Ocean City Recognizes Superstorm Sandy Volunteers

Superstorm Sandy left hundreds of millions of dollars of damage to Ocean City property, but caused no death or serious injury to any Ocean City resident.

The city's Office of Emergency Management took time on Tuesday to recognize the selfless efforts of a small number of volunteers who helped make a massive evacuation of the island possible and who manned a makeshift shelter at Ocean City High School during the storm. The volunteers helped keep their neighbors safe during an October 2012 storm that left Ocean City buried under record flood levels.

"We literally could not have done it without the volunteerism effort in this town," said Frank Donato, the city's Office of Emergency Management coordinator and finance director.

Most of the volunteers were members of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) in Ocean City. First formed in 2005, the team now has about 100 members who supplement professional rescue personnel during winter storms, hurricanes, flooding events, relocations after fires and large-scale training exercises. Participants are trained in classes run by Police Det. Scott Morgan, who helped create the program in Ocean City.

About 25 to 30 volunteers participated in the Superstorm Sandy evacuation: helping to transport hundreds of elderly residents of The Shores at Wesley Manor; manning an evacuation staging area at Ocean City High School and working at an evacuation center at the Upper Township Intermediate School.

Special proclamations were given to retired National Weather Service senior meteorologist Jim Eberwine (who made his expertise available to the Ocean City team at all times) and to Upper Township Emergency Management Coordinator Rob Spiegel (who helped make the evacuation center in Upper Township possible).

Donato recognized the efforts of Ocean City Director of Community Services Jim Mallon and retired Philadelphia Fire Department Lt. Jerry Bonner for their outstanding leadership.

He noted the tireless efforts of a small number of volunteers at what was supposed to be a temporary evacuation staging area at Ocean City High School.

"It became a bunker for all of our first responders and 25 to 30 evacuees," Donato said. "You have to roll with it."

Unable to get off the island during the storm, the evacuees were transported to the high school during the storm, where volunteers helped feed and shelter them.

"We eat well in the shelter, thanks to Joe," Donato said of Joe Clark, the city's purchasing agent who is a regular volunteer in Ocean City emergencies.

The volunteers officially recognized on Tuesday include the following:

Special proclamations to:

• Retired National Weather Service senior meteorologist Jim Eberwine
• Upper Township Emergency Management Coordinator and Volunteer Fire Chief Rob Spiegel

Outstanding Leadership:

• Retired Philadelphia Fire Department Lt. Jerry Bonner
• Ocean City Community Services Director Jim Mallon

Ocean City High School staging area volunteers:

• Joe Clark
• Randy Clark
• Patrick Juliano
• Beth Fulton
• Joann Cioeta

Spouse teams:

• Doris and David Hartman
• Diane and Jim McManus
• Karen Morelli and Bill Schweitzer
• Kathy and Keith Gesler
• Kathleen and Albert Reese

Individual volunteers:

• Allen Nordt
• Annmarie Buraczeski
• Chris Shenk
• Dale Nicholas
• Dan Hughes
• Dave Evans
• Denise Potter
• Dolly Barnes
• Gregory Love
• James Pielko
• Jim Root
• Ken Cooper
• Ken Weber
• LeeAnn Wentzel
• Michael Guido
• Nancy Waddel
• Roxellen Auletto
• Tom Tumelty
• Wayne Mozzo