and barrier beaches, and a glance at the city’s evacuation map reveals all of them to be in Zone A (already under a mandatory evacuation order) or Zone B–all, [...]
[...] York City is surrounded by small islands and barrier beaches, and a glance at the city’s evacuation map reveals all of them to be in Zone A (already under a mandatory evacuation order) or Zone B–all, [...]
[...] York City is surrounded by small islands and barrier beaches, and a glance at the city’s evacuation map reveals all of them to be in Zone A (already under a mandatory evacuation order) or Zone B–all, [...]
Why would they give a shit about prisoners? Think about it..even the damn D’s wouldn’t mind if a bunch of them drowned..it would save the state a boatload of cash in the care and feeding of said humans..that are usually treated worse than animals by the local animal control.
You know about our state TG..we have been fighting, for over a decade, to keep from giving them basic healthcare or housing them like a 100 rats in a very small cage. NY is no different w/regard to the value of certain human lives.
[...] York City is surrounded by small islands and barrier beaches, and a glance at the city’sevacuation map reveals all of them to be in Zone A (already under a mandatory evacuation order) or Zone B–all, [...]
@ Dusty, you are right the city might think like that, but they have to also realize if you have over 1000 inmates and their families decide to sue the city for negligence they would be losing more than they spend on each inmate.. You cannot put a value on human life, and I do believe that some inmates deserve the sentence they were given, and it is those who are incarcerated while trying to prove their innocence..
[...] York City is surrounded by small islands and barrier beaches, and a glance at the city’s evacuation map reveals all of them to be in Zone A (already under a mandatory evacuation order) or Zone B–all, [...]
I understand the concern for the prisoners, as most (not all) are human and there for petty crimes and do not deserve to rot there/die… But don’t also forget the workers and personnel that is there.. And just think, there just trying to feed their families. As I am a wife of a worker there.. He was called in and I dont know what the weather conditions are but I do know those buildings are in no way able to handle a storm like this.. Please pray for him and all the people in rikers.. I dont know what I would do without him…
Here’s a link to a google app (don’t know what else to call it) that can tell you elevation at your cursor position.
http://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm
You’ll have to pan and zoom in to find Riker’s Island. When you do, start clicking around the perimeter and see the bottom of the window for the elevation.
Elevations seem to vary from about 12 ft at the west end to 29 feet at the east end. Clicking in the center of the island gets about 21 feet.
It may not be an issue.
And here’s a sea level rise simulation due to global warming.
http://geology.com/sea-level-rise/new-york.shtml
Note that you have to get beyond a 5 meter rise to see Riker’s start to disappear.
@smoothmusic: I totally agree! But AZ hasn’t learned any lesson’s either as that dipshit Sheriff Arpaio they have, that has been sued so many times and lost..its cost Maricopa county millions upon millions..yet…they keep re-electing his disgusting ass. Any money he saved has been eaten up, and then some, by the payouts from the lost lawsuits that are about the simplest of human care and dignity.
When the prisoners were left to die in New Orleans, they were literally left alone..in their locked cages, as the guards all bailed I believe…but I could be wrong..its early and I didn’t get much sleep. I recall reading that the water got waist-high in some of those cages. Fucking assholes that run that system need to be stuck in their own cages for a week.
[...] York City is surrounded by small islands and barrier beaches, and a glance at the city’s evacuation map reveals all of them to be in Zone A (already under a mandatory evacuation order) or Zone B–all, [...]
[...] York City is surrounded by small islands and barrier beaches, and a glance at the city’s evacuation map reveals all of them to be in Zone A (already under a mandatory evacuation order) or Zone [...]