When a devastating fire displaced approximately 40 people last night, Lakewood’s Office of Emergency Management kicked into high gear.
At around 11:30PM last night, a fire broke out at a three-story residence on Lexington Avenue. Approximately 30 tenants, many who had infants and young children, escaped from the building.
Within moments, Lakewood Emergency Management immediately responded by providing a shelter – at the Lakewood Municipal Building – providing all of their needs and necessities. They provided cots, blankets, diapers, formula, foods, drinks, baby bottles and many more items to these victims.
The Lakewood Emergency Management then worked in conjunction with the American Red Cross to get these victims hotel rooms and money to sustain them until proper arrangements are made. They also provided necessary transportation and interpreters to assure that nothing was overlooked.
“Years ago we had nothing even close to this,” said Sergeant Dan Torkowski, expressing his amazement how quickly everything was taken care of, and the resources that Lakewood retains and has immediate access too.
“The Deputy Coordinators of Emergency Management would like to thank the American Red Cross, Lakewood Firefighters, OEM members and the Lakewood Police Department for all their assistance and help meeting all expectations,” a Deputy Coordinator told TLS.
Thank you so much to all those people that were helping in all kinds of ways. Thank you
I’m just wondering if any checking is done on these dozens of people to make sure they are here legally. I feel bad for them that they suffer a fire. Its not fun to be in that situation and help is warrented but before my tax dollars are given to them I think I and all the tax payers deserve to find out if they belong here in the first place
You are absolutely right. Next time we should leave these families to the mercy of the elements, with no shelter and no food, until we run their SSNs through some system that probably does not open up until 9 AM. Of course we could ask to see their green cards…assuming they did not burn up in the fire with their clothes, furniture and everything else they own.
I agree with no. 2. While it is nice to help everyone in need, our tax dollars should go to benefit Lakewood legal residents. Those that pay will benefit.
What do being legal or illegal have to do with anything what matters is making sure everyone is OK people need to grow up already
Food for thought…
Not too many years ago many of our grandparents fled persecution illegaly smuggling across borders for the safety of their lives.
Many of them found shelter in other countries though not always under the best living conditions. Now imagine for a moment that your ancestors and all their family were occupying a shelter as illegals in this very,situation and suddenly a catastrophe occurred displacing your grandparents and their babies etc.
Now imagine the government there saying… we feel terrible that we will have to leave you out in the elements with no food or shelter or deport you back to your countries you escaped from because our citizens pay tax dollars for themselves and we dont care about other humanity. We are so sorry but you will not be helped and instead you will be thrown back to the place you ran from.
Wouldnt that be horrible? Arent many of us here because of the chasidei umos that opened their arms and spent their tax dollars to provide for the refuges that escaped the hell they ran from?
Hmmmmm?
Ppl here are suffering. Illegal or not we cant leave them to the elements. Lets allow our middah of chesed to shine for these ppl and may,we never know their suffering.
I just met a tenant from that building that was very nicely placed in the Best Western, but he said that the Red Cross only paid for 2 days in the BW. Furthermore, they won’t let him into his apt to get some basic important things because it is a crime scene. He said his wife is a cancer patient and he can’t retrieve the meds she needs from the apt. He also has his share of medications. It seems strange that there is no one out there to help them.
No human being is illegal
Why were there 40 people living in one small structure?