85 mile per hour winds and 11 foot storm surges are considered life threatening and that is exactly what the Eastern Seaboard is battening down its hatches for. This 900 mile wide storm pummeled the coast for twelve long hours before it broke landfall. Evacuations from Delaware to New York are underway in a tricky situation since mass transit was shut down. It’s expected that 60 million people will be in the path of this storm which will create havoc as far inland as Ohio, with even Cleveland expecting high winds while the flood warnings went into effect last night.
Automakers have been hard at work as well and they seem confident that they will be able to minimize as much damage as possible with computers backed up and employee considerations in effect including how they will be paid and what kind of emergency funds they will be able to apply for. This fund through the National Auto Dealers Charitable Foundation offers emergency assistance to dealership employees affected by natural disasters just like Hurricane Sandy. The fund was established in 1992 and is operational through dealer donations. It has given more than $5million in aid to employees to date.
Other preparations being made by dealerships include staying operational as much as possible throughout the storm’s aftermath Paul Masse who owns a dealership in Rhode Island has arranged for generators to back up his two Chevy and two Buick-GMC stores to be able to keep stores open after the initial storm destruction. “We’re battening down the hatches so we’ll be ready to go,” Masse said. “If someone needs an oil change, we’ll be here.” Knowing power will be available to those close by will be a relief to the many who may have to do without.
Source Fox News